Sociolinguistic factors affecting intergenerational transmission of oral traditions among the Vedda community in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Oral traditions of the Vedda, one of Sri Lanka’s oldest communities, encode cosmological, spiritual, and socio-cultural knowledge transmitted through ritual performances, songs, and storytelling. These traditions face challenges arising from assimilation into Sinhala and Tamil societies, resettlement, and socio-economic mobility. While the richness of Vedda oral culture is acknowledged, little research has examined the sociolinguistic factors shaping intergenerational transmission. This study addresses three questions: What sociolinguistic factors support or inhibit transmission? How do elders and youth differ in perceptions and performances? How do language, ritual, and communal interaction sustain oral knowledge? Fieldwork was conducted in Dambana (July 2025) using participant observation, thirty semi-structured interviews (ten elders aged 60+ and twenty youth aged 15–30), and audio-visual recordings of Kiri Koraha and Kande Yakka. Data were thematically analysed, triangulating observations, interviews, and recordings, with attention to language ideologies, ritual fluency, and institutional influences. Findings show that elders retain ritual vocabulary and Vedda-influenced Sinhala, whereas youth possess largely passive knowledge. Ritual performances increasingly staged for tourists risk detachment from community life. Simultaneously, youth interest in digital media and elders’ willingness to share knowledge suggest avenues for participatory revitalization. This study highlights the interplay among cultural participation, identity negotiation, and institutional pressures in transmission and underscores the importance of integrating education, technology, and ritual practice to support oral traditions of Vedda.