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Knanaya

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Revision as of 14:19, 28 June 2017 by 117.242.254.120 (talk) (→Northists-Southists division among Knanite Christians)(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 Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church
Related ethnic groups
Saint Thomas Christians, Malayalis

The Knanaya, are an endogamous group in the Saint Thomas Christian community of Kerala, India. Today there are about 300,000 Knanaya in India and elsewhere. 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 expatriate community forming in Chicago.

St. Marys Knanaya Jacobite Church in Kottayam, Kerala containing ancient Nasrani symbols and Sassanid Pahlavi inscriptions

Names

The term Knanaya derives from the name of Thomas of Cana, an important figure of Saint Thomas Christian tradition. It is also understood to be a misinterpretation of a Syriac term for merchant (Knāyil in Malayalam). Others speculate the background for Knanaya to be Kynai a town near Seleucia-Ctesiphon. The community is generally known as Knanite christians.

Origins and traditions

The earlier version traces the divide to the figure of Thomas of Cana, an Armenian merchant who led a group of 72 immigrant families from the Edessa in 345 CE(Diogo fe Cuoto estimate it to be 811 AD) to settle in India in the 4th century (some sources place these events in the 8th century) with 400 East Syrian Christians of 7 clans. Other scholar report Tomas was a Nestorian Bishop from Cana, Israel who traveled with his followers after the nestorian schism and settled in Kerala. This story may reflect a historical migration of East Syrian Christians to India around this time, which establishes the region's relationship with the Church of the East. In 1939, Knanaya politician and author Joseph Chazhikaden published a book on the community, Tekkumbhagasamudayam Charitram, in which he calls the Knanaya community as Tekkumbhagar to denote their descendancy from Jews of southern state of Judah.

The Jews of Cochin are considered as precursors of Christianity in Kerala from 10 BC. "Ophir" the Land of Gold mentioned in 1 Kings 9:28, was the capital of an Aparanta kingdom, which stretched all the way from Mumbai to Kerala along the west coast. "Tharshish" mentioned in 1 Kings 10:22 is a city of Tharisa in Kollam, Kerala. The words used like goph and tukkiyyim are identified as Dravidian loan words meaning apes and peacock.

History

An unveiled tabernacle of a Knanaya Catholic Church

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. 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 decided to have 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.

In certain geographical areas and based on socio-economic status a strict tradition of endogamy is maintained. Knanaya's from Chicago claim to be such a group. However, this practice is increasingly unpopular and considered as ill forms of casteism. As a result in modern ages Knanite factions of Catholic Church and the Syrian Orthodox Church are in agreement of inter-church marriage; the agreement which states "we have to accept the pastoral reality that interchurch marriages do take place. When such occasions arise, both churches should facilitate the celebration of the sacrament of matrimony in either church, allowing the bride/bridegroom the right and freedom to retain her/his own ecclesial communion, by providing necessary information and documents. On the occasion of these celebrations, the couples as well as their family members belonging to these two churches are allowed to participate in the Holy Eucharist in the church where the sacrament of matrimony is celebrated", with this the members of the community marry each other and receive communion at each respective church without the strict tradition of endogamy. The wedding customs are also modified as different geographical traditions. E.g., Best-man and maid of honor are selected and short speeches wishing the couple best is practiced in Americas.

Traditions and customs

Like other Saint Thomas Christians, Knanaya culture is largely derived from Syriac Christian culture mixed with local Indian customs, with later elements derived from Indian and European contacts. Most of the traditions and rituals among syrian christian's are considered attempts of the community to seek actualization with old testament narrative. According to a 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. Many traditions have stood the test of time, and some in the verge of fading away. E.g., Margamkali, Parichamuttukali, etc.

Certain marriage customs among Knanite Christians has similarities with Jewsih traditions. "Blessing of Rings" is a ceremony that happens before the marriage. It recalls the act of Issac adoring Rebecca with gold ornaments and Bridal dress as it is written in the Old Testament. Differing from other Syrian Christians, Knanites like in Jewish customs place Venthanmudy (Royal crown) as a symbolic representation on the heads of the couple. Tying of the Minnu (Thali) is a ritual among syrian christians that is absorbed from Hindu tradition. This is symbolic of Groom's pledge to care for and cherish the Bride. The Groom and the Bride while received into the family, a sign of the cross is made on their foreheads with blessed palm leaf piece of Palm Sunday dipped in a bowl with grains of paddy and water, a symbolic representation of blessing them for prosperity. They are also offered a sweet pudding (Ichappad). There are distinct customary rituals among Knanite Christians when compared to Syrian Christians. Some examples are Mylanchi Idal, smearing of henna Chantham Charthal, Nada Vili, etc.

Northists-Southists division among Knanite Christians

Richard M. Swiderski, an anthropology researcher for his Phd thesis in 1980s delve into Knanaya's then passingly mentioned Southists - Northist divide among Knanaya Christians. According to him they were called Tekkumbhagar community among Syrian Christians like the American South and the Knanites who follow Syro-Malabar Catholic Church and the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church traditions are called as Northist or Vadakumbhagar. However classification of such is not supported in any texts previously, a passive reference is made in a letter by Jesuit missionary that hints there was a rift among members of the Knanite community in 1500's. In the 1900s from historical surveys by government agencies denotes Knanites after arrival were given land and workers by then King in copper emblem deeds. Knanaites built a city known as Mahadevarpattanam (Maha Thevar=Great God=El Elyon, The city of the great god) and stayed at the southern end for facing the Temple of Jerusalem and at the northern end the converted Knanite workers stayed. The survey also identifies that the administration of each sides were conducted by relatives of his two wives. But doesn't mention a Southist - Northist divide. The first authentic letter that mentions Knanaya community by J. M. Campori in 1600's fails to distinguish or even mention the Southist-Northist division theory.

To further support his probability theory Swiderski elaborates his claim through his probing of Kerala's anthropological and cultural structure and his find of varied versions of origin stories about Knanaya's or the Southist faction. Some of them are the following.

  1. To him the Knanaya versions of the story, Knanaya's are considered as the descendants of Thomas of Cana and his followers, while the Northists descend from the local converted Christian body.
  2. In an other variant, Thomas of Cana had two wives or partners, one the ancestor to the endogamous Southists, and the other the ancestor to the Northists.
  3. A origin story Swiderski claims, the Southists' ancestress was Thomas' Syrian wife, while the Northists' was an indigenous Nair who became his second wife or concubine, implying the Southists are Thomas' true heirs.
  4. In a prominent variant, both wives were Kerala natives, with the Southists' forebearer was from a higher caste.
  5. A Northist variant of the story which Swiderski found is, Northists and Southists descend from marriages between Thomas' party and indigenous Christians, but the Knanaya descend from Syrian servants who married "low caste" Keralans; the Knanayas' endogamy and "purity" are thus borne of their exclusion by the higher class Northists. Additionally he found out there are other variants that "frequently" trace Knanaya descent to a dobi (washerwoman); in some versions she became Thomas' concubine, in others she married a lower-caste Maaran boy.

Swiderski argued these versions as a instrument to downplay the importance of either wife's status, focusing instead on their descendants' marriage practices: the Northists intermarried with the natives, while the Knanaya maintained their strict endogamy, maintaining a "pure" lineage. Later Swiderski challenges Chazhikaden's claims of origin story but stands stern with the fact that "Northists and Southists" maintained a certain separateness. He also claimed there are other origin stories which the Northists dispute and condemn which he has not published. Swiderski uses divisional structure among the Hindu Nairs based on caste to ascertain his probability theory. The great Richard M. Swiderski claims Knanaya's are called as "Southerner" or "Suddhist" with his authentic understanding Malayalam language. Swiderski concludes in his research that later under the tyranny of British empire both Southist and Northist groups were further internally divided.

European observer's like Swiderski considered his overextending theory of Northist and Southist divide as an example of the prevalence of divisions in Indian society in general.

References

Citations

  1. Fahlbusch, p. 286.
  2. Neill, p. 42.
  3. Donald Eugene Smith, South Asian Politics and Religion, Princeton University Press, 1996, ISBN 9781400879083, pp. 184
  4. Robert Eisenman, Essays on Works of Hippolytus (9.9,10.25)
  5. Baum
  6. ^ L. K. Ananthakrishna Iyer. Anthropology of the Syrian Christians. Ernakulam: Cochin Government Press, 1926.
  7. Neill, pp. 42–43.
  8. Roshen Dalal, The Religions of India: A Concise Guide to Nine Major Faiths, Penguin Books India, 2010, ISBN 9780143415176
  9. Vahan Hovhanessian, The Old Testament as Authoritative Scripture in the Early Churches of the East, 2010, ISBN 9781433107351
  10. Association of Interchurch Families, England (16 February 2001). "Agreement on Interchurch Marriages between the Catholic Church and the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church January 25, 1994". SOR. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
  11. Jacobsen & Raj 2008, pp. 202–207.
  12. http://www.nazraney.com/journal37.htm
  13. http://kottayamad.org/knanaya-tradition/
  14. Vahan Hovhanessian, The Old Testament as Authoritative Scripture in the Early Churches of the East, 2010, ISBN 9781433107351, pp. 99
  15. Abraham Mukalel, The Existence of the Knanaya Community and the Knanaya Catholic Community. Pontifical Institute of Theology and Philosophy, Alwaye.(Vellian and Vembeni para. no. 93-98)
  16. Swiderski, "Northists and Southists", pp. 74–76.
  17. ^ Swiderski, "Northists and Southists", pp. 76–80.
  18. Swiderski, "Northists and Southists", pp. 76–77.
  19. Swiderski, "Northists and Southists", pp. 77–78.
  20. Swiderski, "Northists and Southists", pp. 80–82.
  21. Swiderski, "Northists and Southists", pp. 78–80.
  22. Swiderski, "Northists and Southists", pp. 88–89.
  23. Swiderski, "Northists and Southists", p. 73.
  24. Swidersky, "Northists and Southists", pp. 84–85, 87.
  25. Swiderski, "Northists and Southists", pp. 84–85.

Bibliography

External links

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