01.04.2023 – Tamils in Tromsø (Tamil Sangam in Tromsø)
A representative from the working group for the Tamil project at Lokalhistoriewiki at the National Library of Norway met Tamils in Tromsø on Saturday 01. April 2023. At the meeting, information about the Tamil project (https://lokalhistoriewiki.no/wiki/Forside:Tamilsk_historie_og_kultur) and the role of DiasporA Tamil Archives (DTA) was informed. The Tamil project implies writing lexical articles and memory narratives at the website Lokalhistoriewiki.no. The purpose of this project is to document and disseminate Tamil cultural heritage and Tamil migration history in Norway on a Norwegian national platform.
The organization DTA has, in collaboration with the working group, prepared varied physical and digital information material about the project. The material has been distributed at various events and through various channels. A page for this project was also established on the DTA website (https://diasporatamil.no/snofnuggpalmen-lokalhistoriewiki-no/), where it documents and disseminates the progression of the Tamil project. In addition, DTA is a writer on Lokalhistoriewiki.no, where it publishes memory narratives of Antony Rajendram, the first Tamil from Sri Lanka, who came to Norway in 1956, and other memory narratives and lexical articles.
Wiki information meeting with Tamils in Tromsø (01.04.2023)
In cooperation with the leader of Tamil Sangam in Tromsø and the Tamils who were present at the information meeting, we agreed that the Tamil Sangam write a lexical article about their organisation. A participant at the meeting, who had contact with the Tamil Student Union at UiT – The Arctic University of Norway (UiT Norges arktiske universitet), could try to engage Tamil students to write a lexical article about their student union. A youth participant agreed to write about her father´s migration history in Norway as a memory narrative. Another participant put the representative from the working group in contact with his uncle, who lives in Troms and Finnmark county municipality to document his migration history in North Norway.
We are grateful to Judson Joseph and V. Puvanendran to arrange an information meeting with Tamils in Tromsø. We encourage other Tamil individuals and organizations around Norway to get in contact with us to arrange informal meetings with Tamils in your geographical place in Norway.
15.04.2023 – Tamils in Viken county-municipality
Lørenskog
On Saturday morning of 15th April 2023, three representatives from the working group for the Tamil project at Lokalhistoriewiki had a three-wiki information meeting at Annai Poopathi Tamil Cultural Center in Lørenskog. The committee of the Tamil school arranged three separate meetings to create a personal dialogue with the Tamil student in grades 9 and 10, Tamil teachers for nursery to year 9, and parents.
Everyone agreed that there is no comprehensive source of information at Norwegian libraries, archives and other memory institutions. However, they are still living as memories and experiences that are about to be lost.
The role of Tamil teachers was identified as essential to encourage and incorporate documenting activity in Tamil education. The working group suggested translating Tamil essays produced in Tamil education classes which can be published on the Lokalhistoriewiki website. The documenting activity will give Tamil youths a sense of accomplishment. As well as to make more efficient of the time and resources used in writing essays by disseminating at a Norwegian national platform.
It was a new experience for the working team to meet the second-generation Tamils, who are parents to the third generation of Tamil children. It was interesting and important when the perspective of documenting the Tamil migration history of Tamils from Tamil Nadu and intercultural Tamils was brought up among these parents. Thus, Tamil migration history in Norway should include all Tamils regardless of the origin of their roots.
Asker and Bærum
On Saturday afternoon of 15th April 2023, the representatives from the working group gave an informative speech at the 18th-anniversary event of Asker and Bærum Annai Poopathi Taml Cultural Center. Students, teachers, parents and the committee of the Tamil school were present.
Information leaflets about the Tamil project at Lokalhistoriewiki.no and DiasporA Tamil Archives were given to the administration of both Tamil schools to make copies and distribute within the Tamil Schools.
We are thankful to Annai Poopathi Tamil Cultural Center for arranging information meetings with students, teachers, parents and committee. We believe the committee of the Tamil school in both Lørenskog and Asker and Bærum will keep in touch and follow up on the documentation activity.
More info
History of the project:
https://lokalhistoriewiki.no/wiki/Et_mangfold_av_historier_-_norsk-tamilenes_historie
Homepage of the Tamil project at Lokalhistoriewiki:
“Et mangfold av historier: norsk-tamilenes historier” (A diversity of stories: Norwegian-Tamil history) at Lokalhistoriewiki.no: https://lokalhistoriewiki.no/wiki/Forside:Tamilsk_historie_og_kultur
Activities of the project:
About the project and its activities and development at Diaspora Tamil Archives:
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