Cantar caste
Cantar is a Tamil caste found in Sri Lanka. They are traditionally occupied in palm tree climbing, toddy tapping and oil pressing.Etymology
The Cantars are also known as Shanar. The term is proposed as an etymologically corruptive derivative of shandrar, the older term for the community.History
They were originally tree-climbers and toddy tappers. They claim origin from the Shanars of South India, who settled in Sri Lanka, initially in the Puttalam region, due to social clashes and overpopulation in South India.
The Jaffna Kingdom were known for exporting elephants, which were caught in the Vanni region and maintained by the Cantars. The Cantars had to pay taxes to the Jaffna kings for producing jaggery and pinattu.
According to the Jaffna chronicle, Yalpana Vaipava Malai, there were the Nalavar known as Nambis. After withdrawing from a battle, the Nambis made a living by being hired by Cantars or Shanars and eventually taking up their hereditary occupation as palm tree climbers and toddy tappers.
The Cantars have in recent centuries taken to oil milling, specializing in gingelly oil.
