The Wolkenbote (Cloud Messenger) [1] had a really good idea that coped with jet lag and also made the first day an experience to remember. Immediately after arriving in Sri Lanka that morning, we drove to Negombo, passing a church or school where a service was taking place and many people were gathered in the courtyard. The people were praying. Negombo is predominantly Christian, especially Catholic.
Unlike other regions of Sri Lanka, in Negombo (Sinhala: මීගමුව, romanized: Mīgamuva, Tamil: நீர்கொழும்ப, romanized: Nīrkoḻumpu), 70% of the inhabitants are Christian, with 75% of the population being of Sinhalese descent, approximately 15% belonging to the Moors group (mostly Muslims), and just under 9% being Tamils (mostly Hindus) [2]. When Portugal colonized Sri Lanka in 1505, Negombo was among the first territories to be occupied. To this day, Catholicism predominates in Negombo's population. The Netherlands (1644) and Great Britain (1796) left considerably less of a mark on the religious landscape. Since we're only touching on history briefly, the year 2004 is of interest, because Negombo and its lagoon were only slightly affected by the tsunami; in any case, there were no fatalities.
Unlike other regions of Sri Lanka, in Negombo (Sinhala: මීගමුව, romanized: Mīgamuva, Tamil: நீர்கொழும்ப, romanized: Nīrkoḻumpu), 70% of the inhabitants are Christian, with 75% of the population being of Sinhalese descent, approximately 15% belonging to the Moors group (mostly Muslims), and just under 9% being Tamils (mostly Hindus) [2]. When Portugal colonized Sri Lanka in 1505, Negombo was among the first territories to be occupied. To this day, Catholicism predominates in Negombo's population. The Netherlands (1644) and Great Britain (1796) left considerably less of a mark on the religious landscape. Since we're only touching on history briefly, the year 2004 is of interest, because Negombo and its lagoon were only slightly affected by the tsunami; in any case, there were no fatalities.
Then we drove along the lagoon, admiring the boats and herons, and of course, we were taking photos. I was also interested in the Christian statues, which were mostly behind glass. I had to stop when I unexpectedly heard Christian music coming from a bicycle and cycling supply store. Later, I visited one of the many statues of Mary and other saints, and just as I finished taking photos, I spotted three men crossing themselves and praying. I had seen a similar display of piety among Buddhists in front of the dagobas over 40 years ago. Once, I noticed a bus driver let go of the steering wheel to offer his prayer as we drove past the Dagoba of Kalutara (කළුතර).
Then we went to the fish market, locally known as lellama (ලෙල්ලමා). Cats, herons, and crows were scavenging for scraps. The last fish market I had visited was in Jeddah (جدّة), which I wrote about here [3]. It would be a mistake to compare Negombo (population approximately 143,000) with Jeddah (population approximately 3.7 million). Fishing has a long tradition in Negombo, and you can find many types of fish at the market, including tuna, shark, mackerel, and shrimp. Anglers will discover even more. The hustle and bustle of the market kept us from getting tired.
Further towards the quay and the beach, we could see fish laid out on tarpaulins to dry. These were constantly being turned. There were also dogs there. It didn't look very hygienic. Outrigger boats with a single sail could be seen on the water, traveling at 4 knots, as someone remarked. And these are typical for Negombo. According to Wikipedia, there are two types: the Oruwa and the Paruwa. The Oruwa is a traditional, seaworthy outrigger canoe, typical of Negombo. It is estimated that there are still about 3,000 of these boats. [4] The Paruwa is described as a catamaran, but this term actually refers to flat-bottomed boats in the interior of Sri Lanka. The difference between a catamaran and an outrigger boat lies in their structure. The catamaran uses two hulls of equal size, while the outrigger canoe uses one hull and a smaller float. I always thought the word catamaran came from a Polynesian language, but its origin is Tamil! “The word catamaran is a loanword from Tamil, from கட்டுமரம் kaṭṭumaram (from kaṭṭu ‘band, bundle’ and maram ‘tree’, meaning ‘boat made of tied-together tree trunks’).” [5]
After this wonderful start, we continued on to Colombo.
Then we went to the fish market, locally known as lellama (ලෙල්ලමා). Cats, herons, and crows were scavenging for scraps. The last fish market I had visited was in Jeddah (جدّة), which I wrote about here [3]. It would be a mistake to compare Negombo (population approximately 143,000) with Jeddah (population approximately 3.7 million). Fishing has a long tradition in Negombo, and you can find many types of fish at the market, including tuna, shark, mackerel, and shrimp. Anglers will discover even more. The hustle and bustle of the market kept us from getting tired.
Further towards the quay and the beach, we could see fish laid out on tarpaulins to dry. These were constantly being turned. There were also dogs there. It didn't look very hygienic. Outrigger boats with a single sail could be seen on the water, traveling at 4 knots, as someone remarked. And these are typical for Negombo. According to Wikipedia, there are two types: the Oruwa and the Paruwa. The Oruwa is a traditional, seaworthy outrigger canoe, typical of Negombo. It is estimated that there are still about 3,000 of these boats. [4] The Paruwa is described as a catamaran, but this term actually refers to flat-bottomed boats in the interior of Sri Lanka. The difference between a catamaran and an outrigger boat lies in their structure. The catamaran uses two hulls of equal size, while the outrigger canoe uses one hull and a smaller float. I always thought the word catamaran came from a Polynesian language, but its origin is Tamil! “The word catamaran is a loanword from Tamil, from கட்டுமரம் kaṭṭumaram (from kaṭṭu ‘band, bundle’ and maram ‘tree’, meaning ‘boat made of tied-together tree trunks’).” [5]
After this wonderful start, we continued on to Colombo.
Links and Annotations:
[1] Wolkenbote (Cloud Messenger) is the name of the tour operator, essentially a one-woman operation (Dr. Elvira Friedrichs).
"Cloud Messenger: This is what the Indian poet Kalidasa called his lyrical work, which enjoyed extraordinary popularity. In this poem, a courtier exiled from his homeland commissions a cloud, which is traveling north with all its might, to comfort and greet his beloved who has been left behind. The cloud is to fly over the cities and countries, greeting the friends of the sorrowful man, who himself so longs to set out on a journey through the wondrous landscapes."
https://www.wolkenbote.de/
[2] https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negombo and
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negombo
[3] Jeddah's Central Fish Market, Saudi Arabia
https://rheumatologe.blogspot.com/2025/12/jeddahs-central-fish-market-saudi-arabia.html
[4] https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oruwa
[5] https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katamaran
.
[1] Wolkenbote (Cloud Messenger) is the name of the tour operator, essentially a one-woman operation (Dr. Elvira Friedrichs).
"Cloud Messenger: This is what the Indian poet Kalidasa called his lyrical work, which enjoyed extraordinary popularity. In this poem, a courtier exiled from his homeland commissions a cloud, which is traveling north with all its might, to comfort and greet his beloved who has been left behind. The cloud is to fly over the cities and countries, greeting the friends of the sorrowful man, who himself so longs to set out on a journey through the wondrous landscapes."
https://www.wolkenbote.de/
[2] https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negombo and
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negombo
[3] Jeddah's Central Fish Market, Saudi Arabia
https://rheumatologe.blogspot.com/2025/12/jeddahs-central-fish-market-saudi-arabia.html
[4] https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oruwa
[5] https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katamaran
.
