THE HISTORY OF NEGOMBO

The above titled article by ‘An Octogenarian’ in your Sunday issue was interesting. Here is what I, a nonagenarian, knows about how the name Negombo came to being. In addition to what the article stated, it is also historically recorded that the name Negombo is the Portuguese corruption of its Tamil name Neerakolombu and the Sinhala name Meegamuwa which means and comes from old Tamil Naval terminology Meegamam Pattnam. Meegamam denotes a naval captain. The Karawe population of the area is long associated with naval and fishing activities.

That is what is recorded in history but the anecdotal and possibly acceptable story is that an Englishman was being taken on a sightseeing tour of the area in a rickshaw and barking dogs followed. He had asked the rickshaw man what the name of the place was. This worthy not knowing what the Englishman had asked, thinking that the inquiry was why the dogs are barking had replied “Nikan Buranawa” [simply barking] This reply ‘Nikan Buranawa’ was interpreted by the Englishman as “Negombo” and that is how the place was so named and continues as such.

Another version of the same yarn was that an English GA on horseback, accompanied by the headman was followed by barking dog. An inquiry on why the dogs were barking elicited the nikan buranawa reply. However that be, any ride today past parliament, whether by rickshaw, horseback or any other means will mean being treated to a lot of nikan buranawa!

GADS- Via e-mail