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Knanaya
Regions with significant populations
c. 300,000(Kerala, India; Chicago; elsewhere)
Languages
Malayalam; local languages
Religion
Predominantly Syro-Malabar Catholic Church and Syriac Orthodox Church
Related ethnic groups
Saint Thomas Christians, Malayalis

The Knanaya, also known as the Southists or Tekkumbhagar or Charamkettikal, are an endogamous group in the Saint Thomas Christian community of Kerala, India. They are differentiated from another part of the community, known in this context as the Northists. Today there are about 300,000 Knanaya in India and elsewhere.

The origins of the division of the Saint Thomas Christians into Northist and Southist groups are unclear. Various traditions trace it back to the arrival of the Syrian merchant Thomas of Cana in the 4th or 8th century. Other versions trace the origins of the Knanaya to Jews in the Middle East. The rift in the community was noted through the period of European colonization.

Today the majority of Knanaya are members of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church and the Malankara Churches. They became increasingly prominent in Kerala in the late 19th century. Many Knanaya migrated away in 20th and 21st centuries, largely westward, forming communities in non Malayalam-speaking areas, with a large community forming in Chicago.

Names

The usual Malayalam name for the group is Tekkumbhagar. This is generally translated into English as "Southist", or sometimes "Southerner" or "Suddhist". The term Knanaya derives from the name of Thomas of Cana. However, the ultimate derivation of Thomas' epithet Cana is not clear. It may refer to the town of Cana, mentioned in the Bible, or to the land of Canaan. Alternately, it may be a corruption of a Syriac term for merchant (Knāyil in Malayalam). However, scholar Richard M. Swiderski states that none of these etymologies are convincing. The Southists are also called "Charamkettikal" (ash-tiers) as they used to carry ash in the corner of their sari or dhoti. This commemorates their dobi ancestress since dobis typically use wood-ash as a source of caustic soda in their washing work.

Origins and traditions

It is not clear how the division of the Saint Thomas Christians into Southern and Northern groups originated. The earliest written evidence for the split dates to the 16th century. Directional divisions within communities are common in Kerala. A similar north-south division is found among the Nairs, and historically appears to have been in place in the early Brahmin settlements in the area. The Saint Thomas Christians may have taken this trait from the Brahmins.

A number of traditions and stories have emerged to explain the division, and both Southist and Northist groups use variants of these traditions to claim superiority for their group. The earlier version traces the divide to the figure of Thomas of Cana. According to these versions, Thomas of Cana was a Syrian merchant who led a group of 72 immigrant families from the Middle East to settle in India in the 4th century (some sources place these events in the 8th century). This story may reflect a historical migration of East Syrian Christians to India around this time, which established the region's relationship with the Church of the East. In these versions, the Knanaya or Southists are the descendants of Thomas of Cana and his followers, while the Northists descend from the local Christian body converted by Thomas the Apostle centuries earlier. In some versions, Thomas of Cana had two wives or partners, one the ancestor to the endogamous Southists, and the other (generally described as a Kerala native) the ancestor to the Northists. In some versions, the ancestor of Southists is a dobi, a washerwoman, whom Thomas of Cana took as concubine. It is widely understood that eminent high caste men often took women of lower caste as mistresses or even as officially recognized concubines. In an elaborate story collected by Hambye, Thomas of Cana married the dobi to a low caste Marar boy and the seven daughters born of this union married seven of the Syrian immigrants living on South, giving rise to the Southists. This insulates Thomas of Cana entirely from the Southist bloodstream, matches a dobi with a low caste boy and introduces their blood into the pool of the Syrians.

Another story states that the Northists were the upper class of the immigrants, including Thomas of Cana who settled in the North of Kodungalloor and intermarried with the indigenous Saint Thomas Christians whereas the Southists were their attendants and formed marriage alliances with the indigenous low caste converts. The Saint Thomas Christians were considered the equals of the Brahmins and they sedulously kept themselves apart from the Southists. The "purity" of the Southists is born of their exclusion from any intermixture with the higher orders of Northists.

Another tradition regarding the division became popular in the 20th century. In 1939, Knanaya politician and author Joseph Chazhikaden published a book on the community, Tekkumbhagasamudayam Charitram, in which he argued that the Knanaya were the descendants of ancient Jews. According to Chazhikaden, they originated in Judea, and later converted to Christianity, though they maintained their distinct culture and identity. Eventually they were forced out of their homeland and moved to Cranganore, where they were welcomed by the ruler Cheraman Perumal and lived near, but maintained their separateness from, the indigenous "Northist" Saint Thomas Christians. Many Knanaya individuals and organizations accept the account as factual. However, Swiderski believes the legend was "conceived and promulgated" by Chazhikaden himself.

It is to be noted that the Later Chera dynasty existed between the 9th and 12th centuries. This contradicts the Southist claim that they arrived in India in the 4th century where they were welcomed by the ruler Cheraman Perumal.

History

Early mentions

The first known written evidence for a division in the Saint Thomas Christian community dates to the 16th century, when Portuguese colonial officials took notice of it. A 1518 letter by a Jesuit missionary mentions a conflict between the children of Thomas of Cana, hinting at a rift in the community in contemporary times. In 1579 another Jesuit named Monserrate wrote on the tradition of Thomas of Cana's two wives for the first time; he describes the division of the community, but gives no details about either side. A 1603 letter by Portuguese official J. M. Campori further discusses the division, which had by that point become intermittently violent; Campori likewise traces its origin to the story of Thomas' two wives. None of these sources explicitly name the two sides as Northists and Southists.

Various later sources mention the Southists and their mutual enmity with the Northists. Following the Coonan Cross Oath of 1653, both the Southists and Northists were split internally into Catholic and Malankara Church factions; this rift overshadowed the north-south divide for a period. European observers tended to label the Northists and Southists as "castes" and regarded this as an example of the prevalence of divisions in Indian society in general. Later, both Saint Thomas Christians and Europeans tried to assuage the animosity and downplay the division.

Modern era

In the late 19th century social changes in British India led to increased wealth and social power for the Saint Thomas Christians. This social change tended to advance internal divisions within the community, including the Southist-Northist division. Through this period the Knanaya promoted their own uniqueness and independent identity to push for further opportunities for their community. They sought the establishment of Knanaya-centred parishes of both the Malankara and Catholic churches, which were founded in 1910 and 1911, respectively.

Like other Saint Thomas Christians, many Knanaya have migrated away from Kerala and India since the 20th century. The largest Knanaya diaspora community is in Chicago. The community originated in the 1950s when a small number of Knanaya and other Kerala natives emigrated to the area as university students; they were followed by more substantial immigration after 1965. The immigrants met up periodically for social events, and in the 1970s the organizations for Catholics, members of other Christian churches, and Hindus were formed. In the 1980s the various Indian Catholic particular churches sent chaplains to Chicago; in 1983 the Bishop of Kottayam sent a chaplain to minister specifically to the Knanaya Catholics. Unlike other Indian Christians in Chicago, the Knanaya have maintained their strict tradition of endogamy through arranged marriages.

Religious traditions

Traditionally the Knanaya have followed the religious traditions and practices of the wider Saint Thomas Christian community. In the 17th century, when the Saint Thomas Christians were split into Catholic and Malankara Church factions following the Coonan Cross Oath, and both Knanaya and Northist groups were internally divided. The Malankara faction became affiliated with the Syriac Orthodox Church, an Oriental Orthodox church based in Syria, while the Catholic faction is now known as the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church. Beginning in the late 19th century, both Malankara and Catholic Knanaya lobbied for their own dioceses within their respective denominations.

In 1910, the Syriac Orthodox Church established a distinct Knanaya-based diocese reporting directly to the Patriarch of Antioch. The following year, a Knanaya Catholic eparchy (diocese) was established under Pope Pius X, known as the Syro-Malabar Catholic Archeparchy of Kottayam. Its first bishop was Matthew Makil.

Culture

Like other Saint Thomas Christians, Southist culture is largely derived from Syriac Christian culture mixed with local Indian customs, with later elements derived from Indian and European contacts.

Traditional Songs

The Knanaya Community has maintained numerous archaic songs that are used for several different occasions. The songs and ballads sing of many subject matters such as the arrival of the merchant Knai Thoma to India, traditions that take place during wedding ceremonies, biblical events of the Old Testament, and the erection of ancient churches.

Biblical Songs

Are composed with such intentions of teaching and transmitting the Bible stories. Knanaya bible songs along with others show the age old mixing of Hindu and Christian culture an example of this can be seen in the Knanaya song "Maranarul" or "By the Lords Command" which is a rendition of the creation of Adam in the biblical story of Adam and Eve.

Maranarul (English)

By the command of the Lord, man (world-dweller) was made
endowed with all qualities out of chaos
came unity. To prepare for the birth He grasped mud
and with a tool shaped it into a mass.
Within it the blood ﬂowed and the muscles were arrayed.
For prosperity God’s place was housed amid the nine apertures.
Two hands, ten ﬁngers with nails all red
the ten all aﬁre, and the dancing soul was granted.
The soul bestowed, powerful Adam
without hesitation made heard the very ﬁrst words.

(Malayalam)

Māŕānarul ceytīlōkēyannu nìravēri
ḕrrinalguṇaṅṅalellāṁ bhramimēlorēṭaṁ
orumayuṭayōǹ pērumakoṇḍu karuti maṇpiṭičču
piṭičča karuvilaṭakkam nēṭi pùrattu tukal potińńu
tukalakmē cōranīrum elluṁ māṁsadhatukkal
bhratikaḷkku vātilańǰum navadvāraṅṅaḷāyattu
raṇḍāṭu nālum nāluviralkku čuvappunakhaṇḍal pattu
pattuṭayoǹèrayakattuṭayōnāya koṭuttuṇarttyōrātmāvum
ātmāvum koṭuttu perumiṭṭōrābhamennu
enašēšaminniččāllāmunniniṇḍaḷ kēḷppin

References

Citations

Fahlbusch, Ernst (2008). The Encyclopedia of Christianity: Volume 5. Eerdmans. p. 286. ISBN 9780802824172.
Swiderski 1988a, p. 73.
^ Swiderski 1988b, pp. 55–56.
Neill, p. 42.
^ Swiderski 1988a, pp. 80–82.
^ Swiderski 1988a, p. 77.
Swiderski 1988a, pp. 76–80.
Swiderski 1988a, pp. 73–92.
^ Baum & Winkler, p. 53.
Neill, pp. 42–43.
^ Swiderski 1988a, pp. 76–80.
Swiderski 1988a, pp. 88.
Swiderski 1988a, pp. 88–89.
M. G. S. Narayanan, Perumals of Kerala: Political and Social Conditions of Kerala Under the Cēra Perumals of Makotai (c. 800 AD-1124 AD). Xavier Press, 1996
Swiderski 1988a, p. 83.
Swiderski 1988a, pp. 83–84.
Swiderski 1988 a, pp. 84–85.
Swiderski 1988a, p. 86.
^ Swiderski 1988a, p. 87.
Swiderski 1988b, p. 169.
Jacobsen & Raj 2008, p. 186–187 and note.
Jacobsen & Raj 2008, pp. 202–207.
^ Weil, S. 1982; Jessay, P.M. 1986; Menachery G; 1973, 1998; Vellian Jacob 2001
^ Swiderski 1988c, pp.129-133

Bibliography

Baum, Wilhelm; Dietmar W. Winkler (2003). The Church of the East: A Concise History. Routledge. ISBN 0-415-29770-2. Retrieved 8 June 2012.
Hough, James (1893) The History of Christianity in India
Jacobsen, Knut A.; Raj, Selva J. (2008). South Asian Christian Diaspora: Invisible Diaspora in Europe and North America. Ashgate Publishing. ISBN 0754662616. Retrieved 11 September 2012.
Jessay, P.M. (1986) The Wedding Songs of the Cochin Jews and of the Knanite Christians of Kerala: A Study in Comparison Symposium.
"Knanaya Tradition". Archeparchy of Kottayam. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
Koder, S. (1973) "History of the Jews of Kerala".The St. Thomas Christian Encyclopaedia of India,Ed. G. Menachery.
Menachery, G. (1973) The St. Thomas Christian Encyclopedia of India, Ed. George Menachery, B.N.K. Press, vol. 2, ISBN 81-87132-06-X, Lib. Cong. Cat. Card. No. 73-905568 ; B.N.K. Press
Menachery, G (ed); (1998) "The Indian Church History Classics", Vol.I, The Nazranies, Ollur, 1998. .
Neill, Stephen (2004). A History of Christianity in India: The Beginnings to AD 1707. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-54885-3. Retrieved 8 June 2012.
Podipara, Placid J. (1970) The Thomas Christians. London: Darton, Longman and Tidd.
Poomangalam, Chandy Andrews (1998) The Antiquities of the Knanaya Syrian Christians; Kottayam, Kerala.
Puthiakunnel, Thomas. (1973) "Jewish colonies of India paved the way for St. Thomas", The Saint Thomas Christian Encyclopedia of India, ed. George Menachery, Vol. II., Trichur.
Swiderski, Richard Michael (1988). "Northists and Southists: A Folklore of Kerala Christians". Asian Folklore Studies. 47 (1). Nanzan University: 73–92. JSTOR 1178253.
Swiderski, Richard Michael (1988). Blood Weddings: The Knanaya Christians of Kerala. Madras: New Era. Retrieved 8 June 2012.
Swiderski, Richard Michael (1988). "Oral Text: A South Indian Instance" (PDF): 129–133. Retrieved 26 July 2014. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
Vellian, Jacob (1988) Marriage Customs of the Knanites, Christian Orient, 9, Kottayam.
Vellian, Jacob (2001) Knanite community: History and culture; Syrian church series; vol.XVII; Jyothi Book House, Kottayam
Weil, S. (1982) "Symmetry between Christians and Jews in India: The Cananite Christians and Cochin Jews in Kerala" in Contributions to Indian Sociology, 16.
"Traditional Knanaya Songs". The Archeparchy of Kottayam. Retrieved 26 July 2014.

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