THE MEANING BEHIND SPECTRUM

Following the inaugural SLAYA event, “Spring Break,” we found ourselves at a crossroads, unsure if our journey would continue. It was the persistent, heartfelt appeals of Mokshya Balage, affectionately known as Punchi, that prompted our collective spirit. Punchi held a special place as a founding member of SLAYA, and her staunch enthusiasm for our initiatives (and life really) was both infectious and inspiring. Her unwavering support acted as a catalyst for us to get organised and structure ourselves, and mostly just gave us confidence that we were on to something!   

Punchi’s involvement with SLAYA was emblematic of her persistent strength. Despite her diagnosis of Leukemia at the tender age of sixteen, she was the very definition of resilience and remained engaged with SLAYA and life itself until the very end. Even in the face of her health challenges, Punchi’s dedication to SLAYA’s cause was unflagging. She attended orientation days, meetings, and events whenever her health permitted and when her physical well-being limited her mobility, she’d attend virtually from her hospital bed or kept abreast of our activities through the grapevine. Her unyielding spirit became a bedrock of our collective motivation, endearing her to us and her larger community.

In October of 2016, Punchi passed away after her long fight with cancer, just days before her 20th birthday and it was quite a loss for SLAYA and for the wider Sri Lankan community. Over the years she had become a representative of hope, her positivity and zest for life were so endearing and so her passing hit us all hard. To honour her memory and the immeasurable impact she had on all of us, we conceived the annual event known as the Spectrum Ball in the spirit of her vibrancy. This event stands as our tribute, a living embodiment of the passion and unifying spirit that Punchi infused into SLAYA. She was SO proud of her Sri Lankan heritage and had expressed her love for donning traditional saris and the kaleidoscope of colours they brought. Punchi consistently advocated for a spectrum of colours, a sentiment that was evident in her final birthday celebration and even at her funeral, where we all wore our brightest outfits and together we were vibrant.

The Spectrum Ball symbolises not just a celebration of cultural diversity and unity, but also a heartfelt way of giving back to the remarkable young woman who gave us so much. Spectrum is about vibrancy, colour and a deep pride in our roots, in our fabrics that are centuries old and a culture that lives through us.

Punchi’s legacy will always resonate deeply within SLAYA.