- Archaeo – Youth Club, the first in South Asia
Archaeology is the study of the human past using material remains, and it is often considered a branch of socio-cultural anthropology, but archaeologists also draw from biological, geological, and environmental systems through their study of the past. And, Prof. Manathuga stated that in Sri Lanka, as of recent times, “there has been a trend towards distorted facts which are largely based on myths”.
He shared with us that he hopes to offer an opportunity for young archaeology enthusiasts to truly learn the mechanics behind the science of archaeology. He said that as long as you are interested, you need not have any formal education in the field, and if you are not looking to profit off of this and exploit scientific findings and are contributing to the sale of antiquities, then everyone with a passion for discovering the truths of human past are welcome.
He said that in his experience there is a lot of interest but there is a lack of guidance, and that is the gap they hope to address, adding also that while the Youth Club will be an independent body from the Department of Archaeology, they will receive the necessary guidance and counsel from the seniors.
University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka Department of Archaeology Temporary Assistant Lecturer and Trivalent ත්රිසංයුජ – Journal of Archaeology, Tourism, and Anthropology Assistant Editor D.S. Anushan Munasinghe was appointed as the inaugural President of the club, and Munasinghe shared with us the logistics of the organisation and what he hopes to achieve through the club’s mandate.
Archaeo – Youth Club
Munasinghe shared that this Archaeo – Youth Club is the first ever in all of South Asia, and it is essentially a volunteer non-profit organisation which is established to promote the theoretical and scientific practices and methods of archaeology, participation of young people in archaeology, and their archaeological education, adding particularly that the organisation “does not promote illogical ideologies and politics” and that the organisation “does not propagate or promote any business, any religious ideology, religious group, racism, or regionalism”, noting also that they do not support “irrational superstition”.
Considering the volunteer nature of the organisation, there is no membership fee and none of the executive committee members will receive any type of compensation. The participants will all be a collective purely motivated by their passion for archaeology. He stated that they only ask that applicants subscribe to “verifying rational and scientific ideas on the theory-accepted practices against the distorted ideas on history and heritage”.
Speaking about the eligibility for membership, he stated that anyone between the ages of 16 and 40 who are interested in archaeology can become members. The membership is also open to individuals from archaeology or any of its ancillary disciplines. However, if you are holding a permanent position in the Department of Archaeology, Central Cultural Fund, National Museums, Departments of Archaeology in universities, and Postgraduate Institutions of Archaeology, and if you are a professional or a permanent staff member of archaeology or its affiliated state or private institutions, you will not be eligible for a membership.
Reiterating Prof. Manathuga’s statement, he further stated that you will also not be eligible if you are engaging in business activities such as antiquities trade and export, and also if convicted before the law for illegal activities such as antiquities trade or treasure hunting or offences specified in the Archaeologists Ordinance.
The newly appointed President shared that at present, they have a permanent Board of Officers consisting of 27 members, and they will also appoint 25 or more District Co-ordinators as required under the supervision of the Director General of Archaeology and subject to the approval of the Standing Officers. These District Co-ordinators will be those who would allow for various club members to access the varying opportunities available within their districts to expand their exposure and knowledge of archaeology.
Archaeology and Covid-19
With the launch of this new project, Prof. Manathuga shared that the timing and reasoning for such a project at this moment in time is largely due to the rapid spread of misinformation amongst the public with regards to myths and legends that are soon morphing into “facts” in the minds of the majority and in order to address this matter and to provide the means for the youth to think and look for themselves.
However he shared that pandemic has been particularly challenging for those in the archaeology field. “We actually had one of our zonal officers who passed away after having contracted Covid-19,” he said, adding that they have faced numerous challenges as they cannot visit excavation sites and engage in explorations freely, and even academic staff have been affected, as they must teach remotely, and in terms of those who attend offices, it is now operating at less than half capacity.
Archaeology awareness
Speaking with Munasinghe with regards to future activities of the Youth Club, he shared that some of the primary objectives is to raise awareness about the possibilities and potential opportunities in archaeology. To teach students that there is in fact a career available, if they so choose it.
While the Youth Club is accessible for teenage youths, they do have a programme for the younger demographic, he said. Archaeo Kids would allow for inspiring kids to begin their own school clubs which could also then participate in some of the real-life activities including even field visits which would solidify a firm passion in students who are interested.
We also spoke to some of the club members about what inspired them to join the club and go down a path that is lesser known, and sharing her experience with us, Kaveesha Nanayakkara, who is the Co-Secretary of the Youth Club and a past student of the Kelaniya University, where she studied archaeology, shared with us that her deep interest in history as a school student was what led her down this path.
She shared that she really loved history as a subject. “History was my favourite subject in school and I had an interest in learning so much more about it.” However, she realised that while history can often be biased, told from the point of view and perspective of leaders of that time, religious beliefs and many other biases, artefacts do not have any deceptive agendas. “I have a particular interest in inscriptions, more specifically of Tamil inscriptions, and this is what I did my thesis on as well,” she said. She shared that in schools we learn history but archaeology is “how we discovered that history”; it is the actual process that reveals the truths of society of times gone by.
She shared that now that she is out of university, she hopes to participate in some field work and hopefully make some discoveries herself.
Similarly, Munasinghe also shared that he too had an interest in history as a student. However, due to various reasons, many Asian children will relate to how he ended up studying bio science for his Advanced Level (A/L) examinations. Nevertheless, having sat for the exams, he decided on a second attempt at A/Ls but this time chose the Arts stream and he was able to get into university and he went straight into studying archaeology.
Munasinghe said: “Archaeology is our past, it is the study of humans and human society, but history often tends to be tainted. It is legend and literature; if you wish to learn the truth, then perhaps you should study archaeology.”
Begin the process to obtain membership in the Archaeo – Youth Club by filling out the Google form and subsequent instructions: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/15aew2pMQT19XhcZQNJvM-c3dP_6v04KYJzavrSbryaA/edit