A Lost White Tribe: The Eurasians of Sri Lanka
Repost This Article
A Lost White Tribe: The Eurasians of Sri Lanka is a personal look at some of the last remaining ‘Eurasians’, and part of the Moving Images commissioned and supported by Groundviews. Produced by Menika van der Poorten these narrated photo essays document a community few Sri Lankans truly know about or remember today, or care to.
Seven compelling and rare narrated photo essays of this community, shot in high-definition (HD), are now featured on Moving Images.
Some of my classmates at St Sebastian School near the Kallady Bridge in Batticaloa, in the early forties, spoke a strange language among themselves, which I came to know was ‘portugese’. There was a community of ‘portugese burghers’ at Sinna Uppodai on the nearby lagoon shore. Most of them practised trades like carpentry, blacksmith, motor mechanics, cycle repairs,fishing boat/catamaran repairs etc.
There was a smaller community with somewhat fair complexion known as ‘dutch burghers’. Many of them served in the Ceylon Government Railway as engine drivers,guards, underguards etc.and spoke english. Some were clerks in the kachcheri and other departments. Most of the ‘dutch burghers’ migrated to australia after the Sinhala Only of SWRDBandaranayake.
Enjoyed the piece very much. Glad you captured a part of history little known and committed it to preservation for posterity.
Re: A Lost White Tribe’ It was my gt gt. grandfather George Winter, the sugar pioneer who began the planting enterprises in Baddegama, followed by his grandson Allie Winter. George took the first Anglican missionaires to the island who found Christchurch school which still flourishes, he was also co- founder of the first Independant newspaper in the island. Local Sinhala planters followed suite and prospered too. George and his descendants invested continually, not only finances but their entire lives in the area but alas their connection was broken when the State ‘acquired’ their properties. The sturdy house at Pillagoda built on the site of a shack by Allie was left empty for over ten years when leased by a management company. Such a scene of neglect and desolation brings tears to the eyes of all who visit. The imported expensive timbers have withstood termite damage but not rain which poured thru’ the roof for decades. All attempts by my family to let us repair our beloved home have come to nought. A salutory tale by all who wish to invest in Lanka. Perhaps it is only billionaires who may do so now
So very touching and brilliantly done Manika. I spent many years of my life researching and publishing the Winter/Vanderpoorten family tres with the help of the late Wendy (May she be Blessed) and her sister Anne in the UK. They are two of the best people I have ever known on this planet. You can see the trees here:
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~lkawgw/gen1158.html
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~lkawgw/gen1159.html
Fazli Sameer / Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Thank you for posting, I really enjoyed this video clip. It’s good to know more about the history of Ceylon. Please post more video’s on the subject.