Karave
Encyclopedia
Karava also Karave, Kara, Karavaa, Kaura is a significant Sinhalese
Sinhalese people
The Sinhalese are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group,forming the majority of Sri Lanka,constituting 74% of the Sri Lankan population.They number approximately 15 million worldwide.The Sinhalese identity is based on language, heritage and religion. The Sinhalese speak Sinhala, an Indo-Aryan language and the...

 community who are considered secondary in caste to the Govigama
Govigama
Govi, Govigama, Goigama, Goygama, Goyigama, Goviyo is the most influential and the dominant Caste in Sri Lanka and certainly comes as the leading cast in the hierarchy of cast system in Sri Lanka.The term Govi denotes farmer.From time immemorial the Govigama have been the landlords and have been...

. The Tamil equivalent is Karaiyar
Karaiyar
Karaiyar, also known as Karayar, Karaiar or Kurukulam, is traditionally both a seafaring and warrior caste found in the Tamil Nadu state of India, coastal areas of Sri Lanka, and globally among the Tamil diaspora.-Origins:...

.

General

The origins of the term Karave also Kaurava
Kaurava
The term Kaurava is a Sanskrit term, that means the descendants of Kuru, a legendary king who is the ancestor of many of the characters of the Mahābhārata.The term is used in the Mahābhārata with two meanings:...

or Kurukula are still debated. One school of thought maintains that the Karava are traditionally fisherfolk, citing the similarity between the terms for sea-water (Kara Diya in Sinhalese). Another contends that it was the traditional military or warrior caste
Warrior caste
Warrior caste can refer to;* Kshatriya - A Kshatriya is a member of the military or reigning order, according to the law-code of Manu the second ranking caste of the Indian varna system of four castes, the first being the Brahmin or priestly caste, the third the Vaishya or mercantile caste and the...

 of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...

 although no mention of such a caste is extant in pre-colonial literature there is mention of foreign warriors and mercenaries throughout history. A third opinion is that it stems from the Kauravas of Indian Folklore. Karava communities are scattered throughout Sri Lanka including the interior but are predominantly resident on the southern, western and northern coastal districts of Sri Lanka.

The modern Sri Lankan Karava community is also of interesting note for the energetic attempts it makes to reinterpret its status in the caste ranking system of the country. Traditionally set below the Govigama
Govigama
Govi, Govigama, Goigama, Goygama, Goyigama, Goviyo is the most influential and the dominant Caste in Sri Lanka and certainly comes as the leading cast in the hierarchy of cast system in Sri Lanka.The term Govi denotes farmer.From time immemorial the Govigama have been the landlords and have been...

 caste, the Karavas came into contact with the Colonial powers ( Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...

, Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...

 and English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

) who ruled Sri Lanka before the rural interiors and assimilated (through choice or force) with regards to education, dress, religion and customs and exploited the new opportunities in commercial enterprise and upliftment. In the following centuries the Karava have created a semi-modern folklore of heraldry, etymology and traditions that attempt to establish them at the apex of the Sri Lankan caste structure. They have on occasion also succeeded.

In modern Sri Lanka, occupationally its members include the foremost professionals, capitalists and politicians of Sri Lanka as well as large numbers of wage earners, carpenters, fishermen and farmers.
Karava myth as well as historical manuscripts such as the Mukkara Hatana http://www.defonseka.com/ref_kurukula_charithayaII.htm,http://www.dailynews.lk/2002/02/16/fea05.html and royal grants http://www.defonseka.com/k10.htm indicate that they migrated mainly from the area previously known as Kuru Mandalam Coromandal
Coromandel Coast
The Coromandel Coast is the name given to the southeastern coast of the Indian Subcontinent between Cape Comorin and False Divi Point...

 coast of South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...

. Related communities in India are found north of Tanjore in Tamil Nadu well into the Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...

 coastal areas.

All Karava communities throughout Sri Lanka share a common origin myth that claims an ultimate origin from the Kuru (kingdom) and the epic Kauravas of the Mahabharata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....

.

Traditional status

The Karavas were the traditional fisher-folk, naval warriors and seafaring traders of the Sri Lankan coasts. Following the period of Western occupation of Sri Lanka when the Karavas rose in prominence through allying themselves to the new rulers. However it may be that they remained loyal to the king even after religious conversion. It is also interesting to note that many natives serving the British administration were from the newly elevated farmer caste. The clan has also claimed to be the naval and military caste of Sri Lanka and were also mercenaries to kings in India and Sri Lanka. They claim that leaders, referred to as Patabenda in Sinhala and Patangatim in Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...

, lived in the coast and ports of Sri Lanka from the mediaeval period until the Portuguese colonisation in the 16th century. Although conclusive evidence is lacking that they were the ruling class of the era, there are historical documents including the 'Pujavaliya', 'mukara hatana' and Portuguese state records that suggest their importance to the rulers. Verses from the 'Mahavamsa', and archaeological evidence has also been used to support this. It is also interesting to remind that Arya Chakravarti / Kalinga Magha's invasions were repulsed in Panadura, Dematagoda, Negambo and Chilaw, Dambulla being the only exception.

All major Karava settlements traditionally had service castes such as barbers, drummers, potters, washermen, etc. settled in satellite communities around them. The presence of such settlements is still evident despite the social changes and inter-caste migrations of the past century.

The Karavas were one of the few Sri Lankan communities traditionally entitled to use flags. British Government Agents
Government Agent (Sri Lanka)
A Government Agent or a District Secretary is a Sri Lankan civil servant of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service appointed by the central government to govern a certain district of the country. The GA is the administrative head of public services in the District. As Sri Lanka has 25 districts,...

 studying Sri Lankan flags have noted that not a single flag could be found even in the residences of Kandyan chiefs as even they were not entitled to use flags. These observations, made in the 19th Century, do not take into account that the Kandyans were living under a Sinhala Royal dominion that reserved the right to bear flags to the Palace, while the Karava were settled in the coastal lowlands that had been claimed from the Sri Lankan Kings by the Portuguese, and then the Dutch and English. At the same time, other caste groups in the lowlands did not bear flags. Karava families in these areas no more owed allegiance to the kings of Lanka, and it is supposed that they took up customs prohibited to them in the feudal era. A large number of these so called Karava flags
Karava Heraldry
The Karavas claim - on the basis of certain European commentaries - to be the only Sri Lankan community traditionally entitled to use flags. British Government Agents studying Sri Lankan flags during the early 20th century have noted that not a single flag could be found even in the residences of...

have survived the ravages of time and many are illustrated in E. W. Perera’s book Sinhalese Banners and Standards. However, despite the extent of the collection, they are scattered throughout the book and not in a special chapter. As such, their significance is missed by most readers. Further, none of these flags predate the occupation of the lowland Karava settlements by the West. However the oldest surviving flag in world does not pre date the 17th century and the symbols on Karava flags are the sun, moon, stars, elephant, fish, white shield, pearl umbrella, swords, lotuses, and ship all of which were royal symbols in Sri Lanka’s past.

Karava royal insignia

Although the Karava community describes the usage of royal insignia, there is no mention in the entire 2500 year odd history of the Sinhalese race that the Karava or for that matter any other caste (other than kshatarya) had any claims to the throne of Sri Lanka. The origin of the term 'Royal Insignia' is therefore hotly debated among scholars and considered a modern affectation of gentility.

For the past 1,700 years the only undisputed symbol of Sri Lankan Royalty and Leadership has been the sacred Tooth Relic of Gautama Buddha
Gautama Buddha
Siddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian...

. Whosoever possessed this was acknowledged as the rightful ruler of Lanka, and thus the Tooth Relic was a possession exclusive to the ruling caste of Sri Lanka. Upon each change of capital, a new palace was built to enshrine the Relic. Finally, it was brought to Kandy
Kandy
Kandy is a city in the center of Sri Lanka. It was the last capital of the ancient kings' era of Sri Lanka. The city lies in the midst of hills in the Kandy plateau, which crosses an area of tropical plantations, mainly tea. Kandy is one of the most scenic cities in Sri Lanka; it is both an...

 where it is at present, in the Temple of the Tooth
Temple of the Tooth
Sri Dalada Maligawa or The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic is a Buddhist temple in the city of Kandy, Sri Lanka. It is located in the royal palace complex which houses the Relic of the tooth of Buddha. Since ancient times, the relic has played an important role in local politics because it is...

.

The oldest Buddhist sect in Sri Lanka, the Siam Nikaya
Siam Nikaya
The Siam Nikaya is a monastic order within Sri Lanka, founded by Upali Thera and located predominantly around the city of Kandy. It is so named because it originated within Thailand...

 (estd. 19 July 1753) are the custodians of the Tooth Relic, since its establishment during the Kandyan Kingdom. The Siyam Nikaya as of 1790 granted Higher ordination only to the Radala
Radala
The Radala refer to an extremely small minority caste in the Kandyan Kingdom of Sri Lanka. They were the aristocracy of the Kandyan Kingdom. After capturing the Kandyan provinces in 1815 with the aid of locals from both maritime and Kandyan provinces, the British created an extensive class of loyal...

 and Govigama
Govigama
Govi, Govigama, Goigama, Goygama, Goyigama, Goviyo is the most influential and the dominant Caste in Sri Lanka and certainly comes as the leading cast in the hierarchy of cast system in Sri Lanka.The term Govi denotes farmer.From time immemorial the Govigama have been the landlords and have been...

 castes and excludes Karave and other castes completely from its numbers. Separate Sects exist for Karave castes, which have no claim to the Tooth Relic.

Apart from flags, the Karavas were the only community in Sri Lanka entitled to the use of the said 'royal insignia'. Insignia such as the pearl umbrella, flags, swords, trident, yak tail whisks, lighted flame torches and drums were previously widely used by the Karavas at their weddings and funerals. Such usage is now greatly reduced but even now it is not unusual to see these royal symbols used even at funerals of extremely impoverished Karavas. See Karava Heraldry
Karava Heraldry
The Karavas claim - on the basis of certain European commentaries - to be the only Sri Lankan community traditionally entitled to use flags. British Government Agents studying Sri Lankan flags during the early 20th century have noted that not a single flag could be found even in the residences of...



Across the Palk Strait
Palk Strait
Palk Strait is a strait between the Tamil Nadu state of India and the Mannar district of the Northern Province of the island nation of Sri Lanka. It connects the Bay of Bengal in the northeast with the Palk Bay and thence with the Gulf of Mannar in the southwest. The strait is wide. Several...

, the kinsmen of the Karavas too have used similar insignia in the past. H. R. Pate describes a wedding as follows: "A peculiar feature of the wedding is the procession to the bride’s house with virudus or banners supposed to be the insignia of the Kingly ancestors of the race. The emblems consist of 21 flags embroidered with representations of various objects, animate and inanimate, such as a Snake, a Peacock, a Palmyra, a Chank, the Sun and Moon an Elephant. A Fish and so on. In addition to these a large Umbrella, a Shield and other trappings are carried. The bridegroom wears a costume called KAPA resembling the state robes of Jathi Thalavi More and white cloths are spread before hi in his path". (Madras District Gazetteer 123 & 124)

With the fall of Sri Lankan kingdoms under Dutch and British colonialism the Karavas kept to their occupations such as deep sea fishing, cultivation, and trading for survival.

Origin with the Kuru

In Sri Lanka, some Karave claim Kuru - an Indo-Aryan Kshatriya
Kshatriya
*For the Bollywood film of the same name see Kshatriya Kshatriya or Kashtriya, meaning warrior, is one of the four varnas in Hinduism...

 tribe from northern India - ancestry, thus assimilating with the Sinhalese people
Sinhalese people
The Sinhalese are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group,forming the majority of Sri Lanka,constituting 74% of the Sri Lankan population.They number approximately 15 million worldwide.The Sinhalese identity is based on language, heritage and religion. The Sinhalese speak Sinhala, an Indo-Aryan language and the...

.

Karavas, or Karaiyar, north of Chilaw
Chilaw
Chilaw is a western seaboard town on the island of Sri Lanka.It is a bustling town with a famous fishmarket and beach...

 speak Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...

 but south of Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...

, along with all other Sinahlese communities, the Karavas are Sinhala speakers
Sinhalese people
The Sinhalese are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group,forming the majority of Sri Lanka,constituting 74% of the Sri Lankan population.They number approximately 15 million worldwide.The Sinhalese identity is based on language, heritage and religion. The Sinhalese speak Sinhala, an Indo-Aryan language and the...

 and are devoted Catholics and Buddhists with very little vestige of their former Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...

 religion . With Salagama
Salagama
Salagama is the name of a caste in Sri Lanka. The community was traditionally associated with the cultivation and management of cinnamon, and also as soldiers,and are found mostly in Southern coastal areas, especially in the villages around Rathgama , Boossa and Balapitiya in Galle...

 and Durave, they make a sizeable number of people among the coastal Sinhalese sub group.

Social position

The Karave community of today is made up of many Clans as indicated by their hereditary ancestral names also known as "Ge" names and Clan names.
In Sri Lanka they are an influential and prominent caste among the majority Sinhalese
Sinhalese people
The Sinhalese are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group,forming the majority of Sri Lanka,constituting 74% of the Sri Lankan population.They number approximately 15 million worldwide.The Sinhalese identity is based on language, heritage and religion. The Sinhalese speak Sinhala, an Indo-Aryan language and the...

. They are now said to be behind the majority Govigama
Govigama
Govi, Govigama, Goigama, Goygama, Goyigama, Goviyo is the most influential and the dominant Caste in Sri Lanka and certainly comes as the leading cast in the hierarchy of cast system in Sri Lanka.The term Govi denotes farmer.From time immemorial the Govigama have been the landlords and have been...

.

Most Karave were forcibly converted to the Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...

 religion during the Portuguese
Portuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....

 period. (See Patabendige for Portuguese conversion strategies). During the British period several Karava families, along with families from other communities achieved elite status by participating in the colonial economic activities. Although the strides made thus far by a few families are impressive, and many members of the community are leading professionals and businessmen, a great many of them now languish at the bottom of the economic order, deprived of opportunities for progress .

Political influence

The democratic system of Sri Lanka, where the main political parties are run as family organizations, dominated by the elite Radala
Radala
The Radala refer to an extremely small minority caste in the Kandyan Kingdom of Sri Lanka. They were the aristocracy of the Kandyan Kingdom. After capturing the Kandyan provinces in 1815 with the aid of locals from both maritime and Kandyan provinces, the British created an extensive class of loyal...

 and Govigama
Govigama
Govi, Govigama, Goigama, Goygama, Goyigama, Goviyo is the most influential and the dominant Caste in Sri Lanka and certainly comes as the leading cast in the hierarchy of cast system in Sri Lanka.The term Govi denotes farmer.From time immemorial the Govigama have been the landlords and have been...

 castes has prevented Karava and other minority community politicians from ever reaching the top or gaining political influence. Young leaders rising up against the system have been continually eliminated by the Sri Lankan state since the 1970s.

Non–Govigama representation in Parliament has steadily declined since independence and representation of non-Govigama castes are well below their population percentages.
http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2001/10/21/pol03.html. Caste representation in the Cabinet
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...

 is limited to a few very visible, but unconcerned and disconnected members from a few leading castes. However none of these representatives are known to have ever spoken on behalf of their respective communities or done anything constructive for the progress of these communities.

Whereas Karave are very vocal about their Sinhala
Sinhalese people
The Sinhalese are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group,forming the majority of Sri Lanka,constituting 74% of the Sri Lankan population.They number approximately 15 million worldwide.The Sinhalese identity is based on language, heritage and religion. The Sinhalese speak Sinhala, an Indo-Aryan language and the...

 Buddhist identity and drive the nationalistic political parties such as the SLFP and JVP
JVP
JVP may stand for:*Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, People's Liberation Front, a Sri Lankan Socialist Party.*Jerusalem Venture Partners, an Israeli-American media venture capital....

, both aligned to Sinhala nationalism. Some sociologists have commented that the current civil war in Sri Lanka has become a vehicle by which both the Karave have sought to marginalize the post-colonial elites by taking extremely partisan but opposite views .

Karava ancestral names

Most of the Karavas in Sri Lanka belong to one or more of the Suriya clans Weerasuriya, Wickramasuriya, Kurukulasuriya, Warnakulasuriya, Mihindukulasuriya, Bharathakulasuriya, Manukulasuriya, Vijayakulasuriya or Arasakulasuriya which appear to indicate distinct streams of migrations. Other clans are Vadugas
Vaduge
Badugé and Vadugé are two ancestral family names used todate by Karava families of Sri Lanka. Their ancestors were humble Vaduvás ....

, Koon Karavas
Koon Karavas
Koon Karavas in Sri Lankan history were another clan of the Karavas similar to the Suriya clans Kurukulasuriya, Warnakulasuriya, Mihindukulasuriya, Bharathakulasuriya, Manukulasuriya, Arasakulasuriya and Konda Karavas....

 (such as Samarakoon, Weerakoon etc.), Ratne(such as Rajaratne or Jayaratne)( and Konda Karavas
Konda Karavas
Although Konda brings to one’s mind hair, which is its modern meaning in the Sinhala language, Konda in medieval times signified a group of Karava nobles in Sri Lanka. Old timers referred to them as Konda Karáva another clan of the Karava similar to the Suriya clans Kurukulasuriya,...

 (such as WeeraKonda, Konda Perumal Árachchigé etc.). Additionally they also bear Gé names.

Gé names among the Sinhhala speaking population are traditional hereditary family names. They denote a person's ancestry, caste, social status of an illustrious ancestor or the village of origin. The Karava traditionally used the title or clan name before the 18th century emergance of the govi. Hence, 'Patabandi' became 'Patabadige'. These names predate the 16th century European colonisation of Sri Lanka. Gé names precede an individual’s personal name unlike a surname
Surname
A surname is a name added to a given name and is part of a personal name. In many cases, a surname is a family name. Many dictionaries define "surname" as a synonym of "family name"...

 which follows one’s personal name.

As such it is important to understand the historical significance of these ancient Ge’ names vis-à-vis the 20th century British period acquired surnames such as Bandaranaike, Dissanayake, Senanayake etc. which were the Anglicization of higher caste Govigama
Govigama
Govi, Govigama, Goigama, Goygama, Goyigama, Goviyo is the most influential and the dominant Caste in Sri Lanka and certainly comes as the leading cast in the hierarchy of cast system in Sri Lanka.The term Govi denotes farmer.From time immemorial the Govigama have been the landlords and have been...

 names.

The Karavas claim their Ge’ names overwhelmingly show a traditional military heritage. Modern writers who ascribe a fisher ancestry for the Karavs have been unable to explain how such assertions fit in with these ancient ancestral names as many of these names indicate a fishing industry / boatman origin. Some of the more frequently encountered Karava Ge names are:

  • Arachchige: From the house of the village headman.
  • Arasa Marakkalage
    Marakkalage
    Marakkala is the modern colloquial term for Muslims, Marakkalage is another uniquely Karava ancestral name and is also used by several traditional Karava families of Sri Lanka todate...

    : Royal Mariner (alternatively descendant of Arasa sect of Arab
    Arab
    Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...

     Muslim
    Muslim
    A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...

     traders)
  • Baduge: Variant form of Vaduge
    Vaduge
    Badugé and Vadugé are two ancestral family names used todate by Karava families of Sri Lanka. Their ancestors were humble Vaduvás ....

  • Hennedige: Armoured militiaman
  • Hewage: Soldier
  • Kankanamage: Supervising of workmen of military weapons production
  • Marakkalage
    Marakkalage
    Marakkala is the modern colloquial term for Muslims, Marakkalage is another uniquely Karava ancestral name and is also used by several traditional Karava families of Sri Lanka todate...

    : Ship owner or captain (see illustration of Marakkalam vessel on right), or more probably merely descendant of Arab
    Arab
    Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...

     Muslim
    Muslim
    A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...

     traders)
  • Mestrige: Artisan
  • Patabendige: Honorific name given by the Ruling class to local headman
  • Rajaratne: Royal military Advisor
  • Tantrige: Expert in military strategy
  • Vaduge
    Vaduge
    Badugé and Vadugé are two ancestral family names used todate by Karava families of Sri Lanka. Their ancestors were humble Vaduvás ....

    : Ships carpenter (from the Sinhalese 'Vaduva' meaning carpenter)
  • Varnakula Aditya Arasanilayitta, Varnakula Suriya -suggested by Karavas to mean possessing kingly status (an alternate interpretation of 'Varnakula' means Colour-Caste) http://www.defonseka.com/k10.htm
  • Vidanage: Civil officer
  • Vedage: Expert in the Vedas
    Vedas
    The Vedas are a large body of texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism....

    . This is a highly contentious claim since the pronunciation 'Veda' in Sinhalese is grammatically aligned to the root denoting Ayurveda
    Ayurveda
    Ayurveda or ayurvedic medicine is a system of traditional medicine native to India and a form of alternative medicine. In Sanskrit, words , meaning "longevity", and , meaning "knowledge" or "science". The earliest literature on Indian medical practice appeared during the Vedic period in India,...

     and not the Broader Indian Veda learnings. Hence 'Vedage' probably refers to the local herbal healer / medicine man in the Ayurveda tradition.
  • Egodage: Great warriors in the sea and land ( Modern day Military Commandos )


Apart from Ge names, they also use Iberian
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...

-derived surnames such as De Silva, De Mel, Fernando, Perera and Mendis denoting their switching of allegiance to the Portuguese
Portuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....

 colonials which allowed Karava to prosper under foreign rule.

Rarer occurrences of such surnames are found in Fonseka, De La Salle, De Mazenod,Peris and others who can often directly trace lineage back to a member of the Portuguese colonials in the country in the 16th century.

A few prominent members of the Karava community

  • Veera Puran Appu: Sinhala hero who fought against the British.
  • Ronnie De Mel
    Ronnie De Mel
    Ronald Joseph Godfrey de Mel, CCS is a Sri Lankan politician, civil servant and currently Senior Adviser to President. He was Cabinet Minister of Finance from 1977 to 1988 and was instrumental in the establishment of the free market economy in Sri Lanka...

    : Ceylon Civil Service
    Ceylon Civil Service
    The Ceylon Civil Service, popularly known by its acronym CCS, originated as the elite civil service of the Government of Ceylon under British colonial rule in 1833 and carried on after independence, until May 1, 1963 when it was abolished and the much larger Ceylon Administrative Service was...

     (CCS),Cabinet Minister and current Senior Presidential adviser.
  • Prof. G. L. Peiris
    G. L. Peiris
    Gamini Lakshman Peiris is a Sri Lankan politician and academic...

    : Current Cabinet Minister of External Affairs.
  • Rohana Wijeweera
    Rohana Wijeweera
    Patabendi Don Nandasiri Wijeweera or Rohana Wijeweera was a Sri Lankan Marxist politician and the founding leader of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna...

    : Founding leader of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna.
  • Tyronne Fernando
    Tyronne Fernando
    Tyronne Fernando , PC was a Sri Lankan politician who served as Foreign Minister from 2001 until 2004.-Early life and education:...

    : Cabinet Minister,Presidential adviser and Former Governor of the North Eastern Province
  • Sarath Fonseka
    Sarath Fonseka
    Gardihewa Sarath Chandralal Fonseka, known as Sarath Fonseka is a former commander and General of the Sri Lanka Army and a former candidate for President of Sri Lanka. As Commander of the Army, he played an instrumental role in ending the 26 year Sri Lankan Civil War in 2009, defeating the...

    : Former Commander of the Sri Lanka Army and former candidate for President of Sri Lanka
  • J.L.Sirisena: Ex Minister of Social Service
  • Air Marshal Jayalath Weerakkodi: Ex- Air Force Commander
  • Indra De Silva: Ex- Inspector General of Police
  • Velupillai Pirabhaharan: Tamil LTTE LEADER
  • Sajith Egodage : Last Trinity Collage boxing Lion Man .All Island Boxing Champion in 1983

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK