An anthropological study of the economic hardships that impede development with special reference to the indebtedness of Veddas at Henanigala and Dambana areas in Sri Lanka

Anthropology

Indigenous community means people who belong to any ethnic group having a historical existence and identity, separate and independent of the mainstream society. They usually live around a specific geographic area throughout the history as indigenous people. This study is centered on the Veddas who live in Dambana and Henanigala, focusing on their economic hardships that impede the development of the country. Although Veddas were scattered all over the country in the past, today they are confined to limited geographical areas, including Uva Binthanna, their historical homeland. Villages of Dambana and Kandegamvila (just near Dambana area) are situated in Uva Binthanna. The Vedda people of Kandegamvila were displaced due to the Accelerated Mahaweli project, and were resettled in Hennangala in 1983, This research was conducted by adopting quantitative and qualitative methods, while employing the participant observation method, interview method, including focus group and key informant discussions for the collection of data. Out of 758 families in Henanigala and 350 families in Dambana, hundred and twenty respondents were chosen for the process of data collection. As a result of resettlement in an unfamiliar geographical area, Vedda people at Henanigala have been facing numerous socioeconomic issues, compared to Vedda people of Dambana. They had been practising slash and burn cultivation while they were residing in Dambana, and after being resettled in Henanigala, they have been forcefully pushed towards paddy cultivation. Thus, Henanigala Veddas had given up their usual life pattern, but didn’t adjusted to the new way of lifestyle. Henanigala and Dambana Veddas have been denied access to Madura Oya National forest by the authorities. Nonetheless, these people have not given up the practice of hunting and gathering, and on the contrary they are still involved in the forest-dwelling lifestyle, disregarding the orders and warnings issued by the officers of the Department Wildlife Conservation. Offences against the prevailing law result in monetary fines, for which they tend to mortgage paddy lands. Further, they frequently get loans from black-market loan providers to fulfil their day to day needs, and for medical care for their incurable and severe health problems like kidney diseases. Accordingly, Vedda people suffer great economic hardships that eventually lead them to debt. Hence, the government should consider different schemes to address this critical matter within Vedda society and positively contribute to the betterment of their lives and the economic development of the country.

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