Sybil Wettasinghe was brought to limelight when she was a girl of thirteen by the former Head Master of Royal Primary and the Author of the famous Nava Maga Reader series. That series paved the way for a new scientific method of reading among the then readership of Ceylonese Sinhalese schoolchildren. For the Grade V reader of the Nava Maga Reader, Sugathapala picked the artistic talents of this young artist. He invited Sybil to draw some illustrations for that particular book. At first, the girl's father opposed but later allowed on certain conditions. The girl’s father had some other expectations.
Sybil’s drawings done for the Nava Maga Reader, especially the four colour illustrations of Guttila Kavya and the black and white illustration of Kaju Kollaya of Martin Wickrmasinghe’s famous children's novel Madol Duva (Nava Maga Reader 5) is a compilation of selected classical creations.
Worldwide recognition
Since then onwards Sybil and 'Sugar' (Sybil called him in that name till his death) did some marvellous children's books including Kuda Hora which later won worldwide recognition. Kuda Hora was first published in the children’s page of Janatha in 1952. The story became a massive success in Sri Lanka and was translated into English, Korean and other foreign languages. In 1987, the Japanese translation won the Japanese Library Association Award as the most popular children’s book.
Sugathapala later published Sybil's children's story in all three languages: Sinhala, Tamil and English. I am proud to mention here that after the publication I did a promotional programme and some sales of Chinna Paatti the Tamil version of Podi Achchige Pulun. I introduced the three books to Sinhala Maha Vidyalaya in Jaffna too. I don't know whether the Sinhala MV is still there?
Sugathapala's attempt faded away with his Nava Maga Readers. The state should come forward and assist a national programme. Some bureaucrats never allowed it, then or now! We don't have a national plan to promote Sugathapala and Sybil like talents to promote reading in all three national languages.
It was primarily her love for children and the desire to bring out the inner child in herself that was a driving factor for Wettasinghe. Her autobiography, titled Eternally Yours, describes her childhood in rural southern Sri Lanka and her family’s move to Colombo when she was a teenager. She ends it with an illustration and an accompanying message that reads, “Keep a child in your heart for eternal life.” Although Wettasinghe primarily focused on children’s literature, she released a collection of short stories for adults in 2012 titled My Giddy Aunty. The stories were written in the 1950s and 60s and lost for a few decades.
Instead, Sybil's talents were left in the hands of commercial publishers. Even from Sybil, they expected commercially viable book products!
Supply to demand
Only the Japanese publishers commissioned her to do children stories with a purpose. A talented illustrator, Wettasinghe would regularly hold exhibitions in Japan, where she continued to receive awards for her books. In 2012, she was awarded the Nikkei Asian Prize for Culture. Her books were also popular in Scandinavia and were translated into Swedish and Danish.
Sybil also had no time to concentrate on farther sighted projects, because of supply to demand. She was limited to eight-page glamorous children's books with a simple story.
Her talents as an artist was once recognized by the SAARC organization in South-East Asian countries for her book Duvana Raula for the Best Finish Children's Book; But unfortunately, the Award was rewarded to the Printer & Publisher-(Sarvodaya Vishva Lekha). At that She felt quite worried why not the artist and the writer.
Sri Lanka never had a plan to get the maximum of her talents for the benefit of the children of tomorrow!
Cultural heritage
Sarachchandra, Amaradeva, Manjusri, Soylius Mendis, Khemadasa, Lester, all these greats worked to uplift the cultural heritage of motherland! Now, Sybil, the children's angel has bid farewell. An award or cash prize is what some of our authorities are satisfied! But an Artist need the working environment, a free holiday home, free travelling facility, free health care etc. which are not luxuries!
Farewell, the dear angel who kept Sri Lanka's young and old in moments glory of innocence.
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