The dissawe 1896

Curator: Here we have a page from Henry William Cave’s 1896 book, "The dissawe," a photograph reproduced as a print. It's really evocative of that era of travelogues. Editor: Evocative, yes… and heavy! It feels weighted with the kind of imperial gaze one often sees from that period, don’t you think? Stiff collars and meticulously recorded observations. It almost feels… entomological. Curator: Interesting! I see it as the start of tourism! I imagine someone excitedly turning the pages, eager to explore these distant lands from their armchair. See the man in the small photograph? Editor: Ah, yes… a rather austere portrait. Curator: That’s Mr. Gabriel Jayewardene. According to the facing text, no one could be "more astonished at our arrival than the Dissawe." He placed at disposal a little bungalow after "attempts to come before the wet season," a bungalow slightly out of repair. Editor: What resonates for me is that notion of the "dissawe" or headman, in juxtaposition with the image of Mr. Jayewardene himself. It's like the text is trying to contextualize his authority, give it a familiar frame for a European readership. We feel his obligation when we proceed "to make ourselves happy upon the bare floors". The Dissawe offering milk for service rendered? It underscores, I think, the dynamic of observation and power so inherent in these travel accounts. It makes me question what isn't seen! Curator: That's perceptive. We often overlook the power dynamics inherent in these narratives, don't we? Thinking of those dynamics also makes the text more than just simple observations. Instead, this book holds its time, revealing more with each passing view!