The Burghers of Sri Lanka

The Burghers are a ethnic group that are descendants of the Dutch, Portuguese and British, who married Ceylonese. They have their own culture, food and worldview. Upon arriving in the Netherlands, I was puzzled at how little was known about the Burghers, especially as my mother has always been very proud of her Burgher upbringing, which is a topic of contention in our household. Majority of the Burghers left the island after 1956, with the imposition of the ‘Sinhala (Language) Only’ Act. This Act excluded many minority communities that spoke their own languages such as Tamil, English and Malay speaking communities. With the emigration of most Burghers to Australia, Canada and England, the Burghers are slowly vanishing from Sri Lanka. Furthermore with the changing socio-political culture as well as the inter-marrying of many ethnic groups in Sri Lanka, the Burgher descendants are now being ‘watered down’. Perhaps some Burghers do begin to question the ‘purity of the lineage’.
Whilst compiling this video I was aware that the outlook on the Burghers is changing, especially between generations.

[@beckynelson6786]

I am a Dutch Burgher and my parents were very proud of their heritage as indeed,am I.I find it sad that the young of SL don't seem to know much about Burghers yet the Dutch left behind such important contributions. My ancestors originated in Latvia.They were Jews and due to persecution,they moved to Holland,changed their name to a Dutch name: Juriaans. I believe twin sons of the line joined the Dutch East India Company which lead to the founding of our Burgher family.On Mum's side,the name was Brohier.Her ancestor was a sea captain who came from Jersey.On both sides,the Burgher heritage was strong. It matters to me and will always be in my heart.❤

[@CarlyleFerreira]

I am a portuguese burgher, a direct decendent of Capt.Lorenzo de brito ferreira of galle fort,commander. my father,grand father& great grand all from galle richmond hill & Railway hill.Our ferreiras are a well respected family in Portugal & proud to hold the coat of arms which is privilege(check internet).But I love my motherland Sri lanka & all our males from capt.lorenzo (1640) have served the armed forces of our motherland Sri lanka & I too as a war veteran is respected.Sri lanka is a beautiful country & a very easy to live country too.Almost all young burghers of present have migrated to Australia & New zeland & Canada.

[@marierasmussen8284]

Great work. There are still Burghers in SriLanka, but the younger generations are not aware of us. Thankyou.

[@minalwickrematunge1969]

Yes I feel this is because of the migration of most Burghers.

[@shiranmendis1146]

Burghers are wonderful people. Always hard working & will put a party at the drop of a hat. Pity circumstances made them leave Sri Lanka.

[@TonyMontanaonly]

It is interesting to hear the Aussie lady identifying herself as having a heritage of Dutch Burgher, rather than Sri Lankan. Its a given fact that Burghers are mixed. Otherwise, they would just have been referred to as either Dutch or portuguese. Personally, I see it as racist for them to highlight their white heritage while at the same time cast aside their asian heritage. It's as if the blue eyes will earn them a gold medal somewhere. Yet, in real life, I am most certain that Burghers are looked down by white people, especially by those who are most related to them, i.e dutch or british. It's a real shame that they cannot get a grip with reality and proudly embrace their mixed heritage in a global world. Still mentally stuck in the colonial era, they are sure to become extinct if they don't evolve.

[@minalwickrematunge1969]

Hi. Thank you for your comment. She refers to herself as ‘Ceylonese with Sri Lankan heritage’. Her parents left the country when it was called Ceylon. Therefore she probably grew up with her parents referring to home As Ceylon. She does also state that this is under the umberella as Sri Lankan identity (quite clearly). I believe you may need to watch again and listen a bit harder 😊

[@angelwings5136]

I Am A Sri Lankan Burgher.....Half Dutch Half Portuguese....The Burghers Are All Forgotten Which Makes It So Sad..... Burghers That Once Made Ceylon Beautiful.....I Am So Proud To Be A Burgher Never Change That For Anything.....Thank You So Much Gorgeous Lady🌹🤗 For Sharing And Taking The Time To Spread The Message About The Burghers..... Appreciate From The Bottom Of My Heart.... With Love And Gratitude ❤️‍🔥😇🫶🥰.....

[@minalwickrematunge1969]

I believe I have just scratched the surface and have much more research to do. I hope I can find the time and resources to look into it further!

[@angelwings5136]

​ Heard That A Few Burghers Have Returned To Srilanka To Represent The Football Team..It's A Great Pride And Feeling.😊..Can't Wait For Your Next Video🤗🔥..Love And Hugs...❤️‍🔥😇🙌....

[@johnclifford6828]

Where do you live at the moment Sir

[@wesgi]

I can see u have put a lot of work on this. Thank u for everything 🙏❤️

[@minalwickrematunge1969]

Thank you for watching

[@howtimeify]

Very interesting account about the Burgher community who contributed much to Sri Lanka in many ways.One of the biggest blunders of Bandaranayke sefishly to win an election😢

[@TheDenihunter]

Thanks for your work Minal. Enjoyed the video and all the voices. Yes, I identify as Burgher (amongst other things). I was born in the UK however to burgher parents. Now in Australia.

[@minalwickrematunge1969]

'Amongst other things' - I resonate with this deeply!

[@enigmagermany2303]

Thank you for posting this video. It means a lot.

[@patpathinayake3586]

Thank you so much for the very informative video. A well researched topic with plethora of data intertwining decades of history of Ceylon (Yes, you heard that right, because when I left, it was called Ceylon)☺ and related countries. My great grand mother was from a Dutch decent and she had light blondish wavy hair and pale blue greenish eyes. The most renowned prolific Ceylonese writer was Dr. R.L Spittle. He had a passion to revive the last remaining indigenous people of Veddha race. He was a Royalist. His daughter Christine Spittel-Wilson who was also a writer: she passed away in 26 February 2010 at the age of 97. I believe she had a daughter who went to Holland after the upheavals of "Sinhalese only fiasco" Royal college had lots of Burgher students. It is very sad to learn that Burghers are slowly diminishing in Ceylon. Indeed Burghers knew how to have a good party time, I remember those care free halcyon times very well. Music playing, dancing, eating and drinking went to the early hours... God knows how they drove home... 🤣🤣🤣🤣 🥰❤🌹🌹🍻🍯🍺🍺🍹🥂 I wish you the Best in your research. Here is to happy times in Ceylon🍻🥂🍺 Take great care. God Bless you. Lots of love from UK.🥰

[@minalwickrematunge1969]

Yes of course I know R L Spittel. I made some art based on his poem - ‘ O Island, Wild Island - You are Home to Me. ‘ Thank you for your kind words and glad you enjoyed reminiscing.

[@nickhoeven8109]

Amazing. Thanks for the video.

[@minalwickrematunge1969]

Annelie is a great friend. Wambeek is a village in Belgium (which was once ruled by the Netherlands). I find it interesting that Annelie unintentionally ended up in the Netherlands, after having lived all over the world! I tell her its her homecoming! :)

[@Varu-cx2og]

Its kind racism , they all want to look like pure 100 % white and inside they shame for their Tamil or Singalese blood ?? hmm what crazy world we are living my god .

[@nigellutersz5646]

It's NOT AMAZING! Who cares!

[@truebelief3631]

Hi Minal, I am curious of the fact that your mum identifies as a Burgher despite having a Tamil father. She must have grown up with a Tamil name. As I understood from one of your interviewees, she is recorded in the census as being Sinhalese due to her father, but her mother is half Tamil & half Burgher. Does the so called "one drop rule" which applies to African Americans , also apply to the Burghers of Ceylon ?

[@minalwickrematunge1969]

It’s a bit more complex than that. As Mum was brought up and educated in a convent. Yes her father was Tamil, this was on the back of the civil war, between the majority Sinhalese and the minority Tamil race in the North, where her father was from. On top of this, my grandfather was shunned from the family for not marrying within his race. He made sure his daughters all spoke English as their first language (another effort at masking one’s ethnicity which was seen as a threat in the South) and also to ensure more opportunities in terms of work. Therefore she completely erased this identity from herself. It’s the same with all her family members. Yet she also always says she is Tamil, although has no real evidence of this in her practices/ way of life. One more thing - my Nana WAS burgher. Are we to complete erase this fact? Isn’t that a very very colonial way of thinking? Just because I am recorded as Sinhalese under the concensus due to my father’s ethnicity doesn’t mean I don’t have visibly Tamil parts of my identity (an act of reclamation). To say I’m only Sinhalese based on my father’s ethnicity would be a colonial way of thinking. I consider myself all three - Tamil, Sinhalese and Burgher. I am mixed, as is my mother. Since she is HALF Tamil and HALF burgher. More than a drop.

[@truebelief3631]

@@minalwickrematunge1969, Thanks for your detailed answer. You certainly are lucky to be a mix of the three ethnic groups , which in a way makes you a complete local.

[@nigellutersz5646]

Who cares!!!! I am a burgher, but we are all Sri Lankan!!! I find all of this differentiation ridiculous! Burghers need to get over it! They need to just move forward!

[@minalwickrematunge1969]

Thank you for your response. I feel like you’re right, we shouldn’t care. However in Sri Lanka, we are still defined by identity politics - no where can we go without someone inquiring what ethnicity you are. So as much as you may not care and burghers should ‘get over it’, I think the younger generation cares (I’m guessing you’re a bit older than I am) because these questions are constantly thrust upon us. We want to inquire more. I think to say to ‘get over it’ is also problematic. It’s not engaging with your inherent privilege. We can choose not to care, but by denying it, we are making full use of the systems that grant us privilege, without acknowledging it. I know I am not the only one that feels this way. Thank you for engaging and have a good day 😊

[@stinnywee1945]

@@minalwickrematunge1969 Aney here don’t bring American intersectional politics to Sri Lanka. Most burghers felt inferior to use a non white language when Ceylon got rid of English. So they used their white privilege to migrate. That was the reality. This whole video reeks of colonial white supremacist mentality of the Burghers. Change the title to Lankan burghers exposed 🍔

[@angelwings5136]

​@@minalwickrematunge1969Absolutely Correct.... Agree 💯...

[@cdeux3059]

⁠@@minalwickrematunge1969 that I think exist in every other country too. I lived in Australia for quite a long time and everyone made sure that I was not an Australian even though I was a citizen by naturalisation. In Sri Lanka I studied at Richmond College Galle and St. Thomas mt. Lavinia. Thomas was for a short time only. I did my ALs there. There I saw burgers who weren’t discriminated. Most of them were seen as posh and more privileged than the people with Sinhalese origins. Some burgers( not all, many of them were very friendly and fun to hangout with ) labeled people like me as godey since I was from down south 😂. Specially with my down south accent almost everyone did. Specially the ones from Kandy. One thing I know about how people from my hometown see burgers is, they are wealthy, posh, fluent in English and living in Colombo 7. I think muslims, and tamils in Sri Lanka are discriminated more than burgers. But if someone is being discriminated, it is unacceptable. I’ve seen some people call burgers “කවලමා, කල්ලතෝනියා, ලංසියා" kind of words and try to make them feel this is not their home. That is totally unacceptable. I know how I felt when I was told, “Go back to your F***ing country” when I was in Australia. I was a taxpayer who was doing my job and trying to make a decent living just as another law abiding citizen. And when I heard something like that, the frustration and the helpless feeling was so hard. But now, I am living back in Sri Lanka. And I see things are changing. It is lucky to see that newer generations don’t care much about race, caste or religion. I think with present younger generations, identity politics would come to an end. Let’s hope for the best.

[@psrupasinghe]

Minal it is very interesting and happy to hear all these descendents .We lost all of you due to the dirty games of the selfish and cunning politicians .The situation here is not all that different to those days .If u dont misunderstand me ,I have a question to M/s Melanie that surnames Liveira and Silva are of Portuguese ancestry for the best of my knowledge ? thank you in advance for explaining me.

[@minalwickrematunge1969]

Hello. Yes thank you for that. Interesting point. However I think there’s a conversation to be had about how Burghers themselves like to separate / discriminate against each other as well. Some Dutch people also have Portuguese last names - this is because of trade and migration before even coming to the island.

[@johnfernando3323]

Excellent program. Minali with Ceylon/ Srilankans should be proud of All Great Burghers.

[@christiemorgan5907]

Completely resonate with what Raisa (your sister I believe?) said about being conflicted about her heritage! I have a Dutch Burgher background but fair skinned/more European features and because it is the most visual feature, often people don't even believe me when I say it... I also agree that we should feel accepted by wanting to hold onto SOME of the traditions, but not all so that we continue to recognise Sri Lanka's complex colonial history and the privileges the community holds still to this day.

[@minalwickrematunge1969]

Yes. I think the younger generation is re-defining what it means to be Burgher but also coming to terms with all the unfair benefits and power dynamics it holds to call oneself a Burgher. I myself am fully aware of it. However now, most use the word 'Lansi' to describe Burghers, which has derogatory connotations. Perhaps a sign of the times - the shifting towards Nationalist rhetoric as well as the subversion of power.

[@user-bn9mr1qt6j]

I am a srilankan burgher my mother father both are burghers

[@johnclifford6828]

Where do you live

[@user-bn9mr1qt6j]

@@johnclifford6828 in srilanka

[@beckynelson6786]

Many of the young Sri Lankans I have met,have no idea who Burghers are.Seems a chunk of history is missing.

[@ABO-Destiny]

There used to be a Danish trading post in Seerampore near present day Calcutta (Kolkata). I am sure very few people knows the danes were alao involved in overseas trading as far as South Asia

[@minalwickrematunge1969]

That’s interesting! They did not reach our island !

[@ABO-Destiny]

@@minalwickrematunge1969 They had their other centers around south india in tamil nadu and Kerala coast too

[@user-yd6sj3pe4j]

The last British & Sri Lankan mixed I did see her in Batticola Then again my cousin married burghers .& live in Australia

[@minalwickrematunge1969]

So you’re surrounded by them then !!!

[@gregrodrigues5453]

Lovely video. In Calcutta (Kolkata) the Dutch set up The Dutch East India Company and the English set up The British East India Company. The Portuguese came to Kerala and the French went to Pondicherry

[@johnclifford6828]

This is not all about kerala or india ... This video all about Sri lanka . please check the content .

[@gregrodrigues5453]

@@johnclifford6828 I know you arse hole, I was just commenting about the same people who came to India first

[@beatrixdsouza6032]

I would like some information about a Burgher priest Fr Robinson who was my classmate in Presidency College Madras (*now Chennai) . We both were in the MA English Literature class . He returned to Ceylon and later became a Bishop . He would be in his eighties . My name is Beatrix D' Souza . My maiden name was Betty Xavier .

[@chamarajayasinghe8233]

I hardly see their european features they are more like kandyan sinhalese. Few ladies here still have strong european ancestry. from pictures i 've seen of R.l brohier, george keyt, geoffry bawa, i used to imagine differently about Sri lankan burghers.

[@minalwickrematunge1969]

Geoffrey Bawa was Moor and European. George Keyt had dark eyes and black hair. I think since Burghers are mixed - they have both European and Lankan blood, they all look different. I find it interesting you say Kandyan Sinhalese as opposed to just Sinhalese ? Why is that? Why do you think the Kandyans look different ? 😊

[@chamarajayasinghe8233]

@@minalwickrematunge1969 kandyan sinhalese specially ladies, in my experience have more light color skin , see sinhala identity is mainly lingo-cultural identity, genetically i think sinhalese are most diverse group in south asia..throughout history, migrations always shaped it's biological identity..costal sinhalese have more dravidian features dark skin because of the recent (13-18century)south indian migrations, these people assimilated more into costal sinhalese society.. Burghers are the special case of european interaction with sinhalese society but assimilation did not happen because of politics of colonial period instead they evolved into separate community and later became into a privilege powerful community ..the burgher community evolved in costal area within the 500yrs colonial rule but europeans were assimilated into upcountry sinhalese society...for example you should read robert knoxx...famous family name de lanerolle has french origin from a frenchman worked for kandyan king.

[@chamarajayasinghe8233]

@@minalwickrematunge1969 kandyan sinhalese specially ladies, in my experience have more light color skin , see sinhala identity is mainly lingo-cultural identity, genetically i think sinhalese are most diverse group in south asia..throughout history, migrations always shaped it's biological identity..costal sinhalese have more dravidian features dark skin because of the recent (13-18century)south indian migrations, these people assimilated more into costal sinhalese society.. Burghers are the special case of european interaction with sinhalese society but assimilation did not happen because of politics of colonial period instead they evolved into separate community and later became into a privilege powerful community ..the burgher community evolved in costal area within the 500yrs colonial rule but europeans were assimilated into upcountry sinhalese society...for example you should read robert knoxx...and famous family name 'de lanorol ' origin from a frenchman worked for kandyan king.

[@chamarajayasinghe8233]

​@@minalwickrematunge1969 kandyan sinhalese specially ladies, in my experience have more light color skin , see sinhala identity is mainly lingo-cultural identity, genetically i think sinhalese are most diverse group in south asia..throughout history, migrations always shaped it's biological identity..costal sinhalese have more dravidian features dark skin because of the recent (13-18century)south indian migrations, these people assimilated more into costal sinhalese society.. Burghers are the special case of european interaction with sinhalese society but assimilation did not happen because of politics of colonial period instead they evolved into separate community and later became into a privilege powerful community ..the burgher community evolved in costal area within the 500yrs colonial rule but europeans were assimilated into upcountry sinhalese society...for example you should read robert knoxx...famous sirname de lanorol origin from a frenchman worked for kandyan king.

[@minalwickrematunge1969]

@@chamarajayasinghe8233 ​​⁠ so in essence the Kandyan Sinhalese are also a product of settlers ! I.e- colonial powers (Indian heritage). Kings actually brought down Indian brides in Kandy - that’s where the Kandyan clothing was influenced by! I am familiar with Robert Knox ! Also just to point out that the Burghers are a result of intermixing with Sinhalese AND Tamils.

[@enigmagermany2303]

My father is a Dutch Burgher and my mother is a Eurasian. We are proud of our heritage. Unfortunately the corrupt Sinhala Only act ruined everything.

[@felixschokman4999]

There is a big difference between Dutch Burghers and Sri Lankans. The word “BURGHER” means citizen, which means these people are all of Dutch heritage. Certain places around the country you would think you were living in Amsterdam because the language spoken is Dutch. This is a very interesting video, thankyou so much 😊

[@minalwickrematunge1969]

Glad you found it interesting! I learnt that Burgher meant Citizen during my last visit to the Netherlands! Found that so interesting!

[@gregrodrigues5453]

Just like The Burghers in India we have the Anglo Indians. The mother tongue is English and food and dress very western.

[@eshikaudayanawanigasekara]

❤❤ from 🇱🇰

[@slovajleclerc9093]

You talk about how no one knows about Dutch burghers of Sri Lanka but never mention other Dutch mixed race peoples of South East Asia or Southern Africa. Some of these were not strictly Dutch but Europeans such as Germans and Swiss.Overall feel like you should've talked to scholars historians not some random grandma

[@minalwickrematunge1969]

Thank you for your comment. I’m not too interested in historians and scholars from the Netherlands as we were erased from the history books - there is no evidence of us in their writing. These ‘random grandmas’ are the only evidence of what is left of the Burghers. I’m from Sri Lanka, I wanted to highlight the history of my people, not take on the entire South East Asian region - there’s plenty of scholars who’ve written on that. This was based on a gap I noticed in the history - or who gets to tell the history. The Tropen museum was full of history of South East Asian people but NOTHING on the people of Ceylon. Did you know about the people of Ceylon ?

[@Therealtuxedo]

Sri Lankans need to get over being proud of having european ancestry, I find a lot of them boasting about having last names De Silva/Fernandn/don Sebastian and celebrating Baila culture. It’s like we have this societal inferiority complex towards the colonizers who ruined our country and made it into the corrupt place it is today. In reality, it’s really not a flex, why are you proud of being colonized. I think the Sinhala traditional culture needs to be revived, and I am seeing that happen today, which I am happy of.

[@minalwickrematunge1969]

Do tuxedos come from real Sinhalese culture ?

[@Therealtuxedo]

@@minalwickrematunge1969 what? Lmao

[@ABO-Destiny]

Sri lanka was good, progessive as long as it was giving equal status and respect to all communities. I used to look at those Sri Lankan cricketers faces during my childhood, people like Mendis and DaSilva and Dias and I really do not find very many like them in that team except for Ajanta Mendis, even though I am not very sure whether the Mendis had some european ancestry or not, and these sectarian violence and increasing corruption seems so much working in tandem with disappearance of that mixed Ceylonese-European breeds.

[@chinthanaillukwatte]

The Burglars were part of ancient ceylon .😂

[@anitacohen8753]

Like the Anglo Indians in India......the only hope was to immigrate. There was no place left for anyone with a different culture, religion and language.

[@hendryalphonso]

Ramly burgers😂😂??

[@kumuduwijetunge2687]

Raisa is lying. There is no segregation as such in Sri Lanka. Although we had a long standing war for 30 years thanks to westeners and our naighbour Tamil people are widely embrassed by the Sinhalese. No racism in Sri Lanka like that is in USA OR IN EUROPE.

[@minalwickrematunge1969]

My sister is a working journalist with over 15 years experience reporting on issues. She isn’t lying, then she’d have to face legal prosecution. Sorry Wijesinghe, we don’t accept comments by people who a) listen to what’s been said and instead shout as they are triggered without listening b) speak for another ethnic group they are not a part of. Please read, learn, educate yourself. It’s never too late. Goodbye.

[@kumuduwijetunge2687]

@@minalwickrematunge1969You shows your colour. 😄

[@minalwickrematunge1969]

It’s purple ! 😂

[@srwla2501]

BThere're a lot of Sri Lankan girls travelling to other countries now - If they do get married to Dutch maybe Burgehrs would come back. But, actually no one is getting married much these days.