Denzil's Stories

Shirley, The Braveheart A tragic story of youth bravery Denzil Jayasinghe Oct 12, 2021 · 12 min read My first impressions of Shirley Fonseka were from a violent episode. Village lads in their prime had to invent contention, friction and rivalries, just to be relevant in a pack mentality. A gang rivalry existed between Dalugama, my home village and its neighbouring, more affluent suburb, Kiribathgoda. Some lads from my home village had beaten a few fellows from Kiribathgoda a few days earlier. Everyone in my village anticipated retribution from their rivals. There was a rumour that a confrontation seeking revenge and a riot was imminent. The carefree  s oul I was, I happened to be at the local road junction on that evening. Then, as anticipated the rival gang arrived in my village making their presence known, challenging the local lads. I watched the two gangs going head-to-head, initially in shouting matches. While they were confronting each other, they brandished their weapons, st...

Family Heirlooms D enzil Jayasinghe describes the ancestral treasures he brought to Australia from his old country, Sri Lanka. How did you collect these heritage items? I did not collect these items. My parents preserved them in our ancestral family home in Sri Lanka, where I grew up. I did not care for these, as many youths do when young . When my parents passed away, it was a moment of reckoning for me. In the house were all these items that they had taken care of. The reality of mortality was reverberating in my head. I wanted to pass these golden nuggets to my four children and their children as a tribute to the ancestors before them. So, I brought them to Australia. What do these treasures mean to you? We come to this world temporarily; we pass on, leaving our descendants. It is the legacy of the previous generation that we leave behind. Also, their stories of endeavour and grit. What more is of significance than these items with distinct stories? Although my ancestors are no long...