ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Mestiços (Sri Lanka)

Okay kiddo, let's talk about mestiços in Sri Lanka. Mestiços are people who come from mixed backgrounds, which means they have parents who come from different cultures or racial groups. In Sri Lanka, mestiços are people who have parents with different ethnicities, like Portuguese and local Sri Lankan.

Back in the olden days, when Sri Lanka was a colony (a place ruled by another country), Portuguese people came and lived in Sri Lanka. They fell in love with Sri Lankan people, got married, and had children. These children were mestiços.

Mestiços in Sri Lanka have a unique culture that is a mix of Portuguese and Sri Lankan traditions. They also look different from other Sri Lankans because they usually have light skin and European facial features.

Nowadays, there aren't as many mestiços in Sri Lanka as there used to be, but the ones who are still around are proud of their mixed heritage and continue to celebrate their unique culture.