Contribute a Story

Aana Avanna is built on community knowledge. The most important stories about Sri Lankan Tamil and Sinhalese culture are not in libraries or archives — they are in kitchens, in family albums, in the memories of elders, and in the experiences of people who have carried their culture across borders and generations.

We want to hear from you. Below are the kinds of contributions we are actively looking for. All submissions are welcome regardless of writing experience — we can work with you to shape your story for publication.

To contribute, email us at contact.aanaavanna@gmail.com with the subject line that matches your contribution type, as listed below.

Oral Histories

Do you have a story passed down through your family — about a place, a person, a tradition, or a time? Oral histories are one of the most important forms of cultural record we have. We welcome first-person accounts, family stories, and community memories. You do not need to be a writer. You can send us a voice note, a rough draft, or a conversation — we will work with you from there.

Family Recipes

Recipes carry culture in ways that few other things do. We are building a living archive of Sri Lankan Tamil and Sinhalese recipes — not just the ingredients and method, but the story behind the dish: who made it, when, and what it meant. If you have a recipe you would like to share, please include the dish name, the recipe itself, and as much of the story as you are comfortable sharing.

Migration Stories

The diaspora experience is central to what Aana Avanna is about. We welcome stories about leaving, arriving, belonging, and not belonging — from any generation and any destination. These can be your own story or one you have been given permission to share.

Photographs

Historical and personal photographs are an invaluable part of the archive we are building. If you have images — of places, people, events, or everyday life — that you would like to share or donate to the archive, please get in touch. We will always credit the source and discuss usage rights with you before publishing anything.

Community Organisations

We are building a directory of Sri Lankan Tamil community organisations in the UK and beyond — cultural associations, temples, churches, welfare groups, arts organisations, and more. If your organisation is not yet listed, or if you know of one that should be, please send us the name, location, a brief description, and a contact or website if available.

Corrections and Local Knowledge

If you have read something on Aana Avanna that you believe is inaccurate, incomplete, or missing important nuance — particularly from a regional, generational, or community-specific perspective — we want to hear from you. Local and lived knowledge is exactly the kind of expertise we rely on. Please see our Corrections Policy for more detail on how we handle these reports.