“The Portuguese Burghers of Sri Lanka” by Earl Barthelot (Ceylon Digest)

Sketch of baila dancers from frescoes at the Purvarama Vihara, Kataluwa (1886)

We would like to share a link to read an article written by “The Portuguese Burghers of Sri Lanka” by Earl Barthelot for Ceylon Digest.

Sri Lanka is well known for its diversity with over 22 numerically small communities and majority communities such as Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims. Burgher community is one of the numerically small communities. Large proportions of the Burghers do live in the Batticaloa District and a small proportion live both in Trincomalee and Ampara District. At the same time there are Portuguese Burghers living in all parts of the country in small numbers.

 

“Spreading the word of Sri Lankan Portuguese Creole” By Shannine Daniel (The Sunday Times)

   

source: Preserved from 1819: A dictionary of Sri Lankan Portuguese, Sinhala and English published by the Colombo Wesleyan Press

We would like to share a link to read an article written by Shannine Daniel in The Sunday Times on “Spreading the word of Sri Lankan Portuguese Creole“.

Dr Hugo Cardoso, a linguist from the University of Lisbon and his team who have been researching this historical language spoken in the East of Sri Lanka have now taken to social media to preserve this fast fading heritage.

Trinco resident Vyvonne Joseph,  grew up speaking Sri Lankan Portuguese Creole (SLPC) with her parents, younger sister and younger brother. Even though their use of SLPC is somewhat limited as it is only spoken at home and with extended family, Vyvonne says that even their Tamil neighbours have picked up a little SLPC over the years, and speak it to them.

Source: The Sunday Times