Veddah

VED

nearly extinct

Alternate Names: Beda, Bedda, Vaedda, Veda, Veddha, Weda, Weddo

Genealogy:

Indo-European
Indo-Iranian
Indo-Aryan
Sinhalese-Maldivian

Demographics: Ethnic population: 2,500 (2002).

Language Use: Shifting to Sinhala [sin]. Veddah reportedly no longer used (Breton 1997).

Nation of Origin: Sri Lanka

Other Comments: They live in small rural settlements and are more of a caste than a separate ethnic group. Generally accepted as equal in rank to the Sinhalese Goyigama caste.