Afro-Sri Lankans

Afro-Sri Lankans Few know that in the fascinating ethnomosaic that is Sri Lanka, there is a community of Afro-Sri Lankans. They are the Kaffir of Puttalam and Batticaloa districts who stand out with their kinky hair. Historians say that they were brought by the Portuguese to Sri Lanka via Goa in the 16th century, converted to Catholicism, and made to work under very exploitative conditions.The Dutch, who followed the Portuguese, used 4,000 of them to build the Colombo Fort. Sadly, even after five centuries today, the Kaffir are mainly manual labourers. Over the years, most have merged with the Sinhalese, and only about 215 families still retain their identity. Even these have no knowledge of their original tongue, Afro- Portuguese Creole. But amazingly, the Kaffir’s vigorous Afro-Portuguese musical and dance tradition has survived the ravages of time and cultural onslaughts.