The majority of Sri Lankans are Sinhalese, accounting to 74% of the population in the country. Proud of a rich and long history, dating back to over 2000 years, the Sinhalese community mainly inhabits in the central, west and south of the country. The old Sinhalese Kings are known to have built master irrigational systems and lived self-sufficiently. Buddhism is the religion of the Sinhalese people and was introduced to Sri Lanka in 3 rd centuary BC. The rich culture, art and architecture derives essence from Buddhism.
The Tamils are the second largest community and accounts for 14% of the population. Divided between Ceylon Tamils and Indian Tamils, this community mainly inhabits in the North, Northeast and Central provinces. The Indian Tamils have migrated to Sri lanka during the time of the Birtish rulers to work on tea plantations etc and have settled in the Central Province of the country in the tea estates. The Ceylon Tamils have a 1000year long history in Sri Lanka and are mainly living in the Jaffna peninsula. The two communities are largely Hindu devotees and have a similar culture and caste system different from the Sinhalese.
The Muslim community which accounts for 7% of the population practice the Islam religion and have settled in the east coastal belt of Sri Lanka. With a history dating back to about 1000 years, the Muslims first arrived from Arab to Sri Lanka for trade purposes and later settled in the coastal area.
The fourth significant community is the Burgher community and are descendants of Portuguese or Dutch. Spread around the west coastal belt, this community is either Roman Catholic or Christian.
Culture of Sri lanka is very unique like it's beautiful places, ancient ruins, weather conditions, etc. Though the Culture of Sri Lanka society is more than 2500 years old, it is really Buddhism that was the most influential civilising force of the country. People got delimite ideas about what is right and wrong, beneficial results of good deeds in this life itself and vice versa. Lives of the Buddha and his noble disciples had a good impact on the people. People were taught to be sincere, kind, truthful, harmless and to help the downtrodden etc. Buddha’s teachings that emphasised the equality of man and the idea that man is noble not by birth but by his behaviour and actions, helped to make the caste system which was prevalent in India so rigid very much less severe here.
New resurgence of former cultural traits is to be seen with the gaining of independence in 1948 and the emergence of national heroes as Walisinghe Harischandra, Angarika Dhrmapala, More and more people became aware of their past cultured heritage and began to take a new interest in ancient customs, classical music, dancing etc. which were fast disappearing features of our cultural heritage. One of the most important is the pride of place given to the sheaf of betel or the “bulath hurulla” This had been an important item in religious and marriage ceremonies, functions, festivals etc. Parents, teachers elders are respected with a shelf of betal at Sinhala New year times and at important functions. This has a power of healing differences among parents and children, relations etc. With betal comes habit of our people having the quid of betal of course with certain other ingredients as obecanuts, bit of chunam, camphor, cardamons, nutmeg, mance, etc. it is said that ours kings had a special officer to prepare the squid of betal for him. In our ancient residences the tray of betal with a spittoon nearby (to empty the reddish saliva from the mouth) could be seen which had gone out of fashion today. Even the upper class ladies of yore had the habit of chewing the quid of betal while gossiping or at leisure or playing indoor games. It is said that in India this habit of chewing the quid of betal is not looked up on down but it is fast disappearing from our society instead the poisonus cigarette has taken its place.
Various types of folk art which should get the pride of place seems to be fading away. One such is the various types of decorations made with the young coconut fronds – gokkola- which is endemic to Sri Lanka for it comes from the coconut tree, At folk – dancing, devil dancing ceremonies, Bali performances, Pirith ceremonies, weddings, funeral & decorations done with gokkola are given prominence in rural areas. Special pavilion made for the Pirit ceremony, Poruwa at a wedding for the couple to stand on, Punkalasa (symbolof propriety) etc. decorated with gokkola are slowly dying away giving place to artificial decorations.
One noteworthy feature of Sri Lanka culture are the New year Customs and traditions commending with looking at the moon for the old year and bathing, observing the new moon for the new year, lighting the hearth, partaking the first meal for the new year and anointing oil on the head all done with punctuality. Children, relations from afar joining the parent’s ands elders refreshing their relationships. New year is a good period to revive the folk games as panchi damima (game with cousry shells), eluvan gamine (Children game) depicting a flock of goats protected by the gathered but the tiger comes and manages to seize a goat), going in the swing reciting folk songs etc..
Well developed system of music seems to have prevailed from pre Aryan times. On the day that Vijaya spend the night with Kuveni in Tambapanni, he heard the sound of music and dancing and inquired form from Kuveni about it, according to Mahawansa (CH VII 30) there were the folk music Jana gi intervened by Buddhist environment and largely based on day to day activities as agriculture, various occupations etc. These verses were recited at various stages in farming – goyan kavi, nelum kavi time – when engaged in heavy work, workersused to recite form lines verses or sivu pada – quatrains – when climbing a mountain with a heavy load in the double bullock cart when working inside a plambago mine etc. There are other types of songs sing during children’s games too.