Tamil South Africans

Infobox Ethnic group
group = Tamil South Africans


poptime = 250,000
popplace = KwaZulu-Natal
langs = English, Tamil, Africaans
rels = Hinduism, Christianity, others
related =

Tamil South Africans are South Africans of Tamil descent. Amongst the language groups represented among the Indian immigrants who came from India to Natal, South Africa, from 1860 onwards, are Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, and Gujarati, with Tamil people forming the majority. After the expiry of their indentures most of these Indians moved to the cities, becoming established as a thoroughly urban population. [citeweb|url= http://scnc.ukzn.ac.za/doc/SHIP/caste.html|title= Caste and Religions of Natal Immigrants.|accessdate=2007-11-19 |format=html |work= K. Chetty]

Apartheid

Apartheid alienated all Indians as disenfranchised "non-whites", and Hinduism in particular was perceived by many whites as antithetical to Christianity. The imposition of apartheid system also curtailed the opportunities for improvement including forced removals program which caused great disruption and social hardship.

Recovery

However, numerous Tamil cultural organizations are presently helping people to recover knowledge of the vernacular, and to take pride in their ancient and rich tradition. For many individual Hindus, a new awareness of their Tamil heritage could be powerfully inspirational and healing. [citeweb|url=http://www.pongalfestival.org/pongal-africa.html|title= Pongal in Africa: Mauritius, Reunion, Seychelles And South Africa.|accessdate=2007-11-19 |format=html |work=] [cite conference | first = Sarres | last = Padayachee | title = Kavadi in the South African Cult of Murukan | booktitle = Proceedings from the International Murukan Conference | publisher = International Murukan Conference | date= 2003 | location = Selangor, Malaysia | accessdate = ] [citeweb|url= http://www.murugan.org/research/subramaniyan.htm
title= Tamil Language and Murukan Worship in South Africa.|accessdate=2007-11-19 |format=html |work= S. Subramanian]

The present UNHCR chief, Navanethem Pillay is a south African Tamil.

Integration

Over the 140 years of residence in South Africa, participation in religion and its many festivals has brought devotees a valuable sense of identity and solidarity, especially in the light of their marginalization and the discrimination experienced under the apartheid system. A recent resurgence of interest in indigenous Tamil festivals seems to reflect a variety of religious, social and political concerns.cite conference | first = Alleyn | last = Diesel | title = Tamil Hindus in KawZulu-Natal (South Africa): History, Identity and the Establishment of Their Place in the New South Africa |booktitle = Proceedings from the International Association for the History of Religions | publisher = International Association for the History of Religions (IAHR), | date= 2000 | location = | accessdate = ]

ee also

*Tamil Sri Lankans
*Tamil Canadians
*Thai poosam kavady festival in South Africa
*Thai Pongal

Notes

References

*cite book |last = Bhana |first = Surendra | title = A Documentary History of Indian South Africans. | publisher = Standford Hover Institution Press| date= 1984 | pages = 306 | isbn = 08-179-8102-0

External links

* [http://www.tamilsa.org/cms/scripts/culture1.php?pageNum=2 Tamil Federation of KwaZulu-Natal]
* [http://scnc.ukzn.ac.za/ Gandhi-Luthuli documentary center]