Abstract:
The expansion and impact of Western colonization saw the dominance of Portugal in the
East during the 16th century. Portuguese occupation and colonization of the maritime
provinces of Sri Lanka in 1505, resulted in a ‘Clash Of Cultures’- European versus Asian
in every sense of the political, social, religious, language, cultural and economic
spectrum. However, Portugal’s policy of colonization resulted in miscegenation and
produced ‘mixed breeds’ of races in their occupied colonies. Sri Lanka was no
exception.
Over time, the Dutch merchant investors from Holland attained sea bourne power
domination and defeated the Portuguese in the East, taking over the monopoly of the
spice trade. In the process, they re-defined Dutch colonial policy and identity, which saw
the emergence of Ceylonese Dutch Burgherdom in Sri Lanka. When the Dutch
capitulated to the British in 1796, it was an era that marked a watershed in Dutch
Burgher ethnic identity and reconstruction of identity, which became largely British
cultural identification by race.
After1945, the immigration to Australia of Ceylonese Dutch-British Burghers who had
formed a ‘colonial elite’ in Ceylon is largely a post-Second World War phenomenon.
Almost all of this entire ethnic group removed themselves from Ceylonese society in just
over two decades to settle in other Commonwealth countries, principally Australia,
England and Canada. However, the major part of the ethnic community came to
Australia, particularly to Victoria, and more specifically to Melbourne. This city location
was the focal point, where between 50-60 % of Dutch Burgher migrants settled
permanently. It is with this group that the paper is concerned. The paper will also
address the experiences of an ex-colonial elite, now living in multi-cultural Australian
society, without the patronage or protection of a colonial power. The question of a
distinct identity and a changing ethnic identity will also be considered within the context
of Anglo- Australian society. Some aspects of Ceylonese Dutch Burgherdom and
contributions to Australian and also Sri Lankan society will be highlighted. Finally, the
paper will analyse the Sri Lankan aspects of the Burghers left behind and their
interpretation and re-construction of Burgher identity, after the ‘Diaspora’ to Australia
post -1945.
