BURGHER OR EURASIAN?

According to my Sri Lankan birth certificate I am classified as a Eurasian. Furthermore my parents are recorded in the Race Category as Eurasian ( paternal ) and Burgher (maternal ). I am aware that at birth the child automatically inherits the Fathers race. As to what I am bringing into question is the definition between a Burgher and a Eurasian. Here lies my confusion, why not just one or the other? Given that in vernacular English Eurasian is a term that refers to those of mixed European and Asian ancestry, regardless of continent of origin. Like the Eurasians the Burghers are a group said to be historically from Sri Lanka sired for the most part of male-line descendents Of European colonists from the 16^th to 20^th centuries mostly consisting of Portuguese, Dutch and British with local Sinhalese & Tamil women. Where lies the definition between being a Burgher or a Eurasian? Given that in both groups the offspring is of mixed origin. In this instance that of European and South Asian.

The Wikipedia online Encyclopaedia states that “ the Burghers were legally defined by law in 1883, by the Chief Justice of Ceylon, Sir Richard Ottley, given before the Commission which was appointed in connection with the establishment of a legislative Council in Ceylon. It was decided that in order to be defined as a Burgher, one's father had to have been born in Sri Lanka, with at least one European ancestor on one's direct paternal side, regardless of the ethnic origin of one's mother, or what other ethnic groups may be found on the father's side.”. Where did this legislation leave the Eurasians like my paternal grandparents? Why they were legally not recognised as Burghers themselves baffles me, after all the word Eurasian was originally coined during the19th century British Colonisation of South Asia to refer to persons born of European fathers and South Asian mothers. I would also like to know that when the Burghers were legally defined by law was it just relegated to the Dutch Burgers or did it also apply to the other Burger Community the Portuguese Burghers?

I have not lived in Sri Lanka for over 22 years and am not familiar with the current protocol when it comes to filling out Birth Certificates, do they still require that you state Race? I am married to an European and my daughter is of mixed heritage. In most western countries race is not required, therefore the only thing that is stated is nationality and given that she was born in Australia, she is Australian. However her parents nationalities are stated on her Birth Certificate but have no bearing upon her nationality.

I am no expert in Genealogy or the precise history of my birth country. I am genuinely interested in what others have to contribute to what I have written and perhaps clarify some issues. Please don’t hold back after all at the end of the day most of us are a mixed dill pickle with a rich and colourful heritage that spans back to 2000 B.C why not share it with the rest of the world!

Chemene Dahl 21 September 2007