86-803: (Redirected from Official Language Act ) Official Language Act or Official Languages Act may refer to: one of several acts passed in Sri Lanka, including the Official Language Act No. 33 of 1956 (Ceylon) , commonly known as the Sinhala Only Act, which replaced English with Sinhala as the official language of the country, the Tamil Language (Special Provisions) Act No. 28 of 1958 (Ceylon) , which allows Tamil in education, public service entrance exams and administration in
172-604: A "subordinate legislation" with the adoption of the Republican Constitution in 1972 under Mrs Bandaranaike which consolidated the 'Sinhala-only' policy, thus affirming the subordinate status of the Tamil language: "the Tamils felt indignant that it was specifically stated in the constitution that the provisions relating to the Tamil language could be amended by ordinary legislation whereas the provisions relating to
258-443: A South Indian style saree. Within the more populated areas, Sinhalese men also wear Western-style clothing — wearing suits while the women wear skirts and blouses. For formal and ceremonial occasions women wear the traditional Kandyan ( Osariya ) style, which consists of a full blouse which covers the midriff completely, and is partially tucked in at the front. However, modern intermingling of styles has led to most wearers baring
344-835: A campaign for better education facilities in the region. Christian missionary groups were at the forefront of this development contributing to a high literacy among Christians. By 1901 schools in the South and the North were well tended. The inner regions lagged behind however. Also, English education facilities presented hurdles for the general populace through fees and lack of access. Traditional Sinhalese villages in early days had at least one chief Medical personnel called Weda Mahaththaya (Doctor). These people practice their clinical activities by inheritance. Sinhalese Medicine resembles some of Ayurvedic practices in contrast for some treatments they use Buddhist Chantings ( Pirith ) in order to strengthen
430-477: A combination of sinha (සිංහ) , literally "lion", and la (ල), for "slayer" or "taker", hence Sinhala may mean "lion-slayer". The story of the derivation of Sinhala is told in Mahāvaṃsa , and it is believed to be a reference to the founding legend of Sri Lanka; the island was conquered by a descendant of Sinhabahu , who is said to have killed his father, a lion. According to legend, a princess Suppadevi of Vanga
516-589: A high level of West Eurasian maternal ancestry among the Sinhalese. The analyses show strong gene flow between the Sinhalese and Sri Lankan Tamils, and higher gene flow from South Indian as well as some North and Northwest Indian populations. Among the Indian populations, the Sinhalese are closest genetically to certain South Indian subgroups, but the analyses also reveal deeply rooted common genetic ancestry with
602-567: A major trade hub, it draws influence from colonial powers that were involved in Sri Lanka and by foreign traders. Rice , which is consumed daily, can be found at any occasion, while spicy curries are favourite dishes for lunch and dinner . Some of the Sri Lankan dishes have striking resemblance to Kerala cuisine , which could be due to the similar geographic and agricultural features with Kerala . A well-known rice dish with Sinhalese
688-550: A medium of examination for admission into public service (with the proviso requiring Sinhala fluency within certain time period), for official correspondence and administrative purposes in the Northern and Eastern provinces. However, following the assassination of Bandaranaike the next year by a Buddhist monk over alleged racial betrayal, the regulations needed to implement the bill would not be submitted for parliamentary approval for another eight years. Starting from January 1961,
774-573: A mural of cave number 17 . Another suggestion on the origin of Sinhala proposes that the descendants of Sinhabahu may have been called "Sinha" or lions, either because they were descended from a lion or because they were brave like a lion, but those who conquered and settled in Sri Lanka were called Sinhala simply as a derivative of "Sinha" for the people of the lion. Likewise, the conquered lands may be called 'Sinhalaya' or 'Sinhalé' (up-country Sri Lanka), or 'Sinhala dvipa', and their language 'Sinhala' or Sinhala-Bhasha'. The early recorded history of
860-508: A population that has been growing at a slow pace relative to India and other Asian countries. Within Sri Lanka the majority of the Sinhalese reside in the South, Central, Sabaragamuwa and Western parts of the country. This coincides with the largest Sinhalese populations areas in Sri Lanka. Cities with more than 90% Sinhalese population include Hambantota , Galle , Gampaha , Kurunegala , Monaragala , Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa . Sinhalese people have emigrated out to many countries for
946-631: A symbol of minority oppression and a justification for them to demand a separate nation-state, Tamil Eelam , which was a factor in the emergence of the decades-long Sri Lankan Civil War . During the British colonial era , English was the official language in Ceylon (known as Sri Lanka since 1972). Until the passage of the Free Education Bill in 1944, education in the English language
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#17327652837891032-563: A variety of reasons. The larger diaspora communities are situated in the United Kingdom, Australia, United States and Canada among others. In addition to this there are many Sinhalese, who reside in the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Europe, temporarily in connection with employment and/or education. They are often employed as guest workers in the Middle East and professionals in the other regions. The largest population centres of
1118-427: Is Kiribath , meaning 'milk rice'. In addition to sambols , Sinhalese eat mallung , chopped leaves mixed with grated coconut and red onions . Coconut milk is found in most Sri Lankan dishes to give the cuisine its unique flavour. Sri Lanka has long been renowned for its spices . The best known is cinnamon which is native to Sri Lanka. In the 15th and 16th centuries, spice and ivory traders from all over
1204-531: Is a main foreign attraction in modern tourism. Sigirirya is famous for its frescoes. Folk poems were sung by workers to accompany their work and narrate the story of their lives. Ideally these poems consisted of four lines and, in the composition of these poems, special attention had been paid to the rhyming patterns. Buddhist festivals are dotted by unique music using traditionally Sinhalese instruments. More ancient rituals like tovils (devil exorcism) continue to enthrall audiences today and often praised and invoked
1290-552: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Official Language Act of 1956 (Sri Lanka) The Official Language Act (No. 33 of 1956) , commonly referred to as the Sinhala Only Act , was an act passed in the Parliament of Ceylon in 1956. The act replaced English with Sinhala as the sole official language of Ceylon , with the exclusion of Tamil from
1376-778: Is often made colourful with the incorporation of songs and dance adding more uniqueness to the industry. In the recent years high budget films like Aloko Udapadi , Aba (film) and Maharaja Gemunu based on Sinhalese epic historical stories gain huge success. Performing arts of the Sinhalese people can be categorised into few groups: Angampora is the traditional martial art of the Sinhalese people. It combines combat techniques, self-defence , sport , exercise and meditation . Key techniques observed in Angampora are: Angam , which incorporates hand-to-hand fighting, and Illangam , which uses indigenous weapons such as Velayudaya , staves, knives and swords. Its most distinct feature
1462-641: Is represented in many forms such as painting , sculpture , and architecture . One of the most notable aspects of Sri Lankan art are caves and temple paintings, such as the frescoes found at Sigiriya , and religious paintings found in temples in Dambulla and Temple of the Tooth Relic in Kandy . Other popular forms of art have been influenced by both natives as well as outside settlers. For example, traditional wooden handicrafts and clay pottery are found around
1548-495: Is the coconut sambol , made of ground coconut mixed with chili peppers , dried Maldives fish and lime juice . This is ground to a paste and eaten with rice, as it gives zest to the meal and is believed to increase appetite. Many forms of Sri Lankan arts and crafts take inspiration from the island's long and lasting Buddhist culture which in turn has absorbed and adopted countless regional and local traditions. In most instances Sri Lankan art originates from religious beliefs, and
1634-411: Is the use of pressure point attacks to inflict pain or permanently paralyse the opponent. Fighters usually make use of both striking and grappling techniques, and fight until the opponent is caught in a submission lock that they cannot escape. Usage of weapons is discretionary. Perimeters of fighting are defined in advance, and in some of the cases is a pit. Angampora became nearly extinct after
1720-522: The 2011 Canadian Census , 7,220 people identified themselves as of Sinhalese ancestry , out of 139,415 Sri Lankans. There are a small number of Sinhalese people in India , scattered around the country, but mainly living in and around the northern and southern regions. Sri Lankan New Zealanders comprised 3% of the Asian population of New Zealand in 2001. The numbers arriving continued to increase, and at
1806-480: The Hela Atuwa were lost after their translation into Pali . Other significant Sinhala texts include Amāvatura , Kavu Silumina , Jathaka Potha and Sala Liheeniya . Sinhala has also adopted many loanwords of foreign origin , including from many Indian such as Tamil and European languages such as Portuguese, Dutch, and English. Sandesha Kavyas written by Buddhist priests of Sri Lanka are regarded as some of
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#17327652837891892-549: The Maratha . Some older studies however pointed towards a predominantly Bengali contribution and a minor Tamil influence. Gujarati and Punjabi lineages are also visible. In relation to the former, other studies also show the Sinhalese possess some genetic admixture from Southeast Asian populations , especially from Austroasiatic groups . Certain Y-DNA and mtDNA haplogroups and genetic markers of immunoglobulin among
1978-617: The Sinhalese or Sinhala people are an Indo-Aryan ethno-linguistic group native to the island of Sri Lanka . They are the largest ethnic group in Sri Lanka, constituting about 75% of the Sri Lankan population and number more than 15.2 million. The Sinhalese people speak Sinhala , an insular Indo-Aryan language . Sinhalese people are predominantly Theravada Buddhists , although a significant minority of Sinhalese follow branches of Christianity and other religions . Since 1815, Sinhalese people were broadly divided into two subgroups:
2064-618: The 1970s. Italy was attractive to the Sinhalese due to perceived easier employment opportunities and entry, compared to other European countries. It is estimated that there are 30,000–33,000 Sinhalese in Italy. The major Sinhalese communities in Italy are located in Lombardia (In the districts Loreto and Lazzaretto), Milan , Lazio , Rome , Naples , and Southern Italy (Particularly Palermo , Messina and Catania ). Many countries census list Sri Lankan, which also includes Sri Lankan Tamils, so
2150-652: The 2018 census there were over 16,000 Sri Lankans living in New Zealand among those 9,171 were Sinhalese. In the U.S., the Sinhalese number about 12,000 people. The New York City Metropolitan Area contains the largest Sri Lankan community in the United States, receiving the highest legal permanent resident Sri Lankan immigrant population, followed by Central New Jersey and the Los Angeles metropolitan area . Many Sinhalese have migrated to Italy since
2236-707: The English and Chinese languages to equal status as official languages of the territory; the Official Languages Act (India) passed in 1963; see Official Languages Act the Official Languages Act (Ireland) passed to promote the provision of state services in Irish; the Official Languages Act (New Brunswick) ; the Official Languages Act (Northwest Territories) ; and the Official Language Act (Quebec) , passed to ensure that French retained its primary status. Topics referred to by
2322-763: The Northern and Eastern provinces, the Official Languages Act of 1987 (Sri Lanka) passed to make Tamil an official language of the country, and the Official Languages Commission Act No. 18 of 1991 (Sri Lanka) passed to establish the Official Languages Commission of Sri Lanka ; the Official Languages Act (Canada) passed to enshrine official bilingualism; the Official Languages Ordinance passed in Hong Kong in 1974 to bring
2408-642: The Sinhala and Tamil languages to be state languages of Ceylon with parity of status throughout the Island." Colvin R. de Silva of the LSSP famously argued against the Act: Do we want an independent Ceylon or two bleeding halves of Ceylon...? These are issues that in fact we have been discussing under the form and appearance of the language issue…One language, two nations; Two languages, one Nation… The passage of
2494-582: The Sinhalese by Portuguese, Dutch, and British missionary groups during their respective periods of rule. Most Sinhalese Christians are Roman Catholic ; a minority are Protestant . Their cultural centre is Negombo . Religion is considered very important among the Sinhalese. According to a 2008 Gallup poll , 99% of Sri Lankans considered religion an important aspect of their daily lives. A 2023 genetics study by Singh et al using higher resolution markers than previous studies found strong affinity between Sri Lankan and South Asian maternal gene pools as well as
2580-741: The Sinhalese diaspora are mainly situated in Europe, North America and Australia. The city of Melbourne contains just under half of the Sri Lankan Australians . The 2011 census recorded 86,412 Sri Lanka born in Australia. There are 73,849 Australians (0.4 of the population) who reported having Sinhalese ancestry in 2006. Sinhala was also reported to be the 29th-fastest-growing language in Australia (ranking above Somali but behind Hindi and Belarusian ). Sinhalese Australians have an exceptionally low rate of return migration to Sri Lanka. In
2666-573: The Sinhalese is chronicled in two documents, the Mahavamsa , compiled in Pāli around the fourth century CE, and the later Culavamsa (the first segment probably compiled in the 13th century CE by the Buddhist monk Dhammakitti). These are ancient sources that cover the histories of the powerful ancient Sinhalese kingdoms of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa which lasted for 1500 years. The Mahavamsa describes
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2752-405: The Sinhalese people from northern India who settled on the island in the sixth century BCE. Sinhala developed in a way different from the other Indo-Aryan languages because of the geographic separation from its Indo-Aryan sister languages. It was influenced by many languages, prominently Pali , the sacred language of Southern Buddhism, Telugu and Sanskrit . Many early texts in the language such as
2838-566: The Sinhalese were constitutionally entrenched." The policy turned out to be "severely discriminatory" and placed the Tamil-speaking population at a "serious disadvantage". As a Sinhalese academic A. M. Navaratna Bandara writes: "The Tamil-speaking people were given no option but to learn the language of the majority if they wanted to get public service employment. [...] A large number of Tamil public servants had to accept compulsory retirement because of their inability to prove proficiency in
2924-458: The Sinhalese, as a religious community, have a complex worldview as Buddhists. Due to the proximity and on some occasions similarity of certain doctrines, there are many areas where Buddhists and Hindus share religious views and practices. Sinhalese Buddhists have adopted religious elements from Hindu traditions in their religious practices. Some of these practices may relate to ancient indigenous beliefs and traditions on spirits ( folk religion ), and
3010-590: The Sinhalese, for example, show Southeast Asian genetic influences many of which are also found among certain Northeast Indian populations to whom the Sinhalese display increased genetic affinities. Sinhalese culture is a unique one dating as far back as 2600 years and has been nourished by Theravada Buddhism. Its main domains are sculpture, fine arts, literature, dancing, poetry and a wide variety of folk beliefs and rituals traditionally. Ancient Sinhala stone sculpture and inscriptions are known worldwide and
3096-595: The South Indians and regaining control of the kingdom. Other rulers who are notable for military achievements include Gajabahu I , who launched an invasion against the invaders, and Sena II, who sent his armies to assist a Pandyan prince. During the Middle Ages Sri Lanka was well known for its agricultural prosperity under king Parakramabahu in Polonnaruwa during which period the island
3182-412: The act saw it as an attempt by a community that had just gained independence to distance themselves from their colonial masters, while its opponents viewed it as an attempt by the linguistic majority to oppress and assert dominance on minorities. The Act symbolizes the post independent Sinhalese majority's determination to assert Ceylon's identity as a Sinhala Buddhist nation state, and for Tamils, it became
3268-703: The act was met with demonstrations from Tamils led by the Federal Party who organized a satyagraha outside the parliament building. In response, the Sinhalese nationalist group Eksath Bhikkhu Peramuna organized a counter-protest; a mob representing this group attacked the Tamil protesters and was "responsible for unleashing riots that killed nearly 150 Tamils" in the Gal Oya riots between 5 and 6 June 1956. Bandaranaike stated in parliament on 6 June 1956 that Sinhalese people saw parity between Sinhala and Tamil as official languages as being "gravely detrimental to
3354-484: The act. At the time, Sinhala (also known as Sinhalese) was the language of Ceylon's majority Sinhalese people , who accounted for around 70% of the country's population. Tamil was the first language of Ceylon's three largest minority ethnic groups, the Indian Tamils , Sri Lankan Tamils and Moors , who together accounted for around 29% of the country's population. The act was controversial as supporters of
3440-417: The ancient world after Great Pyramid of Giza , and Abayagiriya – third tallest brick building in the ancient world. And also with the ancient hydraulic technology which is also unique to Sinhalese people to build ancient tanks, systematic ponds with fountains moats and Irrigational reservoirs such as Parakrama Samudra , Kaudulla and Kandalama . Sigiriya which is considered by many as the eighth wonder of
3526-521: The armed forces were Tamil. By 1970 those numbers had plummeted to 5 percent, 5 percent, 10 percent, and 1 percent, respectively." For much of the 1960s government forms and services were virtually unavailable to Tamils, and this situation only partly improved with later relaxations of the law. Following pressure from the Indian government in 1987, the Thirteenth amendment to the Constitution
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3612-552: The artistic masterwork Rekava which sought to create a uniquely Sinhalese cinema with artistic integrity. Since then, Peries and other directors like Vasantha Obeysekera , Dharmasena Pathiraja , Mahagama Sekera , W. A. B. de Silva, Dharmasiri Bandaranayake , Sunil Ariyaratne , Siri Gunasinghe , G. D. L. Perera , Piyasiri Gunaratne, Titus Thotawatte , D. B. Nihalsinghe , Ranjith Lal, Dayananda Gunawardena , Mudalinayake Somaratne, Asoka Handagama , and Prasanna Vithanage have developed an artistic Sinhalese cinema. Sinhala cinema
3698-403: The basis of language or ethnicity and all Sri Lankans are classified into one group as Asian British or Asian Other. Sinhalese people speak Sinhala , also known as "Helabasa"; this language has two varieties, spoken and written. Sinhala is an Indo-Aryan language within the broader group of Indo-European languages . The early form of the language was brought to Sri Lanka by the ancestors of
3784-498: The building of reservoirs and canals was passed down from generation to generation through home training and outside craft apprenticeships. The arrival of the Portuguese and Dutch and the subsequent colonisation maintained religion as the centre of education though in certain communities under Catholic and Presbyterian hierarchy. The British in the 1800s initially followed the same course. Following 1870 however they began
3870-481: The capital to Anuradhapura and developed it into a prosperous city. Anuradhapura (Anurapura) was named after the minister who first established the village and after a grandfather of Pandukabhaya who lived there. The name was also derived from the city's establishment on the auspicious asterism called Anura. Anuradhapura was the capital of all the monarchs who ruled from the dynasty. Rulers such as Dutthagamani , Valagamba , and Dhatusena are noted for defeating
3956-722: The coastal areas. Sinhalese people, depending on where they live in Sri Lanka, may also additionally speak English and or Tamil . According to the 2012 Census 23.8% or 3,033,659 Sinhalese people also spoke English and 6.4% or 812,738 Sinhalese people also spoke Tamil. In the Negombo area bilingual fishermen who generally identify themselves as Sinhalese also speak the Negombo Tamil dialect . This dialect has undergone considerable convergence with spoken Sinhala . Folk tales like Mahadana Muttha saha Golayo and Kawate Andare continue to entertain children today. Mahadana Muttha tells
4042-532: The continuance and progress of the Sinhala language; that it would almost imply the extinction of the Sinhala language." In order to assuage Tamil feelings following the anti-Tamil riots in 1958 , Prime Minister Bandaranaike passed the Tamil Language (Special Provisions) Act, No. 28 of 1958 in August that year. The bill allowed for the use of Tamil as a medium of instruction in schools and universities, as
4128-564: The country came under British rule in 1815, but survived in a few families until the country regained independence. The Sinhalese have a long history of literacy and formal learning. Instruction in basic fields like writing and reading by Buddhist Monks pre-date the birth of Christ . This traditional system followed religious rule and was meant to foster Buddhist understanding. Training of officials in such skills as keeping track of revenue and other records for administrative purposes occurred under this institution. Technical education such as
4214-571: The elites of the main communities: the Sinhalese and the Tamils. In 1949, at the behest of the foreign plantation owners, the government disenfranchised the Indian Tamil plantation workers, who accounted for 12% of the population. In 1951, the ambitious Solomon Bandaranaike broke with his party, the conservative United National Party (UNP), and created a new centrist party, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP). By 1953,
4300-540: The existence of fields of rice and reservoirs , indicating a well-developed agrarian society . According to the Mahavamsa, Prince Vijaya and his 700 followers left Suppāraka , landed on the island at a site believed by historians to be in the district of Puttalam , south of modern-day Mannar , and founded the kingdom of Tambapanni. It is recorded that Vijaya made his landing on the day of Buddha's Parinirvana. Vijaya claimed Tambapanni as his capital and soon
4386-611: The general consensus on the left to have both Sinhala and Tamil as official languages to campaign on the slogan "Sinhala Only". In the 1956 general elections , the SLFP campaigned on largely nationalist policies, and made the language policy one of their key election promises. The result was a landslide electoral victory for the SLFP lead coalition Mahajana Eksath Peramuna , which paved the way for Bandaranaike's appointment as Prime Minister. The Sinhala nationalist demanded that their new government immediately implement promise to make Sinhala
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#17327652837894472-515: The good powers of the Buddha and the gods in order to exorcise the demons. Traditionally during recreation the Sinhalese wear a sarong ( sarama in Sinhala). Men may wear a long-sleeved shirt with a sarong. Clothing varies by region for women. Low country Sinhalese women wear a white Long sleeved jacket, and a tight wrap around skirt, which usually is embedded with a floral or pattern design. As for
4558-434: The hill country while Portuguese-inspired lacework and Indonesian-inspired Batik have become notable. It has many different and beautiful drawings. Developed upon Indo-Aryan architectural skills in the late sixth century BCE Sinhalese people who lived upon greater kingdoms such as Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa have built so many architectural examples such as Ruwanwelisaya , Jetavanaramaya – second tallest brick building in
4644-602: The immensely popular children's novel Madol Duwa . Munadasa Cumaratunga's Hath Pana is also widely known. The form of Buddhism in Sri Lanka is known as Theravada (school of elders). The Pali chronicles (e.g., the Mahavansa) claim that the Sinhalese as an ethnic group are destined to preserve and protect Buddhism. In 1988 almost 93% of the Sinhala-speaking population in Sri Lanka were Buddhist. Observations of current religious beliefs and practices demonstrate that
4730-433: The influence of the Indian cooking methods and food have played a major role in what Sri Lankans eat. The island nation's cuisine mainly consists of boiled or steamed rice served with curry. This usually consists of a main curry of fish or chicken , as well as several other curries made with vegetables , lentils and even fruit curries. Side-dishes include pickles , chutneys and sambols . The most famous of these
4816-460: The island circa 543 BCE , from the legendary kingdom of Sinhapura led by Prince Vijaya , who mixed with later settlers from the Pandya kingdom . Genetic analyses have found genetic affinity between the Sinhalese and South Indian populations, as well as links to other Indian populations such as the Maratha . There are a couple of explanations for the word Sinhala. Sinhala may be considered
4902-642: The island's population. After their election to the State Council of Ceylon in 1936, the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) members N. M. Perera and Philip Gunawardena demanded the replacement of English as the official language by Sinhala and Tamil. In November 1936, a motion that "in the Municipal and Police Courts of the Island the proceedings should be in the vernacular " and that "entries in police stations should be recorded in
4988-560: The island. In the 15th century a Kandyan kingdom formed which divided the Sinhalese politically into low-country and up-country. In this period, the Sinhalese caste structure absorbed recent Dravidian Hindu immigrants from South India leading to the emergence of three new Sinhalese caste groups – the Salagama , the Durava and the Karava . The Sinhalese have a stable birth rate and
5074-634: The language in which they are originally stated" were passed by the State Council and referred to the legal secretary . In the 1940s, Sinhala political leaders were willing to support both Sinhala and Tamil as the official languages. For example, in 1944, both J. R. Jayewardene and S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike supported both languages getting official status, with Bandaranaike saying that he had "no personal objections to both languages being considered official languages, nor do I see any particular harm of danger or difficulty from this." However, nothing
5160-544: The late 1930s/early 1940s. He has been followed by artists of repute such as Sunil Shantha , W. D. Amaradeva , Premasiri Khemadasa , Nanda Malini , Victor Ratnayake , Austin Munasinghe, T. M. Jayaratne , Sanath Nandasiri , Sunil Edirisinghe , Neela Wickremasinghe, Gunadasa Kapuge , Malini Bulathsinghala and Edward Jayakody . Dramatist Ediriweera Sarachchandra revitalised the drama form with Maname in 1956. The same year, film director Lester James Peries created
5246-433: The midriff. The Kandyan style is considered as the national dress of Sinhalese women. In many occasions and functions, even the saree plays an important role in women's clothing and has become the de facto clothing for female office workers especially in government sector. An example of its use is the uniform of air hostesses of Sri Lankan Airlines . Sinhalese cuisine is one of the most complex cuisines of South Asia . As
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#17327652837895332-495: The most sophisticated and versatile works of literature in the world. The Sinhala language was mainly inspired by Sanskrit and Pali, and many words of the Sinhala language derive from these languages. Today some English words too have come in as a result of the British occupation during colonial times, and the exposure to foreign cultures through television and foreign films. Additionally many Dutch and Portuguese words can be seen in
5418-470: The need to establish Buddhist schools for educating Buddhist youth and organising Buddhists with new organisations such as the Young Men's Buddhist Association, as well as printing pamphlets to encourage people to participate in debates and religious controversies to defend Buddhism. There is a significant Sinhalese Christian community, in the maritime provinces of Sri Lanka. Christianity was brought to
5504-622: The new government led by Bandaranaike's widow Sirimavo sought to forcefully implement the Sinhala Only Act and, under Sinhalese nationalist pressure, enacted the Language of the Courts Act No. 3 of 1961 to make Sinhala the only language of the courts, while ignoring the Tamil Language (Special Provisions) Act. Although the regulations for implementing the bill were approved in January 1966 under Dudley Senanayake , it would be relegated to
5590-456: The numbers of just Sinhalese are not as accurate when the census states Sri Lankan and not Sinhalese. Though Sinhalese people in particular and Sri Lankans in general have migrated to the UK over the centuries beginning from the colonial times, the number of Sinhalese people in the UK cannot be estimated accurately due to inadequacies of census in the UK. The UK government does not record statistics on
5676-465: The official language [....]" It also entailed that a Sinhalese officer working in Tamil areas was exempted from learning Tamil, but a Tamil officer working in even Tamil areas had to learn Sinhala. The effects of these policies were dramatic as shown by the drastic drop of Tamil representation in public sector: "In 1956, 30 percent of the Ceylon administrative service, 50 percent of the clerical service, 60 percent of engineers and doctors, and 40 percent of
5762-537: The official state language. When Bandaranaike proceed to make Sinhala the official state language with administrative provisions for Tamil, K. M. P. Rajaratne and Professor J. E. Jayasuriya went on a fast unto death demanded legislation be drafted to make Sinhala the only official state with no concessions to Tamil language. This forced Bandaranaike to drop the administrative provisions for Tamil and The Ceylon (Constitution) Order in Council or Sinhala Only Bill as it
5848-511: The original gods. Prominent Sri Lankan anthropologists Gananath Obeyesekere and Kitsiri Malalgoda used the term "Protestant Buddhism" to describe a type of Buddhism that appeared among the Sinhalese in Sri Lanka as a response to Protestant Christian missionaries and their evangelical activities during the British colonial period. This kind of Buddhism involved emulating the Protestant strategies of organising religious practices. They saw
5934-432: The proposal for the use of Sinhala and Tamil as official languages was replaced by the chauvinist cry for 'Sinhala only', and the argument that Sinhala would be 'swamped' by Tamil. Arguments were made that 'Sinhala only' would give better opportunities for the Sinhalese. By 1956, 50% of clerical jobs were held by Tamils, although they were a minority of the country's population. In 1955, the SLFP decided to break ranks with
6020-441: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Official Languages Act . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Official_Languages_Act&oldid=1245304554 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
6106-605: The tale of a fool cum Pundit who travels around the country with his followers ( Golayo ) creating mischief through his ignorance. Kawate Andare tells the tale of a witty court jester and his interactions with the royal court and his son. In the modern period, Sinhala writers such as Martin Wickremasinghe and G. B. Senanayake have drawn widespread acclaim. Other writers of repute include Mahagama Sekera and Madewela S. Ratnayake. Martin Wickramasinghe wrote
6192-777: The throne. However, Vijaya had died before the letter had reached its destination, so the elected minister of the people Upatissa , the Chief government minister and leading chief among the Sinhalese became regent and acted as regent for a year. After his coronation (in 505 BC), which was held in Tambapanni, he left it, building another city Upatissa Nuwara , named after himself, 11–13 km (7–8 miles) further north of Tambapanni. When Vijaya's letter finally arrived, Sumitta had already succeeded his father as king of his country, and so he sent his son Panduvasdeva to rule Upatissa Nuwara. In 377 BC, King Pandukabhaya (437–367 BC) moved
6278-509: The up country Sinhalese, women wear a similar outfit, but with a puffed up shoulder jacket, and a tucked in frill that lines the top of the skirt (Reda and Hatte in Sinhala). Traditionally, high caste Kandyan women wear a Kandyan style sari , which is similar to the Maharashtrian sari , with the drape but with a frill lining the bottom half and sometimes puffed up sleeves. It is also called an Osariya. The low country high caste women wear
6364-492: The up-country Sinhalese of the central mountainous regions , and the low-country Sinhalese of the coastal regions. Although both groups speak the same language, they are distinguished as they observe different cultural customs. According to the Mahavamsa , a Pali chronicle compiled by Buddhist monks of the Anuradhapura Maha Viharaya in Sri Lanka, the Sinhalese descend from settlers who immigrated to
6450-504: The whole island went under this name. Tambapanni was originally inhabited and governed by Yakkhas , having their capital at Sirīsavatthu and their queen Kuveni . According to the Samyutta Commentary, Tambapanni was one hundred leagues in extent. At the end of his reign, Vijaya, having trouble choosing a successor, sent a letter to the city of his ancestors, Sinhapura , in order to invite his brother Sumitta to take over
6536-459: The world who came to Sri Lanka brought their native cuisines to the island, resulting in a rich diversity of cooking styles and techniques. Lamprais , rice boiled in stock with a special curry , accompanied by frikkadels ( meatballs ), all of which is then wrapped in a banana leaf and baked as a Dutch-influenced Sri Lankan dish. Dutch and Portuguese sweets also continue to be popular. British influences include roast beef and roast chicken . Also,
6622-441: The world, it is a combination of natural and man made fortress, which consists so many architectural aspects. There are extensive folk poems relating to specific jobs of the ancient society. These poems were communal songs which had a rhythm that were sung when performing day-to-day tasks like harvesting and sowing. Concerning popular music, Ananda Samarakoon developed the reflective and poignant Sarala gee style with his work in
6708-439: The worship of Hindu deities . Some of these figures are used in healing rituals and may be native to the island. Gods and goddess derived from Hindu deities are worshiped by Sinhalese. Kataragama Deviyo from Kartikeya , Upulvan from Vishnu and Ayyanayake from Aiyanar can be named as examples. Though these gods take the same place as their Hindu counterparts in mythology, some of their aspects are different compared to
6794-465: Was abducted by a lion, with whom she then bore a daughter called Sinhasivali , and a son, Sinhabahu . On the origin of Sinhala, Mahāvaṃsa says: "By whatever means; the monarch Síha Báhu slew the 'Síha' (lion), from that feat his sons and descendants are called 'Síhala' (the lion-slayers)." By this account, Sri Lanka conquered and colonised by his descendants therefore also came to be associated with 'Sinhala'. The first king of Sri Lanka, Vijaya ,
6880-522: Was done about these matters, and English continued to be the language of rule until 1956. Ceylon was granted the status of dominion in the British Empire in 1948 after largely non-violent independence movement , with the transition of sovereignty from Britain to the Sri Lankans being a peaceful process. For the first years of independence, there was an attempt to balance the interests of
6966-593: Was famous around the world as the rice mill of the east. Later in the 13th century the country's administrative provinces were divided into independent kingdoms and chieftaincies: kingdom of Sitawaka , kingdom of Kotte , Jaffna kingdom and the Kandyan kingdom . The invasion by the Hindu king Magha in the 13th century led to migrations by the Buddhists (mostly Sinhalese) to areas not under his control. This migration
7052-454: Was followed by a period of conflict among the Sinhalese chiefs who tried to exert political supremacy. Parakramabahu VI , a Sinhalese king invaded the Jaffna kingdom and conquered it, bringing the entire country back under the Sinhalese kingdom for 17 years. Trade also increased during this period, as Sri Lanka began to trade cinnamon and a large number of Muslim traders were bought into
7138-663: Was known was passed through parliament and was enacted. The bill was passed with the SLFP and the UNP supporting it, with the leftist LSSP and Communist Party of Sri Lanka as well as the Tamil nationalist parties ( Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi and All Ceylon Tamil Congress ) opposing it. The left bitterly opposed the Act, with N. M. Perera, leader of the LSSP, moving a motion in Parliament that it "should be amended forthwith to provide for
7224-515: Was passed, which stated that, "the official language of Sri Lanka is Sinhala" while "Tamil shall also be an official language," with English as a "link language." However, in practice, predominantly Sinhala-speaking police officers who are not fluent in Tamil are stationed in Tamil areas, posing practical challenges for the locals when interacting with the authorities. Sinhalese people The Sinhalese people ( Sinhala : සිංහල ජනතාව , romanized: Sinhala Janathāva ), also known as
7310-562: Was the preserve of the Sri Lankan elite and the ordinary people had little knowledge of it. A disproportionate number of English language schools were established in Jaffna by the American Ceylon Mission , which provided English-language skills for the Tamil population in Jaffna. Thus, English-speaking Tamils held a higher percentage of coveted Ceylon Civil Service jobs, which required English fluency, than their share of
7396-459: Was the son of Sinhabahu, the ruler of Sinhapura . Some versions suggest Vijaya was the grandson of Sinhabahu. According to the Mahavamsa and other historical sources , King Vijaya arrived on the island of Tambapanni (Sri Lanka) and gave rise to the Sinhalese. The story of the arrival of Prince Vijaya in Sri Lanka and the origin of the Sinhalese people is also depicted in the Ajanta caves, in
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