Abstract:
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.
