The goal of the Adivasi Language Dictionary Project, led by Rotary e-Club of Change Makers member, Pieter Siebel was to record this indigenous Sri Lankan language of the Vedda people for posterity
The draft of the Adivasi Dictionary represents the culmination of a collaborative effort to document and preserve the language of the Adivasi (Vedda) people of Sri Lanka. It is the result of conversations, fieldwork, community consultation, and the generous sharing of knowledge by the Vedda people of Dambana.
The draft needs further editing and formatting and Rotary e-Club of Change Makers member, Leslie Champion has offered her considerable skills for this.
The draft of the Adivasi Dictionary was compiled by Pieter Siebel In collaboration with:
- Chief Uruwarige Wannialettho
- The Vedda Community of Dambana
- Rotary E-Club of Change Makers
- Rotary Club of Badulla
- Rotaract Club of Uva Wellassa University
For thousands of years, the Vedda people have maintained a close relationship with the forests, rivers, and wildlife of Sri Lanka. Their language reflects that relationship, containing words and expressions that describe the natural world with remarkable precision and cultural depth. Many of these words are inseparable from traditional practices, oral histories, ceremonies, and ecological knowledge that have been handed down through generations.
Like many Indigenous languages throughout the world, the Adivasi language faces increasing pressure from social change, urbanisation, and language shift. The purpose of the Adivasi Dictionary is not to preserve the language as a museum piece. The Adivasi Dictionary volume has been prepared for several audiences:
- Members of the Vedda community may use it as a record of language and heritage.
- Students and teachers may use it as an educational resource.
- Researchers will find it a foundation for further linguistic and anthropological study.
Most importantly, it stands as a tribute to the resilience of the Adivasi people and their enduring cultural identity.
It is available here: Adivasi Language Dictionary - Draft 2026.07