Quantcast
Channel: TamilCulture.com
Viewing all 565 articles
Browse latest View live

An Insight into Jaffna’s Growing Startup Culture

$
0
0

Startups, especially IT based startups, was a new concept introduced to me by Yarl IT Hub (YIT), an incubator based in Jaffna. Born to parents who are farmers in Jaffna, I had minimal exposure to the world of Information Technology. My experiences were restricted to books and sports. I didn’t have a laptop back then, or a smartphone for that matter.  Thanks to the subject ICT, which was introduced to us during our GCE Ordinary Level, I learned the basics of a computer and its functions, and it broadened my world. When I stepped into my Advance Level, I wanted to pursue ICT as a subject because my introduction to it taught me that the future of the world lies in computing and technology.

 

I started my first year of the Advance Level in 2013, and it was the year that I stepped into social media- mainly Facebook. A few other IT enthusiasts were already networking through the platform, and a very good friend of mine introduced me to YIT. I started attending their meetups, and quickly became familiar with emerging startups in the region. Eventually, I started writing about Yarl’s events for ReadMe, an online magazine that covers tech events happening in and around Sri Lanka, and the young minds who are striving to become game-changers in Northern Sri Lanka.

 

Like myself, Jaffna and Northern Sri Lanka were exposed to the IT sector mainly after the war. It was not only the leasing and banking sectors that flocked to the North, but also technology and its influences. Initially, most of the citizens in the North were interested in using technology, but not in making use of it.

 

yathusha 2

 

Although events like StartUp Weekend are happening in Jaffna, only a few organisations are taking constant steps to develop and support startups popping out from the Jaffna community.  The YIT Hub is one of such organisation (I work with them), that is determined to make Jaffna the next Silicon Valley.

 

Yarl Geek Challenge (YGC) and meetups every three months are two major events of YIT. While YGC focuses on providing a platform for youths in Jaffna to bring out their innovative ideas and turn those ideas into businesses, the meetups are opportunities for such passionate youth to meet and get to know several like-minded individuals, enhancing their network in the process. The effort taken has shown positive outputs. Busseats.lk and SenzMate are two of such products of YIT that are now running successfully as independent startups.

 

Seeing the success of other startups in the region is now spreading a startup vibe among youngsters. Having investors from Colombo is forcing such potential to re-locate their companies and take their ideas to the country’s capital to access more resources. Although it is a drawback for some young entrepreneurs, who are passionate about their startup dreams, it’s definitely a sign of better things to come.

 

Interested in writing about current events, tech and lifestyle topics from a Tamil perspective in Sri Lanka? Give us a shout at hello@tamilculture.com.

 

Help us bring you more stories like this from around the world, with a Tamil perspective, by making a small contribution here.

 

Related articles:

Prajeeth Balasubramaniam: Empowering Sri Lankan Youth by Fostering a Startup Culture

This Tech Hub Wants to Turn Jaffna into the Next Silicon Valley

The post An Insight into Jaffna’s Growing Startup Culture appeared first on TamilCulture.com.


Amazing Salute Paying Homage To Toronto Sports #InTorontoWeTrust

$
0
0

Toronto digital media agency Wooden Panda created an amazing video paying homage to Toronto sports. #InTorontoWeTrust

Wooden Panda does not own the rights to the music or raw footage in this video. This video is purely for your entertainment and their passion. We do not own the rights to any logos, merchandise, franchises or businesses seen in this video. (Music: Iron by Woodkid)

Interested in being part of the TC team? Or have an idea for a video?
Reach out to us at info@tamilculture.com.

Are you single? Are you interested in creating your own love story by meeting Tamil singles in your city and across the world? Join myTamilDate.com!

Related articles:

“Women’s Ontario Tamil Sports League (WOTSL)”
“Love & Basketball Tamil Style”
“Drive and Determination for the Love of Basketball”
“The Six-Year-Old Tamil Skater-Surfer Who Caught Tony Hawk’s Attention”

The post Amazing Salute Paying Homage To Toronto Sports #InTorontoWeTrust appeared first on TamilCulture.com.

Living and Learning Through Grief

$
0
0

Eleven years ago, my father passed away.

I was young. And I remember how I tried to make sense of it.

Parents are significantly older than their children. They have “adult ailments”. And sometimes, that leads to death. Parents die. I suppose it’s normal. But I wasn’t given much time to think about it.

One year after my father’s death, my sister passed away. Only a year younger than me, she had a lot of life left to live. Do siblings die? I didn’t have time to wrap my mind around that either.

One year after my sister’s death, my grandfather passed away. Three deaths within three years.

Losing your family is a tragedy. And along with my mother and brother, it was one I had to learn how to deal with on my own.

But as I eventually discovered, dark circumstances give birth to illuminating revelations. I’d been given a perspective on life that not many people will get to experience. I could allow it to be a burden or I could extract lessons from it, and lend it to those around me.

It’s important to acknowledge that there are no rules on how to deal with grief. Because no two are the same. Every pain is different, every recovery process is different. So if you’re grieving – at any stage, my only hope is that I can play a small part in helping you navigate through your pain.

Here’s what I know about grief, and about being a griever, after a decade of living through it.

Don’t resist it.

The most important thing I learned with every loss is that you must allow yourself to feel IN REAL TIME. Don’t be strong – I’m serious. Fall apart. Because only when you break down can you begin to put yourself back together. Don’t evade your feelings, and don’t set them aside for a later date. Because once the funeral is over, and everyone resumes their daily lives, you’re alone for the first time. That is when you really feel the weight of everything that just took place. And this is not where you want to be tackling the pain alone. Face it while your loved ones are there to pull you back into safety.

You never get used to death.

And you’re not supposed to. How naïve I was to think that I would handle my sister’s death better because of my father’s death the year before. We’re human beings. We’ve been built to feel, to attach. Every relationship is special. And the loss of any one of these relationships is devastating. The pain isn’t any less intense the second or third time around. The mourning period isn’t shorter either. Allow yourself the room to experience each and every loss as if it were the first.

You’re not meant to come out of tragedy unscathed.

And it’s unrealistic to think you can. You’ve endured life-altering, gut wrenching pain. That doesn’t just disappear. You don’t just move on from it. Your mental health has taken a beating. And some of those bruises won’t heal. There are things that set me off now. So I’ve consciously marked what takes me to a sad or scary place. Whatever that place may be for you, if it’s difficult to endure – don’t endure it! You’re allowed to protect yourself. And when it can’t be avoided, do what you can to manage the pain. Find coping mechanisms that work for you, and utilize them when needed.

You’re not like your peers anymore.

While everyone else my age was doing what young people do – dating, exploring, learning about themselves and others – I was just trying to live. Trying to survive every day with this gaping hole where a parent and sibling were supposed to be. And this is why you should give yourself a break from time to time. You’re keeping up with everyone else, without the luxury of moving ahead with the same ease. It can also be lonely at times – being surrounded by people who aren’t walking the same path. But I remind myself that with this pain come lessons that not everyone will gain access to or will only have access to decades from now. So I choose to see it as an advantage.

Empathy is your superpower.

No one understands pain better than you at this point. When you hear about death, the people dealing with it aren’t just random people anymore. Because you know what their pain must feel like; you know what their days are going to look like. You feel connected to them. The desire to help almost feels like a responsibility. People in pain gravitate towards you for this reason. And it’s a comforting thing, for both them and you, to be in the presence of people who get it.

It’s not going to be okay.

And that’s okay. What have I learned after three years of loss, and eleven years of the recovery process? That it doesn’t get better…but it does get easier. The pain becomes a part of you. It finds a home in you, neighboured by your joys, achievements, and failures. Accept that it’s there. You’d be surprised at how much lighter you feel when you say, okay, I see you. Some days it’s good at bringing you down. Other days, it leaves you alone. It’s a series of these highs and lows. Accept this, too.

You will never be free from death.

A reminder I received recently after a dear friend passed away – ten years after the other losses. Death will happen again. And it will hurt. It will always hurt. We’re not meant to be calm all the time. Sometimes we need to feel things. Pain, anger, sadness, uncertainty, fear – these emotions vigorously clear out our insides. Now, there’s more room for the good feelings. So after the hurt, each time we must choose to focus on the good, on the beauty. It’s difficult, when you’ve made peace with loss, and then suddenly you have to do it all again. But there are new lessons to learn in each and every death. As we get older, we will see that life is just a series of recalibrations.

So, how do I stay in this place of optimism despite the circumstances? Well, I don’t ever have to fake it – that’s the truth. Pretending like you’re okay only hinders your progress. This is what I discovered:  it’s possible to find peace even in the most treacherous places – around me, and within myself. And it’s possible to feel whole, even when you’re missing pieces of you.

At the start of it all, I remember thinking, how will I live the rest of my life without them? How will I ever make it to the end? But I WILL make it. And so will you. Those cracks in your heart? They will mend.

Now it feels as if I carry my dad, sister and grandpa with me wherever I go. As if they reside in my heart, filling those spaces split open by agony. It’s something I don’t think we can do with people who are living. And that’s special.

Editor’s note:
If you are struggling with the loss of a loved one and are in need of resources to support your mental health, please consider the following:

Healthy Minds Canada
Canadian Mental Health Association
Centre for Global Mental Health
World Health Organization

The post Living and Learning Through Grief appeared first on TamilCulture.com.

The Invisible Darkness

$
0
0

“Amma, I don’t feel well.”

There comes a point in time in every mother’s life when she hears these words. At this very moment, she drops everything and her maternal instincts automatically kick in. Whether it involves making home remedies, setting doctor appointments, hunting down Vaporub, or even something as simple as putting a smile on the child’s face. When parents see a problem, they will go above and beyond to ensure their child is safe and healthy. But what if they can’t visibly see any problems? Not all illnesses manifest symptoms that you can see or touch.

To the parents of the Tamil community, open your eyes. Please.

 

A few days ago, I got a call from my cousin. She was absolutely at a loss of words, and what she was about to share with me would also leave me breathless. A young man hung lifeless in front of her school that day. I was in complete disbelief. What added to my horror was  the number of people that called my mom right after they found out. News and gossip spread like wildfire in the Tamil community. With every phone call, my mother assumed that she was gaining more insight into what may have actually happened. With the phone between her ear and left shoulder, she went on with her chores, but I was able to over hear her entire conversation. They were trying to decipher every possible reason for what could have happened to the young man. Relationship troubles, struggles in school, abuse, drugs, and the list went on, but not once did I hear them mention term depression.

 

Depression is defined as feelings of severe despondency and dejection, but it is much more than that. It is a serious mental health condition that is virtually nonexistent throughout the Tamil population. It is incredibly rare for a child raised within a Tamil household to actually approach their parents to seek help with depression. The only form of sickness is recognized in the Tamil Culture seem to be the ones that are visible to the naked eye, but it is time for this prehistoric ideology to change. It’s true that symptoms of depression are not as easily spotted by others, but there are ways that it can be diagnosed. Living with mental illnesses changes your everyday life and often may be mistaken for stress or exhaustion.

 

According to CAMH (2016), 40% of Canadians have shown signs of depression but have not sought medical treatment. This may be influenced by many factors, one of which are parents and their inability to understand the health status of their child. We grow up hearing stories of how our parents had to walk miles to get an education, or how hard they had to work at such a young age. We probably heard them say they hardly had money for the luxuries we have now, guilt tripping us for feeling sad about our own lives.

 

I admit, our Tamil parents have been through a lot, but it’s not fair to say we have it easy. Yes, we have a roof over our head, food on the table, and access to an education.  However, we need our parents to understand that these are the essentials that we need in order to survive, not live a happy life. There is no point to spend your life swallowed by misery. We need our parents to understand what we’re going through and that we can’t overcome mental health challenges alone. If we can’t even talk to our own parents about our problems, how else are we supposed to conquer our battles?

 

Unfortunately, I wasn’t given the opportunity to meet that young man. I am in no position to judge his decisions and actions. I can’t even begin to imagine what he was going through to drive him to take his own life. But is it so crazy to believe that if he had been able to talk to his parents, he would still be with us today? Suicide should not be looked at as an end; we can prevent this from happening to so many people by opening our minds and listening to the problems they are facing. There are many avenues to seek help.  However, I strongly believe that there is no better cure than talking to our parents to help them understand what we are going through in our lives.

 

The post The Invisible Darkness appeared first on TamilCulture.com.

My Clan Name is Pillay

$
0
0
 I might have a slightly unhealthy attachment to my surname. I express that with absolute humility because it represents a deep part of who I am. My father passed away before I was too young to store any memories of him, so I have always felt that I carry his legacy in my surname.

 

I realize that surnames carry a sense of identity.  They speak about origins, which is a very personal topic for me. I must be blunt and state that I strongly feel that the pride anyone carries about their surname must not function act of discrimination against other people. I say this emphatically because I once had a friend whose mother was extremely prejudiced about the topic of surnames, to the extent that she used this to influence who her daughter was allowed to date.

 

When I visited the Seychelles ten years ago, there was a waitress who beamed with pride when she told me that we shared a surname. She was of mixed race so I understood her excitement for a connection to a cultural heritage as complex and as rich as those of the Indian diaspora. Back in school there was a classmate whose surname was similar mine, except it was  spelled with an ‘i’ at the end instead of ‘y’. This small difference initiated a very immature pre-teen discussion about classism which resulted in us not speaking for the rest of our schooling life. That moment really was the first time I was exposed to the concept of surnames representing class.

 

As it does for most cultures across the globe, research indicates that surnames are actually clan names. Wikipedia says that Pillay or Pillai is an ‘an ancient honourable surname given to the prince of the ruling family in Tamil dynasties and to prominent members of Vellalars caste. At recent times been surname of various classes. Vellalar is derived from Tamil word ‘Velanmai’ means agriculture.’  I personally don’t even think about caste, because it is irrelevant in my life. To me, my surname is about heritage and the paternal link I cherish so deeply.

 

A typical South African Indian family image taken in the early 1900s
A typical South African Indian family image taken in the early 1900s

To give you a little history lesson, the legend about South African surnames goes like this.  Upon disembarking from the ships, a roll-call was done and indentured labourers (SA Indian ancestors) had to register themselves in English. The pronunciation of their names differed from the actual spellings provided in translation, so there were some deviations from an original clan name. The popular Tamil surnames in South Africa today are Govender, Naidoo, Naicker, Reddy, Pillay, Padayachee and Moodley. There are certain instances where first names were used instead, and are now recognized as surnames such as Soobramany and Perumal. Some may argue that Govender is a variation of Gounder and that Naicker is derived from Nayakar.

 

I know that I am just a leaf on the great Pillay-tree and that I grow in a forest alongside other great trees. As more cross-cultural and inter-racial marriages take place in South Africa, more women from other cultures now carry Tamil surnames. The feminist within me wants to question why women are expected to give up their surnames in the first place but I also understand that this has been deemed culturally appropriate. I now have the deepest respect for double-barrelled surnames. I also know that my surname does not define who I truly am, but it is very nice to feel like I belong to an age-old clan…even if only by name.

 

To share your Tamil South African story please contact Nirvani Pillay on nirvanip@gmail.com

Africa

The post My Clan Name is Pillay appeared first on TamilCulture.com.

From Charity To Sustainability, How comdu.it Is Engaging The Diaspora

$
0
0

comdu.it is an independent Canadian network of diaspora changemakers, interested in leveraging technical assistance for sustainable development.

Since 2014 they have been committed to helping shift diaspora engagement from charity to sustainability, from aid to economic development, and from remittance to knowledge-based economy.

comdu.it offers four unique programs for individual diaspora participants to directly engage in sustainable development. And they are now accepting applications for 2017-18 placements in the North and East of Sri Lanka!

comdu.it poster

Program Synopses:

1

For post-secondary students and recent graduates to discover, connect, and explore their heritage and history in the North and East of Sri Lanka. Successful applicants will be placed in children’s homes, vocational schools, and other appropriate institutions to volunteer their skills and time to help build capacity of local communities in the Northern and Eastern provinces.

 

2For new and young professionals to discover, connect, and explore their heritage and history in the North and East of Sri Lanka. Successful applicants will pre-plan a project prior to their arrival in Sri Lanka, do a high-intensity implementation over a four-week period on the ground in the Northern and Eastern provinces, and continue evaluation upon their return to Canada.

 

3For experienced STEM entrepreneurs and executives to mentor and coach emerging entrepreneurs in the Northern Province on starting and growing their businesses. The program will take place via Skype/telephony channels with the option for mentor to travel to Sri Lanka in 2017 for a start-up summit.

 

 

4For retired professionals and seniors to return to their home communities or adjoining communities in the North and East to provide advice and support on the implementation of local partner projects.

 

 

Interested in learning more? Join the team tonight at their first ever entrepreneurs and executives poker tournament, and networking event, in support of comdu.it.

Casino Royale

Don’t play poker? Then you’ll have even more time to network!

All guests not taking part in the tournament will enjoy the company of over 150 entrepreneurs and executives, as well as other casino games to dial up the fun.

And as the poker tournament draws to a close the night will turn into a lively dance party, celebrating all of the possibilities of the projects being funded by this collaborative effort.

You’ll find event details, and can purchase tickets, here.

The post From Charity To Sustainability, How comdu.it Is Engaging The Diaspora appeared first on TamilCulture.com.

Parai: Mother of All Percussion Instruments and People’s Music to Unify the Tamil Diaspora

$
0
0

Parai means “To speak or to communicate”. It is also one of the earliest percussion instruments dating back to prehistoric times. Tholkaapiam, a Tamil grammar book written before the Christian era, mentions Parai as a standard musical instrument for many occasions.

Parai is a relic of anthropological remains of progressive human civilization. Initially, humans lived in the caves of hills as hunter-gatherers. Excess hide from the remains of carcass from hunting was experimented with for a percussion instrument, and Parai was invented.

In Sangam literature, there is enough evidence to point out Parai as an instrument of royal stature. It was performed in the royal courts of Sangam rulers. Devaram, the devotional hymns composed by highly revered Saiva saints on Lord Shiva around 6th century AD, has references to Parai being played inside the temple sanctum. It was only later called “Thappu” (meaning inauspicious) to derogate Tamil arts during the 14th century AD Vijayanagara rule of Tamil land.

In Adelaide, the Australian Tamil Arts Chief coordinator Lawrence Annathurai asked me to draft an essay on Parai as part of curriculum development for Parai Practice and Learning. Lawrence is a staunch supporter of Tamil arts and music. It is a kind of activity Australia never had before. He had a lot of difficulty in bringing up this art form to Australia due to the misconception and taboo attached to this musical art from. He had to undergo material and moral hazards due to his dedication for Tamil arts.

By the time this article was prepared, Lawrence and his team had performed in several Commonwealth of Australia Celebrations and trained about 15 people. We even travelled to Melbourne to train Tamil-Australian kids, and performed in their Pongal festival as an act of courtesy to expose this art form to the wider Tamil community.

Parai is already gaining greater acceptance in North America due to the coordinated efforts of the Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America (FeTNA) and professional parai trainers from Tamil Nadu. Thanks to the hard work of Lawrence Annathurai and his team Kayal Raj, Bala Murugesan and Robert Doss for pioneering this art form in Australia, the Tamils of Australia are catching up with North Americans, and the rest of the world will soon follow suit.

Keeping Australian Tamils and the international community in mind, this article is written after a brief period of research to give interesting information to novices and amateur Tamil historians. The idea of my writing is to shed some historical facts on this percussion instrument and to get rid of the taboos attached to the practitioner. This will help us reinvent this percussion instrument as a medium for the expression of freedom. It could also serve as a unifying force for the diverse Tamil diaspora.

Traditionally, the practitioner of Parai in India, especially among the Tamil community, is considered an outcast. This happened after the 14th century AD, when the Vijayanagara empire occupied the Tamils homeland. This practice of outcasts playing this art form gave birth to the English word “pariah”. As per the Cambridge dictionary, pariah means a person to be avoided. This English word had been taken by the British East India company to England by looking at the treatment the Parai practitioner of Tamil land received.

Let us look at the details of the making of this instrument. The frame of the instrument is made up of three arcs of neem wood (Azadirachta Indica), secured by metal fasteners to form a circle of about 35cm. The bull/cow’s neck hide is stretched over this wooden frame and glued by natural resin.

The percussion sticks used are two in number and named after the quality of the sound they generate. The thin slender percussion stick is called “sunddu kucchi” (high pitch) and the other thick relatively shorter “adi kucchi” (base note). The sunddu kucchi is about 28cm long and the adi kucchi is about 18cm long, usually made of bamboo.

The instrument needs to be warmed up under indirect heat before playing. The properly heated instrument can conduct sound up to 3km away. The practitioner can hold this instrument while standing and start the percussion. He is expected to dance while playing this instrument, with singing as an additional option.

Let us look at the stature enjoyed by the instrument in ancient times. Kurunthogai (Sangam literature from the 3rd century BC) refers to parai as an auspicious instrument to be played during marriage ceremonies of the ancient Tamils. Lord Shiva is often found dancing to Parai music near a graveyard (Karaikal Ammaiyar Hymns). In one such devaram (hymn) written by the highly revered Thirugnanasambantthan in his Thiru Nindravoor pathigam, it is said to have played inside the temple along with a blowing conch.

In one devaram, Lord Shiva is referred as “Paraikolpaaniyar & Piraikolsenniyar” meaning Shiva holding a Parai and wearing a Pirai (crescent) on his head. In many temples of Tamil Nadu, sculptures are engraved showcasing Parai playing and girls dancing. The once glorious status enjoyed by this instrument was reduced to funeral music only after the Vijayanagara invaded the Tamils’ country.

Parai was also used for multiple other reasons, like warning people about an upcoming battle, requesting civilians to leave the battlefield, announcing victory or defeat, stopping a breach of water body, gathering farmers for farming activities, warning wild animals about people’s presence, as well as percussion during festivals, weddings, celebrations, worship of nature and so forth. Its other uses included to announce the King’s proclamations, and to communicate information from one place to another by playing codified notes for a purpose.

In current times, Parai is considered a musical art to express freedom. It is a very attractive and active art form combining dance, percussion and singing.

The Tamil diaspora is embracing this instrument as a mark of their liberation. It is common people’s music, so there are no boundaries to contain freedom of expression. It is an emerging popular form of art among the Tamil diaspora. It is unique and has great values in unifying the Tamil diaspora.

– Dr. Prem Shanmugam

The post Parai: Mother of All Percussion Instruments and People’s Music to Unify the Tamil Diaspora appeared first on TamilCulture.com.

Film Review: Singam 3

$
0
0

I just saw a film that made made realize Tamil cinema should never do sequels. Singam 3 is directed by Hari and it stars Surya, Anushka, Soori, Shruti Hassan (for some reason) and Thakur Singh.

The Good

Surya. The man can act. He has saved some horrid scripts in the past (I’m looking at you Anjaan.) He delivers what is necessary as Durai Singam. This is his 3rd venture with the character, so there isn’t much to with it. This isn’t his fault – that’s completely on the script.

The other actors are fine in it. They work well with the script given to them. The plot itself is quite interesting in its social message. Sadly, there isn’t much else that’s good.

The Bad

One thing I can guarantee is that Hari cannot write or shoot comedy. The comedy in this film is horrible, but for one joke about oranges. The rest of the humour falls flat and you can feel it. Even Soori couldn’t save the jokes – and that man cracks me up.

Although the plot itself was interesting, the execution was bad. The sped-up frames, the horrible action scenes, the bad subplots of a love triangle (really Hari?). Everything was going so fast that if you sneezed, you would miss the entire film – that’s how fast the film is moving. You cannot take a breather in order for you to catch up on what’s going on – there is always something moving and none of it had to do with the plot.

The thing is Hari isn’t a bad director. He is known for his speed that’s how he told stories. Some of his good commercial films – Saamy, Singam 1, Seval and Arul (one of my favourite films) have the same feel. In this it felt too claustrophobic. This was clearly a producer thing or a horrible misstep by Hari – but I haven’t even covered the surface of how bad this film is.

The Ugly

Shruti Hassan. Once upon a time – a lifetime ago – I thought she was pretty and a good actress. A lifetime later, I’m regretting that thought. She is a horrible addition to this film. She serves nothing except for being a bumbling idiot to drive a horrible plot. She is such a 2-dimensional character and actress.

The villain was the worst. All the character does is scream, go shirtless, insult India, and repeat. I miss the days of Mark Anthony and Muthupandhi. Harris Jayaraj is a generally a good composer but I don’t know what happened – the music in this movie was atrocious.

Overall, this is yet another poor representation of Tamil cinema. It’s odd because Hari is a competent director with some great films. But this was a complete misstep and clearly a money-grab film. Let’s hope Saamy 2 isn’t subject to the same flaws.

I give this film a 1.5/5.

Related articles:
Why I Stopped Watching Tamil Movies
Film Review: Boologam
Film Review: Iru Mugan

The post Film Review: Singam 3 appeared first on TamilCulture.com.


Manjula Selvarajah Recognized as ‘Most Outstanding Professional’ by the Canadian Tamil Chamber of Commerce

$
0
0

Manjula Selvarajah has had a remarkable career to date, and through it all, she has maintained an attitude of giving back to the community.

An engineer by trade and a former tech startup executive, she went on to pursue journalism, currently in the role of associate producer at CBC Toronto. Manjula is also a regular writer at TamilCulture.com, and was recognized by our readers and editors as one of  ‘Toronto’s Most Influential Tamils’ in 2012.

Manjula was recognized with this year’s award for most outstanding professional by the Canadian Tamil Chamber of Commerce (CTCC) at their 19th annual awards ceremony held on Saturday.

She tells the CBC:

“Here, business people have chosen to give an award to a journalist, so they have collectively decided that a journalist helps in some way further the cause of their community,” she said. “Specifically, to receive [the award] from the Tamil community, too — it’s such an honour. I’m really grateful.”

Congratulations on your win Manjula!

-Featured image sourced from the CBC.

 

Read some of Manjula Selvarajah’s past articles:

Thinking Of Changing Your Career? Here’s What You Need To Do!

On Kaizen, Kobe Bryant, David Chang and You

The post Manjula Selvarajah Recognized as ‘Most Outstanding Professional’ by the Canadian Tamil Chamber of Commerce appeared first on TamilCulture.com.

Diversity Amongst the Tamil Diaspora: An Ethno-Linguist Population Group

$
0
0

The first thing I realized when I left India is the striking presence of Tamil diaspora and its remarkable diversity. The logical explanation for the existence of the diversity among the diaspora may be genetically linked. “Yaathum Vure Yaavarum Kelir” meaning “All are my kin and every conurbation is my town” is a testament to this sentiment.

Before going any further, let me first describe the Tamil diaspora and its diversity.

Tamil Diaspora

Diaspora literally means dispersed people from their homeland. There are two main homelands for the Tamil diaspora, namely India and Sri Lanka. The dispersion of Tamils to different parts of the globe is mainly due to political upheaval in the mainland.

Tamil migration happened from time immemorial to medieval times, which is mostly unaccounted for. Documented Tamil migration begins from the medieval period. These travelers were mainly professionals, merchant guilds and soldiers.

Some evidence is emerging now due to a Tamil renaissance taking place in Tamil Nadu, India. Many researchers are investigating global Tamil navigation and prehistoric settlement. Many towns around the globe have Tamil names. River and estuaries around the globe have Tamil cultural sedimentation and needs multifaceted integrated research as per Orissa Balu, an integrated ocean culture Tamil researcher.

During the colonial period, Tamil migration and dispersion was due to both civil service and indentured workers of European colonies. British colonial workers settled in Malaysia, Singapore, Myanmar, Mauritius, South Africa, Fiji, and Trinidad and Tobago. French colonial workers migrated to Réunion, the Caribbean islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe, French Guyana and Seychelles. Similarly Dutch colonial workers settled in Suriname and the island of Sumatra in Indonesia. These Tamils integrated and assimilated to their host countries.

The second wave of Tamil emigration took place during the religious political upheaval in Sri Lanka. The Tamils of Sri Lanka emigrated to many European countries, as well as to Canada and Australia.

The third wave of Tamil emigration, skilled professional migration, has largely taken place after the advent of the internet. These emigrants are mainly professionals.

The total number of the Tamil diaspora living outside of their mainland is estimated to be around 5,000,000. There is also a considerable number of Tamils living in the Arabian Peninsula, Oceania, Polynesia, Melanesia, Japan, China, Myanmar, Thailand, Indochina and Korea.

Diversity among the Tamil Diaspora

Within the Tamil diaspora, there exists a great deal of diversity. This is mainly due to religious affiliation, social status (caste), and the country of origin or place of ancestral settlement. Tamils practice a variety of religions namely Hinduism, Islam and Christianity. Despite the religious affiliation and caste differentiation, there is a never-ending passion for our language which binds us all despite our differences.

Apart from religious affiliation and caste differentiation, country of origin or place of ancestral settlement exerts certain cultural differences in our diversity.

Cultural, religious and caste differences are not a new thing in Tamil culture. It dates back thousands of years, but not in its current form. If you look at the number of religious and caste affiliations Tamils had, it goes beyond the Sangam era.

Tamils practiced Asivagam (where the continent of Asia got its name according to Dr. Pandian of Tamil Cinthanaiyaalar Peravai), Samanam, Boutham, Sivanium (worship of Siva), Maalium (worship of Thirumaal), Islam and Christianity during different ages of time under different kingships.

The citizens followed their king’s religious affiliation which was the norm during the Middle Ages. The kings respected all religious belief and were tolerant towards all. The caste practices were well-recorded in Sangam literature but not in its current form; it was recorded as an occupational specialist group.

The Future

Despite our diversity, Tamils identify ourselves as a distinct unified linguistic ethnic group. This unique quality ingrained in our subconscious mind helps us to unite when challenged.

One example is the recent Jallikattu uproar which forced the Indian government to amend the constitution to accommodate the age-old Tamil tradition of the bull-taming sport. A united Tamil ethno-linguistic mindset will help to recover our glorious past which is virtue-based, embracing justice rendered to all life forms. Feeding the crows before a festive meal, decorating our houses with rice powder (kolam) to feed the ants, and celebrating mattu pongal to respect cattle are some examples of our virtue.

This unified mindset will help us gain global economic and educational advantages by networking with the diverse Tamil diaspora scattered around the globe. The key to the emergence of a successful Tamil diaspora is to acknowledge the diversity that exists among us and to cherish it.

Last but not least, let me conclude this article by saying, “Now is the time to unify the Tamil diaspora despite our diversity for a better tomorrow.”

– Dr. Prem Shanmugam

Related articles:
A Personal Reflection of the Tamil Diaspora
Frozen Values: Is the Tamil Diaspora Caught in a Time Warp?
I am a Product of the Diaspora

The post Diversity Amongst the Tamil Diaspora: An Ethno-Linguist Population Group appeared first on TamilCulture.com.

VFC Takes 3 Tamil Films To New York Indian Film Festival

$
0
0

Viewfinder Film Consulting (VFC) is representing 3 official selections at the 17th annual New York Indian Film Festival: “Merku Thodarchi Malai” (Western Ghats), “Oru Kidayin Karunai Manu” (One Goat’s Mercy Petition) and “Sigai” (Blossom).

The films have been produced by Vijay Sethupathi Productions, Eros International and Divine Studios, respectively.

“I’m thrilled that VFC is representing 3 wonderful films at the New York Indian Film Festival this year! I’m particularly happy that our company has helped to fill so much of the South Indian film bracket with such distinct films! They’re all uniquely entertaining in very different ways. We are grateful to have worked on them and I am really looking forward to being there in New York to share these quality Tamil movies with New York audiences.”- Dilani Rabindran, Managing Director, VFC.

While “Merku Thodarchi Malai” and “Sigai” will have their international premieres in New York, both have played at festivals in India. Eros’ “Oru Kidayin Karunai Manu”, meanwhile will have its world premiere at NYIFF.

The New York Indian Film Festival is considered one of the strongest annual selections of South Asian cinema. This year’s lineup also includes popular festival hits “Hotel Salvation” and “A Death in the Gunj”.

WG“Merku Thodarchi Malai”

Vijay Sethupathi produced “Merku Thodarchi Malai”, which has already garnered awards in India. The film, directed by Lenin Bharathi, has played at 3 Indian film festivals, winning the KW Joseph Award for Best Film at the 2017 International Film Festival of Thrissur.

It had a 2.5+ year pre-production process, is based on several true stories from those who actually reside at the borders of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, and features villagers who have had no formal training in acting.

“Merku Thodarchi Malai” plays under its English title of “Western Ghats” on Friday May 5th at 6:30 pm. Director Lenin Bharathi will be in attendance to promote the film.

OKKM“Oru Kidayin Karunai Manu”

“Oru Kidayin Karunai Manu”, produced by Eros International, stars Vidarth and Raveena, in her debut role, and is directed by newcomer Suresh Sangaiah. The film recently had a grand and widely lauded audio and trailer launch event in Chennai.

Boasting editing by famed Praveen KL, OKKM focuses on a group of villagers’ holy pilgrimage and an unexpected traffic accident on the way. Director Suresh, a former assistant to National Award winner M. Manikandan, based the story on real-life incidents from his hometown of Rajapalyam. Following NYIFF the film will be releasing theatrically worldwide.

“Oru Kidayin Karunai Manu”, also referred to as “One Goat’s Mercy Petition”, will play at the closing weekend of the New York Indian Film Festival on Saturday May 6 at 6:30 pm.

Sigai SIGAI

“Sigai”, directed by first time filmmaker Jagadeesan Subu and produced by Divine Studios, stars Kathir, of “Kirumi” and now “Vikram Vedha” fame. The drama also features Raj Bharath, Rhythvika and Rajesh Sharma, and introduces actress Meera Nair in a pivotal role. Screening under the English title of “Blossom”, the film will play along other great entries from across India.

Sigai had its world premiere last September at the All Lights Indian International Film Festival of Hyderabad, where it was also shortlisted for the festival’s Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC) award for Best Debut Director.

Writer and director for the film, Jagadeesan Subu, is an associate of National Award winner M. Manikandan. The film features editing by Anucharan Murugaiyan, cinematography by Navin Kumar and music by Ron Yohann. “Blossom” screens on Thursday, May 4 at 9:15 pm.

The post VFC Takes 3 Tamil Films To New York Indian Film Festival appeared first on TamilCulture.com.

Palm Roots: Empowering Youth Through Access To Education

$
0
0

Palm Roots is a fundraiser that was initiated in 2013 by photographer Jananie Baskaran.

After starting to dabble in photography, and then taking it on as an entrepreneurial pursuit, Jananie realized that there was something more she wanted to achieve through it.

While portfolio-styled shoots and events allowed her to express herself, and her clients’ visions, creatively a desire to delve into philanthropy was growing within at her.

With the drive to change how art and photography are perceived and utilized, and with the mission of supporting children without access to educational resources, she created Palm Roots. By selling photographs taken during her travels, and donating the proceeds, she had found a way to celebrate her roots, while expanding the possibilities for the futures of children.

 “As clichéd as it sounds, my first visit to Jaffna in 2013 gave me an insight on the consequences people were facing in these areas, with very minimal help from the surrounding environment to get their lives back on track. It also made me grateful for the privileges we have here, in Toronto and encouraged me to do my share to help support those who aren’t as fortunate as us.” – Jananie Baskaran

Jananie wants to do her share to ensure that children in Jaffna are able to afford an education and live and learn in environments that encourage them to become strong leaders. She believes that education is at the heart of creating an identity that is founded in a positive outlook.

Palm Roots, now in its fourth year, has successfully raised well over $20,000 to support various projects in North/East Sri Lanka. Some of them include providing educational fees for over 60 students, supporting institutions focused on raising girls in a safe environment and financially supporting women who are widows.

At Palm Roots 2015, the bids for photos ranged from $150 to $1800 and raised a total of $12, 500. Attendees, who were primarily young entrepreneurs, artists and business owners, were engaged not only in the photography present, but the live performances, networking and engaging conversations about philanthropy and capacity building.

Palm Roots Poster

This year’s event, taking place on Sunday, May 7th, will include photography taken in North Sri Lanka, with an emphasis on nature, people and their labour. For many who have long since left Jaffna, and not had an opportunity to return, or return often, these photos will be a window into a world that was their first home.

Hosts Thushanth Siva and Banujan Kanagaratnam, alongside Jananie herself, are looking forward to sharing more about the photographs, and those who will benefit from their proceeds through Miracle Family Care.

Palm Roots 2017 will also feature an hour of performances from 4 independent artists, based in Toronto: pianist and singer, Gobiraj Sivalingam, flautist Bhranavi Arul, and veena instrumentalists Aathy Thambiappah and Aara Thambiappah.

Tickets can be purchased on eventbrite.

 

 

 

The post Palm Roots: Empowering Youth Through Access To Education appeared first on TamilCulture.com.

My Tamil Refugee Story

$
0
0

Recently the topic of refugees and immigrants have dominated news headlines all over the world.  In light of this, I would like to share my personal immigration story.

Thirty six years ago, my dad left Sri Lanka and never went back.  This was the place of his childhood, the land where he experienced happiness and pain, the home where his mother passed away when he was only a teenager.  This is also the place where he left everything he knew behind in order to try and help his struggling family. He left Sri Lanka with a little bit of money and was forced to move from country to country with the hope of landing some sort of job to help ends meet back at home.

 

Now to all of those who trivialize the situation many immigrants and refugees face when they decide to leave their home, let me stop you and explain my reality. My father had to commit to sleeping many nights in subway stations and on random trains that took him to unknown countries where he did not understand one word of the language.  He slept on benches in the middle of winter and took random jobs all the time just to earn an extra dollar.

 

He didn’t know when he would hear from his family and never knew when he would find his next meal. Why? How can anyone believe that immigrants are out to steal their jobs vindictively? Like my father, most immigrants are forced into these types of circumstances because the only way for them to stay afloat is to leave their home behind and try something new.

 

I can count the number times that I have seen my dad cry on one hand but this changed this year when he went to Sri Lanka with some relatives. When my dad went back to his childhood home, he broke down sobbing, to the point where he could not speak.  He even had to be escorted out of the house because his emotions were too strong. He called me afterwards and told me that in that moment, all the memories of his childhood and everything that he had lost came crashing back.

 

In my 22 years of living, this was the first moment that I TRULY acknowledged what my parents had sacrificed just to provide me with this sheltered life that I often take for granted. The life they have built for their children was not one they ever started with the hopes of living luxuriously.  They simply did it out of SURVIVAL. So let us all think twice before judging immigrants and refugees without truly understanding the hardships they have to face. Canada was built through the hard work of countless immigrants and through all the ups and the downs, we will always stand proud.

The post My Tamil Refugee Story appeared first on TamilCulture.com.

JYXDI, Self Taught Painter To Artist Making Her Mark

$
0
0

Jyothee Murali, better known by her moniker JYXDI, is a self-taught visual artist. She started drawing at the age of two and began painting by the time she was ten years old.

“Everything around me is inspirational. Nature, the environment and people. I use all those factors and incorporate it into my artwork.” 

JYXDI5

From the desire to create art as a passion, two years ago JYXDI was born; a business venture for commissioned art pieces. Though painting is her primary pursuit, Jyothee collaborates with other artists as well, working on creative projects that take her outside of the scope of her paintings. She also works at Pinot’s Palette as an art instructor, teaching over 50 students at a time.

JYXDI2

When asked about the best part of being an independent artist, Jyothee said that she loves working on her own schedule and being her own boss; these rewards come in exchange for deadline driven projects, that require working under pressure for  weeks at a time, but she wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Always practice. There’s always room to learn. Every time I pick up my paintbrush I learn something new. You don’t need a teacher to guide you. You can learn anything and everything on your own as long as you put your mind to it.” 

JYXDI3

The post JYXDI, Self Taught Painter To Artist Making Her Mark appeared first on TamilCulture.com.

South Indian Film ‘Baahubali 2: The Conclusion’ Beats Hollywood Competitors

$
0
0

Tollywood film series ‘Baahubali’, which is made both in Tamil and Telugu simultaneously, recently set a major record.

 

The Wall Street Journal states: “It’s being called India’s “Star Wars,” smashing box-office records worldwide. The wild superhero epic “Baahubali 2: The Conclusion,” which opened at the end of April, has become the highest grossing Indian film in history, and its breakthrough in the U.S. may be just as significant.”

 

It opened on the weekend of April 28, with $10.3 million – making it the No. 3 film in America beating DreamWorks Animation’s “Boss Baby,” Tom Hanks in “The Circle” and other Hollywood films. “The blockbuster premiere reflected shifting demographics across America. Although the Indian-American population represents only 1% of the U.S., it is fast-growing with high disposable income. The Indian-American population grew to nearly 3 million in 2010, up 69% from 2000. In 2014 Indian citizens accounted for 70% of H-1B employment applications in the U.S.” Continue reading at The Wall Street Journal.

 

The post South Indian Film ‘Baahubali 2: The Conclusion’ Beats Hollywood Competitors appeared first on TamilCulture.com.


Tamil Short Film – ‘Avalum Naanum’

$
0
0

After their debut with the romantic thriller “The Blind Date”, T-Factory Entertainment is at it again with “Avalum Naanum” (Her & I), a short film that talks about the stigma of depression in the South Asian community. This film is based on a married couple who struggles to find harmony in their marital life when the husband starts to feel that his wife is drifting away. The short film throws light on the ignorance surrounding depression.

Mental illness is no stranger for the budding filmmaker Thusy Suntharam as he was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder at the age of 18. He struggled to seek help or even talk to his parents due to the fact that no one used to not take mental illness seriously in the South Asian community.

Although this short film is a fictional work, he thought the emotions of the victim should reflect what he felt during those dark times. He also wanted to showcase what the loved ones of those suffering from mental illness go through. With this short film, Thusy hopes to create more discussion about the topic of mental health in the South Asian community (especially in the Tamil community).

Credits:

Written & Directed by: Thusy Suntharam
Cinematography: Kishok S.
Editing: Thibz Se.
Music: Rubato
Produced: T-Factory
Cast: Thusy S. & Waishnavi T.

Looking to create your love story? Join the other couples who have dated and married through myTamilDate.com!

Related articles:

Living and Learning Through Grief
From Gutter to Psych Ward
My Best Friend Helped Me Battle Depression When My Mother Wouldn’t
http://tamilculture.com/my-girlfriend-tried-to-kill-herself/

The post Tamil Short Film – ‘Avalum Naanum’ appeared first on TamilCulture.com.

Interview with Neethan Shan: Toronto City Councillor for Scarborough-Rouge River

$
0
0

TamilCulture sat down with Neethan Shan, who was recently elected to Toronto City Council for Ward 42.

First, we’d like to congratulate you on becoming the first Tamil-Canadian councillor in the City of Toronto. Your achievements as a youth worker, school board trustee, community activist, and politician are remarkable. From being the first youngest Tamil-Canadian elected to public office to now becoming the first Tamil City Councillor is inspiring, especially for those interested in politics.

Could you explain the role of a City Councillor? How are you able to serve the constituents of Scarborough-Rouge River and Toronto while holding this position?

As City Councillor for Ward 42, I will advocate for and vote on decisions related to public transit, city planning, childcare, housing, employment initiatives, environmental initiatives, roads and infrastructure, and the budget of the city.

In addition, I will be helping residents access city services including libraries, public health, emergency response, parks, snow removal, garbage removal etc.

Finally, I would like to focus on four broader areas of youth leadership:
(1) education, employment and justice,
(2) fighting racism and discrimination within the city,
(3) advocating for services and support for newcomers, refugees and recent immigrants,
(4) getting more diverse communities in civic engagement and decision-making within the city.

What struggles did you encounter when you first started in politics and how did you overcome these barriers?

When I first ran for public school board trustee in Markham in 2003, I was 24 years old. As a young person with limited financial resources, the barriers to break through in politics were difficult. Today, a significant number of Tamil-Canadians are well-trained in politics and campaign organizing but in those days, we were learning on the go.

What was more challenging was the ageism I faced upon being elected as the youngest trustee in the YRDSB, and the racism I encountered while being the only person of colour within the 12 member board in York Region. But as someone with the resilience and “thick skin”, I focused my attention on getting things done for the diverse students and parents I represented.

What projects are you currently involved with to serve Ward 42?

For the upcoming year:

  • Actively push for the Bloor-Danforth subway extension to Scarborough Centre and launch a campaign to connect Malvern through rapid transit to the Eglinton East LRT.
  • Improve parks and green space in the area and organize a campaign to have more community members utilize them.
  • Better coordination amongst various services supporting the community at times of crisis and unsafe situations, and proactive public safety measures such as neighbourhood watch, safety audits etc.
  • Work with the Morningside Heights and Rougeville communities to build new community recreation centres in each of these neighbourhoods.
  • Establish a youth council to get about 100 youth between ages 14 to 25 to develop leadership skills and to take an active role in the city’s various initiatives including transit, justice, employment, environment etc.
  • A number of other initiatives to address racism and discrimination that I will be announcing shortly.
  • What do you hope to achieve if/when you leave City Council?

    I hope to have brought more rapid transit to Scarborough, bring more community space including two community centres to the ward, train youth and residents in civic engagement thereby creating the next generation of leaders, improve the image of Malvern by highlighting the positive aspects of the community, and make the City of Toronto more inclusive and welcoming to diverse communities.

    In addition to ward-specific matters, I wish to champion equity, inclusion, youth leadership, community infrastructure, and anti-poverty initiatives at the city level.

    What are some accomplishments that you are proud of?

    I am proud to have supported hundreds of youth and their parents through my work as a youth worker, teacher and as a trustee. I am very proud that the Tamil Heritage Month initiative I started in 2010 is now accepted in many school boards, cities, the province of Ontario, and Canada. It is now going global.

    I am proud to have broken many barriers in politics and to have paved the path for other youth to succeed in politics. I have championed anti-racism work in school boards and headed a campaign that helped to establish the anti-racism directorate in the province of Ontario.

    Most importantly, a number of youth development programs, after-school programs, community organizations and anti-racism initiatives I started over the past twenty years are still running successfully across the GTA. There is definitely more work to be done and I am eagerly looking forward to it.

    What is your opinion of the progress the Tamil community is making in Toronto? 

    I am very proud of the success and progress Tamil-Canadians have made in various fields including businesses, education, politics, arts and culture, and social and public services. The resilience, hard work, and perseverance of the community has taken us to great heights.

    At the same time, I will say that there is still more we can achieve if we coordinate a community-wide plan to get there. I will be launching an initiative to bring our social service organizations together to plan for a collective vision to help the most vulnerable within our community.

    As City Councillor for Ward 42 where Tamils are the second largest minority group, what are some of the major issues the community is facing and how do you plan on tackling these issues?  

    The issues I outlined earlier are issues that affect Tamils as well – lack of youth employment and underemployment, lack of community space for children, youth and seniors, lack of rapid transit, racial discrimination etc.

    I will host regular town halls and training/information sessions to make the Tamil community become more aware of how they can shape city policies and how they can advocate for their issues. I am looking forward to working with the community to support establishing a community centre for Tamil-Canadians and also a seniors home for Tamil seniors.

    In addition, I will be working with the community to achieve the objectives of the Toronto-Jaffna Partnership Agreement to support the rebuilding of Jaffna District in the fields of library services, education, governance, city services and economic development.

    Immigrating to Canada as a refugee at the age of 16, do you feel that refugees are in better hands now than when you first arrived? 

    I feel that the recent rise in xenophobia and the blaming of refugees by media and certain politicians in Canada, the US and other Western countries has made the environment very hostile for refugees today. Hundreds of thousands of Canadians arrived as refugees and have contributed enormously to the economic prosperity of this country. We are fortunate to have a network of organizations, advocates and activists who are helping to make sure we provide an inclusive environment for newcomers and refugees.

    What advice would you give to Tamil youth pursuing political office? 

    Youth who wish to pursue politics need to be prepared to work hard and not give up. Most successful politicians – especially those who don’t come from a family of politicians – got there through resilience, hard work and perseverance. Therefore, be prepared to put in the time.

    Through having worked in a number of community projects, I had a network of individuals who were able to donate their time as volunteers and provide fundraising for my campaign. It is important for youth to volunteer in the campaigns of other candidates to know what is actually involved. One cannot fully understand the extent of what is involved in being in politics until they engage in campaigns and political organizing.

    My biggest advice to youth wanting to become a politician would be to not rely solely on politics as your only career. I had an executive role in the not-for-profit sector and a career in teaching in the past. If I ever I feel a need to step down from politics, I will be happy to go back to the field of education and community development. When the time comes when one wants to leave politics or politics leaves them out, there is always a steady path for you to help the community.

    What are your hobbies and interests outside of politics?

    Generally, community development work is of great interest to me. I do a lot of volunteering on projects that aim to help people who are marginalized to access opportunities, power and decision making.

    I am a big fan of movies and music, especially Tamil cinema. I follow Tamil music from the black and white era to today. I used to act and direct stage drama, and am hoping to direct short films in a few years.

    With respect to sports, I have played soccer and cricket in the past and hope to get back to it soon. Now that I am a father of two boys, I enjoy spending whatever free time I can get with them and doing things they love.

    Finally, it’s great to see the support given by your wife. Can you tell us a bit about how you met, and what it feels like to have a strong supportive wife?

    My wife, Thadsha, and I will be celebrating our tenth wedding anniversary this year. Within those ten years, I have had many challenging elections and other community projects with a heavy workload. She has been very supportive – always inspiring and motivating me to keep up the fight.

    My success would have not been possible without the support and encouragement of my wife. She is not only supportive of my involvement in politics, but her contribution is even greater than that. She is a reliable advisor who understands political organizing and community service, as she is from the same field as me.

    We actually met while working for a community organization. She worked on supporting women in various women’s programs while I was doing the same for youth through youth programs. So a lot of our dinner conversations revolve around community development and politics.

    Most importantly, she is an even stronger fighter for equity and fairness than I am, so she keeps me on the right track to not give up standing up for fairness and justice. Her perspective, knowledge, and support helps keep me going with the passion and drive I have.

    Thank you Neethan for taking the time to speak with us and giving us your insights. We wish you all the best in achieving your goals as City Councillor for Ward 42. We will be sure to keep in touch with you and to update the community of your future achievements.

    – Interview by Siva Samson Ravindran

    The post Interview with Neethan Shan: Toronto City Councillor for Scarborough-Rouge River appeared first on TamilCulture.com.

    The Masterpiece

    $
    0
    0

    From the age of seven, dark clouds would follow me around. That’s when it all began, a haunting nightmare that would leave my eyes soaked in tears. I would wake up with an intense feeling of loneliness. Although closing my eyes was frightening, keeping them open was another battle. I would desperately try to hold onto any shred of reality as if I was drowning and gasping for air.

    I had a tendency to dissociate frequently, feeling like I had no control over my body. I felt like I was nothing more than a voice; a voice lost in a vast space of emptiness, a voice that was fading away deeper and deeper into my mind. The lack of control in my life ultimately spread into my mind like an infectious virus. I was left completely helpless with a mind that was plagued with suicidal thoughts.

    Although I couldn’t talk to anyone else about it, I would express myself through doodles that contained hidden messages. This gave me an opportunity to talk to someone – myself. Even though the voice in my head was the only thing I was able to consistently identify with, I was lost so deep into my mind that it had lost its connection to my vocal cords. Thus, loneliness became my only real friend.

    Anger suddenly began creeping through my veins, slowly taking over my body. I was becoming an angry child with a very bad temper tantrum. I would break things in the house when I couldn’t control my anger.

    Growing up, I was rebellious and often committed petty crimes. However, it wasn’t until I turned  fourteen that I was arrested for the first time, and convicted on my first set of charges. In actuality, I had no involvement in that particular incident. This experience reinforced my assumptions that life was unfair and this world was a cruel place.  Although, I was innocent the first time around, I was guilty of  all my subsequent charges. I was guilty of having a mind that was poisoned with anger and hatred.  

    I started off consuming alcohol recreationally, but I became increasingly dependent on it. The alcohol really helped me cope because it made the pain bearable. At the same time, it kept me stuck in a negative mental state. I couldn’t handle the overwhelming negative emotions when I was sober. Hence, I would turn to alcohol for comfort, and as I sobered up, I found my life unbearable again. This led to more and more drinking, turning into a never ending cycle.

    At the same time, my anger was starting to surface more readily; I was losing my inhibition and becoming more impulsive. Consequently, I became much more reactive and violent. I started noticing that as the intensity of my anger would build up, after a point it would transform into rage. Thereafter, I would feel like I had no control over my actions.

    I would see myself choking him, trying to rip out his trachea. I couldn’t understand what would come over me. In the heat of the moment, I didn’t care. All the anger and hatred couldn’t be contained anymore. Growing up feeling like this life wasn’t worth living, I had nothing to lose. I didn’t have anything to live for.

    Happiness to me was the elusive wind, which I constantly chased. As much as I tried I could never grasp it.

    On my desperate search for happiness, I set my eyes on love. She was like an angel sent from the heavens to rescue me from my misery, or I thought. Can she look into my eyes and see a wounded seven year old? Would she be able to console this naive little boy, and tell him that it wasn’t his fault?

    It was uplifting to think that someone might be able to see me for who I really was, and actually understand me- I wasn’t a monster. I was wounded and defensive, willing to do anything to protect myself. I really wanted her to see me beyond this physical world, I wished she had the ability to delve into my mind and understand why I was the way I was. I wanted her to know that I was afraid of the dark, afraid of all the monsters lurking in  every corner of my mind. If only she knew how much these monsters would taunt me. As much as I tried to get away from them, I just couldn’t.

    Fortunately for her, she couldn’t see the monsters that were chasing me. She only  saw the monster running towards her. In short of tearing my heart apart to show her, as much as I tried she wasn’t able to understand me. How could I blame her? I couldn’t understand myself.

    There was a hole in my heart that just couldn’t be filled. As much as she tried, it just wasn’t enough. This hole became more like a vacuum. It started to suck all the colours out of my life. The world around me seemed dull and empty. It seems obvious now, she was never meant to be the source of my happiness.

    Eventually, I got tired of running. I stopped and looked up at the dark clouds. It became apparent that they would always catch up to me. I stood there, soaked in the rain, wondering if my emotions even mattered. It didn’t seem like anyone really cared. My tears would mingle with the rain drops and vanish. There, I realized the insignificance of my life.

    How can I outcry the rain? As I stood there devastated, time seemed to stretch. Everything slowed down, and everywhere I looked I saw my own reflection staring back at me in every raindrop.  

    I never had the courage to confront myself, but now I found myself forced to face my monsters. What was I running away from? I had always tried to find happiness from an outside source but I never thought to ask why I was so unhappy. It became more apparent that I was looking for answers in the wrong direction. Little did I know that the answers were actually buried deep within my own mind, secretly held by my inner voice, which was nowhere to be found. A voice that I had lost as a child was now buried under years of memories. I repeatedly chose to drown out the remnants of this voice with alcohol. In spite of all this, this voice still kept crying out for help.

    Although the cry was subtle enough that it never got the attention of my conscious mind, it was intense enough that the sound vibrated throughout my body and manifested itself in various areas of my life. It brought me to that very moment in time in which I was forced to stare down the depth of my despair, into the abyss.

    As I stood there, I heard the cry. It was echoing along the walls of the pit. The sound of the cry amplified, and the vibration shattered the edges of the wall. The ground beneath me began cracking.  My world was gradually falling  apart.

    There was an implosion of darkness that consumed everything. Everything, except a speck of hope that was visible as a torch. The flame of the torch shone brightly among the darkness. I grabbed the torch and held onto it tightly as it guided me through the darkness of my mind.

    As I kept walking, the voice got louder and louder, but I still didn’t know where it was coming from. I followed the trail led by the voice, and I came across a wailing little boy sitting in a corner. He was sobbing with his head down. I sat beside him quietly, and gave him my shoulder. Acknowledging my support,  he whispered into my ears in shame. He was describing his experience of sexual abuse. He had been molested.

    This child’s innocence was robbed at a young age, a crime that left him faceless. His image was unrecognizable to me. He feared the  world wouldn’t accept him. To his dismay he never expected that I wouldn’t accept him. This child was a part of me, and I was ashamed of him.

    His ability to trust people with his naive little heart was directly correlated to my inability to trust people. All his fears and sadness had boiled into my anger. His suffering left a wound in my heart that never healed. I ignored this wound for a long time, not realizing how infectious it was.

    Yes, I was sexually abused as a child. It didn’t feel like sexual abuse at the time, it seemed more like a game. A game, where a seven year old sucks an older male’s penis.

    I couldn’t understand what was happening at the time or the emotional turmoil I would be experiencing for years to come. I was ashamed of  my own vulnerability.

    Over the years, I struggled with an identity crisis; I was broken down into fragments with no coherent sense of self. My own body started attacking me with various unpleasant sensations. Intrusive thoughts invaded the barriers of my mind; these monsters had no mercy, and I had nowhere to hide. There was no sense of safety. I was a hostage within my own mind and body. The worst part was that I felt like I couldn’t do anything about it, no matter how hard I tried. I truly believed that I was stuck, frozen in space and time – a helpless victim of fate.

    It was through the anger that I was able to experience a sense of control with the ability to direct myself through force. It was the rage that gave me a sense of power in a mind where I truly felt powerless.

    As I stared back at the child, I saw innocence in his eyes. This feeble child was unable to understand the complexities of this world; he was not at the center of this universe. Everything that happened in his life was not his doing. He failed to realize that there was a whole world outside of his mind that he did not have much control over. He internalized his experiences and saw it as his own fault. How could it be his fault? He was just a naive little boy.

    This child had been crying out for my help all this time, needing  me to acknowledge his pain. I refused to give him that satisfaction until all I could feel was his pain.

    My memories were spinning all around me. I sat in a corner of my mind as I watched my life rewind before my eyes. As a child, I didn’t know how to handle my circumstances and I didn’t have the support I needed to manage myself. Unable to tolerate all the chaos, I adapted to the circumstances as best as I could. However, these coping mechanisms proved to be unhealthy and counterproductive to the life I wanted to lead.

    The light of the flame gradually infused into my wound and began the healing process. I would come to learn this the hard way; healing wasn’t a linear pathway. It wasn’t akin to walking from point A to B. It was more of  a challenging journey with many unpleasant moments.

    However, I was determined to continue this journey regardless of the obstacles I encountered. I made a commitment to myself to never turn back. I started following the pathway that was unfolding before my eyes as the light continuously illuminated it. In the process, I started to understand myself better and learned effective ways to manage myself.

    My emotions were no longer something that hijacked my body and crippled me; I started gaining control over myself by learning to regulate my emotions. I no longer felt the need to escape my body as I learned  to tolerate the sensations I experienced. This not only gave me a sense of control over myself, ultimately, it gave me a sense of control over my life.

    I learned that it’s not what happens in my life that determines my emotions, rather it is my mental response to the external circumstances. Also, by learning to tolerate the unpleasant sensations, I became less likely to react impulsively to situations and more likely to take the opportunity to appraise the situation constructively.

    I realized the rage I experienced was triggered when I felt mentally trapped – ultimately when I felt helpless. Ironically, the more reactive I was, the less control I truly possessed over my life. Thus, reacting impulsively to situations kept me a victim of my circumstances.

    While it is true that I will not have complete control over various events that will  occur in my life, I do have the power to choose my responses appropriately. This might not seem like much at first, but I soon realized it was where my true power would be in directing my life.

    My life is an accumulation of infinitely small moments, and how I choose to respond in each moment will ultimately reflect the overall trajectory. I realize I have the power to change the direction of my life in each moment. As a human being, I have the potential to learn and grow. Even through my mistakes, I can learn and increase my capacity to respond more appropriately. I feel more empowered knowing I have a sense of control over myself.

    I continued my journey until I came across a tunnel. The tunnel had a narrow opening, but I was able to see light on the other side. I started crawling towards the light, but I stopped and threw my torch back inside.  I was hoping to set all my old memories on fire, burning away the existence of ever having a past.

    The flame of the torch went out as soon as it hit the surface. The torch, representing therapy, did not make me forget my childhood experiences. I couldn’t change the past, but I did have the choice to make peace with it. Ultimately, I had the choice to make peace with myself. As I understood myself better, I was able to be more compassionate with myself. I learned to love myself and accept myself for who I was.

    I turned back towards the light, and kept crawling. The tunnel was a passage way out of my mind and back into reality.

    I opened my eyes to a world of new possibilities. I stood there alone under the bright blue sky, surrounded by rays of sunshine. The dark clouds finally cleared up, and I felt the warmth of the sunshine stimulate my skin. My body was overcome with a sense of vigor, and I had a new zest for life. Realizing how far I had come with myself, I experienced a sense of joy. Having crawled out from the depths of despair, I felt indestructible. I felt an inner strength that was ready to challenge any obstacles that came my way.

    Surprisingly, I no longer felt lonely. Even as I was standing alone, I felt connected to something beyond myself. As I began to see beyond my own suffering, I was able to acknowledge that there were others suffering as well – I was not alone. By loving myself and accepting myself with all my imperfections, I gained the strength to love others and empathize with their struggles. Being compassionate with others allowed me to acknowledge my shared humanity. I was never alone, but I couldn’t understand that earlier because I was too overwhelmed by my own pain.

    I began walking forward in my life with the firm belief that regardless of what happens, I will survive. I am now confident in my ability to handle the circumstances that I will encounter. Even if I am unable to  cope well at the time, I have found the strength to seek out the resources that I need in order to manage myself better.

    I have committed to weave through each moment of my life narrating a story of empowerment as opposed to a powerless victim. I am neither a static entity, nor are my circumstances permanent. This understanding has allowed me to transcend my perceived limitations and constantly strive towards manifesting my dreams into reality. Remembering that my life is  an interplay between the events that happen to me and my responses to them, I can now start to appreciate my life as a work of art.

     

    Artwork: Elaha Hosseiny

     

    Related Articles:

    EAT, SLEEP, RAPE, REPEAT

    United, We Are Stronger

    The post The Masterpiece appeared first on TamilCulture.com.

    Neethan Shan: Toronto’s First Tamil-Canadian Councillor

    $
    0
    0

    TamilCulture sat down with Neethan Shan, who was recently elected to Toronto City Council for Ward 42 Scarborough-Rouge River.

    First, we’d like to congratulate you on becoming the first Tamil-Canadian councillor in the City of Toronto. Your achievements as a youth worker, school board trustee, community activist and politician are remarkable. From being the first youngest Tamil-Canadian elected to public office to now becoming the first Tamil City Councillor is inspiring, especially for those interested in politics.

    Could you explain the role of a City Councillor? How are you able to serve the constituents of Scarborough-Rouge River and Toronto while holding this position?

    As City Councillor for Ward 42, I will advocate for and vote on decisions related to public transit, city planning, childcare, housing, employment initiatives, environmental initiatives, roads and infrastructure, and the budget of the city.

    In addition, I will be helping residents access city services including libraries, public health, emergency response, parks, snow removal, garbage removal etc.

    Finally, I would like to focus on four broader areas of youth leadership:
    (1) education, employment and justice,
    (2) fighting racism and discrimination within the city,
    (3) advocating for services and support for newcomers, refugees and recent immigrants,
    (4) getting more diverse communities in civic engagement and decision-making within the city.

    What struggles did you encounter when you first started in politics and how did you overcome these barriers?

    When I first ran for public school board trustee in Markham in 2003, I was 24 years old. As a young person with limited financial resources, the barriers to break through in politics were difficult. Today, a significant number of Tamil-Canadians are well-trained in politics and campaign organizing but in those days, we were learning on the go.

    What was more challenging was the ageism I faced upon being elected as the youngest trustee in the YRDSB, and the racism I encountered while being the only person of colour within the 12 member board in York Region. But as someone with the resilience and “thick skin”, I focused my attention on getting things done for the diverse students and parents I represented.

    What projects are you currently involved with to serve Ward 42?

    For the upcoming year:

  • Actively push for the Bloor-Danforth subway extension to Scarborough Centre and launch a campaign to connect Malvern through rapid transit to the Eglinton East LRT.
  • Improve parks and green space in the area and organize a campaign to have more community members utilize them.
  • Better coordination amongst various services supporting the community at times of crisis and unsafe situations, and proactive public safety measures such as neighbourhood watch, safety audits etc.
  • Work with the Morningside Heights and Rougeville communities to build new community recreation centres in each of these neighbourhoods.
  • Establish a youth council to get about 100 youth between ages 14 to 25 to develop leadership skills and to take an active role in the city’s various initiatives including transit, justice, employment, environment etc.
  • A number of other initiatives to address racism and discrimination that I will be announcing shortly.
  • What do you hope to achieve if/when you leave City Council?

    I hope to have brought more rapid transit to Scarborough, bring more community space including two community centres to the ward, train youth and residents in civic engagement thereby creating the next generation of leaders, improve the image of Malvern by highlighting the positive aspects of the community, and make the City of Toronto more inclusive and welcoming to diverse communities.

    In addition to ward-specific matters, I wish to champion equity, inclusion, youth leadership, community infrastructure and anti-poverty initiatives at the city level.

    What are some accomplishments that you are proud of?

    I am proud to have supported hundreds of youth and their parents through my work as a youth worker, teacher and as a trustee. I am very proud that the Tamil Heritage Month initiative I started in 2010 is now accepted in many school boards, cities, the province of Ontario and Canada. It is now going global.

    I am proud to have broken many barriers in politics and to have paved the path for other youth to succeed in politics. I have championed anti-racism work in school boards and headed a campaign that helped to establish the anti-racism directorate in the province of Ontario.

    Most importantly, a number of youth development programs, after-school programs, community organizations and anti-racism initiatives I started over the past twenty years are still running successfully across the GTA. There is definitely more work to be done and I am eagerly looking forward to it.

    What is your opinion of the progress the Tamil community is making in Toronto? 

    I am very proud of the success and progress Tamil-Canadians have made in various fields including businesses, education, politics, arts and culture, and social and public services. The resilience, hard work and perseverance of the community has taken us to great heights.

    At the same time, I will say that there is still more we can achieve if we coordinate a community-wide plan to get there. I will be launching an initiative to bring our social service organizations together to plan for a collective vision to help the most vulnerable within our community.

    As City Councillor for Ward 42 where Tamils are the second largest minority group, what are some of the major issues the community is facing and how do you plan on tackling these issues?  

    The issues I outlined earlier are issues that affect Tamils as well – lack of youth employment and underemployment, lack of community space for children, youth and seniors, lack of rapid transit, racial discrimination etc.

    I will host regular town halls and training/information sessions to make the Tamil community become more aware of how they can shape city policies and how they can advocate for their issues. I am looking forward to working with the community to support establishing a community centre for Tamil-Canadians and also a seniors home for Tamil seniors.

    In addition, I will be working with the community to achieve the objectives of the Toronto-Jaffna Partnership Agreement to support the rebuilding of Jaffna District in the fields of library services, education, governance, city services and economic development.

    Immigrating to Canada as a refugee at the age of 16, do you feel that refugees are in better hands now than when you first arrived? 

    I feel that the recent rise in xenophobia and the blaming of refugees by media and certain politicians in Canada, the US and other Western countries has made the environment very hostile for refugees today. Hundreds of thousands of Canadians arrived as refugees and have contributed enormously to the economic prosperity of this country. We are fortunate to have a network of organizations, advocates and activists who are helping to make sure we provide an inclusive environment for newcomers and refugees.

    What advice would you give to youth pursuing political office? 

    Youth who wish to pursue politics need to be prepared to work hard and not give up. Most successful politicians – especially those who don’t come from a family of politicians – got there through resilience, hard work and perseverance. Therefore, be prepared to put in the time.

    Through having worked in a number of community projects, I had a network of individuals who were able to donate their time as volunteers and provide fundraising for my campaign. It is important for youth to volunteer in the campaigns of other candidates to know what is actually involved. One cannot fully understand the extent of what is involved in being in politics until they engage in campaigns and political organizing.

    My biggest advice to youth wanting to become a politician would be to not rely solely on politics as your only career. I had an executive role in the not-for-profit sector and a career in teaching in the past. If I ever I feel a need to step down from politics, I will be happy to go back to the field of education and community development. When the time comes when one wants to leave politics or politics leaves them out, there is always a steady path for you to help the community.

    What are your hobbies and interests outside of politics?

    Generally, community development work is of great interest to me. I do a lot of volunteering on projects that aim to help people who are marginalized to access opportunities, power and decision making.

    I am a big fan of movies and music, especially Tamil cinema. I follow Tamil music from the black and white era to today. I used to act and direct stage drama, and am hoping to direct short films in a few years.

    With respect to sports, I have played soccer and cricket in the past and hope to get back to it soon. Now that I am a father of two boys, I enjoy spending whatever free time I can get with them and doing things they love.

    Finally, it’s great to see the support given by your wife. Can you tell us a bit about how you met and what it feels like to have a strong supportive wife?

    My wife, Thadsha, and I will be celebrating our tenth wedding anniversary this year. Within those ten years, I have had many challenging elections and other community projects with a heavy workload. She has been very supportive – always inspiring and motivating me to keep up the fight.

    My success would have not been possible without the support and encouragement of my wife. She is not only supportive of my involvement in politics, but her contribution is even greater than that. She is a reliable advisor who understands political organizing and community service, as she is from the same field as me.

    We actually met while working for a community organization. She worked on supporting women in various women’s programs while I was doing the same for youth through youth programs. So a lot of our dinner conversations revolve around community development and politics.

    Most importantly, she is an even stronger fighter for equity and fairness than I am, so she keeps me on the right track to not give up standing up for fairness and justice. Her perspective, knowledge and support helps keep me going with the passion and drive I have.

    Thank you Neethan for taking the time to speak with us and giving us your insights. We wish you all the best in achieving your goals as City Councillor for Scarborough-Rouge River. We will be sure to keep in touch with you and to update the community of your future achievements.

    – Interview by Siva Samson Ravindran

    The post Neethan Shan: Toronto’s First Tamil-Canadian Councillor appeared first on TamilCulture.com.

    A.N.B.U.’s First Quarter

    $
    0
    0

    A.N.B.U. அன்பு, which loosely translates to ‘Love’ in Tamil stands for Abuse Never Becomes Us.  A.N.B.U. is a not-for-profit community organization that supports those impacted by childhood sexual abuse within the Tamil community.

    We envision a future where Tamil people who have been impacted by childhood sexual abuse are able to find their voice. Our mission is to provide healing and empowerment through holistic support, resources, and advocacy on behalf of Tamil people who have been impacted by childhood sexual abuse. Check out our site www.anbu.ca for more information.

     

    One of our objectives has been to explore healing through open dialogue on childhood sexual abuse in an effort to raise awareness and build capacity within the Tamil community. We have started this dialogue through the launch of our monthly video series, which has been encompassing a combination of educational and personal conversations regarding the intersectional impact and journey of a survivor, family and community. Monthly releases will have various speakers that will tap into the complexity of violence and trauma, the lifelong impact, post-traumatic growth and the chaotic beauty of healing.

     

    Here is the first of our Video series – “It Happens!”

    A.N.B.U.’s first campaign video was made to raise awareness and start a conversation about childhood sexual abuse, a topic that is highly taboo in the Tamil community and many other cultures and communities. We hope that this video, and many others to come in our monthly video series, will help us start our collective journey towards healing!

     

     

    In February, we identified our theme to be “Support”. The type of support ஆதரவு (Ātharavu) one receives to an intimate disclosure such as childhood sexual abuse, lays the communicative foundation for various relationship dynamics. A survivor’s decision to disclose or not to disclose, impacts their mental health. Speaking about it generally decreases distress and physical symptoms, while silence is correlated with increased physiological activity and risks of physical disease. However, disclosures coupled with negative responses lead to worsening of emotional and physical symptoms. All iof this is indicative of the magnitude that support has on our well being.

     

     

    Our third video release in March was a tribute to International Women’s Day called “Beyond Bruises and Broken Bones”. It depicts gender based violence in Tamil media. Our intention was not to isolate or alienate men in this discussion but rather to stand in solidarity as allies against oppression. Review stats on intimate partner violence here. Our video depicts heterosexual couples but violence within relationships is widespread across sexual orientations and we stand in solidarity as allies within all intersectional identities against injustice and violence.

     

     

    Visit http://www.anbu.ca to subscribe to our monthly newsletter and stay informed on our upcoming monthly videos, A.N.B.U. events and resources on trauma and healing within the Tamil community.

     

    TC 2nd image

     

    Abuse and the intergenerational ripple effect of abuse is rampant within the Tamil community, as it is within many communities. A.N.B.U. exists to acknowledge the Tamil community’s historical and present trauma, and to build and explore our capacity to heal. We are committed to personal and social transformation and aspire to draw on our community’s strengths to address and prevent childhood sexual abuse.

     

    Be a part of this movement in thinking…feeling…being.

     

    #spreadANBU

     

    The post A.N.B.U.’s First Quarter appeared first on TamilCulture.com.

    Viewing all 565 articles
    Browse latest View live