In a digital era where social media platforms shape public opinion and cultural narratives, a recent controversy has brought to light the challenges faced by Sri Lanka’s Indigenous Veddah community. A satirical YouTube video has sparked outrage, leading the community’s leader, Uruwarige Vannila Aththo, to take legal action. The video’s misrepresentation of the Veddah people has ignited a debate on cultural respect, free speech and digital responsibility.
A controversial video
The video, titled Suduwalige Aththo, was produced by the popular YouTube comedy duo Blok and Dino. Within just a week of its release, it garnered over a million views. While some found it humorous, the portrayal of an indigenous leader in a satirical and exaggerated manner has deeply offended the Veddah community.
In the video, the character, clearly modelled after a Veddah leader is depicted engaging in questionable business practices. The community feels that the portrayal distorts the indigenous language, traditions and cultural identity for comedic effect, leading to concerns that such content trivialises the rich heritage of the Veddah people.
Veddah Chieftain Uruwarige Wannila Aththo, who has long been a vocal advocate for Indigenous rights, expressed his disappointment and frustration when he spoke to the Sunday Observer.
“These days, a video is circulating on social media. In it, someone is acting as a leader of our community and is doing a big business. We spoke to those who did it within two or three days of posting it. But they have not removed it. It is true that there is freedom of expression. But if it harms any nation or community, such things cannot be done. Even after explaining this to those who did this, the video has not been removed. It does not matter if it harms a country, nation, or a community as long as they get money, that is what they want,” he said.
According to the Veddah Chieftain the video has been created in such a way that their language, customs and some cultural aspects have been distorted. “We have informed them as a duty. We now hope to go to Court against them and file a case for the disgrace they are causing to our community. We have already spoken to several lawyers. We hope to go to Colombo and take action regarding this. They will also have to pay compensation for the insult to our community and our reputation,” he said.
Legal protection for indigenous rights
His statement clearly highlights the deep emotional and cultural impact of such portrayals, emphasizing the need to protect the integrity of Indigenous heritage from being misused for entertainment. While Sri Lanka endorsed the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People’s (UNDRIP) in 2007, there is still no exclusive national legislation dedicated to safeguarding Indigenous rights. This legal gap has often left Indigenous communities vulnerable to misrepresentation, discrimination and marginalisation. However, recent developments suggest a shift in policy. In August 2024, the Cabinet approved the drafting of a Bill to protect Indigenous cultural rights. This proposed legislation seeks to address concerns related to the exploitation of the Indigenous identity in media and commercial platforms.
If passed, the Law will set clear guidelines on how Indigenous cultural aspects can be represented in the media. It will also provide Indigenous groups with a legal pathway to challenge cases of cultural misrepresentation and demand accountability. Human rights lawyer, Ravindranath Dabare has strongly supported the Veddah community’s stance, emphasizing the ethical and legal implications of the video.
“In that video posted on YouTube, the costumes, customs and certain cultural words of the Indigenous people were subjected to humour, satire and ridicule. In some places, the cultural elements of the Indigenous community were distorted and depicted. This is really wrong. The culture of the Indigenous community is like a part of their life. The Indigenous community highly values their traditional customs and traditions.
Their traditional life should not be used for jokes or commercial purposes. They can have their own culture, their own religion and their own customs. Every person has the right to perform rituals. In fact, this video has challenged the rights of the Indigenous community. The Indigenous community will take legal action against this. If their culture and customs have been challenged, the Indigenous community has every right to take legal action against it.” he said. While Dabare’s statement underscores the importance of responsible content creation, highlighting how humour should not come at the expense of marginalised communities the Sri Lankan Government has acknowledged long standing concerns of the Vedda community.
Human rights lawyer,
Ravindranath Dabare
In January 2025, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya instructed officials to implement legal protection for Indigenous rights within three months. These efforts were discussed at a high-level meeting involving key ministries and Indigenous representatives.
Minister of Cultural Affairs, Hiniduma Sunil Senevi, reaffirmed the Government’s dedication.
“The Indigenous community is a group that claims to inherit a large culture. The current Government is preparing the relevant legal measures to protect their rights. This year’s Budget also includes provisions for them. A few months ago, a discussion was held between the Prime Minister, several ministries, and the Indigenous community. It was held under the leadership of the Environment Ministry. There, too, there were lengthy discussions about the problems facing the Indigenous community. We are working to make arrangements to protect their rights.” he said.
Cultural misrepresentation
This controversy serves as a reminder of the broader issue of cultural misrepresentation in the media. In an era where digital content spreads rapidly, inaccurate or offensive portrayals can have lasting effects on how communities are perceived by the public. For historically marginalised groups such as the Veddah, such representations can reinforce stereotypes and undermine their efforts to preserve their identity.
Social media platforms like YouTube have revolutionised storytelling, providing a space for diverse voices. However, they have also become breeding grounds for cultural insensitivity. The responsibility lies with content creators to ensure that their work does not harm or disrespect vulnerable communities.
