“Counting and Cracking”: A Journey through Memory, Conflict, and Art

 

“Counting and Cracking”: A Journey through Memory, Conflict, and Art

 

Dr. Charitha Dissanayake

Teacher

School of Culture and Communication

Faculty of Arts

University of Melbourne

Melbourne, Australia

 

Abstract: “Counting and Cracking”¹, a play by S. Shakthidharan, offers a profound exploration of the 1983 anti-Tamil riots in Sri Lanka, known as "Black July," and their enduring impact on individuals and communities. The article delves into the harrowing personal accounts of those who witnessed the violence, contextualising these memories within the broader historical and political framework of ethnic conflict. Through its innovative use of multilingualism—employing five languages including Sinhala, Tamil, and English—the play transcends cultural barriers, fostering empathy and understanding among diverse audiences. The narrative examines how art serves as a medium for healing, bridging divides, and addressing themes of displacement, identity, and reconciliation. Drawing on critical transculturalism, the article highlights the challenges and ethical considerations of adapting a deeply rooted Sri Lankan story for international stages, particularly in multicultural Australia. Performers and audience reactions underscore the universal resonance of humanity and love as central themes, proving that theatre can unite people across ethnic and national boundaries. Ultimately, “Counting and Cracking” exemplifies the transformative power of storytelling in confronting painful histories and promoting cross-cultural dialogue.

Keywords: Black July, Multilingual Theatre, Ethnic Conflict, Critical Transculturalism, Healing Through Art

Introduction

The play “Counting and Cracking” by S. Shakthidharan delves into the harrowing events of "Black July"² in 1983 Sri Lanka—a period marked by anti-Tamil riots that changed the course of the nation's history. This journal article draft explores the narrative depth of the play, its cultural implications, and the universal themes it addresses.

Personal Account: A Witness to Chaos

“It was a Monday morning, the 25th of July 1983, I was heading to school through Bambalapitiya, Sri Lanka. I was in grade 10, and the mid-year test was scheduled as usual. Around 10 a.m., the teachers suddenly stopped the examination and asked us to leave without explanation. As I exited to catch a bus, I encountered a chaotic and tense situation unfolding. People were running all over; shops had been broken into and set on fire in Bambalapitiya, the same area I had passed through earlier that morning. I could not make sense of what was happening. Mobs attacked a wine store, looting and sharing liquor bottles, with some individuals holding several bottles in their hands. I found myself wandering in Bambalapitiya, stranded due to the absence of buses. I witnessed shops, houses, and a large Kovil ablaze. While passing another shop that had been attacked by the mob, someone threw a packet of ‘sugar cubes’ at me. I knew they were only sold in specific shops in Colombo. As I tasted the ‘sugar cubes’ for the first time, I began to grasp the gravity of the situation. After some time, I managed to get into a truck to go home, as there were no buses available. Everyone in the truck was discussing a killing and the need for revenge against ‘Pariahs’ through a massacre. On my way to my hometown in Kalutara, for about an hour, I witnessed houses and shops being burned by people who had taken the law into their own hands. There was no police presence to prevent it. Upon my arrival, people were gathered in the town centre. The owner of a shop where I used to buy newspapers was set on fire; he had attempted to escape through an upstairs window, but the mob threw him back into the fire.

Four days later, I went to Pettah, the main city in Sri Lanka, to observe what had occurred. The area resembled a war zone, a vast expanse covered with ashes and debris from the burnt-down buildings. Meanwhile, I observed people searching through the ashes, and I joined them. Everyone was looking for trash and leftover coins after the destruction. Some people were ‘counting’ the coins collected…

This is my story, one that I have never fully articulated. It’s a memory etched within me, indelible because of its cruelty and brutality. It’s a persistent scar, still trying to expel the ‘sugar cubes’ I ingested four decades ago.

Historical Context: Black July 1983

On July 23, 1983, Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka, became the epicentre of massive anti-Tamil riots (Samarasinghe). These violent events, often referred to as "Black July," (Pavey) marked a turning point in the country’s history (Ketawala), leading to widespread devastation and the displacement of many within the Tamil community (Nelson et al. 1–2). Ethnic conflicts, such as the anti-Tamil riots of 1983, often share common characteristics—such as deep-seated grievances, political manipulation, and economic disparities—but they also differ in scale, causes, and outcomes (Robinson). For instance, the Rwandan Genocide in 1994 was marked by extreme violence and a rapid escalation, with nearly a million people killed in just 100 days (Taylor 29). In contrast, the Balkan conflicts of the 1990s were prolonged and involved multiple ethnic groups vying for territorial control (Nation 362–366). What sets the Sri Lankan riots apart is their role as a catalyst for a three-decade-long civil war (DeVotta). Such a harrowing experience elicited varied reactions from those who directly witnessed the brutality.

Cultural Impact and Reflection

Artists sought relief and a voice to express the shared trauma through diverse formats and platforms, reflecting the collective sorrow and anger that engulfed the nation in the aftermath of the violence. The weight of that dark incident was palpable, revealing a well-organised political agenda fuelling the violence. Basil Fernando³, in his poignant reflection from 1983, captured the essence of this human tragedy, depicting how people turned against their neighbours in a frenzy of hatred and destruction, which supports the autoethnographic explanation used as the preface.

You burned the buildings

and put me in prison

You threw their infants into fire

and called me inhuman

You murdered in open daylight

And blame me for wanting blood

You turned my neighbour into a refugee

and said I am responsible

You looted his hard-earned property

and called me a thief

You imprisoned him and killed him

and named me a brute.

You befriended thugs and I the victims

but you made me the accused.

I who was grieved

at my schoolmate,

my neighbour, my friend,

my guru and fellow worker,

when he died, when he went into when he went into hiding,

when he fled to escape the mob,

suddenly departed to other lands

empty handed – I, who cried holding his hand

at the Harbour building him farewell,

am now to hear this insult.

You say it's peace

when you put the blame on the innocent

You say its stability

when you protect culprits

You say it's honesty

when you hide the reports

and hush the inquiries,

spread falsehood among the nations

having a laugh at restless nation,

divided and wound.

You sleep well

but I cannot sleep

You eat well

I have not lost all appetite

You have friends

I have lost mine

You think you are successful

I know, wounds of defeat

will live with me long

and the memory of this insult.

Colombo, July 1983. (Fernando)

This is why S. Shakthidharan⁴, the playwright of “Counting and Cracking”, states, 'My mother did not talk to me about Sri Lanka in any deep way for the first 30-odd years of my life. She had closed her heart to the country.' (Shakthidharan, Counting and Cracking viii). Yet, artistic endeavours can facilitate healing.

The Impact of Black July

Why do I avoid recalling this memory? It's a wound that is still healing. No one desires to be hurt again, which explains why people often avoid revisiting painful memories. As a result of Black July 1983, 90,000 to 150,000 Tamils were displaced within Sri Lanka (Tambiah 23), approximately 500,000 left the country in the aftermath, and around 200,000 sought refugees in India (Hans), with others fleeing to Western countries, including Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia (Velamati).

Multiculturalism and Theatre Craftsmanship

The multicultural environment in Australia mirrors a 'Salad Bowl' theory (Martinov), where diverse identities strive towards a common goal while preserving their individual components. Upon migrating to Australia, individuals representing various ethnicities must collaborate, setting aside the divisions of their homelands. “Counting and Cracking “recreates this dramatic situation on stage, with this ideology underpinning the narrative.

Back in Sri Lanka, all ethnic communities coexisted with social harmony until the 1950s. However, opportunistic politicians exploited ethnic differences for their own gain. Chauvinistic ideologies divided Sri Lankan ethnic communities, transforming them into adversaries. The 1983 ‘Black July’ riots had a profoundly corrosive and destructive impact on the political landscape, particularly on Sinhala-Tamil relations (Pavey). But how do people from different ethnicities, who fled Sri Lanka as enemies, reconcile their memories in a shared space elsewhere in the world? The play commences with this dramatic tension. Language became a tool to divide Sinhala and Tamil speakers in Sri Lanka (ibid.). Shakthidharan employs this tool to tell his story, recreating Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Australian soil with foreign languages (Sinhala and Tamil) for most of the audience. This demonstrates that language is merely a tool for communication, and understanding is possible with genuine interest, challenging our notions of identity and belonging.

Multilingualism in Theatre⁵

One of the most compelling aspects of the Australian play, “Counting and Cracking” is its creative use of five different languages in its script, including English, Sinhala, Tamil, Arabic, and Yolngu Matha⁶, presented simultaneously to an English-speaking audience. Have you ever imagined a real-world scenario where people speak their preferred language, respecting and endeavouring to understand one another? However, achieving this is challenging and requires theatrical skill to interweave the narrative's complexities. Consequently, it could be considered experimental theatre, where multilingualism and theatrical craftsmanship are essential. Multilingualism is a reciprocal, often multi-way dynamic that necessitates a shared objective between native and foreign participants to foster exposure and cultural awareness (Garles). Multilingual theatre offers the significant advantage of facilitating cultural exchange. Shakthidharan elaborates on the challenges of translating a Sri Lankan experience to the Australian stage and the nature of the audience's response:

Throughout the process of writing and developing this with Belvoir, I found myself without an answer to this question. On a craft level, I understood that Tamil and Sinhala, and the way Sri Lankans move and speak, are quite musical and passionate. They resonate like a dance. The same words in Tamil or Sinhala can hold ten different meanings depending on their delivery. This dynamic is distinct from English. I was keen on capturing that essence in the show. English could not quite capture that depth, but I was at a loss for how to address this question. Instead of trying to streamline or minimise, which would involve choosing one language, what if we embraced them all? What if we encompassed everything? In the show, when a character speaks in their mother tongue, that's what we hear. We experience Tamil, Sinhala, Yolngu Matha, Arabic, and even some Sanskrit. It's an engaging experience because you can sense when there are Tamil or Sinhala speakers in the audience; they grasp the line before others do. Their reactions, be it laughter, shock, or response, create this beautiful interaction within the audience. It allows us to understand the diverse communities that form the audience each night in the theatre.  (Shakthidharan)

Transculturalism and Theatrical Adaptation

When a dramatic production portrays a true story from another country, it involves a complex process of cultural translation (Buden et al., “Cultural Translation: An Introduction to the Problem, and Responses”) and adaptation (Tyagi), which scholars have analysed through various theoretical frameworks. The primary theory addressing this phenomenon is known as critical transculturalism (Allolio-Näcke), which conceptualises the adaptation of true events across national boundaries as an interstitial process of cultural exchange rather than simple unidirectional borrowing. According to Tyagi,

Transcultural adaptations in arts celebrate the beauty of cultural diversity and the shared human spirit. By merging traditions, they create a richer and more inclusive artistic landscape, challenging us to rethink boundaries and embrace hybridity. In a world where cultural intersections are inevitable, transcultural art stands as a testament to the transformative power of creativity and dialogue, inspiring a future of mutual respect and collective growth.

This framework helps us understand how creators transform factual incidents into compelling narratives for audiences in different cultural contexts while navigating issues of authenticity (Rubidge), representation (Siena Ebony), and commercial viability (Spector) in theatre. Transnational drama adaptations (Tyagi) have become increasingly common in our globalised media landscape. These productions take true incidents that occurred in one country and recreate them for audiences in another, necessitating careful negotiation of cultural differences, historical contexts, and audience expectations. Though “Counting and Cracking” is based on true incidents in Sri Lanka from 1956-2004 (Shakthidharan, Counting and Cracking xiv–xv), it was first staged in Sydney, Australia, for an audience largely unfamiliar with Sri Lankan culture. However, the creators successfully navigated cultural disparities and historical narratives to achieve audience engagement. The concept of critical transculturalism (Lewis) emerged from scholarly attempts to understand these complex exchanges as more than mere economic transactions or cultural appropriations. However, the adaptation of true stories across national boundaries raises significant ethical questions about representation, accuracy, and cultural sensitivity. “Counting and Cracking “discusses the ethnic conflict between Sinhala and Tamil communities in Sri Lanka in-depth, and the playwright, S. Shakthidharan, is of Tamil ancestry (Shakthidharan, Counting and Cracking vii–x). This raises questions about his positionality and potential impartiality. This tension between factual accuracy and dramatic necessity becomes even more complex when stories cross cultural boundaries. Shakthidharan himself addresses this through the narrative, highlighting the power of storytelling and how experiences are received and interpreted. The authenticity of the creator should be genuine, but creative license is also necessary. The ethical implications of cross-national adaptations extend to questions of who has the right to tell certain stories and how those stories should be told. This is a challenge when presenting a story to an audience unfamiliar with the background information or settings “Counting and Cracking”overcame these challenges through its creative approach, staging a distinctly Sri Lankan story in a foreign context. Cross-cultural adaptations in plays often incorporate diverse cultural elements to make foreign stories accessible to local audiences while preserving their essence. It's akin to enjoying mythical tales without scrutinising their factual basis, because effective creators address all pertinent questions, unfolding a story of humanity that resonates universally.

The Power of Theatre for Reconciliation

As discussed earlier, “Counting and Cracking” illustrates how Sinhala and Tamil communities became adversaries in Sri Lanka. However, bringing these so-called ‘enemies’ together on one stage is a ‘drama’ in itself, as they transition into different roles, transcending their ethnicity, demonstrating the power of the medium. Individuals with opposing viewpoints can indeed collaborate in theatre, often with powerful outcomes. For example, the Lebanese play "Love and War on the Rooftop" (2017) united actors from opposing neighbourhoods in Tripoli, Lebanon—Bab al Tebbeneh and Jabal Mohsen. These areas had a history of violent conflict, yet actors from both sides worked together to create a play addressing their shared experiences (Abou-Zahr). “Counting and Cracking” featured nineteen performers from six countries (Belvoir St. Theatre), including Sri Lanka, India, Malaysia, Australia, France, and New Zealand, notably featuring Tamil and Sinhala actors from Sri Lanka. Nadie Kammallaweera⁷ reflects on her experience with the role and how it evoked her memories of Sri Lanka:

I was just eight years old when Black July happened in Sri Lanka in 1983. Even at that young age, I vividly remember the chaos and turmoil of that day. The sense of shame and sorrow I felt as a child witnessing such atrocities stayed with me as I grew older. As a teenager, I searched for ways to make amends, to apologise for what had transpired during Black July. It was a dark and terrible chapter in my country's history, and I felt a personal responsibility to address it in some way. When I was offered the role to play in this production, I saw it as an opportunity to express my own feelings as a Sri Lankan. I believe many of us, especially those living away from our homeland as migrants, have grappled with questions of identity and belonging. The experience of being uprooted due to political turmoil is sadly not unfamiliar to many in the cast. This play resonated deeply with me because it allowed me to explore these themes of displacement, identity, and the longing for home. It's a powerful reminder of the shared experiences and struggles that unite us as human beings, regardless of where we come from. (Kammallaweera)

A stage play is a form of art where you can share your real-life experiences through different roles. Consequently, actors can transition between diverse perspectives. Nipuni Sharada⁸ describes her experience with audience reactions in Australia and England:

They had to pause for a moment in the audience, visibly shocked as the play concluded, and tears were streaming down many faces. What struck me was that most of the audience members were Australians, and in the UK performances, they were mostly British, not Sri Lankans. There were not many Sri Lankans in the UK, but in Australia (in Sydney), we had a mix of Sri Lankan and Indian audiences. Yet, despite these differences, everyone seemed to find a way to connect with the play. At its core, the super objective or overarching theme of the play is humanity and love, concepts that resonate universally with every human being. This was evident in how people were moved to tears, transcending any notions of nationality or background. The play delves into themes of relationships, homeland, statehood, and the plight of refugees, speaking a language that touches the hearts of all who witness it. (Sharada)

People from different parts of the world can share their stories, and careful listening reveals common threads, often rooted in political realities.

Your great-grandparents built a home…a whole world around us. They protected us within its walls. Growing up, I thought we were-and that it was-indestructible. But it wasn’t. What we had built was fragile-so fragile, and it was being worn down, brick by brick, until one day people were turning around and killing the person on the left, or their right… the person in front of or behind you… (Shakthidharan, Counting and Cracking 126–127)

Conclusion

“Counting and Cracking”is a play that recreates a series of incidents that occurred in Sri Lanka over fifty years. However, this narrative possesses global relevance, as ethnic-based conflicts occur worldwide, forcing people to endure suffering and the loss of their families, countries, languages, and cultures. Ethnicity continues to be exploited as a tool in politics globally, ‘Two languages one country, one language two countries’ (Shakthidharan, Counting and Cracking 117)

Yet, humanity has the potential to transcend these differences, as demonstrated by the play’s powerful message of unity and reconciliation.

Notes

1.      Counting and Cracking is an Australian play first staged in 11 January 2019 in Sydney Town Hall, The play was produced by Belvoir St. Theatre with Eamon Flack as director and S. Shakthidharan as playwright.

2.      Black July was an anti-Tamil pogrom that occurred in Sri Lanka during July 23rd to July 30^th 1983.

3.      A Sri Lankan jurist, author, poet, and human rights activist.

4.      S. Shakthidharan is a writer, director and producer of film and theatrebased in Sydney, Australia.

5.      Considered to be theatre involving any language other than English in any way, whether as an integral part of the action or simply as the authentic, original written language of the play (Garles).

6.      A language spoken by several thousand Yolŋu people of northeast Arnhem Land in northern Australia.

7.      Nadie Kammallaweera is a theatre, film and television actor, writer, and a translator born in Sri Lanka and based in Sri Lanka.

8.      Nipuni Sharada is an actor, vocalist and academic from Sri Lanka.

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