இலங்கையின் பழங்குடி இனத்தவர்களான வேடுவர் சமூகத்தின் மொழியும், பண்பாட்டம்சங்களும்.

The language and cultural aspects of the Veddah community, the indigenous people of Sri Lanka

Abstract

The Vedda community, considered to be the indigenous or aboriginal people of Sri Lanka, continues to live in small groups across various parts of the island. Their lifestyles are unique. Although Sri Lanka is seen as a multi-ethnic country where different communities live together, there is still substantial evidence that the Veddas were the island’s earliest inhabitants. References about them can be found in Mahavamsa, Dipavamsa, Nadukattu Paravani inscriptions, Sathiyadheiva inscriptions, and Kulavirutthu inscriptions. Furthermore, the Nadukattu Paravani inscriptions, which belong to the literary genre, indicate their development among the Tamils during the medieval period. For many years, the indigenous people of Sri Lanka have lived alongside the Tamil community, and thus they have continuously faced pressures of assimilation—both voluntary and forced. This has led to the erosion of their native language, culture, and distinct identity as an indigenous people. The erasure of identity has been reinforced structurally and institutionally, and historical records concerning them have never recognized the Veddas as part of the Tamil identity in Sri Lanka. Consequently, this process of assimilation has resulted in the loss of important socio-cultural rights of the Vedda community. Based on this, the present study focuses on the linguistic structures of the Vedda community, the diversity within their language, and their cultural identity and heritage. The article aims to center discussion on the socio-cultural dimensions of the Veddas as the indigenous people of Sri Lanka.