Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
To learn more about historical and contemporary Veddah life and customs, see
Sinhalese
The predominantly Buddhist Sinhalese sometimes divide themselves into 'low country'
and 'high country' (ie Kandyan). The Kandyan Sinhalese are proud of the time when the
Hill Country was a bastion of Sinhalese rule, and still consider Kandy to be the island's
spiritual hub. Although the Buddha taught universalism, the Sinhalese have a caste system,
with everyone falling somewhere along the spectrum between aristocrat and itinerant en-
tertainer.
Tamils
Most Tamils are Hindu and have cultural and religious connections with South Indian
Tamils across the water, though they generally see themselves as discrete groups. The
same is true of Jaffna Tamils, who live mostly in the North and East, and 'Plantation
Tamils', who were brought by the British from India in the 19th century to work on tea
farms. For most Hindus, caste is very important. Jaffna Tamils are mainly of the Vellala
caste (landlords and blue bloods), while Plantation Tamils mainly come from lower castes.
Times are changing, however, and traditional caste distinctions among both Sinhalese and
Tamils are gradually eroding.
In
Buddhism: Beliefs and Practices in Sri Lanka,
Lynn de Silva combines lucid writing, fas-
cinating information and a scholarly (but accessible) approach to shed light on the island's
Buddhist tradition.
Moors
The island's Muslims - called Sri Lankan Moors - are descendants of Arab or Indian
traders who arrived around 1000 years ago. To escape Portuguese persecution, many
moved into the Hill Country and the east coast, and you'll still see predominantly Muslim
towns like Hakgala near Nuwara Eliya. Most Moors speak Tamil.
