Sri Lanka’s Indigenous People
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Meet Dinusha, a little ten year old girl. She is just like you. She goes to school, gets good grades and helps her mother in her day to day chores. Yet, she is uniquely different. You will know why, when you hear her full name.
Uruwarige Dinusha Madumali; ring any bells?
If not, don’t worry because we will be taking those of you who are still in the dark, to little Dinusha’s world.
Dinusha belongs to an ancient and indigenous
community in Sri Lanka, widely known as the Veddahs or Vanniyaletto. They live in small villages around the country but the main Veddah village is in Dambana, off Mahiyangana in the Uva Province. The Funday Times, along with the aunties and uncles of Dilmah Conservation visited this village to meet Dinusha and her family.
On our way from Colombo to Dambana we had to go through the 18-bend stretch on the Kandy-Mahiyangana road. This sure was
exhausting but the view was exquisite. When we came to Dambana, the Veddah community greeted us warmly. To quench our thirst, after the seven hour long trip, the villagers gave us beli mal (a herbal tea) in coconut shells that were clean as a whistle.
The village chiefs were preparing for the Warige Sabhawa which is an annual meeting where the Veddah chiefs from around the
country get together to discuss issues. They then try to solve the raised issues, one after the other. That night the Veddah community started the
function in a grand way.
Just after the clock struck
midnight they entered an open area inside the
jungle using only fire torches. Sitting on rocks they started their meeting. They also spoke in their own Veddah language.
The next day, we went back to the village.
Dinusha was preparing with a number of other kids to
celebrate a special day. The International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, on August 9. “I’m preparing to sing the Veddah peoples’ sacred song. Our school music teacher taught it to us. I know all the words by heart because my mother sings it to me sometimes,” little Dinusha said.
She was dressed in a beautiful Sinhalese folk costume – the cloth and jacket. Her hair was neatly tied. She said she is honoured to take part in this special event.
“This is our day. Here we celebrate who we are. When I grow up I want to be a teacher and teach students the importance of the Veddah community,” she said.
Dinusha and her friends sang the National Anthem and the Veddah sacred song beautifully, marking the start of the celebration. Individuals belonging to
different Veddah groups showcased their unique dances and songs too. The chiefs of each group addressed the gathering.
The trip to Dambana taught us how the Veddahs are a very significant
community to our country. The Veddah village is one
of the eight UNESCO
World Heritage Sites in
Sri Lanka. Sadly the Veddah Chief, Uruwarige Wanniya, told us that the ways of the Veddah people have changed now. He said they are adopting western ways day by day and that the Veddah children are losing touch of how their ancestors lived.
“They can hardly hunt now or understand the animals. When we were young we were able to say if a beehive has honey by the humming of the bees. Now, sadly, the young ones can’t,” he said
adding that they are
facing extinction.
This is why more
children like our Dinusha should be encouraged. They are the tomorrow of our Veddah community. We should also know to respect them and
spread the word of the
importance of this tribe among our friends.
