Core Concepts

 Sensitivity
 Diversity
 Face
 Modesty
 Loyalty
 Pride
 
An island located south of the Indian subcontinent, the nation-state of Sri
Lanka (formerly Ceylon) contains diverse landscapes ranging from
beaches, rainforests and tea plantations to ancient Buddhist ruins and
buzzing metropolitan cities. Sri Lankan society has also been influenced by
varying degrees of colonial impact and modernisation. Diversity is further
evident in the cultural landscape, with Sri Lanka accommodating
several ethnic, linguistic and religious groups. Sri Lankans tend to identify
themselves according to their ethnicity, family, religion or birthplace and
will often remain loyal to those a part of those groups. While the country
has seen ethnic tensions in the past, the two largest ethnic groups – the
Sinhalese (74.9%) and the Tamil (15.4%) – often peacefully interact with
one another.
 

Ethnicity and Personal Identity

One distinctive feature of Sri Lankan culture is the way in which ethnicity,

language and religious affiliation correlate with one another, each being
key determinants of an individual’s identity. Alongside the two
largest ethnic groups – Sinhalese (74.9%) and Tamil (15.4%) – the third
largest ethnic group is Sri Lankan Moors (9.2%).  The remaining 0.5% of Sri
1

Lanka’s population is comprised of Burghers (mixed European descent),

Parsis (immigrants from west India) and Veddas (who are identified as the
indigenous inhabitants of the land). The Tamils separate further into two
groups, Sri Lankan Tamils and Indian Tamils.
 
Ethnicity and religion are often closely linked in Sri Lanka. In fact, one’s
religion is often able to be interpreted from their ethnicity. More
specifically, 70.2% of the population identify as Buddhist and are typically
of Sinhalese ethnicity, while those who identify as Hindu (12.6%) tend to
be ethnically Tamil.  Although those who identify as Muslim (9.7%) come
2

from various backgrounds (most being Sri Lankan Moors), they are
commonly recognised as a single populace in Sri Lankan society.
 
The prevalence of Buddhism in Sri Lanka tends to reinforce the
dominance of the Sinhalese majority. The Sinhalese elites and parts of the
Buddhist Sangha who support Sinhala Buddhist nationalism argue that Sri
Lanka is the ‘Dhamma Kingdom’ – the land of Buddhism. However, such an
assertion also has the potential to marginalise other religions
and ethnicities in the country (see ‘Buddhism’ in Religion).
 
There are three official languages of Sri Lanka: Sinhala, Tamil and English.
This is evident throughout the country, with most signs written in all three
languages. The Sinhalese-Buddhist majority mostly speak Sinhala, while
Tamil is spoken widely by Sri Lankan Moors/Muslims
and ethnic Tamils/Hindus. English was introduced as a result of the
British colonial rule and has become the language used in government
administration and commercial activities. However, the Sinhala language
is still prevalent in these sectors of society. Language is a contentious
issue in Sri Lanka, in part due to the ‘Sinhala Only’ initiatives supported by
some politicians. This provoked a push for resistance by some Tamils,
which (along with other issues) paved the way for civil conflict.
 

Civil Conflict (1983 - 2009)

Periods of tension among ethnic groups have occurred since the country’s

attainment of independence in 1948 from British colonial rule. Sri Lanka’s
post-independence era is notably marked by the rise in Sinhala-Buddhist
nationalism and the subsequent civil tensions.
 
Although the civil conflict officially began in 1983, the tensions
underpinning the conflict extend much further into Sri Lankan history. The
‘Sinhalese Only’ movement emerged as a way to define the national
identity of Sri Lanka. This marginalised non-Sinhala and non-Buddhists
and limited their access to state-controlled opportunities and benefits.
Resistance against Sinhala nationalism by a small group known as the
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) resulted in the civil conflict. The
conflict created widespread displacement and resulted in up to 100,000
deaths. Moreover, as many people fear publicly discussing the civil
conflict, expressions of concern and mourning have been somewhat
limited to the private sphere. This has meant that, for many Sri Lankan
families and households, the civil conflict continues to evoke unreconciled
grief and sorrow.
 
The Sri Lankan government declared victory over the 26-year-long civil
conflict in 2009, but relations between the Sinhalese and Tamils in the
political and social arenas may sometimes be tense. The aftermath of the
civil conflict has seen large numbers of Tamils fleeing the country.
According to the Australian Government Department of Immigration and
Border Protection (2014), the majority of Sri Lankan migrants between
2012 and 2013 were of Tamil ethnicity, many of whom were seeking
asylum. Although tensions between the Sinhalese and Tamils may erupt
sporadically, the two ethnicities generally coexist peacefully and
cooperatively.
 
Despite the fractures in society, many Sri Lankans take great pride in their
nationality – particularly in its distinction from India, both in terms of
nationality and culture. Remnants of Indian culture are evident in Sri
Lanka, largely stemming from shared Buddhist and Hindu traditions. Over
time, the cultural traits brought from the Indian subcontinent have
independently grown and changed in Sri Lanka, contributing to the
formation of a distinctive Sri Lankan culture and identity.
 

Hierarchy and Social Stratification

Despite ethnic tensions in the past, Sri Lankans tend to interact and
befriend those of different ethnicities and religious affiliations. Divisions
generally occur more in regards to social class. This is largely due to
the hierarchies of the caste system that the society previously operated
under. In the context of Sri Lanka, the caste system refers to the ‘kula’
structure. This structure determines the social community into which one
is born, often referred to in terms of vocation. Ideas about purity provide
the rationale for the division of society into various groups, with
the hierarchy of caste being determined by each group’s relative level of
perceived impurity. This refers to both physical purity, in terms of one’s
body and occupation, as well as one’s spiritual purity.
 
While Sri Lankans tend to be acutely aware of the social status they hold in
relation to their peers, this attitude is more common outside of urban
areas, particularly in villages. People in each kula are expected to preserve
the distinct social classes with one example being endogamy/inter-caste
marriages. However, it is worth noting that the caste hierarchy differs
among those of Tamil and those of Sinhalese ethnicity. Since Tamils
generally correlate to Hinduism, their model of the caste
system resembles the model observed in Indian society (see
‘Hierarchy and Stratification’ in Core Concepts of the Indian Culture profile).
 
Regarding those of Sinhalese ethnicity, attitudes and ideas related to
the caste system still prevail to an extent among the older generation,
despite being abolished by law. However, the younger generation of
Sinhalese Sri Lankans tend not to consider caste as a relevant factor when
interacting with others. Indeed, a lot of the Sinhalese youth are unaware
of their caste. Moreover, the caste system plays a minor role in terms of
one’s spiritual progress or access to opportunities. Outside of the private
sphere, most social interactions occur without reference to the caste
system. Members of different kulas can work together and interact freely
with one another without feeling uncomfortable about the caste
inequalities. However, among those of Tamil ethnicity, the caste
system continues to be a large factor in determining one’s position and
interactions within society.
 

'Face' and Social Interactions

The concept of face is evident in the way Sri Lankans behave and interact
with one another. Face refers to one’s reputation, dignity and honour. Sri
Lankans may act in a deliberate and contemplative manner to prevent
outbursts or conflict. They will often try their best to remain calm and
attempt to solve any problems that arise. Indeed, a common response
when being asked to help a lending hand or to address an issue is to say
“no problem”. Since Sri Lanka is a collectivistic society, individuals often
perceive themselves to be members of their ethnic, religious or linguistic
group rather than individual and autonomous actors. In turn, it is thought
that a person’s actions can reflect back upon the groups they identify with.
 
_____________________
1 Central Intelligence Agency, 2017

2 Central Intelligence Agency, 2017

Source 1

A. The People's Archives | Azaad India. India, 2020. Web Archive. Retrieved
from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/lcwaN0029344/>.
According to https://www.azadindia.org a non-profit organization that advocates for Rural
Welfare Reforms.
B. On the website of the Library of Congress, the government ran opensource
library, I found the Web Archive: “The People’s Archives” last updated
December 2, 2020.

Source 2

A. Rambukwella, Harshana. Politics and Poetics of Authenticity: A Cultural

Genealogy of Sinhala Nationalism. UCL Press, 2018. JSTOR,
https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv3hh4f7. Accessed 12 Jul. 2022.
B. Rambukwella is an author as well as a Professor at the Postgraduate
Institute of English.
C. On the library of congress website, loc.gov an opensource library, I found
the book “Politics and Poetics of Authenticity: A Cultural Genealogy of
Sinhala Nationalism” written in 2018 by author Harshana Rambukwella.
Source 3

A. Ross, Russell R, et al. Sri Lanka: a country study. Washington, D.C.: Federal Research
Division, Library of Congress: For sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. G.P.O, 1990. Pdf. Retrieved
from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/89600372/>.
B. Russell R. Ross was a highly honored author and Professor who received many accolades for
his work in various branches of the medical field.
C. According to the article “Sri Lanka: a country study” posted on the official website for the
library of congress which I accessed July 13, 2022.