Modern Tamil identity still dictated by colonial notions
Many of us may think of colonization as a distant memory, something that happened a long time ago and has little relevance to our lives today.
However, the truth is that colonization has had a profound and lasting impact on Tamil people all over the world.
In the grand scheme of things, when we look at the entire history of Tamil civilization, colonization seems like it happened just yesterday.
Within the last 500 years or so, so much of the Tamil way of life was erased or altered.
A way of life that has developed over tens of thousands of years picked at and torn apart over just a few centuries.
But of course, change is inevitable.
We will always continue to evolve.
However, I believe it is important to consider with what awareness do we view those changes.
You see, we are part of the first few generations of Tamils who have lived free from colonization, and whether we like it or not, our actions will dictate the future of our language and heritage.
Colonization has affected every aspect of Tamil life, from our societal structures, traditions to even the way we feel about our identity.
Take our language, for instance. Many of the words we use daily are not actually Tamil, they are Tamil versions of Portuguese, Dutch, or English words we’ve integrated into our language.
We have lost basic Tamil words because we got comfortable using these loanwords.
And yes I say comfortable, because many parents and grandparents know we are not using the pure Tamil words.
So instead of making an effort to switch back it seems like we are okay with forgetting the effects of colonization in order to not inconvenience ourselves.
To learn and remind ourselves of the actual Tamil words may seem like too much work.
We see this daily with the use of English words.
And I get it, maybe that's just how you grew up, or it's so ingrained in your brain it becomes second nature.
But have you ever wondered what this will mean for the future of Tamil?
Will your kids just believe 'kar' is how we say car in Tamil?
I often think about the fact that if we do not try to relearn and reclaim our heritage we will be the very reason for its death.
It may seem daunting at first but lasting changes can come from the small things.
Trying to learn a word a week, or making a game out of this with friends can make a huge difference.
Regardless of what you do, one thing is for sure, you just need to try.
If you are curious about what other words came from colonial times, check out some examples below!
Comentarios