The name Tamil is itself unique meaning "sweetness" and "coolness". According to Father Heras, "Tamil is the oldest of the present languages." Tamil, one of the powerful Dravidian languages is perhaps the only example of an ancient language which has survived as a spoken language for more than 2500 years with its basic structure almost unchanged. Their passion for and the love of their language and culture which has a cherished heritage is the one that binds the Tamil diaspora world wide and their coherence and unity is fast growing to be recognized as an international force. It is a growing togetherness consolidated by struggle and suffering and, given purpose and direction by the aspirations of a people for the future - a future where they and their children and their childrens' children may live in equality and freedom in an emerging one world. But it is a togetherness which is not simply a function of the past.
It is a togetherness rooted in an ancient heritage, a rich language and literature, and a vibrant culture. The Tamil diaspora is a growing togetherness of more than seventy million people living in many lands and across distant seas, many thousands as refugees and asylum seekers. The dispersal of Tamils around the globe is not of recent origin and at the moment there are seventy million of them spread in over fifty countries of the world. This phenomenon which continued over centuries on a small scale has of late resulted in mass migration with a common identity on a global level. Later, it was the professionals in search of greener pastures and finally refugees and asylum seekers due to political and social pressures in different countries. This scattering which started with trade in the age-old days changed into contract and indentured labour migrations during the early colonial days, especially after the abolition of slavery in 1834. The Jewish, Indian and Chinese diasporas are some of the vibrant ones with a global presence. The dispersal of persons and communities is an age-old happening but the phrase 'diaspora' is of current usage. The diaspora maintain and nurture their civilisational and cultural distinctiveness and its aspirations to link their country of origin with the diaspora world-wide, making it a global unity with a global identity.
Diaspora is the dispersal or the scattering of persons with common identity such as culture and language in different directions. Sivasupramaniamĭ iaspora comes from the Greek word diaspeirein meaning to disperse or scatter.
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