‘Malays of Sri Lanka’: Story of a vibrant culture, people View(s):From a language in which many Sinhala terms have originated to relished food including the likes of Nasi Goreng or Pittu, the minuscule Malay community of Sri Lanka has maintained its unique niche in the social fabric of the country for centuries, standing side by side with their brothers and sisters of other communities. Now the life and times of the Malays, whose origins come from the island of Java in Indonesia, are chronicled in a delightful 224-page coffee table book titled ‘Malays of Sri Lanka’ written by Alvin Sallay, a veteran journalist who has worked in Sri Lanka and Hong Kong. In 1505, the Portuguese arrived, establishing commerce and taking over territory with the help of Malay soldiers brought from Malacca. Of course, the country’s best known Malay leader was visionary statesman T.B. However, senior academic Dr. Romola Rassool, former head of the English Teaching Unit, University of Kelaniya, worries about the fading of the Sri Lanka Malay language.

Source: Sunday Times December 04, 2022 14:15 UTC