THE MUSEUM HAS BEEN OPENED !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry for my late reply on the blog but have been very busy with the opening and my foot still isn't better and that holds me back a lot from moving around.

There where some last minute stress points before the opening like:
- The people who laminated the children's drawings laminated the drawings to hot so one quarter of the entries had some damage to them. We where very sad about this because the children had spend a lot of time on them. Some children already made a new one and the others will do so after the new year holiday. (Here it is New Year 13/14 April)

- The quality of the prints of the pictures I took from the Internet was not very good. Because they where taken by who ever ha a camera at that time, mobile phones, simple camera, stills from video footage and so on. Because it is very hard to find the photographers who made these pictures we have to do with the small versions from the net. Another problem is that all the photographers who where working as a news journalist at that time are not able to give their photo material because they are under strict rules. They have the good pictures, but we can not use them unfortunately. Any way for the time being it is OK and hopefully some better pictures will come later.

- Financially it became quite tough as the money started to run out. I kept faith that there would come some extra donations.

- The Photographers Association from Galle kept promising us photographs for the exhibition, but still haven't received any.

Besides these setbacks we where able to finish everything on time for the opening. It where some tough days but we did it and it was very full filling to be able to open the museum before the New Year starts and a lot of local people go on trips. Luckily there where also a lot of positive things that happened and overruled the missing links.

We got 150 entry's for the drawing and writing competition from 3 schools in the area: Akurala, Totagamowa and Hikkaduwa. They all where very nice and we decided to put them all in the museum for the time being. We have awarded about 30 prizes in different categories. On the opening the winners where invited to come and see the museum and to collect their certificates. They where very happy with these an also there parents J.

The opening was a big success. There where local people, people from other villages an foreign people. The people from the village where a bit shy and stood at the back but joined the others when the museum was opened. I think there where about 100-150 people on opening day.

- The Dutch monk Bhante Devamitta from Telwatta did the openings ceremony and told about another Tsunami in Sri Lanka a long time ago and about the importance of leaving the coral in the sea because they provide a natural protection.
- I gave a speech about how and when I came to Telwatta for the first time and what my experiences where. After that I explained to the people about the museum and that the museum has to grow by the input of the items and stories of the people.
- Me and the owner cut the ribbon and opened the museum front door and we all went into the first part of the museum.
- After that we gathered in middle and we gave out the certificates to the children.
- Then we went into the other building and some people put up a photo on the wall "In Remembrance" or "Still Missing". Then we lighted some candles for them.
- After that we went outside again and the monk did hid final ritual.
- At the end a Sri Lankan writer told about his experiences as one of the passengers of the famous Train accident that was in Parelyia on Tsunami day. Everybody was all ears when he told his story. After that he donated the book he has written about his experiences.

The reactions from the people about the museum are very positive. And they all hope it will be continued for the longer term so also the next generations will be able to see what happened. It is very important to them. Although I have believed in the idea from the beginning it is nice for me to see that a museum like this can really make a difference and help people in all sorts of ways. Also people who hear about the project try to find more material to donate to the museum.

I had applied for donation from a the Dutch fund HIVOS and I was very happy they told me this week that the fund has been awarded to the museum and the monument project. This means that I can finish the work her like planned and make sure it will go on while I am not here, until I come in 6-10 months time to continue with the projects.

The Dutch monk Bhante Devamitta from Telwatta and his teacher are totally supporting the museum project and will help with whatever they can because they also see the importance of these projects for the museum. They have the intention to start up a Tsunami photo archive in the new Library they are making, they will help us get in contact with important people and contacts relevant the the museum and monument, give us advertisement space on the flyer for the library, will try to donate land for the monument in Kahawa an Telwatta. Besides all this it is very nice for me to be able to talk with the monk in my own language and with somebody that understands the background and importance of the projects.

Tsunami
Because most of the times it seems life just goes on after the Tsunami and this is true but I also experience that there are a lot of things that have left their marks in their everyday life that still have a big impact. A lot of children are still scared to come back to the place where they were with the Tsunami. A lot of people lost a lot of small or personal things that they really regret and still think about a lot. For instance an address a a family abroad where the women has worked before. (A lot of women and men go overseas - mostly middle east - to work and earn money, children get taking care of by family members in the mean while). Or a famous dancer who lost his handmade masks that have been in the family generations for years.

I have been working in Telwatte since more that two years on and off after the Tsunami. This week I realized I didn't know from any body their story of what happened on Tsunami day. So we started doing some interviews with the people I already know. I will tell you the stories later, but the people are still full of emotions when they talk about it. I think they now they have finally settled in they slowly start to remember what really happened. Before they just had to survive and try to build up their life from the scratch. There is still a lot of (aid)work to be done about remembrance and dealing with the experiences. I hope there will be NGO's and people that will take care of this because it is very important, especially now!!!

The coming weeks I will spend my time on getting the museum finished to go on for the next (6-10) months without me being there, write a press release for the newspapers, start setting things up for the monument (everybody I talk to really thinks its important to have a personal monument for the Tsunami victims, so I will keep on trying to get this monument from the ground), making an information flyer for the museum, making posters that can be spread in the area about the museum.

I am doing fine, except my foot is taking it's time to get better. Still can't really walk and the sitting and lying down is getting to me. Not much to do about it but I have to accept that I can do less than I would like to. Luckily at the moment there is a lot of work for me to do on the laptop so that is good. I have been convinced again that I am the kind of girl that is always on the move. I hope I will be able to walk again when I go back to Holland and preferable before!!

Any way was good talking to u again and hope to be able to write again soon.

More on my next blog,
X Jacky