People’s theatre for peace : learning from Sri Lanka

This paper examines in what practical ways encounters with people theatre as one form of cultural movement may have inspired a society to respond (positively) to the complexity of human situations of the day. Using a qualitative research paradigm, this six-month study (August 2007–February 2008) seeks to understand the social praxis of 8 (eight) theatre groups across Sri Lanka that have been active since the 2002 Cease Fire Agreement between the government and the LTTE. The theatre groups observed can be interlinked in terms of vision, mission, and action. Although each group shows its distinction according to the ethnic identity and political aspiration of the artistes, both Sinhala and Tamil theatres have aspired to social change, i.e. creation of peace. The Tamil-led groups focus more on raising social awareness and self-determination of the Tamils, while the Sinhala counterparts prioritise Sinhala-Tamil co-existence. In view of the complexity of the Sri Lankan conflict and its long road to peace, the depth of cultural and political engagements of the theatres under study may function as a barometer for social change against which any reconciliation attempt can be gauged