Memes

September 7, 2026 – September 13, 2026

This week’s memes:

(The memes published by MPA are presented as objects of analysis and documentation. Their inclusion does not imply endorsement of the views or positions expressed within them, but serves to examine how such narratives circulate in the public sphere.)

Meme 1:

Context: President Anura Kumara Dissanayake attended an NPP rally held in Polonnaruwa on September 12, on the same day as the SLPP rally in Anuradhapura, which was attended by Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Meme 2:

The baiyas (SLPP supporters) when they see Archchuna also on stage when they are about to resurrect the tigers (when they are about to create fear-mongering involving the LTTE.)

Context: Jaffna District Independent MP Ramanathan Archchuna, who generally praises LTTE Leader V. Prabhakaran, also attended the SLPP rally in Anuradhapura.

Meme 3:

Top: Mahinda who climbed on stage supported by others

Bottom: Anura, who saw that…

Meme 4:

Meme 5:

Meme 6:

Chained and shackled, take away the [expletive in Sinhala]’s son…

Context: Refers to the lyrics in Visharada Nanda Malaini’s song යදමින් බැඳ විලංගු ලා (Yadamin bænda vilangu lā — “chained and shackled”), from Pawana (1987). It describes the young men taken into custody and subjected to the thirty-two tortures of the age of kings, now turned on the youth of the late 1980s during the JVP insurrection, for going against the state. (Refer to MPA Vol.16, #31 & 32). While the original lyrics say, “take my son” as a challenge to the state, its use for Namal Rajapaksa is ironic, as the meme says to actually take him away in irons.

Meme 7:

The new political culture

The political cycle -> Someone is remanded -> A speech from Anura -> The dobis (NPP supporters)get emotional -> Problems in the country

Meme 8:

At a time when it is difficult to find people for a rally, those ones will now have to show twice the crowd

Meme 9:

It does not matter whether he is old, cannot walk or has lapses in memory – we get goosebumps no matter where we happen to see him

Meme 10:

He feels crazy if he does not take the stage and tell a lie

Meme 11:

Left: BRICS conference in India

Right: “An uncle said he would take two matches and make a bomb to throw at me…that poor uncle” (The president saying at a meeting.)

While things like this (the BRICS conference) are going on in the neighbouring country, our leader is challenging something said by a villager drunk on moonshine.

Meme 12: