Re-exploring the links

More about the book

The island of Ceilão holds a significant place in the political imagination of early modern Portugal, while the Portuguese influence remains strong in Sri Lankan collective memory. Five centuries later, historians, art historians, anthropologists, and linguists explore this complex relationship through various lenses, including texts, maps, and oral histories. Authored by 15 international scholars, the work is divided into four parts: "Political Realities and Cultural Imagination," "Religion: Conflict and Interaction," "Space and Heritage: Construction, Representation," and "Language and Ethnicity, Identity and Memory." Although published to mark the Portuguese arrival in Sri Lanka, this volume does not celebrate the event but rather seeks to challenge nationalist narratives and the rhetoric of both discovery and aggression. The aim is to foster an academic debate that transcends political agendas, addressing a shared history between Portugal and Sri Lanka. Key contributions include analyses of Portuguese impressions in Tamil chronicles, the conversion of rulers, representations of Sri Lankan space in Portuguese texts, and the cultural legacy of Portuguese Burghers. This collection redefines the historical discourse surrounding the Portuguese presence in Sri Lanka, emphasizing a nuanced understanding of cultural interactions.