Identity formation often occurs on multiple planes, ranging from the
individual, communal, cultural, national and often today, on a global
platform as well. This paper seeks to explore the complexities of the Tamil
identity in Singapore, arguing that it is a hydra-like identity that exceeds
simplistic racial and ethnic boundaries of understanding. The complexities
that envelop the term ‘Tamil’ in Singapore have strong structural roots and
have also been strongly entrenched within state policy.
Tamil Identity in Singapore, it is argued, prior to Independence
in 1965, was strongly shaped by the Dravidian movement that dominated
Tamil Nadu politics from the 1940s till 1969, which saw the Dravida
Munnetra Kazhagam ascend to power. The Movement found its ideological
roots in the Self Respect Movement (SRM) which was founded in 1925
by the social reformer E.V.Ramaswamy (EVR). The SRM aimed to deliver
the Dravidian masses from casteist subjugation and to teach them to
think rationally and respect themselves as equals to the Brahmins. Along
with its anti-caste philosophy, the Dravidian movement also advocated
a potent form of cultural nationalism that focused on the Tamil language
and its greatness as a rallying call for unity and a stronger united identity
எங்களை
அன்றைய
(பிரவின்
திராவிட
க�ொள்கைகளுமே
இளையர்களின்
இந்த
மற்றும்
அரவின்)
இயக்கமும்
இன்றைய
தமிழ்
க�ொள்கை
பற்றியும்
சிங்கப்பூரின்
தாய்மொழி
தமிழ்
காரணமாகும்.
திராவிடம்
இயக்கங்கள�ோடு
அரச
சிங்கப்பூர்
அடையாளதிற்கு
ஆய்வுக்கட்டுரையில்
சுயமரியாதை
ப�ொருத்தமட்டில்
சிங்கப்பூர்
க�ொள்கைகள்
மற்றும்
CMIO
பற்றியும்
ஆராய்ந்துள்ளோம். முக்கியமாக அன்றைய சீர்திருதத்திற்கான
ப�ோராட்டங்களும்
முன்னேற
வேண்டும்
என்ற
மக்களின்
வேட்கையுமே மலாயா மற்றும் சிங்கப்பூர் மக்களின் தமிழ்
அடையாளங்களை
ஆகையால்,
மட்டும்
கூறாக
தமிழை
செதுக்கும்
வெறும்
உளியாக
பயன்படுத்துவத�ோடல்லாமல்,
பயன்படுத்தினால்
சமூகமும்
அமைந்தன.
கருத்துப்பரிமாற்றத்திற்கு
ஒரு
மேம்படும்
கலாச்சார
மக்களும்
முன்னேற்றம் அடைவார்கள் என்பதே எங்களது வாதமாகும்.
ம�ொத்தத்தில்,
நேற்றைய
நிகழ்வுகளை
நாளைய நிலையை அறியலாம்.
ஆராய்ந்து
நம்
amongst Tamils. It is argued that the effects of Dravidian movement, had
a very significant effect on Tamils in Singapore, which led to the adoption
of a stronger Tamil identity rather than one which focused on a pan-Indian
identity.
Since Independence, Singapore has followed a multiracial state
policy that has attempted to clearly define its population within 4 racial
categories, Chinese, Malay, Indian and others (CMIO). Each race was also
allocated a race-language, with the Indians given Tamil as their
‘racial language’ of sorts. This massive oversimplification
I would argue has led to intense difficulties with regards to
how Indians have identified themselves.
This paper focuses on the impact of the Dravidian
movement and the state policy of bonding Tamil as the
‘language of the Indians’ has had on the identity
formation of Singapore Indians, particularly the
younger generation, with the focus being on
the South Indian groups of the Malayalees
and Telugu as well as the majority Tamil
population. It is contended that the
Tamil youth identity in Singapore,
largely as a result of state policy and
the long term effects of the Dravidian
movement, is an identity that exceeds race and
ethnic barriers and is a hybrid identity that in
many instances exists in tandem with other
racial means of identification, such as being a
Malayalee or Telugu.
சிங்கப்பூர்த் தேசிய பல்கலைக்கழகத் தமிழ்ப் பேரவை
35ம் செயற்குழு
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