Salagama

[6] Some Salagamas also have the vasagama or surname "Nambudirige" meaning "of the Nambudiri", which Prof. Gananath Obeyesekere deems as a spurious attempt by the caste to elevate their status to that of the Nambudiri Brahmins of Kerala (Due to caste competition with the Karava who claimed Kshatriya status).

[citation needed]The Dutch demand for cinnamon was more intense than that of the Portuguese, and by the era of British control mortality rates among Salagamas had increased sharply.

It became common practice for cinnamon peelers' children to be registered under the names of other castes in order to spare them a life of ever-growing misery.

[11] Traditionally, the Salagama were divided into four sub-castes:[12] However, in modern times there is a simple twofold division between the Hewapanne and the Kurundukara.

Today, the Salagama predominance in cinnamon cultivation has declined, the higher status gained by the caste leading to its members abandoning their traditional occupation.

The Railway made access to employment in Colombo and other urban centres very much easier, and the caste became a very important part of the working class.

Its higher echelons became notable in the engineering profession, mainly due to the influence of Sir Cyril de Zoysa, who owned the South Western Omnibus Company (see Ceylon Transport Board) and the Associated Motorways Group, and other businessmen in the motor trade.