A Cup of Greetings

Written By: Renishaki Kamal
One ring. One knock at the door.

My feet scurry down the steps to turn the knob and welcome the faces that have yet to lose their secrecy.
As the door opens, my face lights up as the reflection of those on the other side.
The door swings open and they all feel freed and welcomed in, in to a home that feels like their own.
“Come in, come in. It’s so wonderful to see you” as I lead the way to our living room with floral print sofas and a burnt burgundy coffee table.
My mother would turn to me as my father sits down, joining the guest as he continues to greet them. She gives me the signal. That eye blink, not a wink. It’s time for some chai because it’s always tea time and it’s the way to greet guests to our homes and hearts.
No matter the weather outside, it’s always an essential to sink in the sofas with some milk tea and side dish; oil drenched deliciousness! Chai, milk and sugar adds the sweetest touch to every conversation about others, others outside of our little circles but in the big circle we are apart of.
Who cares about the conversation, if the chai’s good the feelings at farewell will be left with a time noted for the next gathering.
Chai in the morning, chai in the afternoon. After a meal, before a goodnight. Why not?
If you ever come over, do come over, don’t worry about the chai, just bring good conversation!
#tamiltraditions

This post is part of the Tamil Heritage Month Initiative. Tamil Heritage Month began in 2010 and seeks to celebrate Tamil heritage, culture, and history. Throughout this month and January, we will be providing you with educational material and poetry such as this that seeks to help us celebrate and understand our culture, roots and heritage.

The Permanent Peoples Tribunal’s Latest Landmark Decision

Written By: Athithan Kurukulasingam

On December 11, 2013 a panel consisting of 11 high profile judges passed a judgement ruling that Sri Lanka had indeed committed the crime of genocide against the minority Tamils. The 11 member panel which was part of the Permanent Peoples Tribunal (PPT) also went on to declare that the United States and United Kingdom were also ruled to have been found guilty of complicity to this crime (Veerasingam, 2013). The fact that such a high profile tribunal came out with a conclusion of genocide should not go unnoticed. For years, Tamils all over the world have been calling out for an independent investigation by an accredited third party into the allegations of war crimes, unfortunately for the most part our cries have gone unnoticed. The Sri Lankan government also refused to cooperate and still refuses to cooperate to this day. This recent ruling should work favourably in our plight because it forces the hands of many of the great powers all over the globe. It can be argued that the most shocking aspect surrounds the second part of the ruling. The United States and the United Kingdom have been found guilty of complicity to the crime. For those of you who aren’t too familiar with this notion, complicity is defined in this situation as ” procuring means, such as weapons, instruments or any other means, used to commit genocide, with the accomplice knowing that such means would be used for such a purpose; complicity by knowingly aiding or abetting a perpetrator of a genocide in the planning or enabling acts,” (Veerasingam, 2013).

The cries of our people were for so long left unheard. Time after time, we were left with empty promises . While the world stood by, our people died on mass. This ruling not only is a smack in the face for all the democracies around the world, it also can carry legal ramifications to the countries involved. By committing complicity, these two great powers of the world did their part in the genocide that took place. India has long been accused of doing their part in the genocide and their involvement is still under investigation by the PPT. The blood of all our brothers and sisters are now also now on their hands as well and it is only a matter of time before all the perpetrators are brought to light.

I find that there is always a silver lining to situations and this recent ruling is no exception. Fundamental beliefs and core values of people usually never change and for the most part they stand by those very standards. The European Union (EU) and the United Nations (UN) although considered organizations are in fact made up of people like you and I and do have their own fundamental moral beliefs and values. For long, they have failed to protect the people of the world, Rwanda and Sri Lanka being just being two examples amongst the many. However, they now have the ability not to make up for their past mistakes but rather they can make sure nothing like this ever happens again.

Even to this day, Tamils in Sri Lanka are facing humanitarian problems and crimes against humanity are still taking place. The EU took a corrective measure in this monumental problem. “The EU has passed a resolution that states the United Nations should initiate an international investigation into allegations of violations of international humanitarian law, if Sri Lanka fails to start one itself, before March 2014” (Tamil Guardian, 2013). This ruling works favourably with the recent incidents that took place at the Commonwealth Summit in Sri Lanka. England’s Prime Minister chose to pressure the Sri Lankan government into allowing a credible and independent investigation into what happened in the past. These kind of rulings and resolutions are what the activists for change have been calling for. What we are now seeing is a new shift in thinking from the international community.

It is my belief that change does not take place overnight, steps have to be both calculated and effective. In order to bring change you have to continue to push the matter. You can’t stand on the sidelines and expect to lead a team. You have to be both active and involved. Now is the time for the international community to take further initiative. These recent landmark rulings have the international community on edge, they no longer can’t deny the claims to genocide. Their backs are against the wall and it is up to fellow Tamils all around the world to push forward. I have long held the opinion that the students are our future. The more we continue to push forward the more we can accomplish. It is up to us to be the change we wish to see in the future.

“The most important kind of freedom is to be what you really are. You trade in your reality for a role. You trade in your sense for an act. You give up your ability to feel, and in exchange, put on a mask. There can’t be any large-scale revolution until there’s a personal revolution, on an individual level. It’s got to happen inside first.”
― Jim Morrison

Bibliography

Tamil Guardian. (2013, December 13). EU Parliament sets March 2014 deadline. Retrieved December 13, 2013, from Tamil Guardian: http://www.tamilguardian.com/article.asp?articleid=9489

Veerasingam, R. (2013, December 11). Sri Lanka guilty of genocide against Tamils with UK, US complicity: PPT rules. Retrieved December 16, 2013, from JDS: http://www.jdslanka.org/index.php/2012-01-30-09-30-42/human-rights/426-sri-lanka-guilty-of-genocide-against-tamils-with-uk-us-complicity-ppt-rules

Thangachi’s Corner – Tamil titles: yes or no?

December 18, 2013

Updated every other Wednesday, “Thangachi’s Corner” is a bi-monthly feature that discusses relatable topics and issues relevant to the Canadian Tamil youth of today. For more information about this feature or to suggest a topic, feel free to e-mail us at blogs@ctya.org!

Written By: Keerthana Raveendran

I have been “Thangachi” for as long as I can remember.

In fact, my parents were so keen on my brothers and me using these kinds of respectful Tamil names that they would address us the same way, just to make sure it caught on in our young minds. It was always fun when we’d go to parties and my mom would call out ‘Anna’. While some folks would expect an older figure to respond, it was always a little boy who’d turn his head.

These names continued to stick with us as we grew up, and it came to the point in which we felt far too awkward addressing one another by name, even when we were in public or in the midst of a large crowd.

I’m sure a lot of you can relate.

Respectful titles for immediate family members, and tag-ons for extended family (that is, “insert name here” sithappa, and such) are very much an integral part of our Tamil culture. We use these titles to demonstrate reverence for the older generation and endearment towards the younger one. They are one-word connections with our heritage, linking us to our past even in our everyday interactions.

But I’m finding more and more in my contact with younger kids at Tamil community events that this particular tradition has been slipping.

Maybe it’s a sign that I am no longer a part of the younger generation and that I have officially become stodgy. Or maybe this just isn’t common practice in today’s age. After all, I get it—we tend to meet people in Anglophone settings and sometimes you never know right off the bat whether the person you just met is older than you.

But I daresay a ten-year age gap is fairly obvious.

And I don’t know about you, but I feel an odd sense of offense when obviously younger kids address me by my name. It’s an inexplicable sentiment, and I honestly could not tell you why I feel strongly about the use of Tamil titles, other than for an arbitrary notion of respect.

Perhaps it’s a mere exercising of what I’ve been exposed to my entire life, and it begs an answer to the question of whether we are conditioned to accept the concept of respect as practiced by our ancestors. Or are we just holding onto a tradition we shouldn’t expect our young to follow?

What do you think? Tamil titles: yes or no?

About the Author:

Keerthana Raveendran, known by her flock as Thangachi, is an aspiring author whose motivation to write usually kicks in when she’s supposed to be occupied elsewhere. She is an avid procrastinator who sees potential novel ideas as movies in her head. Maybe one of these days they’ll make it onto the page. Thangachi is currently a Masters student studying English at York University.

Read More by Keerthana!

The Lost Continent of Kumari Kandam (Lemuria)

Written By: Kayalvizhi

“When the southern ocean boiled over and seized the land, fine men, graceful women, and beautiful people, shapely colorful birds, animals and other living beings all suffered and perished. Temples, mansions and palaces, renowned Tamil libraries and the rare arts, colleges and schools, assemblies and meeting houses, market places and port facilities, homes, gardens and playing fields, all disappeared into the ocean.” Mutthuvirasami Naidu eloquently describes the destruction of Lemuria by ocean waves.

Lemuria, also known as Kumarikandam remains a point of fascination and enhancement of Tamils everywhere. From the Silapathikaram, a Sangam literature, to modern writings, references have been made to Kumari Kandam and cruel sea that destroyed it. Kumari Kandam was a continent which extended east to Australia and in the West to Madagascar. Its inhabitants were the Tamils before it was consumed by ravaging waves. The volcanic eruptions paired with violent raging waves resulted in submerging Kumari Kandam. Kumari Kandam was Tamil land. It was the birthplace of our ancestors.Today, Tamil scholars who try to piece together the puzzle of the missing continent ask the question, what did we lose through Lemuria?

The name itself, Kumari Kandam, meaning virgin continent/land was originally referred to locally as Kumari Nadu. Later, it became Kumari Kandam to Tamils. Its English reference, Lemuria, has a much more colonialist naming. Lemuria, was named by English zoologist Philip Sclater in 1864 after the monkey-like lemurs which he felt inhabited the land. He referred to Tamils who inhabited the land as beastly and lemur looking, and thus the name Lemuria was born. Tamils, not accepting Lemuria as a respectful name, continue to refer to this lost continent as Kumari Kandam. The name itself suggests that Kumari Kandam was a virginal, untouched, unviolated land – once which gave birth to the ancient Tamil civilization.

The loss of our land and culture through Kumari Kandam has affected our influence and survival. Scholar A. M. Paramasivanandam once said, “If today our ancient Tamil land and ancient Tamil learning had survived, we would have ruled the world from Kumari to the Himalayas!” Our ancestors once rules the vast continent of Kumari Kandam, but today, we have been confined into relatively small space – that too which is being appropriated away from us. The interest of Lemuria was sparked in the 1890s, when Tamil intellectuals first started to piece together European geographies with Tamil history, language and literature. It was during this period that Tamil intellectuals began to recognize Kumari Kandam as the birthplace of Tamil language, literature and culture. Kumari Kandam was a continent we Tamils ruled, our literature, culture and language thrived in our own land.

The imagination and fascination of Kumari Kandam will continue. However, we need to be the ones to undercover our history. With a renewed interest by Tamils into roots and history, maybe we may learn more of our history. Our history, much of it burned in the Jaffna Library, other scribes are locked up in libraries and scribes un-deciphered – at the Roja Muttiah Library now owned by American Universities and other undetected books. Maybe these artifacts can tell the tale of Kumari Kandam and more about our Tamil history. What happened to the history of Kumari Kandam?? Will we find out?