The Afro-Sri Lankans

(2009, 8 mins, Sri Lanka)

This short film traces the cultural life of a small Afro-descendant community in Sri Lanka, historically referred to as “Kaffirs.” Brought from eastern and southeastern Africa by Portuguese colonisers in the 16th century—and later by Dutch and British powers as enslaved people, indentured labourers, and soldiers—their presence in Sri Lanka reflects complex entanglements of empire, migration, and survival.

Filmed at a moment of generational transition, The Afro-Sri Lankans offers a portrait of a community striving to sustain its music, memory, and identity, even as its numbers dwindle.

Note: Originally titled Kaffir Culture (2009), this film has been retitled The Afro-Sri Lankans to reflect the community’s current preferred terminology. The original title remains in the video for historical context. At the time of filming, “Kaffir” was used by the community as an ethnic label without derogatory meaning. As scholar Shihan de Silva Jayasuriya, Department of Portuguese & Brazilian Studies, University of London, notes, “In Sri Lanka it is merely an ethnic label. It is not a racial epithet.” The updated title acknowledges evolving self-identification and cultural awareness.

Written, filmed, and narrated by Kannan Arunasalam

Translations by Nethra Samarawickrema

Research by Leah Worthington

Original narration from Radio Netherlands, produced by Greg Kelly.

Music by Ceylon Afro Manja (formerly Ceylon Kaffir Manja), arranged by Jesse Hardman