Cedar Sentinel 2013-2014 Issues April 2014: Volume 47 Issue 6 | Page 17

Off the southern tip of India there is a little island nation by the name of Sri Lanka. In the grand scheme of things, it isn’t very significant, having a small population, producing no great emperors, generals, or revolutionaries. What is has produced is some of the best people I have had the privilege of knowing. I am half Sri Lankan on my mother’s side and I hope to one day visit the land of my ancestors. Sri Lanka is known as the “Pearl of the Indian Ocean” because of its natural beauty, shape, and location. Another thing Sri Lanka is known for is its people and their good nature, being called ‘The Nation of Smiling People”. After being to more than a few family reunions, I can confirm that this is the truth. Interestingly enough, despite a recent 30 year civil war ending with the military’s victory, Sri Lanka is the only nation in South Asia to achieve the rating “High” on the human development index. The country is currently a republic with the capital being Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte, technically a suburb of the island nation’s capital, Colombo. Colombo is often mentioned as the official capital merely because it is so much shorter and easier to pronounce. Another unique thing about Sri Lanka is that it is the oldest democracy in South Asia, attaining this status in 1948 after separating from the British Empire. Historically, Sri Lanka has produced tea, rubber, and cinnamon, mostly because its acquisition by the British Empire in the 1800’s. The British introduced these crops to pump all they could out of the nation before the natives revolted and took back their land. Their fears were not unfounded as a number of revolts took place during the latter half of the 19th century, all being brutally and swiftly put down by the East India Trading Company. Nowadays Sri Lanka still produces tea, rubber, and cinnamon, but has augmented these exports with precious gems, for which the country is internationally renowned, being some of the finest and most abundant in the world. Despite being such a small nation, the island is bursting with life, having the highest biodiversity density in Asia. Across it’s flatlands and jungle it has Sri Lankan SRILANKA Paul Roscheman Elephants, leopards, sloth-bears, anteaters, and much, much more. One of my favourite things about being half Sri Lankan is the food. Rice and Curry is some of the best cuisine in the world, in my opinion having no equal. Sri Lanka i