ICLIMIHGFEDCBA 2019, DLISC - University of Kclaniya An Analysis into the Understanding of University Students in the Knowledgebase on the Palm Leaf Manuscripts Ncththasinghe, N., Nishanthi, M. and Premarathna, M. n ish an th i@ sjp .a c.lk , ra ja p e la p a th a .p re m @ g m a il.co m Abstract With the advancement oftechnology in the world, discoveries have emerged. This has resulted in many changes in the local andforeign education sectors. When it came to local education, it was clear that the indigenous qualities we inheritedfrom the ancestors of the past should be preserved in an era of decaying age. In this case, particular attention was paid to the nationally highly valued Palm Leaf Manuscripts which anyone is not paying attention nowadays. The Palm Leaf Manuscripts contain a wealth of local knowledge related to various subject areas. The research investigates whether Sri Lankan university students were aware of Palm Leaf Manuscripts. It examined the students' understanding of why Palm Leaf Manuscripts are a locally valued heritage that should be preserved. The contribution of students from the Department of History and Archeology of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura was obtainedfor this purpose. Students were provided with a questionnaire to collect the data neededfor the research. Data analysis showed that they had a general understanding ofPalm LeafManuscripts. Keywords: Palm leaf manuscripts, Indigenous knowledge, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Department ofhistoty and archaeology, University students. In tro d u c tio n M ah in d ag am an ay a can b e d escribed as a tu rn in g p o in t in th e h isto ry o f S ri L an k a. A s a resu lt o f th is, th e art o f w ritin g in S ri L an k a h as b eco m e w id esp read . It is also stated th at p erm an en t p o sition s w ere estab lished fo r th e w ritin g o f th is p erio d (L ag am u w a, 2 0 0 6 , p . 6 0 ). H o w ev er, a sp ecial p lace in th e art o f w ritin g is fo u n d in th e A lu v ih aray a w h ich B u d d h ist m o n k s w ro te an d p reserv ed th e T rip itak as d u rin g th e reig n o f K in g W alag am b a (M ah av am sa, 3 3 .1 0 2 -1 0 3 ). It ad d ed a n ew d im en sio n to th e S ri L an k an art o f w ritin g . W ith th is state p atro n ag e, S in h ala w ritin g art w as d ev elo p ed in an d aro u n d tem p les (V ih ara A ram a). T h e P o th g u la (lib rary ) in th ese tem p les w as n o u rish ed b y P alm L e a f M an u scripts. K o tte era is k n o w n as th e g o ld en ag e o f P alm L e a f M an u scrip ts w ritin g . D u rin g th is p erio d a n ew set o f P alm L e a f M an u scrip ts w as w ritten an d a larg e n u m b er o f P alm L e a f M an u scrip ts w ere co p ied . A m o n g th em w ere relig io u s, lan g u ag e literatu re, m ed icin e, v eterin ary m ed icin e, astro lo g y , y an tra m an tra, fictio n s, cu sto m s an d cerem o n ies, law , b o rd er (K ad im a) , sto ry (W ith th i), h isto ry , tax e s an d in co m e, ag ricu ltu re, state g o v ern an ce, B u d d h ist ed u catio n , w o rld 189 IC L IM 2 0 1 9 , D L IS C - U n iv ersity o f K elan iy a d e ta il a n d a la rg e n u m b e r o f P a lm L e a f M a n u sc rip ts o n v a rio u s su b jec ts su c h a s m u sic a n d art (L a g a m u w a , 2 0 0 6 , p .8 4 ). T h e U n iv e rsity o f S ri Ja y ew a rd e n e p u ra , w h ic h is th e b a sis fo r th is re se a rch , h a s a lo n g an d illu strio u s h isto ry . T h e V id y o d a y a M ah a P iriv en a , w h ic h w a s h o n o re d b y th e w o rld w ith a u n iq u e c o n trib u tio n to th e S in h a la B u d d h ist c u ltu re an d a w id e v a riety o f la n g u ag e s stu d ie s fro m 1 8 7 3 to th e e n d o f 1 9 5 8 , it b e ca m e th e V id y o d a y a U n iv ersity o f S ri L a n k a o n 18 F e b ru a ry 1 9 5 9 u n d er th e U n iv e rsitie s A c t N o . 4 5 o f 1 9 5 8 (U n iv e rsity a ct n o . 4 5 ,1 9 5 8 , se ctio n 2 (1 )). S in c e its in c ep tio n , th e U n iv e rsity h as b e e n te a ch in g a n d stu d y in g a w id e ra n g e o f sc o p e s w ith th e o b jec tiv e o f sy ste m a tic a lly an d sy ste m a tic ally e x p a n d in g u n iv ersal k n o w le d g e . T h e su b je c ts w e re B u d d h a D h a m m a , B h a ra t p h ilo so p h y , L o g ic th e o ry , S in h a la, P a li, S a n sk rit, T a m il, H in d i, E n g lish , C e y lo n H isto ry a n d L in g u istics. T h e u n iv e rsity h a s p ro v id ed stu d e n ts w ith th e o p p o rtu n ity to stu d y a rch a e o lo g y fro m its in ce p tio n . T h e D e p a rtm e n t o f A rch a e o lo g y w h ic h w a s started in th e y e ar 1 9 6 0 u n d e r th e C h ie f P re late s o f R e v ere n d W e liw itiy e S ri S o ra th a T h e ro : is n o w m a k in g a rran g e m e n ts to e d u c ate stu d e n ts o n v a rio u s su b je ct a rea s. S in c e its in c e p tio n , th e D e p a rtm e n t h a s b e e n w o rk in g to e d u c a te stu d e n ts u n d er th e a rt o f w ritin g o n P a lm L e af M a n u sc rip ts a n d In sc rip tio n s. T h e p ro b le m w ith th is re se a rc h is th a t th e U n iv ersity stu d e n ts a re a w a re o f th e n e e d fo r p re serv in g th e P a lm L e a f M a n u sc rip ts, a d e ca y in g n a tio n a l h e rita g e fo r th e U n iv ersity 's u n d e rg ra d u a te s. O b je ctiv e s • T h e p u rp o se is to E x a m in in g th e u n d e rsta n d in g o f th e u n iv e rsity stu d e n ts re g a rd in g th e P a lm L e a f M a n u sc rip ts w h ic h is c o n ta in in g th e In d ig e n o u s K n o w le d g e . • T o e x a m in e th e su ita b ility o f th e H u m a n R e so u rc es o f U n iv e rsity to u p d ate th e so c iety u n d e rsta n d s o f P a lm L e a f M a n u sc rip ts. Methodology F o r th is re se arc h , 3 3 % o f th e to ta l p o p u la tio n a c c o rd in g to th e so u n d e r’s th e o ry w as se lec te d fro m th e stu d e n ts o f th e D e p artm en t o f H isto ry a n d A rc h a eo lo g y o f th e U n iv e rsity o f S ri Ja y ew a rd e n ep u ra , re p rese n tin g a to ta l o f fo u r y e a rs stu d e n t, a n d a ra n d o m q u e stio n n a ire w a s d istrib u te d fo r th e m . A lso , p rim ary , se c o n d a ry a n d te rtiary so u rc es w e re u se d . Results and Discussion At th e re se arc h , th e p rim a ry q u e stio n n a ire w as a sk e d a b o u t th e g e n e ra l u n d e rsta n d in g o f th e 190 IC L IM 2 0 1 9 , D L IS C - U n iv ersity o f K elan iy a P a lm L e a f M a n u sc rip ts fro m th e sa m p le d a ta c o n trib u to rs. T h ere w e re c o n c e rn in g th e fo u r a c ad e m ic y e a rs 9 6 .2 2 % o f stu d e n ts w ith th e sa id lev el o f u n d e rstan d in g a n d 3 .7 7 % h a d n o o rd in a ry u n d ersta n d in g . 1 0 5 .0 0 % 1 0 0 .0 0 % 9 5 .0 0 % ■ ARCH 9 0 .0 0 % ■ HIST 85.00% 80.00% 1st year 2nd year 3rd year 4th year Figure 1: Undergraduates who have general knowledge about palm leaf manuscripts 14.00% 12.00% 10.00% 8.00% 6.00% 4.00% 2.00% 0.00% ■ ■ ARCH ■ HIST 1styear 2nd Year 3rd Year 4th Year Figure 2: Undergraduates who haven’t general knowledge about palm leaf manuscripts Figure 3: Awareness about general knowledge of Palm leaf manuscripts D a tab a se u n d ersta n d in g o f P a lm L e a f M a n u sc rip ts u sag e a n d its c o n te x t, th e o v e ra ll u n d e rsta n d in g o f ra w m a teria ls, d e sig n te c h n o lo g y , a n d u sag e o f 191 Palm Leaf Manuscripts IC L IM 2 0 1 9 , D L IS C - U n iv ersity o fK clan iy a d e sig n is 2 5 .5 1 % p o sitiv e a n d 6 8 .4 3 % n eg ativ e. Figure 4: Awareness about design technology and usage C o n sid e rin g th e k n o w le d g e o f P a lm L e a f M a n u sc rip ts p re se rv atio n a n d c o n se rv a tio n th e o rie s, a s w e ll a s th e a w are n ess a n d u n d e rsta n d in g o f d a ta b a se s o f P a lm L e a f M a n u sc rip ts c o n se rv a tio n in stitu tio n s, 2 1 .3 7 % o f stu d e n ts k n o w a b o u t c o n se rv a tio n o f P a lm L e a f M an u sc rip ts. A lso , 6 4 .7 7 % d o n o t u n d e rsta n d th a t P a lm L e a f M a n u sc rip ts sh o u ld b e p re serv e d . Students who have conservation knowladge about palm leaves ■ awarenes ■ not awarenes Figure 5: The sudents who have conservation knowladge about palm leaves Conclusions • T h e d a ta a lso re v e a le d th a t th e m a jo rity o f u n d erg ra d u a tes in th e D ep a rtm en t o f H isto ry a n d A rc h a e o lo g y h a v e a g e n e ra l u n d e rsta n d in g o f P a lm L e a f M a n u sc rip ts w ritin g . • W h e n lo o k in g a t th e p e rce n ta g e o f to tal d a ta c o n trib u to rs, it is e v id e n t th a t th e se c o n d y e a r, th ird -y e ar a n d fo u rth -y e a r u n d e rg ra d u ate s’ g e n e ra l k n o w le d g e o f P a lm L e a f 192 IC L IM 2 0 1 9 , D L IS C - U n iv ersity o f K clan iy a M an u sc rip ts is a lw a y s h ig h e r th a n in th e first y e a r u n d e rg ra d u a te s a n d it a lso m e an s th a t u n d erg ra d u ate s w h o stu d y a rch a e o lo g y h a v e m o re u n d ersta n d in g th a n h isto ry u n de rg ra d u ate s. • T h e m o st u n d e rg ra d u a te s d o n o t k n o w a b o u t P alm L e af M a n u sc rip ts d e sig n te c h n o lo g y an d th e m a teria ls u se d a n d th e ir u se. • A c co rd in g to th e d a ta o b ta in e d , it w as c o n clu d e d th a t fo u rth -y e ar a rc h a e o lo g y u n d e rg ra d u a te s h a v e a d e e p e r u n d e rstan d in g o f P a lm L e af M a n u sc rip ts. T h e m ain rea so n fo r su c h a c o n c lu sio n w as th e ir stu d y o f c o n se rv a tio n a n d P a lm L e af M a n u sc rip ts a s a su b je ct in th e A rc h a e o -c h e m istry u n it. • T h e se P a lm L e a f M a n u sc rip ts are a h e rita g e to b e c o n serv e d , a n d it is e v id e n t th at th e re is c o n sid e ra b le a w are n e ss a m o n g th e fo u rth -y e a r a rc h a e o lo g y u n d erg ra d u a tes o f th e D e p artm en t o n c o n se rv a tio n th eo ries. R ec o m m en d a tio n s • It is p ro p o se d to o rg a n iz e p ro g ram s to e d u c ate stu d e n ts o f th e D e p a rtm e n t o f H isto ry and • A rc h a e o lo g y a n d th e e n tire u n iv ersity o n th e n a tio n al sig n ific an c e o f th e p a lm le a f m a n u scrip ts. • A w a ren e ss p ro g ra m s fo r stu d e n ts o n p a lm le a f m a n u sc rip ts p re se rv a tio n an d p ro v id in g p ra c tic al tra in in g . • C re a te a w are n ess c am p a ig n s fo r sc h o o l c h ild re n a n d u tilize th e se h u m a n re so u rc e s fo r th e p u rp o se . • L a u n c h in g N a tio n a l a n d In te rn a tio n a l R e sea rch S e m in a r-W o rk sh o p o n p a lm le a f m a n u scrip ts. • E sta b lish m e n t o f m u se u m s, re se a rc h la b o ra to rie s, a n d la b o ra to ries sp e cia lizin g in p a lm le a f m a n u scrip ts. E sta b lish m e n t o f k n o w le d g e p ro p a g a tio n c en te rs an d e sta b lish m e n t o f th is h e rita g e in a sy ste m atic p re se rv a tio n m a n n er. • A rc h a eo lo g y stu d e n ts, a s w e ll a s h isto ry stu d e n ts, sh o u ld b e g iv en a d e e p u n d e rsta n d in g o f p a lm le a f m a n u sc rip ts. C u rric u lu m re v isio n s a n d w o rk sh o p s sh o u ld b e la u n ch e d fo r th is p u rp o se . 193 IC L IM 2 0 1 9 , D L IS C - U n iv ersity o f K elan iy a • E n ro llin g stu d en ts in a rch a e o lo g ic al sp e cia l d e g ree fo r p a lm le a f m a n u sc rip ts c o n se rv a tio n in stitu te s a n d fu rth e r e m p o w e rin g th e m to b e c o m e p ra ctic ally m a tu re professionals. 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