Tamil apathy to blame

THE article “Respect our performers” ( POST July 12 - 16), where Karnagie Govender, director of the consultancy company The Big 5 Guru, laments the poor public support at the 2017 Natal Vedic Society’s KZN Provincial Children’s Eisteddfod at the Merebank Temple Hall, refers.

The Tamil community is supposed to make up the largest portion of the Indian population in South Africa, so one must ask: Why after more than 150 years do we have to beg our people to support our cultural shows?

Look at Radio Hindvani, a station started by the Hindi Shiksha Sangh of South Africa, and the many Hindi-speaking businesses and donors.

The Hindi Shiksha Sangh is always on a drive to promote Hindi, encouraging the community to set up Hindi classes and assisting them.

For decades, Bollywood shows have graced our shores, supported by the thousands of music and film lovers. These shows are promoted by non-Tamil promoters/ businessmen.

Hindi musical shows and cultural programmes performed by local artists are also supported by the Hindispeaking community.

What is stopping our so-called leaders, religious organisations and businesses from encouraging and supporting such initiatives in the South Indian community?

Also, it seems that Tamils are ashamed to be known as Tamilians and are quite happy to Anglicise our names.

I believe apathy in our community and from our leaders has contributed in a large way to the demise of the Tamil language and culture.

We should be ashamed of ourselves. DHANPAL NAIDOO

Chatsworth