Written by: TYO-Canada
On Friday, April 27th, 2012, the Tamil-Canadian youth community showcased a variety of artistic talent through an exhilarating show that kept audiences at the edges of their seats. The show was appropriately named Ilanthlir, which translates to “young sprouts,” as the show was entirely composed by youth. The storyline that interconnected the milestones of Tamil Eelam’s past, present, and future completely portrayed the aspirations of the Tamil community. Standing strong by the principles of the Tamil liberation movement: nation, homeland, and self-determination, Ilanthalir, was a show like no other. Revolution and art erupted on stage and left the audience in awe.
Ilanthalir started off with a heart-wrenching moment as the National anthem of TamilEelam was sung live. The show compromised of 10 different scenes with an interconnecting storyline that walked the audience through the perspective of two main characters. Starting off with the two young girls in school, they are exposed to their rich Tamil heritage and explore the ancient history of the Tamil kingdom. Next, the Tamil Students’ Association at Ryerson University portrayed the hardships and consequences of British colonization on the island. Next, the effect of the Sinhala only act was shown through spoken poetry. The Vaddukottai Resolution of 1976, the burning of the Jaffna library, and the 1983 riots were all cleverly portrayed through various dance and drama segments. High school students played a major role in the reenactment of Black July 1983 as they did for every dramatic scene throughout the production. Following the 1983 riots, the York University Tamil Students’ Association’s displayed their rendition of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and the 2002 ceasefire. Next, the Tamil Students’ Association at Carleton University showcased the 2009 genocide and Tamil Diaspora protests. The final scene of the show, the UN conference and Tamil Eelam’s independence touched the hearts of many individuals in the audience. The scene, complete with the main characters placing flowers at a Thuyilum Illam, evoked emotion and was the perfect ending to groundbreaking theatrical performance.
During the production of the event, TYO-Canada had also launched a video contest that received six submissions from youth. The contest was based on one question: what does artistic revolution mean to you? 30-second videos that compromised of different artistic talent displaying the meaning of artistic revolution were submitted however, only one was chosen as the winner of the contest. Vinsia Maharajah’s depiction of artistic revolution stood out amongst the rest and she received a Blackberry Playbook 64 GB as well as two complementary tickets to the show.
To view event photos, click here
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