The Incorporation of a Marginal Community within the Sinhalese Nation

Escalating conflict between Sinhalese and Tamils has produced a polarization and homogenization of ethnic identities that threatens the reproduction of a distinct sense of community among marginal groups such as the Veddas, the reputed descendants of Sri Lanka's aboriginal population. This pape...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Anthropological quarterly 1990-01, Vol.63 (1), p.7-17
Main Author: Brow, James
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anthropology
Asian Cultural Groups
Buddhism
Ceremonies
Communities
Cultural identity
Destiny
Ethnic identity
Ethnic Minorities
Ethnic Relations
Ethnicity
Geography
Government Policy
Homogenization
Minority & ethnic groups
Nationalism
Politics
Sinhala language
Social life & customs
Social research
Speeches
Sri Lanka
Villages
Citations: Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Escalating conflict between Sinhalese and Tamils has produced a polarization and homogenization of ethnic identities that threatens the reproduction of a distinct sense of community among marginal groups such as the Veddas, the reputed descendants of Sri Lanka's aboriginal population. This paper begins by describing a state-sponsored ritual of development that proclaimed the incorporation of the Anuradhapura Veddas within the Sinhalese nation. It then contextualizes this event, first by examining the various usages made of the categorical distinction between Veddas and Sinhalese, and then by describing the changing political geography of ethnic relations in Anuradhapura District.
ISSN:0003-5491
1534-1518
DOI:10.2307/3317956