Role Models and Mentors - Bro Ignatius Warnakula
We
Role Models and Mentors — Bro. Ignatius Warnakula
Weall have extraordinary people who shape our lives. 1st was my beloved father; I could write a book about him instead of a few short stories. Everything I do in life, I attribute to him. This is not to downplay my mother's role in my character-building.
2nd was a Christian Brother, beloved Bro. Ignatius who was my carer in the Christian brothers’ formative school when I was twelve. He was the best teacher one could ever have for an early adolescent. This is that story.
I have written about the third role model in a previous story.
I met Ignatius Warnakula, a De La Salle Christian brother when I was eleven. It was 1966. I was in my junior year in grade six at St. Anthony’s College, Wattala. Bro. Igi was a young man, twenty-five years old and a new arrival at the school.
Bro. Igi was handsome. He had a genuine smile. He was tall and well-built. Unlike any other Christian brother, he was fashionable. He wore Ray-Ban sunglasses while walking in the school compound. His white robe was ultra-white and meticulously ironed. In the afternoons, he shed his robe and donned smart casual clothes. After school, one could see him playing sports with the schoolboys like an ordinary young man.
On top of all of these, Bro. Igi was a natural with the schoolboys. They loved to chat with him. His language was simple. His tone of voice was engaging. He talked to them in a language they could understand — rare talent among Christian brothers.
Not only that, in addition to his school duties, Bro. Igi ran the Christian Brothers' formative boarding school, the Juvenate, at the school premises.
I wanted to be like Bro. Igi when I grow up. What a fabulous personality he was.
Bertram Noel was my best friend in school. Our friendship goes back to when we started school aged five. We progressed from year to year together in the same class. Our families knew each other. We just turned into early adolescents, an age where one thought about what one wanted to become. Bertram wanted to become a Christian brother. At that age, I followed Bertram, my best friend. I, too, wanted to become a Christian brother when I grew up — thought of aping flamboyant Bro. Igi was foremost in mind.
My parents reluctantly agreed to my wish. It was a tough choice for them. It tested their deep Christian faith. To give up their promising first early adolescent child to God. That is a separate story to be told on another day.
Everyone at home was caught up on my impending departure. As a result, I felt a sense of importance between bouts of sadness about leaving my family.
On 3rd January 1967, my family accompanied me to the Juvenate. Bro. Igi welcomed us and made us feel at home. With his warmth and genuineness, my folks immediately liked him. One of the senior boys took away my suitcase to the dormitory on the third floor of the Juvenate. I was eleven years old and on the cusp of turning twelve.
Bro. Igi took my family on a tour of the Juvenate and its facilities. After a short while, my family bid me farewell. Everybody hugged and kissed me with brave faces. It was with mixed feelings that I said goodbye. It was sad to say goodbye to my little sister and brother. But the happy thought of the company of new friends and my best friend Bertram was exciting.
That evening, I joined the rest of the boys in evening prayers. Afterwards, it was study time in the study hall on the ground floor, where each boy had an assigned desk. Bro. Igi occupied the main table on a short podium. Dinner at the cafeteria on the mezzanine floor followed.
The following day, we were woken up early by a bell. Everyone knelt by the side of their beds for a short prayer led by Bro. Igi. We dressed up for mass and walked to St. Anne’s church, two boys in a row along the Averiwatta Road through Wattala. After gathering and communion, we walked the two kilometres to the Juvenate for breakfast at the cafeteria on the mezzanine floor.
Those routines were fun, school, outdoor sports and indoor recreation. It also included cleaning both indoors and outdoors. On our first weekend, Bertram and I worked in the garden. Bro. Igi rolled up his sleeves and guided us into the tropical garden, gently imparting his maintenance skills.
Life at the Juvenate was fantastic. I liked the organised time-bound activities. I loved having my own space. I loved the environment and my new mates. Bro. Igi was always there for us, a charismatic leader with strength and kindness.
Bertram and I continued to remain close friends. There was no secret between us two. Bertram would look out for me as a slightly older brother. He was studious, a little reserved and athletic. I was academic but not athletic. Instead, I was artistic, creative and talkative. I brought a creative side to our friendship; we were a formidable pair in the school, in the Juvenate and outdoor activities. I often became the first and Bertram the second in the term exams in grade seven. Becoming first in class was a big deal back in the day. We had a healthy competition between us.
Bro. Igi was not only a good carer of the boys in the Juvenate. He was the best teacher in the school. His day job was as an exemplary class teacher in grade six. His students were enthusiastic and happy. They enjoyed coming to school every day. Bro. Igi was so devoted to his service to his students that he chose to teach all eight subjects himself in the class, an impossibility today. He must have done a lot of complex preparations for the eight divergent subjects every day. Bro. Igi thoroughly enjoyed the imparting of knowledge to his eager students. He genuinely enjoyed it.
Many boys in his class were frequent visitors to the Juvenate after school. They hung around us in the Juvenate and joined us in sports in the afternoons. They were so delighted in school and wanted more of Bro. Igi’s company. Naturally, I became friends with a number of his class students. Two of his students were so impressed with his role modelling that they joined the Juvenate, intending to become Christian brothers one day.
Bro. Igi’s love for humanity was demonstrated in one incident. He coached his class's soccer team. Badrudeen was the goalkeeper in this team, probably the only boy of that Muslim faith in a class filled with predominantly Catholic students. The matches were held after school during Ramadan, the fasting period for Muslims. It was time to replenish during halftime after a challenging game of soccer. The players helped themselves with water and energy foods eagerly. Badrudeen exhausted he was, yet did not drink water honouring his faith and beliefs. This incident did not go unnoticed by Bro. Igi. He praised Badrudeen publicly at a school gathering as an example to other students. Bro. Ignatius’s great teachings transcended religions.
Bro. Igi treated me so well that I was always happy. With that, I continued to grow in self-confidence. I could say that for my friend Bertram too. While behaving impeccably, he showered love and kindness on both Bertram and me. He knew that we were special.
Bro. Igi understood that we both, at age twelve, missed our parent’s love and affection. He made an extra effort so we didn’t feel homesick or isolated. He would sometimes play with us, give us token gifts and pay special attention. Every day I woke up knowing that Bro. Ignatius cared for us. In turn, both Bertram and I liked and loved him. He was our super idol. Because of him, I did not miss home, my parents and my siblings that much.
Bro. Igi was terribly young to be a director of the Juvenate, a serious job for a twenty-six-year-old. His peers were much older. He would change his robe, get into sports pants, and play soccer with us soon after school. His brilliant ball control and passing and the incredible power of shots into goal were awesome to watch. His skills in dribbling and dodging were admired and immediately copied by the other boys from school. He was also a good basketball player. His love of sports was legendary.
Bro. Igi was popular among the schoolteachers, particularly young single female teachers. With his debonair looks and charisma, what would you expect?
I was an avid reader from my early years, which started me getting into my grandfather’s library of books under Bro. Igi’s guidance, I ended up reading almost all of the books held at the Juvenate’s small library.
During breakfast, Bro. Igi would pose an IQ question to the boys. The prize for the correct answer was his omelette which he willingly sacrificed. I ended up winning his omelette almost every day. A special feast for a twelve-year-old.
Assisting Bro. Igi was Bro. Lucian, a fair, slightly short, Christian brother who was a few years older than Bro. Igi. Bro. These two were a formidable team together. Bro. Lucian would join for soccer with Bro. Igi and play together. Bro. Lucian, too was a good soccer player. They were excellent and close friends with each other. So there naturally was a great understanding between these two young Christian brothers. It was the very best of Christian brothers I have come across in my life.
Bro. Lucian noticed my talent for drawing and encouraged me to draw. He provided me with pencils and paper from the school bookshop. I would draw people, saints, objects, flowers, buildings, anything that I felt like in my spare time. I set up my paper and coloured pencils and paints on the lawn outside and drew the whole Juvenate building that spanned three floors and the surrounding garden. On another day, Bro. Lucian asked me to draw him. He sat on a table and stayed still until I finished drawing him. It was my first attempt at live drawings. Within about twenty minutes, I completed his portrait. He was impressed with the pencil sketch that he kept for himself. Bro. Lucian regularly encouraged me to keep drawing. These were inspiring acts for a twelve-year-old.
Although Bertram and I were great mates, we were competitors in class for top honours. I would become the first in exam results, and Bertram would be in the second slot. Occasionally Bertram would become the first when I let my guard down. Bertram worked hard for his results, while I never touched a book after class. However, my marks in the English Language were consistently lower than Bertram’s. I wanted desperately to improve my English. Innocently beat my bestie at his own game.
I secretly determined to beat my best friend, Bertram, at class scores in English one day. The thought was pure but potent. I competed with the very best. It touched a competitive nerve inside me. My secret vow was that I would beat him within one year and get better marks than him. Of course, my best friend did not know any of this.
Although I could read, I was not particularly good at writing. I needed to learn the rules of grammar better to form short stories. You now read my stories, but as a twelve-year-old, I struggled with some of the concepts of the English language. Bro. Igi understood my weakness and offered to give me tuition. Every day in the evening, while the rest of the boys were studying with their school books, I would get special tuition from Bro. Igi on English grammar. He had a knack for explaining things effectively and in a simplistic form. Within a short week, I understood most of the basic grammar rules. With his charismatic ways, who would not?
Every day Bro. Igi would up the game on English language exercises he gave me. At that time, English was my second language. He kept on encouraging me as he continued to tutor me. A week after week, I improved. My confidence in English grew fast. With his continuous encouragement, within about a month, I dared to speak fluently in English and within three months was extremely good for a twelve-year-old. That’s how my foray into serious English began.
I was now on par with Bertram and in the next term exam. I scored 98% against my main competitor, my best friend, Bertram’s best score of 96%. No other kid in class had scored 98% marks before. I never mentioned this rivalry and the motivation to Bertram because he never meant it to be a competition. Nevertheless, I felt proud of my abilities and had a sense of achievement.
Bro. Igi was pleased with my results. After that, I started reading novels and other materials far ahead my age. The rapid success and return of my effort to grasp English became a huge confidence booster. I learned through experience that I could do anything if I put in the effort and determination. I knew my dreams had no limits. A lifelong lesson and passion for dreaming blossomed in a boy of twelve years.
Sri Lanka is a country that does not discuss sexual sciences openly. It is a taboo subject. However, Bro. Igi knew the advantages of early sexual education. That year, when I was twelve, Bro. Igi explained the human reproduction system with great skill and tact. In a language an early adolescent could understand. A tremendous visionary act by a great educator.
On a weekend, Bro. Igi took us to a James Bond movie, ‘Gold Finger’, at the Gamunu cinema in Wattala. We travelled by the Volkswagen Kombi van driven by Bro. Ignatius. I was amazed watching the stunts, and the superhero actions of James Bond, played by Sean Connery. The display of gadgets, supercars and technology was unbelievable — fantasies to a boy growing up in a third-world country.
On another weekend, we saw the film ‘Ben Hur’ starring Charlton Heston as Judah, a biblical movie. I was mesmerised by the feat of the pre-biblical hero and his horse-riding skills.
I learnt and picked up personal organisation skills in the Juvenate under Bro at a young age. Under his guard, I became responsible for my clothes and personal effects from age twelve.
My life in the Juvenate was fun. I had my best friend beside me and a loving, kind and inspiring Christian Brother, Bro. Igi to look up to. It was a perfect environment. Bertram and I knew that, Bro. Igi loved us, and he made sure that we felt that we were loved. If we fell sick, he would ensure we were given immediate treatment. If there were a minor injury at sports, he would ensure we were treated.
About once a month, my parents, sister, brother and grandmother, Kadayamma, visited me at the Juvenate. These visits allowed me to feel reconnected to my family regularly.
I was fully engaged in the Juvenate and class and enjoyed every bit. Life was good and happy.
The formidable pairing of Bro. Igi and Bro. Lucian as his assistant as our carers at the Juvenate was to end in June. The cause of it was a scholarship offered to Bro. Lucian in the United States. We travelled in the Kombi van to Colombo airport to bid farewell. Bro. Lucian was smartly dressed in a black civilian suit. His family members were there to wish him farewell. He boarded his aeroplane, a BOAC flight, stood on the aeroplane’s steps and waved at us, bidding us farewell. With a tinge of sadness, the boys bid him farewell.
Back to Bro. Igi, his handwriting was neat, clean and sharp. It had a direct influence on my handwriting. In awe of his script, I tried imitating his. It helped me to improve my writing. In another couple of years, I became so good at my handwriting that I represented the school in all island's inter-school competitions.
I was awarded the Directors' award for best student in the school that year. In my spare time, I also helped craft the school graphic design. I did everything, art and illustrations, by hand using a stencil pen. All of these were under Bro. Igi’s encouraging watch.
I could go on writing about Bro. Igi, no other person other than my parents has made a good loving impression like Bro. Igi has. He was the uber-Christian Brother to Bertram and me.
I had a month-long holiday in December at home, which I thoroughly enjoyed.
Just before Christmas, I got a postcard from Bro. Igi. He wished me a happy Christmas, and there was a sentence about a farewell. But unfortunately, I could not decipher the meaning or understand the message. I forgot about the coded message among the home celebrations.
When I returned to the Juvenate in 1968, to everyone’s surprise, there was no sign of Bro. Igi. Instead, a new Brother was awaiting us. His name was Bro. Paul Edmund, a much older brother in his late forties. We were shocked to hear the news about Bro. Igi’s sudden departure from the Juvenate and the school. It was a big blow to a twelve-year-old.
In addition to the two of us, Bertram and me, the students from our school were upset about Bro. Igi’s sudden exit. Clergy were transferred without much notice by their hierarchy, and Bro. Igi had followed the orders. We were told that he was sent on further teacher training. None of my friends nor I did not get a chance to say our farewells to him.
When I turned thirteen, I felt hallow not having he Juvenate in the new year. But Bro. Igi had done his job; he made me a better boy, full of confidence and enthusiasm for life.
I will always be eternally grateful to Bro. Igi for the good positive influence. He is the best cleric I have ever come across in my life. Though I knew him only for one short year, the strength of his positive influence on my life was only next to my loving father.
I credit my confidence and success later in life to his early influence and encouragement. His unblocking of language barriers for me in the mastery of English, which soon became my first language.
What a fabulous role model! Bro. Ignatius is the most outstanding teacher and educator I have ever had. I should do a Ted talk about him.
Knowing such a great man like Bro would be lucky . Ignatius in their early formative years. He was a giant. He was phenomenal.
I was one of those lucky boys.
This is the story of Reverend Brother Ignatius Warnakula. He is a true reverend and a legend.
Where are my dear characters today?
Bro. Igi continues on his mission to make visionaries out of the young. He is now 80 years old. Yet, I continue to keep in touch with him. Every time I visit Sri Lanka, I make it a point to see him and spend a few hours filled with gratitude. It is a lifelong relationship for me. Although now retired in a country town in Sri Lanka, he continues as a social worker transforming many young lives. It is his zeal for life.
My best friend Bertram became the leader of the Christian brothers’ order in Sri Lanka and India. He is in charge of all Christian brothers in both countries. We continue to be close friends. I still call him ‘Berty’ as I did as a youngster.
I left the formative school three years after this story. I live my life to the full, both personally and professionally. The two boys, Berty and I, make Bro. Ignatius is proud every day, and we both are lifelong learners.
Thank you, Bro. Igi for unlocking my potential and making me a storyteller. The skills you taught have allowed me to be a thriving storyteller in at least three Fortune 500 companies globally on far corners of this small world.
This article you read came about because Bro. Igi unlocked my curiosity about language and writing.
Bro. Lucian is now a civilian. He lives with his wife in Sydney, Australia. I keep in touch with him and bump into him occasionally.
Subscribe to my stories https://djayasi.medium.com/subscribe
Images belong to the original owners.
Comments
Post a Comment