THE TAMILS OF
REUNION AND THEIR HYBRID CULTURE
Colonialism cannot be condemned
outright. This may sound outrageous. But colonialism in a way introduced the
concept of outsourcing attempted in the bygone centuries and currently being
debated in the free market era. In a world where free market dominates, the
sweat and toils of the slave labourers may be forgotten, but we must realize
that in their sufferings the foundations for global market economy is sown.
ReUnion is a typical example of outsourcing by the French East India Company,
and its history reveals how an hybrid culture emanated amidst Tamil settlers
there, who are Tamils but could not speak Tamil, their mother tongue lost in
the interregnum of 5 generations of separation from their homeland namely
Pondicherry.
The archipelago, comprised of Mauritius
The French Revolution is a turning
point in its history. The greatest achievement of the 1848 revolution for the
colonies was the abolition of slavery. Slavery, the foundation of economic life
in Martinique, Guadeloupe , Guyana and Reunion ,
had been abolished by the Convention in 1794 but was re-instituted by
Napoleon. National Assembly by way of
definitive decree on April 27, 1848 declared that `slavery is an attack on
human dignity', it `destroys the principal of natural law and duty . . . it is
a flagrant violation of republican dogma," and that great unrest could
erupt in the colonies if slavery were not ended, the law abolished slavery in
all French colonies and possessions.
Thus a total of 262,564 slaves were thereby freed, most of them in the
plantation colonies of the West Indies and
Réunion.
But with this abolition of slave
labour the need to fill that vacuum arose and plantation owners looked for
French India to compensate the loss of slave labour. Thus lot of Tamils found
their way to the island of Reunion situated in the Indian Ocean closer to Madagascar Pondicherry and its surrounds
went to the coffee and other plantations in Reunion
as labour.
The coffee plantations were destroyed
often destroyed by cyclones and the Tamil labour had to struggle hard facing
the fury of Nature. Napoleon Bonaparte lost the island to the British for a
short break of five years. Under British
rule, sugar cane was introduced to Réunion and quickly supplanted food
production as the primary crop. It resulted in the dispossession of many small
farmers who were forced to sell out to those with capital to invest in the new
monoculture. The supplanted farmers migrated to the interior to find land and
carry on with their agricultural activities. During this period, the Desbassyns
brothers rose to success as the island's foremost sugar barons. The vanilla
industry, introduced in 1819, also grew rapidly. The golden age of trade and
development in Réunion lasted until 1870, when competition from Cuba and the European sugar beet industry,
combined with the opening of the Suez Canal ,
resulted in an economic slump. Shipping decreased, the sugar industry declined
and land and capital were further concentrated in the hands of a small French
elite. Close on the cessation of hostilities in First World War global demand
for sugar increased. This helped Reunion 's
economy out of the doldrums. But during World War II, an economic blockade once
again crippled the island's economy. A colony under French law must provide to
the French mainland goods of greater value than the amount of money allocated
to it. A colony had to be profitable. This obligation was lifted in 1946, when
Réunion's status changed from colony to overseas department, a change in status
intended to provide the island with the benefits of social and political
equality with the mainland. The island still falls under the jurisdiction of
the French government.
It cannot be said that Catholic faith
dominates the island's religious character. It is visible in the shrines along
every highway and byway, in caves, on cliff tops and in the many saint's days
and holidays. St-Denis shuts down on Sunday, when half the city goes to the
beach. Hindus and Muslims follow their respective religions freely and most
large towns have both a mosque and a temple. Popular Hindu rites include
teemeedee, which involves fire walking, and cavadee, involving piercing one's
cheeks with silver needles, often take place. A great deal of syncretism with
Catholicism has evolved over the years, and vice versa. Thus a hybrid religion had
come into existence. People celebrating all festivals and worshipping all
deities have produced a hybrid religion of tolerance. Lot of Hindu Temples is
there for Lord Shiva, Lord Muruga and Godess Kaali.
French is the official language, but
Créole is the most widely spoken. Few people speak English. Réunion Créole is
even beyond most French people. A word, which means one thing in French, can
mean something completely different in Créole. But the island which has around
4 lakh Tamils who own Tamil names and celebrate Hindu festivals, yet unable to
speak Tamil. The Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Navalar Nedunchezian participated
in a world Tamil Cultural Movements conference in neighbouring Mauritius and visited Reunion
too. During this visit the Reunion Tamil Kazhagam seeking the help of Tamil
Nadu Government to teach Tamil to the people of Reunion
and to promote cultural exchanges with mainland Tamils put up demands. It
remains still and unfulfilled dream. People in a distant place do not haunt our
memory as we have other chores to attend in everyday life. But the Government
of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry must open Cultural
Exchange Centres in all these isolate islands, and like the Alliance Francaise
that keeps teaching French throughout world, institutionalized teaching of
Tamil and spreading the tenets of Tamil Culture must be undertaken, all who
visit islands like Reunion will have these
thoughts linger in their minds.
The Maha
Bhadrakaliaaman Temple
authorities and the Natha Musical Academy of Reunion have invited the students
of TamilNadu Government Music
College College of Music who heads the team comprising his students Miss
K.Kala, Miss.K.Vijayalaxmi, Miss.N.Selvarani, Miss.Santhi and Mr.Nallusamy will
be participating in various functions in Reunion
as depicted in this poster. This ambassadors of Tamil culture carry forward the
message of goodwill from the people of Tamil Nadu, and whole Reunion Tamils
must be reassured that in upholding Tamil customs, religious practices, arts,
music and language, a day will come that Reunion
cultural ambassadors arrive here and capture our attention and can win our
admiration. Where there is a will, there will be a way, goes the saying.
Reunion Tamils have the will. Let them cherish their hybrid culture with Tamil
component, we all hope and wish so.
N.Nandhivarman
Courtesy: New Indian Express dated: 13th
April 2004
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