ABOUT US

PURPOSE

Create awareness of preservation, transmission and dissemination of Tamil cultural heritage.

AIM

• Create resources to raise archive awareness of documentation, preservation, transmission and dissemination.
• Document, preserve and disseminate Tamil immigration history.
• Take the initiative and participate in collaborative projects with history teams, archives, libraries and museums, academia, research environment, professional narrators / media and other organisations.

OUR HISTORY

Everything we do is a story, that becomes our history. The story of this website started as a Facebook page, “Archive of Tamils in Norway”, on 23rd April 2020. It was meant to be a platform to gather or get familiar with archival publications by Tamils in Norway. As well as to gather historical facts about Tamil education services in this country. Soon it was realised that there is a primary need to raise awareness about documentation and archive.

As a result, the Facebook serial post “What is ‘ஆவணம்’ (aavanam)?” was started on 13th June 2020.
Based on a piece of advice from a Tamil enthusiast in Norway, the Facebook page, “Archive of Tamils in Norway”, started to evolve as a website. As a first step, the Facebook page changed its name to “DsporA Tamil Archive” on 07th July 2020. Then on 22. July 2020 the website, www.dspora.no, was launched.
Then the current name of “DiasporA Tamil Archives” was announced on 06th August 2021. And the current website was launched on 21st August 2021.

ROLE OF DIASPORA TAMIL ARCHIVES

DiasporA Tamil Archives (புலம்பெயர் தமிழ் சுவடிகள் காப்பகம்) is an web based plattform for creating awareness of preservation, transmission and dissemination of Tamil cultural heritage. The plattform is a community archive and a resource center for everyone interested in documentation and archiving. As well as for Tamil community and participatory movements, such as archives, libraries, museums and other organisations.

• DiasporA Tamil Archives encourages documentation culture and creates archival awareness at social and organisational level.
• DiasporA Tamil Archives encourages to preserve diverse knowledge.
• DiasporA Tamil Archives encourages every organisation to appoint a records manager.

Even though the archival awareness posts are based on Norwegian archival law and convey archives of Norwegian Tamils, the content might be useful for all migrated societies as well as diaspora Tamils in other countries.

According to Norwegian archival law, there is no obliged duty for private organisations to create or preserve archives. So the archival duty is at organisations´ responsibility. Thereby the history of the society around private organisations, especially migrated societies, are at high risk to fall out of the sphere. The archival activities on language, culture, history, migration, social structures, their life back home and their life in the diaspora are much needed. However, there are few archival activities carried out by private Tamil individuals and Tamil organisations in Norway, as well as around the world. They are much appreciated and has a social role for the present and future generations.

Archival awareness leads to preservation, access and use of records. When the archival materials are accessible and available for public use, the history will be remembered and will continue to live. Otherwise, the archive will remain unknown and hidden at private homes and lost forever. History will then be forgotten.