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Knanaya

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Revision as of 09:46, 15 August 2015 by 59.89.238.165 (talk)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff) Ethnic group
Knanaya
Regions with significant populations
c. 300,000 (Kerala, India; Chicago; elsewhere)
Languages
Malayalam; local languages
Religion
Predominantly Syro-Malabar Catholic Church and Jacobite Syrian Christian Church
Related ethnic groups
Saint Thomas Christians, Malayalis

The Knanaya, are christian sect that claims to be the followers of a Syrian Christian merchant Thomas of Cana. They are an endogamous group in the Saint Thomas Christian community of Kerala, India. They are also known as the Southists or Tekkumbhagar and are often differentiated from another part of the same 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 a sector of Syrian Christians into Northist and Southist groups are unclear. Various traditions trace it back to the settlement of the Syrian merchant Thomas of Cana in the 4th or 8th century near Malankara. Another legend traces their origin to Jews in the Middle East. The rift in the community was noted through the period of European colonization.

Today the majority of Knanaya Northist and Southist are members of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church and the Malankara Churches. They became increasingly prominent in Kerala in the late 19th century. Many Knanayas migrated away in 20th and 21st centuries, largely to Australasia, Middle East and Western World, forming communities in Non-Malayalam speaking areas, with a large community especially in Chicago.

Names

The term Knanaya derives from the name of Thomas of Cana, an important figure of Saint Thomas Christian tradition. 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. It is also considered as a misinterpretation of the Syriac term for merchant (Knāyil in Malayalam). But, scholar Richard M. Swiderski states that none of these etymologies have any historical basis. In early days, the Knanaya where known as Tekkumbhagar in Malayalam; this is generally translated into English as "Southist", or sometimes inside the knanaya community as "Suddhist" which means Purist. This is in reference to the historically significant geographical and traditional distinction between them and other Saint Thomas Christians, whom the southist's used to call as Vadakumbhagar or Northists. In the modern ecumenical era these terms are considered insignificant and the usage is shunned. Now the community is generally assigned as Christians.

Origins and traditions

A number of traditions and stories have emerged to explain the origin legend. Each of these traditions are considered as device to claim superiority for their group. This was a rendition of the directional division method employed by Nairs and Brahmins. The general division of Knanaya Christians of the Syrian Christians are into Southern and Northern groups. This was a branding intended to make a distinction between St. Thomas Christians, who are an ethnic christian body with Jews converted by Thomas the Apostle, centuries earlier. The earliest written evidence for the split, dates to the 16th century.

The earlier version of Knanaya Christian tradition traces a central figure, Thomas of Cana, 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 the Knanaya tradition, the Knanayas are direct descendants of Thomas of Cana and his followers. In many variants, Thomas of Cana had two wives or partners, one the ancestor to the endogamous Southists, and the other the ancestor to the Northists. In some of these variants, the Southists' ancestress was Thomas' Syrian wife, while the Northists' was an indigenous higher class Nair who became his second wife. In other variants, both wives were Kerala natives, with the Southists' fore-bearer was from a higher caste and the Northists' fore-bearer was from a lower caste of Dhobi's (Pathiyaans-Washers) whom Thomas took as a concubine, implying the Southists are Thomas' legitimate heirs. In other variants a women from the family of Thomas of Cana eloped and married a lower-caste Maaran boy and to serve them Thomas of Cana let some Syrian servants from his group to join them, wherein they also married other low caste Keralites from the Serra and they are collectively called as the Northists. Latin Catholics, who are also attributed with lower-caste descendant, also maintain a version which traces Knanaya descent from an inter-caste relationship.

More recent versions to downplay the sectarian importance is by focusing on their descendants' marriage practices, Instead of either of thomas' wife's status: the Northists intermarried with the natives and thus became the "half blood" or "mud blood", while the Knanaya maintained their strict endogamy, thus keeping a direct "pure blood" lineage. This is a prejudice which many Knanaya families espouse to consider "others" greatly inferior to themselves, by giving emphasis on blood purity to a somewhat virulent degree. A Northist or a Southist isn't termed based on geographical settlement or due to different traditions or different veneration of saints, but merely based on marriage rights. Even today in the 21st century if a kananya marries outside of his/her community is shunned by the church and family members with animosity. This idea is prodded out of fear into the children using an inside Joke among Southist which say "Vaddakanmar ellam Veddaka" which means Northists are always up to no good. Some of the Northist factions that are considered as "half bloods or mud bloods" are Knanaya Catholic, Knanaya Jacobite and Knanaya Pentecostal.

Both Southists and Northists maintain different versions of the Thomas of Cana story that counter the both the Knanayas' assertions. In these versions higher status or pure lineage is weaved in and disseminated widely to compromise the other group. A popular version of the story regarding the division became that sprung up and became popular in the 20th century was from a politician Chazhikaden. 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 Saint Thomas Christians. Many of the Knanaya community and religious-organizations accept this to be the formal account and accept as factual without questioning.

However, Swiderski believes the legend was "conceived and promulgated" by Chazhikaden himself and it as impossible to show the continuity between such scattered groups. As like other Knanaya origin traditions, there is no direct evidence to support these suggestions and are considered to be fain articulations of undoubted historical reality and geographical indications woven into a web of fictional story that lacks historical credibility in itself. But existence of such Syrian christian faction also shows the credulousness of the parts in the story, were Christian merchants settled in India from Persia and Mesopotamia in an age where trade was prominent and India's share of the world economy was above 20 percent, without any skepticism.

Historical Evidences & Trends

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 Malankara Southists and their mutual enmity with the Catholic 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

St. Marys Knanaya Jacobite Church in Kottayam,Kerala containing ancient Nasrani symbols and Sassanid Pahlavi inscriptions
An unveiled tabernacle of a Knanaya Catholic Church

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. 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 started migrating 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 and nurses; 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.

According to recent DNA research by Dr. Mini Kariappa, a significant number of Syrian Christians and Knanaya's share their ancestral roots with the West Eurasian gene pool of Jews.

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, 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-oriented diocese in Chingavanam reporting directly to the Patriarch of Antioch. The following year, the Catholic Church established a Knanaya Catholic eparchy (diocese) in Kottayam, known as the Syro-Malabar Catholic Archeparchy of Kottayam.

Culture

Like the other Saint Thomas Christians, Southist culture is largely derived from Syriac Christian culture mixed with local Indian customs, with later elements derived from 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 have a harmonic mixture of Hindu and Christian culture traditions, an example of this can be seen in the Knanaya song "Maranarul" or "By the Lord's 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

  1. Fahlbusch, p. 286.
  2. ^ Swiderski, "Blood Weddings", pp. 55–56.
  3. Neill, p. 42.
  4. Swiderski, "Northists and Southists", p. 73.
  5. ^ Baum & Winkler, p. 53.
  6. Swiderski, "Northists and Southists", pp. 76–80.
  7. ^ Swiderski, "Northists and Southists", p. 77.
  8. Neill, pp. 42–43.
  9. Swiderski, "Northists and Southists", pp. 76–80.
  10. Swiderski, "Northists and Southists", pp. 76–77.
  11. Swiderski, "Northists and Southists", pp. 77–78.
  12. Richard M. Swiderski, Northists and Southists
  13. Swiderski, "Northists and Southists", pp. 78–80.
  14. Swiderski, "Northists and Southists", pp. 88.
  15. Swiderski, "Northists and Southists", pp. 88–89.
  16. Swiderski, "Northists and Southists", p. 83.
  17. Swiderski, "Northists and Southists", pp. 83–84.
  18. Swiderski 1988 a, pp. 84–85.
  19. Swiderski "Northists and Southists", p. 86.
  20. ^ Swiderski, "Northists and Southists", p. 87.
  21. Swiderski, Blood Weddings, p. 169.
  22. Jacobsen & Raj 2008, p. 186–187 and note.
  23. Jacobsen & Raj.
  24. Swidersky, "Northists and Southists", pp. 84–85, 87.
  25. Swidersky, "Northists and Southists", pp. 87–88.
  26. ^ Swiderski, "Oral Text: A South Indian Instance", pp.129-133

Bibliography

External links

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