The Tamil language is making a remarkable comeback in Fiji’s educational system after an absence of 80 years. This exciting development was announced on Wednesday at Penang Sangam School in Rakiraki by India’s High Commissioner, Palaniswamy Subramanyan Karthigeyan, during the inauguration of a Tamil language teaching program funded by the Indian government.
As part of this initiative, two Tamil teachers from India will be assigned to both Penang Sangam School and Sangam Primary School in Labasa, where they will provide Tamil language classes to students and interested members of the community. High Commissioner Karthigeyan emphasized the significance of reviving Tamil, one of the world’s oldest classical languages, a longstanding demand from the Fiji Indian community, particularly the descendants of Girmitiyas from Tamil Nadu who arrived in Fiji in the early 20th century.
The implementation of this program is a collaborative effort involving the Ministry of Education in Fiji and the Then India Sanmarga Ikya Sangam, a key diaspora organization in the country. The path to establishing this agreement was paved during External Affairs Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar’s visit to Fiji in February for the 12th World Hindi Conference, where he met with representatives from the Fijian diaspora.
Mr. Karthigeyan remarked that thanks to this initiative, the Tamil language, which had nearly vanished from Fiji, is being reintroduced after many decades. He underscored the importance of language in preserving and shaping culture, enhancing understanding among various communities. He urged the Fijian population to embrace Tamil, highlighting its rich cultural and linguistic heritage and noting it is spoken by over 80 million people worldwide.
The initiative is seen as a means to strengthen the cultural ties between India and Fiji. Gyaneshwar Rao, the secretary-general of TISI Sangam, expressed gratitude to India for its support in reviving the Tamil language in Fiji. Additionally, students from Penang Sangam School actively participated in a flash quiz organized by the High Commission of India as part of the Bharat Ko Janiye Quiz contest, further promoting cultural engagement.
This revival offers a beacon of hope for the preservation of cultural identities and inter-community understanding, marking a significant step towards fostering an inclusive and diverse society in Fiji.
In summary, the return of Tamil language teaching in Fiji is not only a significant cultural revival but also a gesture of goodwill that aims to strengthen ties between India and Fiji while enriching the educational landscape for future generations.
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