My field work experience with Sri Lankan Vedda

My research in Sri Lanka focuses on sustained engagement with Vedda Indigenous communities, with field visits in 2023, 2024, and 2025. I conduct ongoing data collection across multiple research projects through repeated visits and continuous interaction with community members. This long-term, relationship-based approach informs my research and supports collaborative knowledge generation.

My 2025 Visit

My 2025 visit

From May to June 2025, I conducted a one-month fieldwork period in Sri Lanka as part of my ongoing research with six Vedda Indigenous communities. This field visit was carried out with my advisor, Dr. Eranga Galappaththi, and my lab mate, Hannah Garbutt, as part of a collaborative research team. During this period, I conducted semi-structured interviews and key informant interviews to collect data on climate–food–health systems, gender-related dynamics, and sustainability practices within Vedda communities. In addition to data collection, I also served as a translator for my lab mate, supporting effective communication and culturally appropriate engagement with community members. This visit strengthened both the collaborative nature of our research and the depth of our community-based data collection.

My 2024 Visit

From July to August 2024, I conducted a one-month fieldwork period in Sri Lanka with my advisor, Dr. Eranga Galappaththi. This visit focused primarily on my master’s thesis, which examined Indigenous Peoples’ food system governance. During this fieldwork, I conducted 56 semi-structured interviews with Indigenous community members to better understand food systems, governance structures, and local decision-making processes. In addition, this work was supported by funding from ICAT at Virginia Tech, through which we collected data on uplifting Indigenous livelihoods through technological interventions. As part of my involvement with IPON, we also conducted intercultural knowledge dialogues in Polebadda, an initiative introduced by PAHO, which facilitated meaningful exchanges between Indigenous knowledge holders and researchers. This field visit contributed significantly to my thesis research and to broader collaborative, community-centered projects.

My 2025 Visit

My 2023 visit

My 2023 field visit marked the beginning of my research journey with Indigenous Peoples and remains the most foundational phase of my work. From May to June 2023, my advisor, Dr. Eranga Galappaththi and I visited Indigenous communities across Sri Lanka, initiating long-term engagement and relationship-building. During this visit, we established our first connections with six Indigenous communities, laying the groundwork for sustained collaboration and trust. In addition to community visits, we engaged with relevant Divisional Secretariat offices associated with these Indigenous communities to better understand institutional contexts and to obtain population statistics and administrative information, including Grama Niladhari divisions. Beyond the six primary communities, we also visited three additional Indigenous communities, expanding our understanding of regional diversity and local contexts. This initial visit shaped my commitment to community-centered, long-term research engagement and set the foundation for all subsequent fieldwork.