#veddah

[chillypepperhothothot]

Veddah hunter by Feije Riemersma Via Flickr: Indigenous people of Sri Lanka

[yearningforunity]

The Veddahs are the indigenous people of Sri Lanka. Inhabiting the island long before the Sinhalese and Tamils. They have been marginalised through out Sri Lanka. Originally jungle dwelling peoples, this Veddah community in Batticalao were chased out of the forest by Indian Peacekeeping Forces, they were then hit by the tsunami and recruited to fight for the LTTE during the war. They now live in a resettlement camp north of Batticaloa. Sri Lanka, February 2012.

[dilmahnz]

The lives, livelihoods and beliefs of Sri Lanka's indigenous Veddah community are defined by their intimacy with nature and the environment. However, rapid transformations to the physical and socio-economic landscape of Sri Lanka have resulted in the marginalization of these communities that have relied on traditional subsistence cultivation, foraging and fishing practices for generations. Dilmah Conservation's Veddah Community Upliftment Programme was initiated to facilitate this community's access to dignified livelihoods while preserving their heritage and cultural identity.