Karaiyar

The Karaiyar (Tamil: கரையார்; literally "people of the coast") are a Tamil maritime community or Meenavar historically associated with fishing, seafaring, naval warfare, and coastal governance in Tamilakam and Sri Lanka. The term is derived from the Tamil word karai (shore or coast), reflecting their traditional occupation and geographic distribution along littoral regions. Karaiyar is a Sri Lankan Tamil community found mainly on the northern and eastern coastal areas of Sri Lanka, and globally among the Tamil diaspora.

They are traditionally a seafaring community that is engaged in fishing, shipment and seaborne trade. They fish customarily in deep seas or on shore, and employ gillnet and seine fishing methods. The Karaiyars were the major maritime traders and boat owners who among other things, traded with pearls, chanks, tobacco, and shipped goods overseas to countries such as India, Myanmar and Indonesia. The community known for their maritime history, are also reputed as a warrior caste who contributed as army and navy soldiers of Tamil kings. They were noted as the army generals and navy captains of the Aryacakravarti dynasty.

The Karaiyars emerged in the 1980s as strong representatives of Sri Lankan Tamil nationalism. The nuclear leadership of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam have background in the wealthier enterprising section of the Karaiyars. Vellupillai Prabhakaran was of Melongi Karaiyar origin.

Historically, they have also been referred to as Kurukulam, Varunakulam and Karaiyalar. Sharing similar origins and status are the Sinhalese Karava and the Pattanavar of Tamil Nadu.