The Burghers of Sri Lanka
Dominic Sansoni
SRI LANKA

Descendants of the Portuguese and the Dutch from the time they colonized the maritime provinces of Ceylon, this community is still proud of its heritage and their contribution to the island’s history, culture and business.

Many of the Burghers emigrated in the 1960’s and left for Australia, Canada, Great Britain and the United States.

Those that remained have contributed to the diversity of this small island and its population of nearly 20 million people. They have always been an integral part of the country’s diversity and continue to this day to be an important, but often ignored or forgotten, community.