Govi Supremacy Myth
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The ‘Govi Supremacy Myth’ dates from the 19th century and it states that all Sri Lankan castes except the Govigama caste were low castes, and that the caste system revolved around the Govi caste and existed to serve its needs. Although the Govigama and the Tamil Vellala were two distinct and unconnected communities in Sri Lanka’s history, politically ambitious individuals from both communities attempted to equate and link the two in the 19th century. As such the ‘Govi Supremacy Myth’ and the ‘Vellala Supremacy Myth’ are inextricably dependent on each other for their sustenance.
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[edit] Creation of the Myth
Several caste lists were produced by leaders of the colonial Sri Lankan Mudaliyars class during the 19th century to tabulate Sri Lankan castes according to their purported traditional status. These lists differ from each other in their sequences of listing castes but most have the Govi caste as the highest. Despite the lack of any evidence from Sri Lanka’s feudal history that such status hierarchies existed, these tables too are regarded by some writers as feudal period history.
Sri Lankan history suggests that the many occupational castes had worked together in cooperation rather than as a stratified hierarchy serving the Govi caste as suggested by the supremacy theory. British Historians, from the period when these questionable caste tables were produced, have noted how the various castes co-existed in co-operation and with respect to each other. Some examples are the endearing terms of ‘Redi Nanda’ (Aunt) and ‘Hene Mama’ (Uncle) that had been used to refer to and address members of the Washerman’s ( Rajaka or Radha )caste.
Similarly, members of the Drummer (Berava) caste had been addressed as ‘Gurunnanse’ or ‘Aedura’ (Respectful terms for a Teacher). A Navandanna Blacksmith was referred to and addressed as ‘Acari’ (Another respectful term for a Teacher). All castes including the Govi caste had used these forms of address and it is still the same in Sri Lankan villages. Barter, with goods as well as services, had been the accepted form of inter-caste exchange of services.
[edit] Myth debunked in the 1980s
The ‘Govi Supremacy Theory’ was debunked in the 1980s with the overwhelming and consistent historical evidence, some of which is listed under Govigama, spread right across all the various historical periods of Sri Lanka. No historical evidence has yet been produced to contradict the above historical position or to even show that there were exceptions in history to the low ritual status of the Govi caste.
Despite the total absence of any historical basis, revisionist history which states that the Govi caste was the highest caste can now be found in several state sponsored books, dictionaries, glossaries and encyclopedias published by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Buddhist Affairs and the Universities in Sri Lanka. The oldest evidence produced in support of this Theory is from the 19th century and that too written by or influenced by Govigama arrivistes themselves. See below for examples on how the Sri Lankan state promotes the 'Govi Supremacy Myth'.
[edit] Targeting foreign researchers
Many unsuspecting foreign writers who do not understand the Sinhala language and are unfamiliar with the vast sources of un-translated historical literature in the Sinhala language, have included this myth in their writings. Such sources are now quoted by the proponents of this theory as evidence for confirmation of the theory.
[edit] Promotion of the Myth by Sri Lankan Governments
Sri Lanka has many castes and communities and the Constitution of Sri Lanka states that it guarantees equality to all citizens and all castes. However Govigama dominated Sri Lankan Governments have put out numerous publications at state expense to falsely state that the Govi caste is higher than all other castes.
Some of the books published by Government institutions in Sri Lanka to promote the ‘Govi Supremacy Myth are:
- Madyakálína Sinhala Kalá - Ananda K. Coomaraswamy - 1962 - Published by the Department of Culture.
- The decline of Polonnaruwa and the rise of Dambadeniya ( in Sinhala and English)- Amaradasa Liyanagamagé - 1968 - Published by the Department of Cultural Affairs.
- Social History of Early Ceylon ( in Sinhala and English).- H. Ellawala - 1969 - Published by the Department of Cultural Affairs.
- Modern Ceylon Studies - S. U. Kodikara - 1970 - Published by the University of Ceylon.
- University of Ceylon, History of Ceylon, vol. I - 1971 - Published by the Vidyalankara University.
- The Practical Sinhala Dictionary - Harischandra Wijayatunga - 1982 - Published by the Department of Cultural Affairs. (This was challenged in the Supreme Court by offended parties at their own cost (SC Appn. 98/82), and also reported to the Human Rights Commission (Settlement of 02/12/87). The Editor, Harischandra Wijetunga and the Publisher, The Ministry of Cultural Affairs, defended themselves using public funds and finally agreed to correct the offensive definitions )
- Kalyáni - Journal of the University of Kelaniya - 1982 to 1987 - Published by the University of Kelaniya.
- Wealth Power and Prestige - S. T. Hettige - 1984 - Published by the Ministry of Higher Education.
- The Kandyan Kingdom - Lorna Devaraja - 1988 - Published with a grant from the President's fund.
- Madyakálína Lanká Ithihásaya - Amaradasa Liyanagamagé - 1989 - Published by the Department of Educational Publications.
- Udarata Rajadhaniya - Lorna Devaraja - 1997 - Published by the State Printing Corporation
- Sri Lankáve Ithihásaya part III - 1997 - Published by the Educational Publications Department.
- Polonnaruwa (in Sinhala and English)– Anuradha Seneviratna– 1998 - Published by the Archaeological Survey Department. (In this publication, the author, a Professor of Sinhala, goes as far as to say that King Parakramabahu was from the Govigama caste although the Mahavamsa (MV 76 48 -51)and the king himself in his own rock inscriptions says that he is from the Kshatriya Surya wansa ).
