Writing POC 101

Sri Lankan Characters - @Arcticlion

First of all, let me just say that even though I am a pure Sri Lankan in blood, I am born and bred in Sweden. I can barely talk the language singele at all (shameful, I know.) But I will still make a run down of basic things to know when writing about a Sri Lankan character from what I know from my own family and experiences.

Okay, second, I'll start with some geography. Sri Lanka is a small, island-nation-country located in Asia. More specifically beneath India. Sri Lanka do have a lot in common with India, but it is very important to remember that we are NOT actually indians. It's a common misception. Sri Lanka is its own nation and has it's own culture. Let's start with some things, shall we?

THE FOOD

The stereotype that 'all asians love rice!' does not only apply to east asians. We love rice as well. Rice, spices, and coconuts are the key words for Sri Lankan culinary art.

(And tea. Not sure if it's considered as food at all, but tea is important for us. Maybe a little more than usual thanks to a certain nation... Looking at you, Britain.)

Anyway. Kiribath [milk rice], rotti [flat bread of flour], and pol sambol [coconut rice kinda thing] is some traditional, common dishes. It's very easy to Google up if you want to find more and see how they look like. Another thing to know about food is how we, very often, eat it. Not with cutlery, not with chopsticks, but with our hand. Yes, hand. Fingers. Please do not make that offensive assumption where you think we eat like cavemen because we don't, unless it's a four year old new beginner. Eating food with your hands, especially rice dishes, is very common for south Asian countries in general. You can of course eat with cutlery too, but it's normal to eat with hands instead. If you don't ask for a fork you don't get it because it is expected that you will use your hand.

(BUT WE ARE NOT EATING SPAGHETTI OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT WITH OUR HANDS THOUGH. THAT'S ACTUALLY PRETTY WEIRD.)

We wash our hands before and after meal. We don't use two hands, only one. Since I'm right handed, I use my right one. If you're left handed then you will of course use your left one.

I personally use five fingers to pinch the rice. You use your fingertips to form the rice and all into a little ball before putting it in your mouth. But I've seen my dad do it with only three fingers. It depends person to person I guess.

PEOPLE

All Sri Lankan people I have ever met is either super social or super introvert. There's no in between... Seriously though, most of us are very social people. Generous and positive and polite and very talk active. If my parents meet a fellow Sinhalese friend in the store it will take like hours before we get home. They talk and talk and talk and talk. Family (especially family. Family is basically everything), friends, and community are very important. Living alone is considered sad and pathetic.

Guests are treated extremely well and get practically overflowed by food. Seriously.

PARENTS AND FAMILY

Ah, yes. Family is in our culture priority one. It is very uncommon to be an only child.

And the Sinhalese parents are... more or less strict. They have expectations, but what parent doesn't? But in some areas they are, in my opinion, a little too much. The first one is grades, and the other one is clothing. They care a lot about what other people think and that the children reflects the parents. To be dressed 'decent' and have good grades is therefore important. Mention sex or tattoos and you're done.

SOME FACTS THAT CAN BE GOOD TO KNOW

Homosexuality is banned in Sri Lanka (not for too long I hope.) While some are not exactly against it and are homophobic or anything, they will most likely find homosexuality abnormal.

The majority of people is buddhists. That you can do research on, but don't over do it. Buddhism does not include praying or anything, it's more like following a philosophy. Also, New Year, by buddhism in Sri Lanka, is celebrated in April.

Sinhalese people are not always very... punctual. If they say they will show up at five, they'll probably show up five thirty or six.

Not sure if this helped, not sure if I even made it correct, hell, I don't even know if my text and english understandable! (Fellow Sri lankas, please correct me if I did something wrong. Send me to hell if I stereotyped or offended my own blood wrong.) But hopefully you have a little more insight about Sri lankan people. Hope you learned something and good luck with everything!