The Ahikuntaka

www.dilmahconservation.org
Table 23: Distribution of the respondents’ response to the question whether they wish to preserve
their culture
Respondents’ response Frequency % of the total
Yes 284 79.55
No 73 20.44
Total 357 100
When the respondents were asked if they wished to preserve their culture, a 79.55% majority stated that they wished to do so (Table
23) while only a small percentage of 20.44% responded in the negative. As indicated in Table 24, a majority of the respondents
45.07% who felt their culture should be preserved, felt so for the purpose of showcasing a unique and dying culture. The second largest
group29.57% felt so for the purpose of passing on the traditional knowledge to the future generation. Out of the 357 respondents, 73
felt that their culture could not be preserved.
Table 24: Distribution of the respondents’ responses in relation to why they feel that their culture
should be preserved in the present form
Respondents’ response Frequency % of the total
In order to conserve the culture, value system and customs 54 19.01
With the intention of practicing the unique endemic occupations 18 6.33
With the aim of passing on the traditional knowledge to the future generations 84 29.57
With the purpose of showing a unique and dying culture 128 45.07
Total 284 100
Reasons given as to why they feel the culture should be preserved (Table 24) ranged from their desire to conserve their culture, value
system and customs practising the endemic occupations passing a traditional knowledge to future generations and also to showcase a
unique and dying culture.
82 The Ahikuntaka