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Old 7th October 2012, 08:20 PM   #29
Ibrahiim al Balooshi
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Buraimi Oman, on the border with the UAE
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Quote:
Originally Posted by VANDOO
IT IS A GOOD THING TO PRESENT ALL VIEWS AND INFORMATION AS WELL AS PERHAPS A BIT OF CONJECTURE WHEN DELVING INTO WHAT IS LARGELY UNKNOWN TERRITORY. I DON'T BELIEVE OUR MEMBERS ARE CONCERNED WITH POLITICAL VIEWS BUT JUST SHAREING WHAT REFRENCES AND INFORMATION THEY MAY HAVE. SO OFFENSE SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN IF THE REFRENCES OR VIEWS POSTED DO NOT AGREE WITH ONES OWN. IT DOES GIVE THE OPORTUNITY FOR ALL OTHER VIEWS TO BE EXPRESSED AS WELL.
THE MORE INFORMATION PRESENTED THE MORE IT ENRICHES THE DISCUSSION AND PERHAPS THERE IS SOMEONE OUT THERE WHO CAN USE THE INFORMATION TO CUT THRU ALL THE CONFUSION AND BRING IT TOGETHER IN A COHEISIVE REFRENCE PERHAPS BETTER THAN ALL ITS PARTS. AT LEAST THAT IS WHAT WE ALL HOPE FOR.
I HAVE READ A BIT OF THE HISTORY OF CEYLON/SIRI LANKA AND FOUND IT VERY INTERESTING. HOW MUCH WAS WRITTEN BY FORIGNERS? PROBABLY MOST OF IT AS IT WAS ALL IN ENGLISH. FORIGENERS TO ANY CULTURE OFTEN FOCUS ON THE WILDEST ASPECTS OF A CULTURE IN THEIR REPORTS. NUMBER ONE DURING THE DAYS OF COLONIAL CONQUEST WAS OF COURSE TREASURE. SECOND THE EXOTIC NATURE OF THE RULING CLASSES LIFESTYLE. THEN PRACTICES THEY CONSIDERED BARBARIC SO THEY COULD ESTABLISH THEIR MORAL SUPERIORITY OVER THE CONQURED THUS GIVING THEM AN EXCUSE TO DO AS THEY WISHED GOOD OR BAD.
THIS WAS TYPICAL AND THEY USUALLY DID NOT WORRY IF THEY TRULY UNDERSTOOD WHAT WAS GOING ON OR NOT. THEY JUST WANTED TO MAKE IT INTERESTING AND DIDN'T CARE ABOUT ACCURACY OR TRUTH PERHAPS AN OUTRIGHT LIE HERE AND THERE TO MAKE A BETTER STORY. UNFORTUNATELY THAT IS HUMAN NATURE AND APPLYS TO ALL MANKIND, GREED AND POWER ARE A UNIVERSAL FLAW IN OUR KIND.
DANGER CONJECTURE !! I SUSPECT THE MAKARA IS FROM SOME ANCIENT LEGEND OF CREATION PERHAPS NOW LOST. MOST IF NOT ALL PRIMATIVE SOCIETYS HAVE THEM THE HAWAIIANS HAVE MAUI HOOKING THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA AND PULLING UP THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS AS WELL AS OTHER GREAT FEATS. THE AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINALS HAVE THEIR CREATION BELIEFS SUCH AS THE RAINBOW SERPENT. THE MAKARA SPEWING FORTH OTHER IMPORTANT CREATURES FROM ITS MOUTH SEEMS LIKE ONE OF THE ANCIENT BELIEFS TO ME. AS TO THE LION? DID IT EVER LIVE IN THE AREA? TIGERS SEEM MORE LIKELY. BUT SINGAPORE HAS THE SYMBOL OF A FISH WITH A LIONS HEAD IS IT A OLD ONE OR SOMETHING MOSTLY FORIGN INFLUENCE.
I HOPE YOU ALL KEEP POSTING AS THIS PROMISES TO BE A GOOD SOURCE OF REFRENCE FOR THESE UNUSUAL AND RARE ITEMS AND SEEING THE PICTURES OF THE WONDERFUL WORKMANSHIP IS A REAL TREAT.

Salaams Vandoo~ Well put. It is sometimes necessary to put seemingly political constructs into the mixture whilst trying to remain in balance... when it is obvious that these dealings have had a bearing on the issue. You are right of course. I think it is somewhat sensitive, however, since we are dealing with National respected emblems such as the Lion and the Kastane as national symbols (for whatever reasons) but I thought it needed to be recorded.
Where I want to focus is on the sword itself and I agree these pictures arriving on Forum are beginning to set the record straighter. I wish I was on the ground myself in Sri Lanka but now we have representation there I think the clouds blanketing the Kastane issue are lifting.
Salaams,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.
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