Oceans. Deserts. Rivers. Valleys. The skies. The sun. Mountains. Waves. Sea-shells. Sand. Earth. Mud. Grass. Shrubs. Trees. Forests. Fruits. The vegetation. Food. The breeze. The bounty. 

In Sri Lanka we are surrounded by almost all of these, with the exception of deserts, living as we are in a lush and diverse country. Yet, how many of us immerse ourselves in these bountiful wonders? Have we cared to glance up at the skies or dip our feet in the frilled rush of the seas… the waves or test its crest?

Do we encourage our youngsters to do this? Or do we trap them day and night in the unending churning of crammed indifference that passes off as education? 

In a backdrop where any sport or aesthetic activity and spending time in nature is seen generally as a waste of time by teachers and parents alike, we now turn to a teenager of mixed parentage whose Sri Lankan father and British mother are avid fans of the seas, living and bringing up their offspring near the surfing hub of Arugam Bay. Naturally their two children, Mili and Jay Hayllar tested their childhood feet more on water than land and probably focused more on swimming than walking. We now feature the surfing passion of Mili who was recently given prominence in the Pacific Long Boarder magazine. She was probably one of few young women to surf wearing a saree and photographed by surfing photographer Inna Rabotyagina clad in an iconic red saree – an image that took the surfing world by storm.

Mili and the seas of Arugam Bay

As Mili describes her relationship with the seas of Arugam Bay she reveals that it is a fact that she toddled first into the vast oceans.

“I grew up in the east coast of Sri Lanka. My journey with the ocean started at three months – the age I learnt to swim. I trained in swimming directly in the periphery of the seas. My mum thought it would be beneficial for both my brother and I to be connected to the waves at a young age as we lived next to it. I first started to surf when I was around five years of age but never really got into it. However since the lockdown time of COVID I absolutely fell in love with surfing as a teen and had more time to dedicate to the required skill.”

Do young women surf as equally as men and how is the trend amongst Lankans? Below is the response given by Mili.

“Growing up I never realised the severe lack of Sri Lankan women representation in surfing. It was only during the COVID pandemic that it became apparent to me that progression and advancement was only possible with support. I felt most supported by the Arugam Bay Surf Club members. Even though it seems stereotypical for men in developing countries to disparage women, I had the exact opposite experience. The Sri Lanka Surf Club boys made me feel welcomed and supported me throughout my whole journey in surfing. They always wanted me to succeed and tried their best to give me tips wherever they saw I could improve. And that is why I felt comfortable enough to be the first female member of the Arugam Bay Surf Club,” Mili explains. 

In the conversation with her we covered ground on the topic of women’s emancipation and its connection with sports – with emphasis on the liberation it feels when one connects with the natural world as most sports do. Contrary to general assumptions that sports especially ones such as surfing which requires much time outdoors, may keep concentration away from academic pursuits, Mili argues that in fact it increases brain performance.

Conquering the waves

“I would definitely recommend surfing as a sport for Sri Lankan youth. The relationship you build with the ocean and the ones around you are life changing. Waking up early and taking the challenge of conquering the waves clears your mind and focuses you to study. Because of my academic achievements, I was fortunately accepted to study in the UK.”

Having recently moved to Britain to pursue her higher education she notes that she plans to explore surf opportunities there, but describes herself as a tropical girl at heart and states that nothing will compare to the warm waves back home in Sri Lanka. 

Asked about her being photographed surfing in a saree she says, “I have had the great pleasure of knowing Inna for a little over four years now. Her talent in surf photography has never ceased to amaze me. Inna approached me with the concept of the shoot about a year before we brought it to life. Events got in the way but I realised that this photography expedition was something that I needed to do especially before leaving Sri Lanka.”

Asked to speak about growing up living next to the sea with her older brother who is equally addicted to riding the waves she describes Jay as her surfing instructor and chief inspiration in her taking surfing seriously for the long haul.

“Not only did my brother teach me to surf but he had a partial role in teaching me to swim. I never had to learn off coaches or enrol in surf schools. My brother had encompassed all the knowledge that I needed to know. He taught me everything from the very basics to the more complex concepts in surfing. Surfing has made my brother and me closer for the better and we will always have that common interest.”

No waves in Sri Lanka compare to the waves in Arugam Bay 

Asked what the surf scene is like when one looks at the different coastal areas of Sri Lanka, she points out that there are no other waves in Sri Lanka that compare to the waves in the east coast of Arugam Bay. 

“I surf different waves around the island and I yearn to be back home in Arugam Bay. I have just recently had the opportunity to surf in the south coast of the UK, and even though it was cold, the community here makes it worthwhile.”

As we leave Mili and her love for mastering the moody waves of the ocean we look forward to featuring in our next editions on how Sri Lankans could get to know and explore their own country as much as foreigners. We will keep in mind that during the COVID international closure for much of 2020 and 2021, it is the Sri Lankan traveller who kept the tourism industry alive. We will in our writing, pay attention as we do in this edition, on the responsibility we Sri Lankans have in ensuring this paradise isle is not transformed by our indifferent and mindless actions into a vast garbage dump where any visitor has to skip over non-biodegradable rubbish every 100 yards.