A renaissance of cultures, languages and traditions among Indian-origin people

By Marimuthu Subramoney
(aka Subry Govender)

Now that the political struggles for a free and democratic South Africa is over, there seems to be a revolution within the Indian-origin community to vigorously promote their cultures, languages, music and traditions.
This became apparent over the past few weeks when cultural and other organisations held special events to promote the rich cultural heritage and legacy of the ancestors of the Indian-origin people.
Hundreds of organisations in Verulam, Tongaat, Chakaskraal, other parts of KwaZulu-Natal and the country at large have emphasised through their functions the importance and beauty of Indian-origin cultures, traditions and languages in our multi-cultural society.

Professor Chandru Kisten

At a Saravathie celebration event in Verulam last Sunday, the president of the Shri Siva Subramaniar Aalyam in Verulam, Professor Chandru Kisten, praised South Africans of Indian-origin for passionately promoting "the rich cultures and languages of our ancestors".
He was of the view that the different communities must re-inculcate their cultural values in order to tackle the social problems that seriously affect many communities.
It is interesting to note that the rising increase in drug and alcohol abuse and other anti-social addiction are, according to Professor Kisten and other leaders, due directly to the people becoming besotten and mesmerised by negative values and influences.

Renaissance

It is, therefore, heartening to witness organisations and their members once again involved in aggressively promoting their cultures, traditions and languages. It appears to be some sort of a renaissance.
They realise that communities without their cultures, traditions and languages will become lost and sooner or later they will degenerate and destroy themselves.
The organisations and their members have nothing to be apologetic when propogating their different cultures because the new non-racial and democratic South Africa is a multi-cultural society. No one culture, tradition or language should claim to be superior or try to dominate in our new South Africa.

Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlall Nehru

In this regard, we should take note of what India's great freedom fighter and spiritual leader, Mahatma Gandhi, once said about the importance of one's culture in a multi-cultural society.
He said: "I do not want my house to be walled in on all sides and my windows to be stuffed. I want the cultures of all the lands to be blown about my house as freely as possible. But I refuse to be blown off my feet by any."
India's first Prime Minister at independence in 1947, Mr Jawaharlall Nehru, had this to say about the importance of one's culture:
"Culture is the widening of the mind and of the spirit." - Subry Govender, Chief Editor