"Kaffir Culture" in Sri Lanka by Kannan Arunasalam

The 'Kaffirs' of Sri Lanka started arriving from the eastern shores of Africa in the 1500s with the Portuguese, and later in more waves with the different colonizers of Sri Lanka. 'Kaffir culture' is a video portrait of one such community of Kaffirs and the struggle to keep their culture alive in the face of falling numbers. Note: the word 'Kaffir' has ugly racist connotations in Africa and Europe. This is NOT the case in Sri Lanka. Written and produced by Kannan Arunasalam.
More info: kiptra.com/lif...
Kannan's website: kannanarunasala...
Music by Ceylon Kaffir Manja, arranged by Jesse Hardman.
Special thanks to Sweta Velpillay (on sound), Nethra Samarawickrema (for help with translations), Leah Worthington (background research) and Greg Kelly (Radio Netherlands)
Original video is here: www.vimeo.com/7...

[@lalithdealwis4610]

@Mango62uk My thanks to you for uploading this video and to Kannan Arunasalam for making the video. From time to time, I have read articles, mainly in the Sunday Observer, of the Sri Lankan people of African origin and I have always intended to visit them. I even had marked on the road map of Sri Lanka, which I kept in my vehicle, a village off the Anuradhapura-Puttalam road in which some African Sri Lankans lived but I never did get around to visiting them before I moved out of Sri Lanka. You are both two wonderful Sri Lankans and make me proud and happy to be Sri Lankan.

[@Mango62uk]

Lalith - thank you. All credit for the film goes to Kannan. It's all his work. Without him we wouldn't be so well informed of this addition to Sri Lanka's rich mixture of peoples and cultures. I only hope that these lovely people manage to retain their distinctive music and culture.

[@PieroPerondi]

@@Mango62uk I still do not understand, how it is possible that we still speak of the African Communities of Puttalam and China Bay, as descendants of the Africans deported as slaves in the Portuguese Era of Sri Lanka. This is and always will be a COLOSSAL LIE. Investigate instead of writing without knowing anything about what you are writing.

[@navinrodrig6948]

Lalith - that's great. If you listen to scientists, they have evidence that original Sri Lankan Veddas(Yaksha and Naga before the arrival of Aryans), south Indians and Aboriginals, all 3 were originally from Africa 10k yrs back. Our history books in many parts don't correlate with real science.

[@4september1947]

I am Aboriginal from Australia and was in SL last year. had the opportunity of the visiting the Veddah tribal community, as they are closely related to Australians - I will be returning very soon to Sri Lanka, well next month (aug13) and will try and attend their performance in CMB

[@Kalydosos]

Can you tell us a little more about your visit? I am Black man born in England my parents are from Jamaica.

[@rathwije1579]

This is 100% of the truth of all around the World.

[@dsijj123]

Wow you are wellcome

[@jeyavarmen9268]

you can get married to a vedda girl ,if you really care about them. I am also from Nagar tribe of original. srilankan tamil .

[@k8lynmae]

you ARE the SAME. Indians, Sri Lankans and Kooris ARE ALL the SAME. Myself and even Ernie Dingo have Indian DNA. Have a look at the Pangea World Map and Australia and Sri Lanka & India are together. Please note that Earth is FLAT as even our Koori ancestors knew way before any white fella invaded us. The world map that globe believes use is NOT to scale

[@Dansikaa245]

Even though Srilanka is a small Island there somany hiden treasures in it. How nice to know these things which we never heard about. Very useful documentry.

[@Mango62uk]

Please support Kannan, who made this great documentary.

[@dhirajfernando5373]

Born and bred there. Never knew these guys existed, though I've noticed afro hair and certain features before but always assumed it was part of the indigenous mix till now.

[@savvageorge]

Africans did travel throughout Southern Asia in ancient times. This is why aboriginal natives in Australia look African.

[@natashasmith782]

@@savvageorge They not only travelled through, they lived and settled those lands for thousands of years...

[@mkblackbeauty2259]

@Kleco102 most Australian whites have aboriginal mix aswel. it shows ooo👂🏾👂🏾

[@shamimmoosajee2528]

@@savvageorge )

[@groundzero5708]

@@mkblackbeauty2259 lol east africans have brown genes cuz brown ppl went there

[@nsugathadasa]

අනේ ආච්චි, අපි ඔය බාසාව ලියාගමු. කොහොම හරි බේරගමු. මට හරිම ආසයි ඉගෙනගන්න. මට හරිම ආඩම්බරයි ඔයාල ගැන. ඔයාලට දිග ඉතිහාසයක් තියන මිනිස්සු. අපේ රටේ සම්පතක්.

[@j.a.karunaratne7865]

The term Kafir to identify the Africans or African descendants is disparaging. This term is not permitted to be used in English for example.

[@Mango62uk]

@@j.a.karunaratne7865 Don't be ridiculous. This doesn't apply to Sri Lanka. It's explained in the description.

[@nadaekarun4447]

I was thinking the same earlier. But thanks to this documentary I learned that it's not, since that's the how they describe themselves. I guess that was because how the term was passed down from the discriminatory mindset of a group of people upto now which makes one feel like it is offensive. And that's why most people still think so which is not discriminating, but is the proper way. So, thankyou for the this beautiful video 💛

[@Sandy-yr8fb]

I'm a Sri Lankan Sinhalese... but honestly I didn't know about these people... but it's awesome😍😍😍.. I wanna visit them

[@proactivechain]

I’m Sri Lankan moor... so proud to be Sri Lankan with so much diversity...

[@lll7183]

@@proactivechain I'm a malay .I always thought we have a Africa mix as my uncle are very tall really dark n afro curly hair.

[@moarx25]

@@proactivechain yah sams here, im a Sri Lankan moor and donno why ppl used to say that im look like Moroccan, Pakistani something like that even some of asked me that im from Malaysia lol and i always wondered why ppl keep saying and then when i started to learn about Ceylon history in my collage in A/L ( political science) I started to know about those things and i made loads of researchers about it!! 😁

[@ragingwarrior8098]

I'm a Sri Lankan Sinhalease...But I never knew these people are live in here. Wow it's amazing. These people were brought here by English army for works.

[@abcbc9269]

Yes ..true ..beautiful people

[@ninthusiva7546]

Singala naaye

[@dancingamoeba]

They were slaves and mandatory soldiers, actually, brought in by the Portuguese colonizers, the Dutch and later the British.

[@lavan_na]

Honestly, thank you so much for uploading this ! I'm a Tamil myself and I never knew about this. I wonder how many people of the Tamil Diaspora know about this ? People can be so awfully ignorant sometimes... race is a social construction, when it comes down to it we are all from the same "race"; simply put: we share the same origin - Africa ( in my humble opinion 😛) I hope to experience their culture and music next time when I visit Sri Lanka. 😊

[@chatwithjat]

My great grandma from mother side was 100% african descendent. One of the reasons why you see some tamils with big afro-like hair. When I used to talk about it with my mom, she would initially be embarrassed, but now they openly discuss it.

[@As-sk6ro]

Lava S. sri lankans are not african origin or blacks

[@As-sk6ro]

Yah'shua Libyan Nile YOU WISH YOU COULD BE BLACK STOP WISHING ALSO TO BE AFRICAN ASWELL IM AFRICAN AND IM PROUD AND BE PROUD ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE AND THAT THING IS UTTERR BULLSHIT U GUYS DONT EVEN LOOK AFRICAN STICK TO WHAT U ARE AND U CANT CHAGE IT

[@dukeofpkr]

Deoanand Geer lol...from the Afro I wud guess he was 😂

[@jeyavarmen9268]

@@As-sk6ro yes but you are a Muslim from saudi arabia. No ! yes!answer me idiot.

[@flyme2009]

sri lanka is mix of all kind of ppl but you hardly see recognize them.

[@mikeyjames]

Many countries do that. In Puerto Rico many afro Latinos are taught to identify themselves with the history of Spain and not Africa so even if they look black they will still tick off white on a form that asks them to list their race because they’ve been brainwashed to do that since a child.. White supremacy ideas didn’t just stay in the west. Their teaching carried along in many countries where they try to hide people of African heritage. Don’t even get me started on Brazil and what they do. I feel bad for that old lady because she’s literally crying and then you have people that exploit them and promise them stuff but don’t pay them

[@lbcthinkingoutloud3427]

This is wonderful and great to see srilanka is such a beautiful mixed society. We must preserve their identity.

[@fassmacetj]

how amazing to learn that after all these years that these African decendents from many centuries ago still do exist and do have a part to play in society,

[@purplecarrot7809]

I feel so bad that I had no idea about these people they need more recognition and respect. We need to work to protect their culture

[@seniorcitizensnewzealand7855]

Did not know that people like these existed in Sri Lanka. Thanks for this.

[@dilminithakshila4582]

I'm Sri Lankan, it's very glad to see this video about hidden great culture and wonderful people. Thank you.

[@rizwanrafeek3811]

As Muslim of Sri Lanka, I love people of Sri lanka, whether you are Hindu, Buddhist, Christians or Kaffir or whatever you may be. My neighbors are Buddhists, Christians and Muslims, we played together from childhood, never differentiated that you are Buddhists, Christians. I used to go to Buddhist and Christians neighbors home play their kids. It is turn into hatred when BBS speak out against Muslims. Lets not live in hatred of each other, long live people of Sri Lanka, be successful.

[@Mango62uk]

Thanks Rizwan. BBS is cancer on Sri Lanka and needs to be treated as such.

[@rizwanrafeek3811]

@Erin S en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodu_Bala_Sena

[@lalithdealwis4610]

@Erin S BBS was a group of unemployable opportunists who took advantage of an ignorant administration to make a living for themselves. When the administration was ousted, the unemployable opportunists apologised for their misdeeds and melted into the undergrowth. After a few years, the ignorant administration emerged again but, this time, they were not quite as ignorant as before (though not that much more) and so, they had no time for those unemployable opportunists. And so the unemployable opportunists remain stuck in the undergrowth.

[@lumalive]

THANKS Mr. Kannan Arunasalam for posting this video. They are not isolated in Sri Lanka. They are part of our society.

[@mannyescuela3511]

AK Kannan

[@dganesh3641]

It makes sense as I recently read about the link between Australian aborigines and the Dravidians. There is growing evidence that the earliest inhabitant of Australia was Dravidian and Dravidians originate from modern day Sudan, Africa. I’m Tamil Srilankan and glad to have enearthed this knowledge my father would tell us about the different tribal communities, but my imagination needed more information! My parents share a lot of their features , glad to have seen this☺️ brilliant work👏🏽 I particularly liked how the documentor spoke about how the community felt and have been treated in regards to uprising popularity. I pray they only be surrounded by good and honest people.

[@ddandrews825]

My gratitude to Kannan for making this documentary and thanx to the uploader to posting it here.

[@shewan4]

Hey this documentary reminded me of Siddis of Karnataka !! WOW a beautiful documentary indeed. Being a Sri Lankan myself, I never knew such a community existed. Thank you !

[@thuliledhlamini8136]

I'm from South Africa where term KAFFIR is used Derogatory to refer to African by the Whites. Never knew that there are African in Sri Lanca calling themselves or called KAFFIR. IT MEANS AFRICAN ARE ALLOVER THE WORLD AND WE KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THEM. GOOD TO KNOW. I ENJOY THEIR MUSIC. THANKS.

[@omphemetsechake2839]

Mkhaya

[@chamarapannila5742]

I'm a Sir Lankan my self and I'm so proud of these lovely warm hearted people and wish them all the best to protect there culture. And thank you for telling this to the whole world.

[@Mango62uk]

Please support Kannan who made this wonderful documentary. kannanarunasalam.com/

[@MNRAJ3X]

Wow what a beautiful people and culture! I can see my blood is similar being half Trini a lot of my family resemble them we too were mix of Portuguese, South Asian and African I love learning about history

[@As-sk6ro]

Grant Charlés sri lankans are not mixed with africans or blacks.

[@MNRAJ3X]

Abdullahi Said I was talking about the people in this video I know Siri Lankans are their own people neither African or Indian

[@mannyescuela3511]

@@As-sk6ro no one said that

[@mannyescuela3511]

@@As-sk6ro and some are

[@chandjay1317]

Thank you Kannam Sir. Great info. Being a Sri Lankan I am ashamed. WE should take EVERY STEP TO keep these cultures in our Pearl.

[@Mango62uk]

Please do what you can to help this community. Kannan's website: kannanarunasalam.com/

[@Changavi]

I think the gramma's cute

[@shakaf]

I still remember stories that my mum told me how her grandfather saw African slaves chained to one another and their mouths padlocked being paraded like human centipedes in Kandy during the 2nd world war. don't know whether it's a fact or myth but sounds so cruel and shows how the Europeans treated the Africans.

[@Mango62uk]

Would be very interested to know more about this. Are you sure it was in WW2?

[@shakaf]

@@Mango62uk Thanks for your interest, yes I double checked it was in 1941/42 when there were blackouts in Sri lanka due to fear of Japanese sorties. not sure about the padlock though.. it probably could be the ring some of the tribes have in their lips

[@Mango62uk]

@@shakaf Thanks for that. Maybe it was African soldiers or workers drafted in to help the war effort?

[@shakaf]

@@Mango62uk yes could be, but given their plight, I'd rather think that they were slaves than soldiers or workers.

[@jemajoy8839]

My grandma told me too. At that time she was at her school. She has seen them with chains. I feel sad about it.

[@shuttersl]

As Sri Lankans, you are our pride. God bless you.

[@prabathrathnamalala7552]

We are humans.this earth for everyone.

[@KalpaHettiarachchi]

Wow..great.when i was searching their music i found this video.Im a musician and a researcher.specially in jazz music.Thank you so much for uploading this and ur effort.greetings, Chirantha Kalpa.......

[@antonbzzz12]

I call all Sri Lankans of African heritage, as my fellow Sri Lankans. They are our people too, as the same for Tamils, Muslims and Wada people.

[@As-sk6ro]

Anthony Navaratne sri lankans dont have african heritage at all!!

[@zionrage3684]

Yes they do!

[@As-sk6ro]

.

[@dsijj123]

Lol actually all the humans have african heritage. 😂😂 according to science.

[@nishadeekavindhya806]

My grandfather used to tell me about these people. He told me when he was a kid he has seen British men take Africans handcuffed inline( he and his friends would hide in bushes). He also told me that they were padlocked in the mouth, his parents told him to stay away from these people because they were cannibals. He told me that's why they were padlocked, which I wouldn't believe now. My grandfather lived in Puttalam those days. He also said they were referred to as Kapiri( IDK if its an offensive word nowadays, if it's then I would like to apologize). He also said those people still live in Sri Lanka. My grandfather died due to cancer in 2016 ( he was 72 years old when he died)

[@ROShAN-xr7yn]

We all are sri lankans. No difference. Love you my sri lankans. ❤️❤️❤️

[@bluemail8752]

Very thankful to know about this community people who are lives in Sri Lanka. They have unique culture. Amazing

[@mightysun89]

I'm a Sri lankan, and I don't know about them. It's great to know the history.

[@gm836]

Same

[@rajasinghaweerasooriya8033]

Sri Lankan's seem to have the best of all worls, what a mix of genes. I can see the sources of their lion heartedness. Ye bois, Sri Lanka all the way.

[@goodwillever6150]

Sri Lanka has a place for everyone. Buy only for people who can live peacefully with others. I had some knowledge about this people and they don't harm anyone. So we love them.

[@thushansylva]

It so sad we are losing their originality! 😥

[@KUINWORLD]

2:55 Her Tamil Pronunciation Perfect . That Slang Like Jaffna Tamil ❤️. Thanks you Anna Great Documentary

[@Mango62uk]

Please support Kannan and his work. See description. Thanks.

[@Kanatonian]

They used to speak in Tamil now shifting to Sinhalese

[@mattmu9887]

Yesss omg

[@babsyluv]

awesome! The music is very similiar to dinkimini in the maroon communities of Jamaica

[@19520221]

mr kannan thanks for this valuable video. i happend to meet these people at jaffna music festival 2011 held 25,26, 27 mar 2011.i coudn't simply belive at first glance. really shocked . i am very proud to see these african brothers and sisters living in sri lanka. long live cultural pluralism in sri lanka .

[@captal6187]

Thank you Kannan for this superb documentary.

[@Mango62uk]

His web site is here: kannanarunasalam.com/

[@sheramivictoria6855]

I am Sri lankan but I didn't know about this thank you

[@Mango62uk]

Please thank the film-maker and support these people by helping to keep their culture alive!

[@shoshannah3250]

I've been to Sri lanka three times and never new of the Kaffir people, I would love to met them being of African decent myself contacting with my people around the world is very important. I will most defiantly visit them the next time i go to Sri lanka and let them know of our Great Black People

[@drmether9150]

Their music is played so much in cricket matches

[@dukeofpkr]

Back in university in Bangladesh I had many srinlankan classmates ,they had very dark skin and big stocky body and afro hair ,back then I thought maybe that’s how some srilankans look .im wondering now if they were also part African

[@mkblackbeauty2259]

They are , you can't hide our blood oo 👂🏾even India has the sidi people from Africa 👂🏾and definitely Bangladesh has Africans and our DNA in your blood ooo👂🏾 no wonder you are called brown people. and some of you are even too black than us.

[@nureshmihassim1759]

We all have African in us! The more we accept that the more freedom we get from the rubbish the colonizers have tought us

[@sinhalalion1806]

@@mkblackbeauty2259 South Asians are not Africans, you can clearly tell apart a South Asian from a person of African origin. Skin colour has nothing to do with that, you can take 2 dark-skinned people of both African descent and South Asian descent and still notice basic physical and facial trait differences. East Africans like Ethiopians do look a bit more similar to South Asians though, but Western and Central Africans don't look like South Asians at all.

[@marcorubenumile84]

Which university please?

[@dsijj123]

No way Sri lankans look like that, may be some villagers in north east, north Central look like that, or heavily dark skinned person from coast. But mejority lankans are caucasoids and brown skinned.

[@luckydesilva6733]

Ohhhhh! I am really happy to see this. I always knew we had our origins from Africa. Now my instincts are truly confirmed. Thank you soo much for this video. I am soo happy . With my love to all .

[@sinhalalion1806]

How does this confirm your instincts, it literally says they were brought to SL by the Brits and Portuguese. They weren't the first inhabitants of the island lr anything.

[@groundzero5708]

@@sinhalalion1806 true

[@jamalman1]

interesting subject here. Thanks for sharing.. would have never heard about this

[@markmendis5951]

Damn this got me questioning of my blood line.

[@marcorubenumile84]

Obviously we didn't know about them because we Sri Lankans have diverse cultures and we call them all Sri Lankans, because they are just like those Indians, Malaysian, Portuguese, Dutch to me they look so Sri Lankan, but would be great if they can dig the roots and get those forgotten culture

[@osagiedion962]

One other reason I must Visit Sri Lanka.

[@ihaveanewattitude]

I am learning something every day! Thank you for a wonderful video. The people are beautiful and intelligent. Is there any where on this planet where we are not? Absolutely amazing how Africa has spread her wings, blanketing the planet like this. I love you, Africa!!

[@ragingwarrior8098]

Thank British...They did it

[@mkblackbeauty2259]

African DNA is in every human being ooo 🤗 we rock🤷🏿‍♀️ brother😅😅

[@kruger5984]

@@ragingwarrior8098 lol

[@vinothbalendran363]

Nice documentary. Keep it up!

[@rekabegum2172]

I want to come srilanka next year inshaallah...I hve .many friends in katunayaka

[@nsugathadasa]

There is so much genetic and cultural diversity in Africa.The black people in America are almost 100 persent West African in origin. The ones in Sri Lanka are south/east. You may be surprised of the cultural difference. Happy to hear from somone with mixed African and Sri Lankan parents. Have you been to Sri Lanka?

[@maryjs4878]

Black Americans and African Americans are different.

[@maryjs4878]

Black people in America are from everywhere in Africa, west indies/Caribbean, south America, central America etc

[@maryjs4878]

African Americans and afro sri Lankan got bantu ancestors.

[@thrishalakaumadi370]

Thank you so much for this video. It is such a hidden treasure.

[@dsijj123]

It should be noted that this is less than 1% of Sri Lankan population. SriLankans are Predominately caucasoids and, even darkest Sri lankan is more caucasoid than an African. It hard to classify south Asians. You can fund a Pakistani look dark as an African too.

[@hawkvision261]

nice to know this. and many thanks for upload this !!!

[@djjee-one352]

Very interesting. Thanks for sharing. I guess my grandparents are connected this community since they do have similar appearence

[@Mango62uk]

You should interview your grandparents and put the video on YT. It'll a great piece of living history and promote better understanding of their lives.

[@Pattiesd]

Beautiful!! 😍❤

[@avishmax5964]

Aww! Their culture is so beautiful...

[@adventuresofpodinilame]

excellent documentary!

[@hubert60]

In my teens I made friends with a Sri Lankan "Kaffir" Army soldier in the Anuradhapura hospital whom people referred to as a flesh eater as he asked for a ration of raw meat daily. Looked a little fearful and visitors just gawked into his single ward which had a wire meshed door to make him like look like a no go zone. Since it was the talk of many I went and saw a short curly haired muscular guy, but the eyes which were fearful to others so lonely, that young heart felt empathy for him. We developed a friendship , sitting inside the ward, him eating raw meat and chatting. Apparently he was an Army boxer who sustained a head punch and difficulty closing his eye lids. So he was always staring, bloodshot eyes. He then told me about his community, which I had no idea about When he was discharged he said he was going back to Diyatalawa camp and wrote me a letter which was so full of his deep personality. I do not where it is now. Years later I saw him in Bambalapitiya Majestic hoterl where we all went for a meal and saw my friend. but sadly he was not himself. He managed to say he found it difficult to sleep and his eye lids were twitching non stop, Never saw him after that.

[@Mango62uk]

Interesting story. It sounds like he was suffering from shell-shock / PTSD.

[@babsyluv]

awesome! The music is very similar to dinkimini in the maroon communities of Jamaica

[@krishiresh]

Really good video... A lot of awareness created through such measures ! respect ! I knew about these people, but never seen them until now.. Thank you for this !

[@tracyskitchenandappalachia2954]

Quite a beautiful culture. 💗

[@osmanmansoor4386]

Comparing to other country's in the world Sri Lanka is geographically small island nation. but the culture is rich as nothing else.

[@mel.affiliate]

:) well that just gave me a lot of hope. Thanks !

[@dharshinikana6991]

Oh my god this is interesting

[@SL_Beast]

I am a Sri Lankan and the existance of Kaffirs in Sri Lanka is not well known they don't even mention them in text books. The first time I heard about them was from a news channel. Glad to see that their culture is still with them

[@TheBasedDude]

Bro kaffirs are mentioned in the Grade 10 or Grade 9 Sinhala text book 😅😂😂

[@SL_Beast]

@@TheBasedDude Must be in the history books then. But doesn't really ring a bell. Even if there is a mention it's probably just one paragraph #. Basically saying "oh yeah they exist". But no insight into their culture. But then again they don't even include stuff from the civil war. and many more important things that should be included. But hey maybe I don't remember shit lol

[@Billa792]

​@@SL_Beast no there is a lesson about them in sinhala text book grade 9

[@drmether9150]

Always wondered how some of my Sri Lankan friends and other acquaintances seem to have natural hair

[@lionl.s.rozario3429]

Excellent video thanks

[@ejikejohn3122]

😭😭..we are just everywhere...God bless Africa

[@susantadeb7666]

There are peoples of African origin all along the Indian Ocean coast from east Africa to Yemen, Oman Iran, Baluchistan, Gujarat, Goa, Karnataka to Sri Lanka. In Laccadives and Maldives peoples of east African origin have been absorbed by local populations. In most cases peoples of African origin have retained their heritage in music and dances. In Sri Lanka Baila music is their contribution. The Veddas are much more ancient peoples related to the Chenchus, the Kurubas, the Penyans and most likely the Andaman tribes in India. The dancing girl of Mohenjodaro indicates their existence in the Indian subcontinent in prehistoric time.

[@groundzero5708]

vedda tribe is not related to ppl andaman island . there no genetic relationship that proves veddas are ppl from andaman islands. veddas are same tall as sinhalese but ppl in andaman islands are short they are closer to south east asians

[@susantadeb7666]

@@groundzero5708 Please note I said most likely. Prehistoric Black peoples of Indian subcontinent and beyond into South Asia and Micronesia are still under investigation.

[@maaruz1979]

great video!

[@dk_lil_toxic1993]

I am half Sri Lanka and my half black cause my dad is half kapir and and his dad is black so he black and married my mom

[@Mango62uk]

Have you thought about recording their life stories and sharing it on YT? You can see from the comments, how interested and curious people across the world are, about this little known section of Sri Lankan society. Cheers!

[@JG-qy6fe]

There are Similarities of this community to the Siddhi community in various pockets in Indian states of Gujarat, UT Diu, Maharashtra and Karnataka.

[@BULLBULLI]

thanks for uploading this video...i am so many years waited to see that....please put more tag sri lanka adivasi puttalam kalpitiya....so peoples eassy to find out this videos.

[@silvabakx6396]

Greetings Mithu. Black by popular demand. Thnx for the roots & culture lesson of the day. BlessUP

[@waj281]

I did not know they had blacks in Sri-Lanka. Having encountered a few sri-lankan indians, I am shocked that these people display so much intolerance, racism and sectarianism. I should show a couple of them this documentary so they face their truth and stop the lies. The proof is even in the comment some people where they do not even seek the info for curiosity but to divide even more. Either way thanks to the uploader it was a beautiful documentary.

[@mkblackbeauty2259]

Very true , I wonder why they are so racist when they look like us

[@uga1582]

Sri Lanka a wold by itself despite its size. 👃

[@dulanjaleeabeysundera8514]

well diverse and very well fitting ....god bless

[@maaruz1979]

sri-lanka is a place but where is "black" land? some sri-lankans are darker than some africans so why is it almost exclusively africans called "black"...we need to think about these things

[@dsijj123]

maaruz1979 The black srilankans are called tamils, especially indian tamil community in srilanka has the darkest complexion even than srilankan originated ones. Similar to aborginial group called veddah people. don't you know that .they also live in southern part of india and most of them are came to srilanka as cheap labours. Other communities has some light complexion compared to them.

[@dsijj123]

Also people in south india has a very dark complexion. You should visit to srilanka before suggesting things.

[@acbaxb7312]

indeewar j all srilankans black I not see white people

[@sloppygirlz]

black people are called black not cause of the skin but Europeans call bottom races or people beneath them as Black

[@dsijj123]

Who the fuck cares what u see. It's your cheap mentality . Even most males are dark i agree not females they have light brown or light complexion. With using of whitening cream. Also most indians are dark 90% of them. south indians , bengalis,odias, uththar pradesh, madya prades, biharis . And still thinks fairer than lankans. Just look at this skin color map of Indian states my dear LOL z3.ifrm.com/67/29/0/p479682/skin_color_2.jpg

[@amazingsweet4125]

It is generally believed that Aboriginal people are the descendants of a single migration into the continent, a people that split from the first modern human populations to leave Africa 64,000 to 75,000 years ago

[@mel.affiliate]

@downtoearth8374 my dad is Sinhalese but hey, Sri Lankan all the same :)

[@WilkineBrutus]

Thanks for sharing.

[@dutchskyrimgamer.youtube2748]

Another Creole died out at Sri Lanka. Ceylon-Dutch. There is only one surviving Dutch creole language and that's Afrikaans. I hope the Burghers revive their language, as the Petjo, Javindo, Mohawk-Dutch and Jersey-Dutch.

[@sloppygirlz]

These are probably the original ppl.

[@yudahel8521]

Lisa Sweet, exactly

[@Illati]

Yeah I believe so, their statues depict afro hair. How does anyone explain that.

[@conmara6492]

They aren't... These traits are superficial, sinhalese, tamil and vedda people can have frizzier hair too.

[@ragingwarrior8098]

They are brought by British army, In this video it clearly says...

[@maryjs4878]

@@conmara6492 frizzier hair????

[@TorontoRockersUnion]

This is Sri Lanka

[@navinrodrig6948]

7,000 to 10, 000 yrs ago, first Sri Lankans were Veddas (known as Yaksha and Naga) were East African origin some scientist say they got their by sea rafts. Then 5, 000 yrs ago Indian Aryan arrived from the top part of India. then Arab traders and Chinese arrived later. Point is original Sri Lankan Veddas were none other than east Africans. Dark skin Sri Lankans and south Indians are similar to Aboriginals in Australia also originated from east Africa.

[@kandasamylankeswaran9722]

Interesting

[@astroblogger]

Adivasi means ancestors or the people from generations that lived prior, in Sinhala language.

[@jasoncasey6667]

They are from my country and neighboring country

[@hishamahamed4894]

Srilanka from which district

[@hishamahamed4894]

Which area

[@sahanbandara2823]

Woow am warking en kenya.

[@muminairfan]

Love this !

[@harshaweeraratne5806]

How terrible that these people never saw the light of day, meaning they were kept servile.

[@thankuttidesilva]

I'm Sri Lankan but I don't know about Good to know about if everyone knows they contact please advise I'm Interesting to know about Thanks you this video post.

[@nelumvila7698]

thank you very very much.

[@Sthmohtwenty]

How strange to read about some stri Lankan ,,,,,,don't know these ppl exist in their country .....

[@Mango62uk]

I think it's because their existence wasn't widely known - and maybe the media didn't want to cover the story?

[@blacksultan85]

were they from Mozambique?

[@lifesymphony2024]

There was a reason why i have lost interest in London not even to visit as a tourist. You would be the reason if i happen to feel the same about Sri Lanka.