Sri Lankan Australian
Encyclopedia
Sri Lankan Australian refers to people of Sri Lanka
n heritage living in Australia
. This includes at least four Sri Lankan ethnic groups in Australia the Sinhalese
, Sri Lankan Tamil, Sri Lankan Moors
and Burghers
. According to Australian Bureau of Statistics
data, there is no self-identifying "Sri Lankan Australian" group. Persons linked to Sri Lanka
self-identify as mainly "Sinhalese Australian", "Tamil Australian" or "Burgher". Most Sri Lankan Australians (indeed, most Sri Lankans in general, see Demographics of Sri Lanka
) are Sinhalese.
). Early immigrants from Sri Lanka (at that time known as Ceylon) were generally (unlike the O'Deans) absorbed into the Aboriginal
population. Other early references of Sri Lankan migration date back to the 1870s when authorities in South Australia
sought out the possibility of importing labour from Ceylon. The first Sinhalese
from Sri Lanka arrived in 1870 to work in sugarcane
plantations in Queensland
. A community was believed to exist on Thursday Island in 1876. In 1882, a group of 500 left Colombo
for Queensland, mostly in Mackay
.
prior to the formal dismantling of the White Australia policy
, and after 1973 and from the early 1980s Sinhalese, Tamil and Moor migration resumed and increased.
In the 1980s, on a reflection of ethnic unrest
in Sri Lanka, tensions between the Sinhalese and Tamil communities grew. However, in Pinnawala's opinion, more recently a Sri Lankan identity has developed among the various religious and ethnic migrants.
This has led to many new community organisations being established to promote Sri Lankan culture
and traditions. There have also been strong links formed between Sinhalese Buddhists now living in Australia and their co-religionists from Burma, Thailand
and Cambodia
. Similar trends can be traced between Christian migrants from Sri Lanka who now live in Australia.
contains just under half of the Sri Lankan Australians. Fewer than 20% are estimated to live outside New South Wales
and Victoria
.
The number of Sri Lankan Australians counted in 1996, including the second-generation, was 64,068. However, the actual figure is likely to be far higher (perhaps twice as much), since Burgher Australians generally return themselves as of Dutch
ancestry and, as such, cannot be separated out from statistical totals for Dutch Australians. The same applies to Sri Lankan people of other European
, Eurasian
and Malay
origin. A calculation of the make-up of the Sri Lankan Australian population in 1991 estimated that Burghers were 47.9%, Sinhalese 26.2%, Tamils 18.7% and Moors
7.2%.
The census recorded 53,610 Sri Lanka-born in Australia, of which 36,410 gave their ethnicity as Sinhalese, 4,150 as Tamil, and 1,690 as Dutch (i.e., Burgher).
The rate of assimilation among Sri Lankan Australians is fairly high: among second-generation immigrants, the 'in-marriage' rate was extremely low - 5.6% for brides and 3.0% for grooms.
Sinhalese number approximately 29,055 or 0.1% of the population of Australia in the 2006 Census, that is a 8,395 or 40.6% change since 2001. There are 73,849 or 0.4% of the population of Australia have Sinhalese
ansestry in 2006, while this was 26% less in 2001 at 58,602. The census is counted by Sri Lankans who speak Sinhalese at home.
According to census data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in 2004, Sinhalese Australians are, by religion, 29.7 % Catholic
, 8.0 % Anglican, 9.9 Other Christian, 46.9 % Other Religions (mainly Buddhist), and 5.5 % No Religion. The Sinhalese Language is also the 29th fastest growing language in Australia, in front of Somali
and behind Hindi and Belorussian.
Sinhalese Australians have an exceptionally low rate of return migration to Sri Lanka. In December 2001, the Department of Foreign Affairs estimated that there were 800 Australian citizens resident in Sri Lanka. It is unclear whether these were returning Sri Lankan emigrants with Australian citizenship
, their Sri Lankan Australian children, or other Australians present on business or for some other reason.
Baddaginnie, Victoria
is named for the Sinhala word for 'hungry'. The town of Dimboola, Victoria
is also named after a Sinhala word.
Tamil number 30,000 in the 2006 Census. (This number also includes Tamils born in India
and elsewhere). According to 1994 data, Tamil Australians are, by religion, 10.9 % Catholic
, 4.1 % Anglican, 9.6 Other Christian, 73.1 % Other Religions (mainly Hindu
), and 2.3 % No Religion.
, Brunswick
, Northcote
and Dandenong, while Sri Lankan Australian media is also growing with newspapers, television and radio stations broadcasting cultural programs.
Websites
Radio
Newspapers
TV
Radio
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...
n heritage living in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. This includes at least four Sri Lankan ethnic groups in Australia the 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...
, Sri Lankan Tamil, Sri Lankan Moors
Sri Lankan Moors
The Sri Lankan Moors are the third largest ethnic group in Sri Lanka comprising 8% of the country's total population . They are predominantly followers of Islam. The Moors trace their ancestry to Arab traders who settled in Sri Lanka some time between the 8th and 15th centuries...
and Burghers
Burgher people
The Burghers are a Eurasian ethnic group, historically from Sri Lanka, consisting for the most part of male-line descendants of European colonists from the 16th to 20th centuries and local women, with some minorities of Swedish, Norwegian, French and Irish.Today the mother tongue of the Burghers...
. According to Australian Bureau of Statistics
Australian Bureau of Statistics
The Australian Bureau of Statistics is Australia's national statistical agency. It was created as the Commonwealth Bureau of Census and Statistics on 8 December 1905, when the Census and Statistics Act 1905 was given Royal assent. It had its beginnings in section 51 of the Constitution of Australia...
data, there is no self-identifying "Sri Lankan Australian" group. Persons linked to 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...
self-identify as mainly "Sinhalese Australian", "Tamil Australian" or "Burgher". Most Sri Lankan Australians (indeed, most Sri Lankans in general, see Demographics of Sri Lanka
Demographics of Sri Lanka
This article is about the demographic features of the population of Sri Lanka, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population....
) are Sinhalese.
Early arrivals
Recorded Sri Lankan immigration to Australia started in 1816, with the transportation of Drum Major William O'Dean (a Sri Lankan Malay) and his wife Eve (a SinhaleseSinhalese 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...
). Early immigrants from Sri Lanka (at that time known as Ceylon) were generally (unlike the O'Deans) absorbed into the Aboriginal
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
population. Other early references of Sri Lankan migration date back to the 1870s when authorities in South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
sought out the possibility of importing labour from Ceylon. The first 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...
from Sri Lanka arrived in 1870 to work in sugarcane
Sugarcane
Sugarcane refers to any of six to 37 species of tall perennial grasses of the genus Saccharum . Native to the warm temperate to tropical regions of South Asia, they have stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in sugar, and measure two to six metres tall...
plantations in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
. A community was believed to exist on Thursday Island in 1876. In 1882, a group of 500 left 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...
for Queensland, mostly in Mackay
Mackay, Queensland
Mackay is a city on the eastern coast of Queensland, Australia, about north of Brisbane, on the Pioneer River. Mackay is nicknamed the sugar capital of Australia because its region produces more than a third of Australia's cane sugar....
.
20th century
Under the White Australia policy, immigration was negligible. It resumed after the Second World War primarily involving migration of Burghers, who fulfilled the then criteria that they should be of predominantly European ancestry and that their appearance should be European. By 1954 around 2000 Sri Lankans had been accepted. Sinhalese migration began in the 1960s but it was after the mid-1970s that large groups arrived, which also included Christians and Buddhists. During the 1970s intake restrictions loosened and Sri Lankan students undertook courses in Australia as part of the Colombo PlanColombo Plan
The Colombo Plan is a regional organization that embodies the concept of collective inter-governmental effort to strengthen economic and social development of member countries in the Asia-Pacific Region...
prior to the formal dismantling of the White Australia policy
White Australia policy
The White Australia policy comprises various historical policies that intentionally restricted "non-white" immigration to Australia. From origins at Federation in 1901, the polices were progressively dismantled between 1949-1973....
, and after 1973 and from the early 1980s Sinhalese, Tamil and Moor migration resumed and increased.
Present
Sri Lankans have generally settled easily into Australia, because of their ability in English, and achieved prominence in professional life. In The Australian People, S. Pinnawala writes that "social interaction between the various Sri Lankan migrant groups has often been influenced by factors originating in their home country".In the 1980s, on a reflection of ethnic unrest
Sri Lankan civil war
The Sri Lankan Civil War was a conflict fought on the island of Sri Lanka. Beginning on July 23, 1983, there was an on-and-off insurgency against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , a separatist militant organization which fought to create an independent Tamil state named Tamil...
in Sri Lanka, tensions between the Sinhalese and Tamil communities grew. However, in Pinnawala's opinion, more recently a Sri Lankan identity has developed among the various religious and ethnic migrants.
This has led to many new community organisations being established to promote Sri Lankan culture
Culture of Sri Lanka
The culture of Sri Lanka has been influenced by many things in the past, but has managed to retain much of its ancient, rich aspects. Mostly it has been influenced by its rich history, diversity, and religious beliefs. The country has a rich artistic tradition, embracing the fine arts, including...
and traditions. There have also been strong links formed between Sinhalese Buddhists now living in Australia and their co-religionists from Burma, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
and Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
. Similar trends can be traced between Christian migrants from Sri Lanka who now live in Australia.
Demographics
Sri Lankan Australians are the 16th largest ethnic group in Australia, numbering 62,256. The city of MelbourneMelbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
contains just under half of the Sri Lankan Australians. Fewer than 20% are estimated to live outside New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
and Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
.
| SuburbAreas with a high concentration of Sri Lankans in Australia, accoding to the 2006 Census. | Percentage of Sri Lankans |
|---|---|
| Homebush, New South Wales Homebush, New South Wales Homebush is an inner western suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Homebush is located 15 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Municipality of Strathfield. Homebush West and Homebush Bay are separate suburbs... |
8.5% |
| Homebush West, New South Wales Homebush West, New South Wales Homebush West is an inner western suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Homebush West is located 16 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Municipality of Strathfield... |
5.4% |
| Dandenong, Victoria Dandenong, Victoria Dandenong is a suburb and major urban centre in metropolitan Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 30 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Situated on Dandenong Creek and mostly flat land at the foothills of Mount Dandenong, it is the main administrative centre for the City of... |
4.8% |
| Strathfield South, New South Wales Strathfield South, New South Wales Strathfield South is a suburb, in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Strathfield South is located 14 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Municipality of Strathfield.... |
4.8% |
| Endeavour Hills, Victoria Endeavour Hills, Victoria Endeavour Hills is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Casey... |
4.5% |
| Lynbrook, Victoria Lynbrook, Victoria Lynbrook is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 36 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Casey. At the 2009 Census, Lynbrook had a population of 6490.... |
4.5% |
| Hallam, Victoria Hallam, Victoria Hallam is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 35 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Casey... |
4.3% |
| Lyndhurst, Victoria Lyndhurst, Victoria Lyndhurst is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 35 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is both the City of Casey and the city of Greater Dandenong.... |
4.2% |
| Dandenong North, Victoria Dandenong North, Victoria Dandenong North is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 29 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Greater Dandenong... |
3.7% |
| Hampton Park, Victoria Hampton Park, Victoria Hampton Park is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 36 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district, home to the famous photographer, Patricia Casten. Jonathan Helmy also lives here. Its Local Government Area is the City of Casey... |
3.7% |
| Noble Park, Victoria Noble Park, Victoria Noble Park is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 26 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Greater Dandenong... |
3.6% |
| Glen Waverley, Victoria Glen Waverley, Victoria Glen Waverley is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 19 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Monash... |
3.6% |
| Clayton South, Victoria Clayton South, Victoria Clayton South is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 20 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Kingston. At the 2006 Census, Clayton South had a population of 10,644.-History:... |
3.4% |
| Clayton, Victoria Clayton, Victoria Clayton is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 19 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Monash. At the 2006 Census, Clayton had a population of 14,332.-Overview:... |
3.3% |
| Oakleigh East, Victoria Oakleigh East, Victoria Oakleigh East is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is located 16 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Monash. At the 2006 Census, Oakleigh East had a population of 5,623.-History:... |
3.2% |
| Keysborough, Victoria Keysborough, Victoria Keysborough is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 27 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Greater Dandenong... |
3.1% |
| Lidcombe, New South Wales Lidcombe, New South Wales Lidcombe is a suburb in western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales Australia. Lidcombe is located 14 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Auburn Council.... |
3.1% |
| Mount Waverley, Victoria Mount Waverley, Victoria Mount Waverley is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 16 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Monash... |
2.8% |
| Mulgrave, Victoria Mulgrave, Victoria Mulgrave is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 21 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Monash. At the 2006 Census, Mulgrave had a population of 16,280.... |
2.7% |
| Noble Park North, Victoria Noble Park North, Victoria Noble Park North is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 26 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Greater Dandenong... |
2.7% |
| Narre Warren South, Victoria Narre Warren South, Victoria Narre Warren South is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 41 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Casey... |
2.5% |
| Strathfield, New South Wales Strathfield, New South Wales Strathfield is an Inner West suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Strathfield is located 14 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre of the local government area of the Municipality of Strathfield... |
2.5% |
| Chadstone, Victoria Chadstone, Victoria Chadstone is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Its Local Government Area is the City of Monash. Landmarks include the Waverley Basketball Centre, Jordanville Community Centre and the Matthew Flinders Hotel... |
2.4% |
| Huntingdale, Victoria Huntingdale, Victoria Huntingdale is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 16 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Monash... |
2.2% |
| Burwood, Victoria Burwood, Victoria Burwood is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 17 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is largely the City of Whitehorse but includes the City of Monash in its south west corner. At the 2006 Census, Burwood had a population of 11,886.-History:The... |
2.2% |
| Notting Hill, Victoria Notting Hill, Victoria Notting Hill is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 19 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Monash. At the 2006 Census, Notting Hill had a population of 18,901.-History:... |
2.1% |
| Narre Warren, Victoria Narre Warren, Victoria Narre Warren is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 42 km south east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Casey. At the 2006 Census, Narre Warren had a population of 25,667. Narre Warren has a population density of over 2000 people per square... |
2.0% |
| Cranbourne West, Victoria Cranbourne West, Victoria Cranbourne West is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 41 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Casey... |
1.9% |
| Lysterfield South, Victoria Lysterfield South, Victoria Lysterfield South is a rural locality in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 33 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district, and adjacent to the main urban area. Its Local Government Area is the City of Casey... |
1.6% |
| Cranbourne North, Victoria Cranbourne North, Victoria Cranbourne North is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 40 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Casey. At the 2006 Census, Cranbourne North had a population of 9708.... |
1.6% |
| Springvale South, Victoria Springvale South, Victoria Springvale South is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 24 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Greater Dandenong... |
1.6% |
| Berwick, Victoria Berwick, Victoria Berwick is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Casey. At the 2006 Census, Berwick had a population of 36,420.... |
1.3% |
The number of Sri Lankan Australians counted in 1996, including the second-generation, was 64,068. However, the actual figure is likely to be far higher (perhaps twice as much), since Burgher Australians generally return themselves as of 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...
ancestry and, as such, cannot be separated out from statistical totals for Dutch Australians. The same applies to Sri Lankan people of other European
European ethnic groups
The ethnic groups in Europe are the various ethnic groups that reside in the nations of Europe. European ethnology is the field of anthropology focusing on Europe....
, Eurasian
Eurasian (mixed ancestry)
The word Eurasian refers to people of mixed Asian and European ancestry. It was originally coined in 19th-century British India to refer to Anglo-Indians of mixed British and Indian descent....
and Malay
Malay race
The concept of a Malay race was proposed by the German scientist Johann Friedrich Blumenbach , and classified as the brown race. Since Blumenbach, many anthropologists have rejected his theory of five races, citing the enormous complexity of classifying races...
origin. A calculation of the make-up of the Sri Lankan Australian population in 1991 estimated that Burghers were 47.9%, Sinhalese 26.2%, Tamils 18.7% and Moors
Sri Lankan Moors
The Sri Lankan Moors are the third largest ethnic group in Sri Lanka comprising 8% of the country's total population . They are predominantly followers of Islam. The Moors trace their ancestry to Arab traders who settled in Sri Lanka some time between the 8th and 15th centuries...
7.2%.
The census recorded 53,610 Sri Lanka-born in Australia, of which 36,410 gave their ethnicity as Sinhalese, 4,150 as Tamil, and 1,690 as Dutch (i.e., Burgher).
The rate of assimilation among Sri Lankan Australians is fairly high: among second-generation immigrants, the 'in-marriage' rate was extremely low - 5.6% for brides and 3.0% for grooms.
| Population growth of Sri Lankan Australians |
|
|---|---|
| 1816 | 2 |
| 1876 | 500+ |
| 1976 | 14,866 |
| 1981 | 16,966 |
| 1986 | 22,513 |
| 1991 | 37,283 |
| 1996 | 64,068 |
| 2001 | 53,461 |
| 2006 | 62,256 |
| Source:Australian Bureau of Statistics Australian Bureau of Statistics The Australian Bureau of Statistics is Australia's national statistical agency. It was created as the Commonwealth Bureau of Census and Statistics on 8 December 1905, when the Census and Statistics Act 1905 was given Royal assent. It had its beginnings in section 51 of the Constitution of Australia... Data is based on Australian Government Census. |
|
Sinhalese number approximately 29,055 or 0.1% of the population of Australia in the 2006 Census, that is a 8,395 or 40.6% change since 2001. There are 73,849 or 0.4% of the population of Australia have 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...
ansestry in 2006, while this was 26% less in 2001 at 58,602. The census is counted by Sri Lankans who speak Sinhalese at home.
According to census data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in 2004, Sinhalese Australians are, by religion, 29.7 % 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"...
, 8.0 % Anglican, 9.9 Other Christian, 46.9 % Other Religions (mainly Buddhist), and 5.5 % No Religion. The Sinhalese Language is also the 29th fastest growing language in Australia, in front of Somali
Somali language
The Somali language is a member of the East Cushitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family. Its nearest relatives are Afar and Oromo. Somali is the best documented of the Cushitic languages, with academic studies beginning before 1900....
and behind Hindi and Belorussian.
Sinhalese Australians have an exceptionally low rate of return migration to Sri Lanka. In December 2001, the Department of Foreign Affairs estimated that there were 800 Australian citizens resident in Sri Lanka. It is unclear whether these were returning Sri Lankan emigrants with Australian citizenship
Australian nationality law
Australian nationality law determines who is and who is not an Australian, and is based primarily on the principle of Jus soli. The status of Australian citizenship was created by the Nationality and Citizenship Act 1948 which received Royal Assent on 21 December 1948 and came into force on...
, their Sri Lankan Australian children, or other Australians present on business or for some other reason.
Baddaginnie, Victoria
Baddaginnie, Victoria
Baddaginnie is a small town in Victoria, Australia. It is located on the Albury-Wodonga railway line, in the Rural City of Benalla, 12 kilometres south-west of Benalla itself on the old Hume Highway. It is situated in mainly flat unforested country, one kilometre west of Baddaginnie Creek...
is named for the Sinhala word for 'hungry'. The town of Dimboola, Victoria
Dimboola, Victoria
Dimboola is located in Shire of Hindmarsh in the Wimmera region of Western Victoria, Australia, 334 kilometres north-west of Melbourne.Situated on the Wimmera River in the State of Victoria,the town of Dimboola was previously known as 'Nine Creeks'.Following a survey conducted in late 1862 by...
is also named after a Sinhala word.
Tamil number 30,000 in the 2006 Census. (This number also includes Tamils born in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and elsewhere). According to 1994 data, Tamil Australians are, by religion, 10.9 % 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"...
, 4.1 % Anglican, 9.6 Other Christian, 73.1 % Other Religions (mainly 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...
), and 2.3 % No Religion.
Buddhism
Sri Lankans have established many Theravada Buddhist temples across Victoria, New South Wales,Queensland and South AustraliaCulture
Popularly celebrated community festivals include Sri Lankan Independence Day (4 February) and Sri Lankan New Year (14 April). Sri Lankan restaurants are a becoming a popular feature of shopping strips in Central Melbourne, HawthornHawthorn, Victoria
Hawthorn is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Boroondara...
, Brunswick
Brunswick, Victoria
Brunswick is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 6 km north from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Moreland...
, Northcote
Northcote, Victoria
Northcote is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 7 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Darebin...
and Dandenong, while Sri Lankan Australian media is also growing with newspapers, television and radio stations broadcasting cultural programs.
Australia
Organizations- United Sri Lankan Muslim Association (1990)
- Committee for Sri Lanka (1993)
- Australia Sri Lanka Council (1994)
Websites
New South Wales
Organizations- The Sri Lanka Association of NSW
- Sinhalese Cultural Forum of NSW
- Austra-Lanka Muslims Association (ALMA)
Radio
- SBS Radio 2SBS RadioSBS Radio is a service provided by the Special Broadcasting Service '..to inform, educate and entertain Australians, especially those of non-English speaking backgrounds'. SBS Radio originally began as two stations based in Melbourne and Sydney, set up to provide pre-recorded information about the...
(Sydney 97.7 fm) - SBS Radio 2SBS RadioSBS Radio is a service provided by the Special Broadcasting Service '..to inform, educate and entertain Australians, especially those of non-English speaking backgrounds'. SBS Radio originally began as two stations based in Melbourne and Sydney, set up to provide pre-recorded information about the...
(Wollongong 1035 am)
Victoria
Organizations- Association of Sri Lankan Muslims in Australia (ASLAMA)
- Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia
- Sinhalese Cultural and Community Service Foundation
- Society for Peace Unity and Human Rights for Sri Lanka (SPUR)
- Sri Lankan Association of Victoria (formerly the Ceylon Club of Australia)
- Sri Lankan Study Centre for the Advancement of Technology and Social Welfare
- United Sri Lankan Muslim Association of Australia (USMAA)
Newspapers
- Pahana (Sinhala)
- Sannasa (Sinhala)
- Hiru Kirana (Sinhala)
TV
- One World Sri Lanka (Channel 31)
- Sri Lanka Morning Show (Channel 31)
- TV Sri Lanka (Channel 31)
- Sri Lanka Clip Show (Channel 31)
- Sri Lanka Today (Channel 31)
Radio
- SBS Radio 2SBS RadioSBS Radio is a service provided by the Special Broadcasting Service '..to inform, educate and entertain Australians, especially those of non-English speaking backgrounds'. SBS Radio originally began as two stations based in Melbourne and Sydney, set up to provide pre-recorded information about the...
(93.1 fm)
Western Australia
OrganizationsFurther reading
- Information about Sri Lankans in Australia can be obtained from following publications;
- Gamage, S.'Curtains of culture, ethnicity, and class: changing composition of the Sri Lankan community in Australia, Journal of intercultural studies, vol 19(1), 1998,pp. 37–56.
- Gamage, S.2001. Sinhalese in Australia, in The Australian people - An Encyclopedia of the nation, its people and their origins(ed) James Jupp, 2nd edition, Cambridge University Press,Cambridge, pp, 684-685.
- Gamage, S.2002. Adaptation Experiences of Sri Lankan Immigrants and their Children in Australia in the Context of Multiculturalism and Anglo-Conformity, in Annette Richardson and Michael Wyness(eds) Exploring Cultural Perspectives: Integration and Globalization, International Cultural Research Network (ICRN) Press, Edmonton, pp. 3–29.