.jpg) Sri Lankanitinerant Snake Charmer | |
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| c. 40,000 - 125,000 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Sri Lanka | |
| Languages | |
| Sri Lankan Gypsy Telugu (native),Sinhala,Tamil | |
| Religion | |
| Shaivism,Buddhism,Christianity (minority) | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Sinhalese,Telugu people,Tamils |
TheSri Lankan Telugus are an ethnic-Telugus from Sri Lanka. They trace their origins to Telugu-speaking regions centuries ago. They are commonly known in English asSri Lankan Gypsies, in Sinhala asAhikuntaka and in Tamil asKuravar. However, some of these terms are considered as offensive by the community, who call themselves as Telugu. They are the one of the historically nomadic groups of people living in Sri Lanka. They live in small palmyra huts for approximately one week in one place. Their ancestral language is an old form/dialect ofTelugu known asSri Lankan Gypsy Telugu, though most now speak Tamil or Sinhala with outsiders. Various governments,NGOs andmissionary societies have made attempts to settle them down, and thus some are settled in villages.[1] Their traditional occupations arefortune telling,snake charming and training monkeys and dogs for performances, though modernisation has forced many into wage labour. Those who are settled in resettlement villages aresubsistence farmers and farm hands to other farmers. They also speak Tamil or Sinhalese based on their area of settlement. Most seem to be settled in the easternBatticaloa district. The traditional faith is a form ofShaivism, though a number of them had converted toBuddhism and some toChristianity.[2][3][4][5][6] According to a 2017 survey by the Government of Sri Lanka, their population is ~40,000 and it is estimated that the actual population is 125,000 and most Telugu Sri Lankans recognise themselves as Sinhalese people.[7]
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)| Indigenous | |
|---|---|
| Traditional | |
| Multiracial | |
| Immigrants | |
