Incoherent communities

Alleyway: Mallika's son playing, Mallika coming out of Kamala's house on the right.

Following one of my previous blog posts titled 'Game minissu vs. Pitagamkarayo' published on the 25th of November, that discussed the insider/outsider division in the city context as well as in my site (site A), I now wish to add another layer to that discussion.My chosen site is divided on a number of levels. Firstly, and a more political sense, the West of the site belongs to Panchigawatte and the East belongs to Maligawatte. Secondly, this arbitrary separation is rationalised by the arm of Sebestian canal that physically rupture the site. Thirdly, the site is disunited by its physical appearance- East of the site is a State housing scheme with plastered walls and condominium style blocks of housing 4 storyes high, while the West is a complicated matrix of self-devised housing built with scrap materials, fabrics and sheets of tin. Fourthly, on a socio-economic level, the site is dichotomized. The government housing scheme, originally intended at low-income communities, now housing a mixture of low to middle income populace is on a social level estranged from the low-income slum-dwellers next door. However, in this blogpost I wish to pick-up on a more psychological division, the insider/outsider divergence between the East and the West of the site.

Kamala, looking out through her store counter/room window.

Today I went again to the site. As I was walking and taking pictures, I came across a blush coloured alleyway, illuminated by the setting sun. Two children were playing out and two women- one sitting behind a window in her room and the other standing out on the alleyway, deeply in conversation. Kamala the lady behind the window is a streamstress and runs her small business out of one of her rooms and Mallika (the other) had come down to pick up her son from his tuition class. Kamala keeps an eye out for the children release from the tuition class, till their parents come to pick them up. I engaged in conversation with them. This conversation more than ever highlighted that in my site, communities are divided, with the outsiders and the insiders unable and unwilling to build relationships and coherent communities. People are separated by their cultural orientations, towards either the city or the village, by their sense of belonging to the settlement or otherwise, by being considered either an outsider or an insider, and by being either a drop-out from the city or an aspirant to the city. The following was our conversation:

Me: Hello, I'm doing a research project. Is it ok if i take some pictures of your store?

Kamala: Of course

Mallika: What is this about? are you from the paper?

Me: No, not at all, I'm studying about city planning and I would like to know more about this area. Would you answer some of my questions?

Mallika: Yes that's fine

Me: Could you tell me a little about yourselves? your names as well perhaps?

Mallika: I'm Mallika. I live a couple of streets over. I'm a stay at home mother. I've just come to pick up my son (she points at one of the boys who are playing outside) from his science tuition.

Kamala: I'm Kamala. I keep an eye out for the children. It's quite easy for me.. I'm working away here anyway.... of course I get to catch up with everyone... a few years ago I built this counter so that its more like a shop counter where I can take orders...... I usually make sari blouses, children's school uniforms and petticoats etc.

Mallika.

Me: It must be convenient for you to have a tuition class closer to home isn't it? Where does your son go to school?

Mallika: They go to school in Kotahena. Yes, its good that its close by... the school is like 40 minutes away on the bus with the traffic in the morning and afternoon.. so at least they get to enjoy the evenings because all the tuition we do around here.

Kamala: Yeah, most children go to tuitions around here...

Mallika: There's so many houses here, and a lot of teachers from neighbouring government schools live in these blocks so we get teachers for all subjects here. They are all good teachers.

Me: It must also be nice for the children to get to know their neighbours and form new friendships aside from the school?

Mallika: laughs sometimes there's only too much play not enough studying.

Kamala: Most of us who have been living here for a while know everyone. If I'm walking around and I don't recognise the face I'll try and find out who they are... It's important.. because our children are freely running and playing out on the street... we need to make sure they are safe.

Me: Do you think its easy for new comers to be integrated into the community here?

Mallika: I don't think new people want to be a part of the community. From my experience... a new couple moved into the house next door to us... when Kumari achchi (Kumari grandmother//elderly person) passed away... they always have their doors and windows closed and aren't seen around much.

Kamala: And most of them don't stay for too long. Everyone is renting now-a-days.

Me: Do you think that there is an outsider/insider dynamic here?

Kamala: Well, we trust the people we know. I dont know the new people... they may be here today and not tomorrow. The community spirit is not what it used to be here in any case... there's a big language barrier as well.

Mallika: Yes the Muslim families stick together. The Sinhalese will stick together. But the older residents aren't that way. I'm Muslim, but I'm very good friends with Kamal here, and all the old families.

Me: What about the people from across the canal? Do those kids come to tuition here? Do your children go to play there? Are you in touch with the older families from there?

Kamala: Oh no, that's the slum.

Mallika: Yeah, we don't know them. Our children don't go there. A lot of kids there are doing drugs or involved in some way. Many of them don't go to school I don't think.

Kamala: Besides, there's alway new people there. It's a bit dangerous that side... this is the good side.... ver peaceful... I wouldn't recommend going to that side.