Many people may know the term “Kaffir” or “the K-Word” as an extremely offensive and derogatory term used against black people, especially in Apartheid-era South Africa. However, there’s more to the term than it being a racial slur. Kaffirs are a tiny ethnic group that consists of Afro-Sri Lankans. Most people are unaware of their existence. In fact, when I asked my Sri Lankan parents about this group, they were completely dumbfounded. I, also, just recently found out about this group.
What I’ve learned is that Kaffirs are descendants of Bantu slaves who were brought to Sri Lanka by the Portuguese when the country was a colony of Portugal, around the 16th Century. They were brought as laborers and as soldiers to fight against the Sinhala Kings in the Sinhalese-Portuguese War. Kaffirs also worked on cinnamon plantations, which were on the southern coast of the country, and some went to work in the Kandyan kingdom, located in the approximate center of Sri Lanka.
The culture of Kaffirs has had a significant impact on Sri Lankan culture. For example, the extremely popular dance music, Baila, originated from Afro-Sri Lankans. Baila paved the way for famous singers who left a huge mark in the Sri Lankan music industry. Despite this, however, Kaffirs rarely receive credit for creating this amazing music.
Today, there’s only about 1,000 Kaffirs living in Sri Lanka. They’re scattered around the country but mainly stay in the north-western region. Their original language, known as the Sri Lankan Kaffir language is now extinct. This ethnic group is slowly dying out, and taking a rich culture with them. Kaffirs played a huge part in making Sri Lanka the country that it is today, and they need to be acknowledged and preserved.
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