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  • Giving Up Sinhala Identity and Proudly Embracing Ponnayā As A Self-Identity

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    Damith Chandimal
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    The title of the article is ‘Giving up Sinhala identity and pride of being a Ponnaya’. It attempts to deconstruct the Sinhala-Buddhist identity and advocates for a Ponna-Buddhist identity. Ponnaya is derogatory term for feminine men and homosexuals in general. However it is also used in the context of hate speech. In this article, drawing from use of hate speech in the context of social media, I interpret Ponnaya as somebody who criticizes the hegemony in a society. I also look in to the character of Buddha, politics of early Buddhism, and how Buddhism and Buddha challenged the hegemonic practices and heteronormativity. Further I look into how Buddha left Sakya(Royal) identity, and compare that example with giving up ‘Sinhala’ identity, and argue that giving up ethnic identity as something Buddhist. Taking Buddhist Dhamma (texts/ philosophy) discourse into account, I argue that Ponna-Buddhist identity as something more viable than the Sinhala-Buddhist identity. As Buddha has rejected, redefined, challenged the caste identities (four colours) in Buddha’s time, Caste + Buddhist identity was not something Buddhist. A Sakya Buddhist identity was non-existent. However Buddha has changed the meanings of hate speech into respectable Buddhist practices, for example the Begging for food, shaving the head were used to insult people at his time. Further I present the need of bringing Buddhist Ponnaya as a political identity in order to challenge Sinhala- Buddhist discourse, and revitalize the discussion among the Buddhists about the values of Buddhism. I end the article by saying ‘Buddhists are a minority, so do the Ponnayas. Nobody could become a Ponnaya or a Buddhist by birth. Only by rejecting the hegemonic ideals, one could become a Ponnaya.

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    Giving Up Sinhala Identity and Proudly Embracing Ponnayā as a Self-identity

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    The title of the article is ‘Giving up Sinhala identity and pride of being a Ponnaya’. It attempts to deconstruct the Sinhala-Buddhist identity and advocates for a Ponna-Buddhist identity. Ponnaya is derogatory term for feminine men and homosexuals in general. However it is also used in the context of hate speech. In this article, drawing from use of hate speech in the context of social media, I interpret Ponnaya as somebody who criticizes the hegemony in a society. I also look in to the character of Buddha, politics of early Buddhism, and how Buddhism and Buddha challenged the hegemonic practices and heteronormativity. Further I look into how Buddha left Sakya(Royal) identity, and compare that example with giving up ‘Sinhala’ identity, and argue that giving up ethnic identity as something Buddhist. Taking Buddhist Dhamma (texts/ philosophy) discourse into account, I argue that Ponna-Buddhist identity as something more viable than the Sinhala-Buddhist identity. As Buddha has rejected, redefined, challenged the caste identities (four colours) in Buddha’s time, Caste + Buddhist identity was not something Buddhist. A Sakya Buddhist identity was non-existent. However Buddha has changed the meanings of hate speech into respectable Buddhist practices, for example the Begging for food, shaving the head were used to insult people at his time. Further I present the need of bringing Buddhist Ponnaya as a political identity in order to challenge Sinhala- Buddhist discourse, and revitalize the discussion among the Buddhists about the values of Buddhism. I end the article by saying ‘Buddhists are a minority, so do the Ponnayas. Nobody could become a Ponnaya or a Buddhist by birth. Only by rejecting the hegemonic ideals, one could become a Ponnaya.

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    79 views7 pages

    Giving Up Sinhala Identity and Proudly Embracing Ponnayā As A Self-Identity

    Uploaded by

    Damith Chandimal
    The title of the article is ‘Giving up Sinhala identity and pride of being a Ponnaya’. It attempts to deconstruct the Sinhala-Buddhist identity and advocates for a Ponna-Buddhist identity. Ponnaya is derogatory term for feminine men and homosexuals in general. However it is also used in the context of hate speech. In this article, drawing from use of hate speech in the context of social media, I interpret Ponnaya as somebody who criticizes the hegemony in a society. I also look in to the character of Buddha, politics of early Buddhism, and how Buddhism and Buddha challenged the hegemonic practices and heteronormativity. Further I look into how Buddha left Sakya(Royal) identity, and compare that example with giving up ‘Sinhala’ identity, and argue that giving up ethnic identity as something Buddhist. Taking Buddhist Dhamma (texts/ philosophy) discourse into account, I argue that Ponna-Buddhist identity as something more viable than the Sinhala-Buddhist identity. As Buddha has rejected, redefined, challenged the caste identities (four colours) in Buddha’s time, Caste + Buddhist identity was not something Buddhist. A Sakya Buddhist identity was non-existent. However Buddha has changed the meanings of hate speech into respectable Buddhist practices, for example the Begging for food, shaving the head were used to insult people at his time. Further I present the need of bringing Buddhist Ponnaya as a political identity in order to challenge Sinhala- Buddhist discourse, and revitalize the discussion among the Buddhists about the values of Buddhism. I end the article by saying ‘Buddhists are a minority, so do the Ponnayas. Nobody could become a Ponnaya or a Buddhist by birth. Only by rejecting the hegemonic ideals, one could become a Ponnaya.

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    4/7/2016

    GrassrootedBlogArchiveGivingupSinhalaidentityandproudlyembracingPonnayasaselfidentity

    GivingupSinhalaidentityandproudlyembracingPonnayasaself
    identity
    23MARCH2016

    POSTEDBYPABA

    NOCOMMENT

    (Buddhistmonksclashwithmilitaryandpoliceofficersataprotestheldin
    frontofHomagamaCourtagainstthearrestofGnanasaraTheroGeneral
    SecretaryofBoduBaluSena,anextremistBuddhistorganization.Photo
    credits:EshanFernando)
    Whatdoesitmeanexactlytogiveupanethnicidentity?Isitpossibletoeraseonesethnicidentity?Though,itmaynotbepossibletoeraseonesethnicroots,givingupidentity
    couldbeusuallyapoliticaldecisionandapoliticalstatement.Furthermoreonedoesnothaveasingularidentity,butmultipleidentities,allofwhicharesociallyconstructed.Itis
    easiertodefineourselveswithinframeworksoftheseexistingidentitiesespeciallywithinidentitiesthatareassignedatbirthsuchasgender,ethnicity,casteetc.Deviatingfrom,
    refusingtoacceptassignedidentities,orevencriticizingthoseidentitiesisusuallypunished,stigmatized,anddiscriminatedinoursocieties.Thepunishment,stigmatization,and
    discriminationonemustbearintheprocessofrefusinganidentityinevitablysuppliesapoliticalconsciousnesstotherefuser.WhyshouldIstepoutside,conventionalnormsof
    masculinity,ethnicityandcaste(andfacethepunishments,stigmatizationanddiscrimination)?WhycanInotbringaconstructivecriticismaboutanidentity,whilekeepingmyself
    withintheidentity?Perhaps,evenwhenIrefusetheethnicidentity,Imightbestillunabletoabandonmyselffromtheframeworkofethnicidentitycompletely.Imightbestill
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    attemptingtoreframetheidentity.
    IdonotmeantosaythatIhavecompletelyabandonedmyethnicidentity,butthisissuecametolightuponreceptionofaFacebookpostIpublisheddenouncingmySinhalese
    ethnicidentity.
    IamnotaSinhalese.IdonthaveanethnicityIammoreproudcallingmyselfanoutcastthancallingmyselfSinhalese.BelowquoteisfromanotherarticleIhavewritten
    previously.
    IamaSinhalese.HowdoIknowIamaSinhalese?BecausemyparentsareSinhalese.HowdoIknowmyparentsareSinhalese?BecausetheirlineagehasbeenSinhalese.
    ButhowcanonereducemybackgroundtosaythatIamsimplySinhalese.WiththesurnameDeAlwismygreatgrandfatherswereinfluencedbyPortuguese,furthermygreat
    grandmothersweremarriedtoDutch.No.IamnotSinhalesebylineage.
    Thesecondargumentisasfollows:IamSinhalese,becauseIspeakandwritetheSinhalalanguage.Ihaveproblemswiththisargumentaswell.Ihavetwofriends.Onesfather
    isTamil.OthersfatherisMuslim.Bothoftheirfathershavedied.ThefirstfriendhasaTamilSurnameandSinhalaname,andhegrewupwithhisSinhalamotherandher
    relatives.ThelattersbothsurnameandthenameareMuslimandhealsohasgrownupwithhisSinhalamotherandherrelatives.WithoutknowingawordofTamil,bothofthem
    areidentifiedasTamilandMuslim,respectively,ontheirbirthcertificates.Sinhalanessisneitherrelatedtoourlineage,nordoesitrelatetoourlanguage.Itisonlythetradition.
    EvenbeingTamilandMuslimissolelythetradition
    Quotedfrom:DamithChandimal(2014),Teachingracismthroughschoolcurriculum,MyAlaStory,Gradesixstory,parrotstoryandGnanasarastory
    https://www.facebook.com/damithalwis/posts/10205491117172524
    ThefirstcommentIreceivedforthisFacebookpostwasfromayoungmanwhostatedyou,outcastponnakriy.Youbettereatshitthan(writing)this.
    Kriyisawordconsideredobsceneandinsulting,howeveritisalsousedwiththemeaningofthugwithconnotationsofmasculinity.LiterallyKrimeansseminalfluid.The
    secondcommentalsofromhimwasapictureofshitwithatextstatinghere,eat.
    Withoutmyresponding,oneofmyfriendsresponded.Whenyousayponnakriy,isntitparadoxical?Thentellmewhetheryouhavetastedshit.Theparadoxisevidentas
    ponnayconnotedameaningofemasculationwhilethetermkriyconnotedameaningofmasculinityandpower.Thesecondargumentisbasedonthelogicthatsomebody
    shouldhavetastedsomething(shit)beforeaskingotherstotasteit.WhileIwasgladtoseemyfriendnotethisparadox,Iwasinterestedintherhetoricofthisviolentresponse
    IfirstnotedhisuseofthetermPonnay,aderogatorytermforfemininemenandhomosexualsingeneral,oftenusedinthecontextofhatespeech.Readingintohisuseofthe
    word,onemaywonderifPonnayscanbecomeKriys?ArePonnaystheoneswhocriticizethereligionandethnicity?ArethereSinhalaPonnays?ArethereBuddhist
    Ponnays?ThisisnotthefirsttimethatIhavebeencalledaPonnaybyracists.Accordingtothem,wheredoesmyPonnaidentityplace?WhydoIbecomePonna?Whatwill
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    betakenawayfrommewhenIamPonna?DoIbecomePonna,whenIleavemySinhalaidentity?CanIcontinuebeingaPonnay,whilekeepingmyBuddhistidentity?Doesit
    meanmysexuality,whenthetermPonnayisstated?
    Atthemiddleoftheconversation,theyoungmanwhocalledmeoutcast(Awajataka)ponnaKriyinthefirstcommentlefttheconversationafterblockingmefromhisprofile.
    Soonafter,asecondpersonjoinedtheconversationelaboratedthenotionofbeingoutcastrelatingtheillegitimatebirth.Dontyougetadoubtwhomadeyouborntoyourmother
    whetherisityourfatheroradogoramule?IansweredhimwithNo.Idonothavesuchadoubt.BecauseIbelievethathumanbeingscannotmakechildrenbyhavingsexwitha
    dogoramule.ButIdonotthinkIshouldobstructhisimaginationofpossibilitytohaveahumanchildbornoutoflionhumanrelationship.Idonothaveanyproblemwithanybody
    wholikestohavesexwithdogsandmules).
    AccordingtoMahavansaepicstory,theSinhalaNationwasbornfromasexualrelationshipbetweenhumanwomanandalion.[Intheaboveconversation]thelionsymbolizesa
    respectedanimalandalegitimatebirth.,whilethedogwasusedaasasymbolofinferiorityandanillegitimatebirth.Paradoxicallythelionlivesawayfromusinaforeign
    country,inaforest,whilethedoglivesamongstus.Isourunderstandingofsocalledculturereferringtothethingswhichareforeign,andoutsideofourlives?
    Ididnotbecomeangrywithhisinsultingwordsagainstmyarguments.NotgettingangrycouldbeaPonnacharacteristic.PerhapsthosewhoarenotPonnabecomeangry.The
    machoguysdeclarewars,startfights.PeacecouldbeaPonnacharacteristic.IunderstoodthatheplaceshisethnicityonthegroundofBuddhism,soIrespondedwithastoryfrom
    theBuddhisttexts:
    TheBlessedOnewasstayingnearRajagahaintheBambooGrove,theSquirrelsSanctuary.ThentheBrahmanAkkosakaBharadvajaheardthataBrahmanoftheBharadvaja
    clanhadgoneforthfromthehomelifeintohomelessnessinthepresenceoftheBlessedOne.Angered&displeased,hewenttotheBlessedOneand,onarrival,insulted&
    cursedhimwithrude,harshwords.Whenthiswassaid,theBlessedOnesaidtohim:
    Whatdoyouthink,Brahman:Dofriends&colleagues,relatives&kinsmencometoyouasguests?
    Yes,MasterGotama,sometimesfriends&colleagues,relatives&kinsmencometomeasguests.
    Andwhatdoyouthink:Doyouservethemwithstaple&nonstaplefoods&delicacies?
    Yes,sometimesIservethemwithstaple&nonstaplefoods&delicacies.
    Andiftheydontacceptthem,towhomdothosefoodsbelong?
    Iftheydontacceptthem,MasterGotama,thosefoodsareallmine.
    Inthesameway,Brahman,thatwithwhichyouhaveinsultedme,whoisnotinsultingthatwithwhichyouhavetauntedme,whoisnottauntingthatwithwhichyouhaveberated
    me,whoisnotberating:thatIdontacceptfromyou.Itsallyours,brahman.Itsallyours.
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    Whoeverreturnsinsulttoonewhoisinsulting,returnstauntstoonewhoistaunting,returnsaberatingtoonewhoisberating,issaidtobeeatingtogether,sharingcompany,with
    thatperson.ButIamneithereatingtogethernorsharingyourcompany,Brahman.Itsallyours.Itsallyours.
    AkkosaSutta:DiscourseonInsult,BrahmanaSanyutta,SanyukttaNikaya
    translatedfromthePalibyThanissaroBhikkhu(1999)
    http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn07/sn07.002.than.html
    ThiscommentsaddsadifferentdimensiontomyPonnaidentity.IamquestioninghisaccusationonthegroundofBuddhism.Inhisresponse,heaccusedmeofbeingaradical,
    andthatIhavestudiedatArtFacultyinUniversity.DoesmyPonnaidentitygotogetherwithRadicalnessandArt?Iamnottheonlyonewhowasrecentlyrecognizedasradical
    Ponnay.FilmDirectorChinthanaDharmadasawhoquestionedBuddhistidentityoftheancientBuddhistKingDutugemunuinaTVprogrammewasalsoblamedasRadical
    Ponnayonsocialmedia.
    ThisfurthercomplicatesthemeaningofthetermPonnay.Itisnotsimplyatermrelatedtogenderorsexuality.Aponnaycriticizesthebeliefsofthemajority.Weshouldnot
    abandonthetermPonnaybysimplyacceptingitasaviolentword.ThePonnayidentityshouldbeembracedproudly.
    Ponnayisidentitywhichcouldbeembracedproudly
    IngeneralthereisanacceptancethatthetermPonnayisaderogatorytermusedinrelationtoapersonwithsamesexfeelings,orafeminineman.Itisalsousedinthecontextof
    apersonwithweakorpusillanimouscharacteristics.HoweveranadditionalmeaningisnowemergingtothetermPonnaybasedonitsuseinthecontextofhatespeechon
    socialmediaplatforms,suchasFacebook.Accordingtothisemergingnewmeaning,Ponnaycanbearadicalpersonwhocriticizesthewaythemajoritythinks.Lookingmorein
    depthintothismeaninghelpsustoredefinetheterm.HenceIwouldliketoassociatethetermPonnaywithanimportantpoliticalsense.
    Ponnayistheonewhochallengesthehegemonyinasystemofexistingbeliefsandpractices.EvenifweconsiderthedefinitionofPonnayrelatingtosexualminorities,itisstill
    challengingthehegemonyofheteronormativity.
    IamaPonnay.IamproudofbeingaPonnay.IunderstandtheimportanceofPonnapoliticalusage.Iamquestioningthelogicofhypocriticalmorality.Iunderstandwhen
    replyingtoSinhalaBuddhistnationalists,theuseofBuddhismhelpstoproblematizetheiregoconsciousness.IsBuddhismaknowledgebaseorareligiousidentitywhichcould
    onlybeusedbytheSinhalaNationalism,masculinityandheteronormativity?
    TheuseofteachingsofBuddhatosupportracism,nationalism,violence,andhypocriticalbondstocultureisinherentlynonBuddhist,thoughBuddhismhasbeenusedto
    supportviolence,racismandnationalisminitshistoricalevolutionofSinhalaBuddhistidentityinSriLanka.IdentitypoliticsofSinhalaBuddhismstronglycontradictswiththe
    BuddhistScripture.IfSinhalaBuddhistidentitycouldexist,aPonnaBuddhistidentitycouldalsoexist.IsuggestthatPonnayidentityismoreharmoniouswithBuddhismthanthe
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    GrassrootedBlogArchiveGivingupSinhalaidentityandproudlyembracingPonnayasaselfidentity

    Sinhalaidentity.InBuddhistunderstanding,onesattachmenttoanethnicity,caste,warna,orfamilyisadesirewhichbindssomebodytothecycleofbirths.Whensuchadesire
    turnsintoviolence,canBuddhismfurtheradvocateforitinanysense?

    SuddodhanakingdragsthehandofBuddhaaskingtostophimfrombeggingforalms
    LeavingSinhalaIdentityisBuddhistPonnaBuddhistIdentityisBuddhist
    BuddhalefttheSkyaCasteinhispathtowardsbecomingaBuddha.NeitherBuddhanorhisTeachingsdidnotcarryaSkyaBuddhistidentity.Thenextquestioniswhetheritis
    possibleforlayBuddhistswhodonotwishtoattainnibbnatomaintainaSkyaBuddhistidentity.SkyaandBuddhistaretwodifferent,separateidentities.WhenBuddhism
    advocatesforgivingupbelongings,andluxuries,andpowerSkyaidentityadvocatesforincreasedgatheringandconsumptionofbelongings,luxuriesandpower.Thesetwo
    identitiesarecontradictory.Thesetwoidentitiesasexistastwoseparatephenomena,andtheideologicalconflictbetweenthetwoisinevitable.Hencewemustcriticallylookat
    howBuddhaleftSkyaidentitytohaveBuddhistidentity,andtheconstructionofBuddhistidentityinthiscountryalongwiththeSinhalaethnicidentity.
    Ifleavingacaste/ethnicidentity(Sakya/Sinhala)isBuddhist,whyshouldwebringaPonnaidentityintohere?Ponnaisnotonlyanidentity,Ponnayschallengethehegemonyin
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    GrassrootedBlogArchiveGivingupSinhalaidentityandproudlyembracingPonnayasaselfidentity

    asociety.PonnaycouldbeamaninapatriarchalsocietywhogivesupconventionalmasculinepoweronehasaSinhalapersonwhogivesupthepowerassociatedwithones
    Sinhalaethnicidentity,orevenapersonfromahighercastewhogivesuptheircasteidentitycouldbePonnay.TaketheexampleofSiddhrtha,wholeftthelifeofaprinceand
    becameanasceticinhissearchoftruth.Hegivesupmarriage,colour,caste,royalfamily,inheritanceandmanyotherconventionalregimesofpowerprivileginghim.Hegivesup
    hismarriage,deniesevenhischildsmarriage.Thiscouldbeinterpretedasthedenialofheteronormativehegemony.Intodayscontext,givingupraceandethnicityisPonnaand
    Buddhist.HencewemustdiscusstheimportanceofPonnaBuddhistidentity.
    ComingbacktotheFacebookcommentresponsetomyquotingtheBuddhistscripture,thetermPonnaywasconflatedwiththeadjectiveradical.InsomediscussionsPonnay
    wasnotusedalonebutwiththeadjectiveradical.Thishasledmetopositsomequestions.AreallPonnaysradical?OristhatsomeportionofPonnaysareradical?ThoughI
    acceptthattheremightbedifferencesintheapproachtakenbydifferentPonnaindividuals,IbelievethatallPonnaysareradical.ThewordPonnayisusedtodiscouragethe
    personswhochallengethenormsandsanctionsinagivensociety.However,proudlyembracingthePonnaidentity,disablesitsfunctionasaninsultorawordofhateand
    discouragement.Forexample,wecanlookathowBuddhareinterpretstheidentityofbeggar,andbegging,andhowitnomorebecomeaconceptofhate,anddiscouragement.
    SuddhodhanaKingWhyareyouinsultingtheSkyaCastebybeggingfromhousetohouse?
    BuddhaSuddhdana,Idonotbelongtoyourcaste.IbelongtoBuddhascaste.Idonotfollowyourtradition.IfollowthewayswhichpreviousBuddhashavefollowed.On
    becomingenlightenedonebecomesamemberofthefamilyoftheNobleOnesandtheirdignitydoesnotdependuponoutwardtrappingsbutonwisdomandcompassion.
    TheactofbeggingforfoodfromhousetohouseproblematizesthehegemonicpowerassociatedwithKingSuddhdhanasroyaltyandSkyacaste.Atsomemomentinmylife,
    whenIstartedcompletelyrefusinganidentitywhichwasenforcedonme,myrelativesinthepreviousidentitycouldnomoreimprisonmewithinthenormsandsanctionsofmy
    previousidentityinwhichtheythemselveshavebeenimprisoned.ThoughcriticizingtheSinhalaBuddhistidentitycouldbelimitedforsomebodywithintheSinhalaBuddhist
    identity,apersonwithaPonnaBuddhistidentityfacesnosuchlimitation.
    APonnaBuddhistidentitywasnonexistentsofarinthehistory.NonexistenceofPonnaBuddhistidentityhelpsustodrawsomeparallelswiththeearlyBuddhism.When
    Buddhismwasfirstintroduced,therewasnosuchaBuddhistidentityhailingfromthepast.ConsequentlywhatBuddhadidwasquestioningthehegemonyintheera.Whatradical
    isthinkingdifferentlyfromthehegemonyorquestioningthehegemony.TheKlmaSuttarevealsofthefreedomofferedbyBuddhatoquestionthehegemonyinBuddhastime.
    Yes.Klmas,itisproperthatyouhavedoubt,thatyouhaveperplexity,foradoubthasariseninamatterwhichisdoubtful.Now,lookyouKlmas,donotbeledbyreports,or
    traditions,orhearsay.
    Benotledbytheauthorityofreligioustexts,norbymerelogicorinference,norbyconsideringappearances,norbythedelightinspeculativeopinions,norbyseeming
    possibilities,norbytheidea:thisisourteacher.But,OKlmas,whenyouknowforyourselvesthatcertainthingsareunwholesome(akusala),andwrong,andbad,thengive
    themupAndwhenyouknowforyourselvesthatcertainthingsarewholesome(kusala)andgood,thenacceptthemandfollowthem
    .KalamaSutta(panchamaSutta),Mahavagga,DuthiyaPagnasaka,TikaNipata,AnguttaraNikaya
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    (translationasquotedinWalpolaRahula(1959)WhattheBuddhataught)
    Thebiasofbeingledbyreports,traditions,theauthorityofreligioustexts,merelogicorinferenceetc.parallelswiththebiasofbeingledbyheteronormativity,patriarchy,
    masculinity,andSinhalaBuddhistidentityintodayscontext.AssuggestedintheKalamaSutta,criticalthoughtisanintegralpartoftheBuddhism.ThepresentformofBuddhism
    hasbeenaresultofahistoricalevolution.Hencethereports,traditions,hearsay,theauthorityofreligioustexts,merelogic,inference,appearances,delightinspeculative
    opinions,seemingpossibilities,andtheideaofthisisourteacheretc.mustbecriticallyevaluated,tounderstandtheteachingsofBuddha.
    Linkingthestartandend:UnderstandingPonnayasapoliticalidentitybeyondthediscourseofSex
    ThePonnaBuddhistidentitymustbeextendeditsinterpretationbeyondthenotionofsexandsexualities.Ponnayshouldbeidentifiedasanidentitywhichchallengeshegemony
    socially,politicallyandeconomically.
    ThetermPonnayneedstobeunderstoodwithasensitivitytotheplacewhichithasbeenplacedinthecurrentpoliticaldiscourses.Nowordhasauniversal,alltimemeaning.
    Forexample,halfacenturybefore,thetermqueerwasusedasaderogatorytermintheWest,thoughnowitsmeaninghasbeenconceptualizedasbeingmoreinclusiveto
    thosewhochallengetheheteronormative,gendernormativehegemony.
    WhatIamstronglyproposingisthatwecouldextend,alterandreclaimthemeaningofthetermPonnayinadifferentsense:Ponnayasapersonwhochallengeshegemony.
    Thisshouldexpandthewordsmeaningbeyondthesamesexnotions,aswellastakeawaythederogatoryconnotationsitcarries.Further,bringingPonnayasapositiveword
    withintheSinhalaBuddhistdiscourseheavilyproblematizestheegoconsciousness,andmasculinistunderstandingofSinhalaBuddhistnationalistpoliticsthatarelinkedto
    violenceanddiscrimination.FurtherIseethisasanopportunitytodiscusstheteachingsofBuddhisminrelationtoqueerpolitics,andtogenerateadiscussiononhavingaricher
    understandingoftheteachingsoftheBuddha.
    (Note.BuddhistsareaminorityinthisCountry,thoughthecensusstatisticsmayidentifytheBuddhistsasthemajority.NoonecanbebornintoBuddhism.Beingborninto
    Buddhismisaproductofacolonialunderstandingofreligion.Ponnays,too,areaminorityinthiscountry.NobodycanbecomeaPonnaybybirth.TobecomeaPonnay,one
    musthavethecouragetochallengethehegemony).
    ByDamithChandimal(EditedbyKennethGunasekera)
    DamithChandimalisahumanrightsdefender,queeractivist,writerandsocialresearcherbasedinColombo,SriLanka.HeworksasaconsultanttotheINFORMHumanRights
    DocumentationCentreontheprotectionofhumanrightsdefendersanddocumentinghumanrightsviolations.HeisalsoastudentintheMastersProgrammeinGenderand
    WomensStudiesattheUniversityofColombo.

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