The one phrase you hear so regularly is “Huthe”, in English Cunt!!!
Everybody in my village uses this as an expression to indicate anger, sorrow, disgust or happiness!!! You brought me something; you are a cunt!!! Thank you!!! The vernacular of the Sinhala language is something that I find fascinating.
An example; my landlord’s grandchild has this habit of coming to my yard and squatting with his pants on to have his morning shit. Poor fellow has not been trained to do the same in the toilet!! And the amount of profanity between mother and son is something that I find entertaining and quite frankly very relaxing.
I find that this village has accepted me as one their own, I was so touched by the fact that the owner of the Grocery store brought his daughter after her baptism, unlike the Catholics they follow a Christian format, the difference confuses me, to offer me a feast of traditional goodies and worshiped me in the formal way of touching my feet!!!!
This practice is dismissed by many as bullshit that you don’t have do it, It is an act of reverence to somebody who is older and valued as a member of society. It was not done out of compulsion!! The Parents felt that my blessings would bring this six year old girl all she wanted in life and she would succeed in whatever she wanted to!!! I touched her head and said a prayer for her.
Anyway I was contemplating how come in a short time I have been recognized as one of their own??? I came here on the 25th of June and I have lived here for a few weeks. Anyway to get the point of what I was trying to say.
The Sinhala language is probably the best after Greek to express vulgarity and profanity effectively. Mother Fucker is so mild compared to Umbe Ammata Hukanawa keri Vesige Putha!!! I will fuck your mother you cum prostitute’s son. The interesting aspect I find so amusing is both sexes use it!!! This is one area that there is no gender bias and I was told today by shop owners on the main road that I live in the most dangerous part of the village.
I have not felt that it was, in fact it is the most secure place I have lived in. I feel a sense of protection around me. When I walk on the streets there is somebody who will amble along with me and gossip. Yes profanity is a common form of our language that we use in everyday conversations!!! You find the old and young using it with no hesitation. I do it!!!
I was wondering how come I felt that I belonged here? I asked my mother she told me that I was more at home with the thugs at Beramulle in Kotahena as opposed to the upper middle class residents of Alwis place. This really intrigued me!! I had missed something!!!
My natural instincts to probe were activated. I questioned my landlord and found about his ancestry. I followed that trend with a few of the older residents here. What I learned is so amazing!!! Every fucking person who lives in my part of the village has a lineage that can be traced to Kerala!!! My mother was from Kerala!!! No wonder I am accepted!!!! That is why I feel I have found my home!!!!
