International Postgraduate Research Conference (IPRC)
Permanent URI for this communityhttp://repository.kln.ac.lk/handle/123456789/155
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Item Are we different from you: changing facets of Kaffir community in Sri Lanka(Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Kelaniya, 2015) Dissanayake, P.; Premarathne, P.Kaffir community is a unique socio-cultural group in Sri Lankan society. Though the term ―kaffir‖ is a derogatory term for African people, Sri Lankan Kaffirs use it to introduce themselves. They have accustomed to Sri Lankan culture while preserving their racial identity. A majority of Kaffirs can be seen in Puttalam currently. The objective of this study was to identify their cultural changes and contemporary problems in their daily life. A qualitative descriptive study has been conducted at the Siranbiadiya village in Puttalam area from August to December 2014. 42 villagers from the total of 22 family units including men and women considering their age were selected randomly with their consent. A pretested interviewer-administered questionnaire and focus group discussions were used for data collection. Data were analyzed using SPSS and thematic analysis. The majority of the sample was females (54.76%) and most of the villagers were daily paid labourers. Only 08% of the community was engaged in government and private sector and 76.2% earn below Rs.10, 000.00 per month. The mean age was 35 years and the majority had not completed secondary education. In the study sample, 73.8% were Sri Lankan kaffirs and others were Sinhalese due to the cultural assimilation through marriages. This community has high integration with catholic religion and rituals. Among them, attitudes in younger generations are different from elders towards the perseverance of their culture because of the social stigma. Elders are worrying about dying culture and their unique identity while younger generation pays resistance to the cultural preservation. Name changes, following popular cultures and migrating to cities are high among youth. This community faces different psycho-social problems due to economic hardships, social stigma and discriminatory social interactions. Increasing demands of their culture in the academic field also has created problems for them as they become a hotspot for researchers. This study reveals Kaffirs seeking sovereignty of their community. Provisions for reducing social stigma, cultural acceptance and financial assistance for livelihood development are vital to achieving the psycho-social well-being of this community.Item A study of the Language variety used by the Afro- Sri lankan Community of Sri Lanka. (Living in Puttalam, Kalpitya and Trincomalee)(Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Kelaniya, 2015) Kulasekara, N.Afro-Sri Lankans (also known as Kaffirs or Kapiri) are a very small ethnic group in Sri Lanka who are descendants of African workers and soldiers brought to the island by Portuguese and British colonists. The research was focused on identifying the nature of this language and studies it linguistically. The majority of the words found in the songs sung by members the Afro-Sri Lankan community in Puttalam. The other Afro– Sri Lankan communities living in Trincomalee and Kalpitya were also included in this study. The research included data from approximately 50 male and female participants who volunteered from these communities. The research instruments used in this research were speech recordings and interviews. The Puttalam and Kalpitiya communities are the descendants of African soldiers and domestic slaves of Portuguese colonists. Those in the Trincomalee community are the descendants of African colonial soldiers from the British Royal Forces. The ancestors of these Africans were brought to Sri Lanka during two different eras by two different colonists. Only the communities living in Puttalam and Kalpitya use this language in their songs called the African Manja. Some scholars have identified their language as a Sri Lankan Portuguese Creole. Some of the Portuguese Burghers living in the Batticoloa District in Sri Lanka use the Sri Lankan Portuguese Creole as their second or home language. The Afro-Sri Lankans use it only in their songs. The research proved that the variety of the Portuguese creole used in Puttalam and Kalpitiya is a mixture of Portuguese and Sinhala words. The Portuguese Creole used in Batticoloa by the Portuguese Burghers is Portuguese mixed with Tamil words, leaving slight differences in lexicography and pronunciation. The Afro-Sri Lankan community living in Trincomalee is descend from British colonial subjects who had no access to the Portuguese language and do not know the language at all. The language data was analyzed based on a structural theoretical framework. The research finding was documented and preserved for future research and references.