Lack of Initiative or Knowledge? Explore the Reasons Behind Limited Celebrations of Tamil Holidays by Global Tamils.
As we end the ‘western’ holiday season, and I reflect on my time spent with family and friends something occurred to me.
In a country like Canada, we often celebrate these non-Tamil holidays with loved ones.
Regardless of our religious backgrounds, many Tamils make time to put up Christmas or Thanksgiving decorations, cook specific dishes and host gatherings.
However, the majority of us don't engage in the same level of celebration when it comes to Tamil holidays.
Of course there can be many reasons for this.
You may not be aware of how, when, or why to even celebrate Tamil holidays.
You may not have celebrated these holidays with your family and friends growing up; therefore you never felt a need to bring these traditions into your home.
Additionally, the reason why we celebrate holidays like Halloween, Thanksgiving, or Christmas is because of the attention these holidays receive in our respective countries.
From time off for school and work, nostalgic holiday movies, to all the decorations around town, it's quite hard to miss these major holidays in North America or Europe.
My point isn't to question why we celebrate these holidays, as the integration and celebration of these holidays speak to embracing our dual identities.
The question is, is there a way to incorporate even a fraction of the level of excitement, attention to detail, inter-generational involvement, and sense of community among Diaspora
Tamils for our Tamil holidays?
This is not to say there aren't communities and families who successfully celebrate Tamil holidays to the same degree. There are many Tamil organizations and initiatives in place to educate and provide a space for Tamil holidays.
But as someone who was born in Canada, from my own personal experiences it's difficult to say even 70% of the same level of involvement and desire is shown among Tamils towards our Tamil holidays.
As Tamil Canadians, British Tamils, Australian Tamils, South African Tamils etc., we have this unique opportunity to embrace two different cultures.
Our Tamil ancestry is not something we can take away, just like how we can not take away the unique traditions created within our Tamil families due to where we live.
So why not spend the same amount of energy planning annual family traditions, and decorating homes for Tamil holidays?
You may want to incorporate more Tamil holidays and traditions in your home, but may not know where to start.
Well the good news is, there is a major Tamil festival coming up!
தைப்பொங்கல் (Thai Pongal) is an ancient non-religious Tamil harvest festival celebrated globally to give thanks to the Sun for allowing all life to be. The foundational values of Tamil heritage such as community, nature and gratitude can all be seen during this festival.
Thai Pongal falls on the first day of the Tamil month Thai (which is usually Jan 14 or 15).
If you want to learn more about how you can celebrate Thai Pongal check out "Amma’s Pongal Recipe: A Glimpse into Our Thai Pongal Traditions"
Hopefully through sharing our experiences with one another, we can bridge the knowledge gap that has been stopping us from bringing Tamil holidays into our homes.
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