Comedian Jack Rooke profiles his idol, Sri Lankan-British rapper M.I.A. by BBC Radio 4, October 9, 2018 https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/play/m0000np5 https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0000np5
Posts Categorized: Biography
Believing Women, and the Gaslighting of M.I.A.
by Mallika Rao, ‘Vulture,’ New York, October 2, 2018 The big revelation of the documentary titled MAYA / MATANGI / MIA, which hit U.S. theaters last weekend, is how it vindicates the singer at its heart. At The Guardian, Laura Snapes draws a connection between Christine Blasey Ford and Maya Arulpragasam — nom de guerre, M.I.A. — two… Read more »
Film Review of “Matangi/Maya/M.I.A.”
My personal take on this documentary film. by Lorenzo Fiorito, ‘Tamil Culture,’ September 21, 2018 The London autumn evening is winding down. After dinner, my sweetheart and I sit together on the sofa in front of the TV, and patch in the laptop video feed. I click on the link to an advance viewing of… Read more »
Thileepan, Hunger and Remembrance
Why Do We Starve? by Brannavy Jeyasundaram, Tamil Guardian, London, September 26, 2018 Starvation occurs in three phases. First, the body halts consumption of glucose, its primary energy source. Then, it scrapes away at fat deposits. Once those are depleted, it finally cannibalizes muscle mass to feed the brain. The body enters a delicate balancing… Read more »
‘A Private War’
by Wendy Ide, ‘The Toronto Star,’ September 13, 2018 The life and death of Sunday Times war correspondent Marie Colvin. Dir. Matthew Heineman. US. 2018. 110 mins Nimbly edited and directed with brio, this portrait of the legendary Sunday Times war correspondent Marie Colvin represents a sure-footed leap for director Matthew Heineman from documentary to… Read more »
Thoughts on the Matangi/Maya/M.I.A. documentary
by a 1rst generation Tamil American, September 6, 2018 Film trailer. I recently had the privilege to see the documentary of the British rapper, producer, and activist M.I.A. at an advance screening hosted by Cinereach, the studio that produced the film. I’ve long been a big fan of her music, often revisiting her albums Kala… Read more »
The Dravidian Sun Sets
by A Kalaiyarasan & Karthick Ram Manoharan, ‘Economic & Political Weekly,’ Mumbai, India, August 8, 2018 When Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief and five-time Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Muthuvel Karunanidhi passed away on 7 August 2018, he had outlived most of his friends and all of his rivals. “Kalaignar,” as he was popularly known among… Read more »
The Man Who was Muthuvel Karunanidhi
DMK patriarch Muthuvel Karunanidhi, a champion of federalism, showed how a regional party leader can become indispensible in the national political sphere by Dharani Thangavelu, ‘LiveMint,’ India, August 7, 2018 Chennai: It was the morning of July 15, 1953. Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) members had launched a protest against the renaming of Kallakudi to Dalmiyapuram, near… Read more »
Losing Santhia, Part One
The death of a Tiger and the fate of a nation by Ben Hiller, ‘Red Flag,’ Australia, July 5, 2018 In October 2017, Santhia, a former high ranking cadre of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (“Homelands”), died in a Jakarta hospital. She was only 42. Almost a decade earlier, she had fled Sri Lanka, via… Read more »
Losing Santhia, Part Two
From cubs to Tigers by Ben Hiller, ‘Red Flag,’ Australia, July 20, 2018 In October 2017, Santhia, a former high ranking cadre of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (“Homelands”), died in a Jakarta hospital. She was only 42. Almost a decade earlier, she had fled Sri Lanka, via Tamil Nadu, India, with her young son…. Read more »
Sivakumaran’s Supreme Sacrifice
Of his life was a turning point in the history of Tamil Eelam liberation struggle! by M.K. Eelaventhan, June 14, 2018 This article is based on two of my talks; one is given at the Trans-national government of Tamil Eelam office at 5210 Finch Ave. Unit 24, Scarborough (Middlefield and Finch) on 5th… Read more »
Pirapaharan: Vol.1, Chap.5 Tamil Youths Turn Assertive
by T. Sabaratnam, August 2003 Volume 1, Chapter 4 Original index of series Original Volume 1, Chapter 5 Chapter 5: Tamil Youths Turn Assertive Tamils – a subject race Amirthalingam’s Kankesanthurai speech was a reflection of the growing feeling of frustration among Tamil youth. The youth were telling the leaders to follow the path of… Read more »
Pirapaharan: Vol.1, Chap.4 Tamil Mood Toughens
by T. Sabaratnam, May 2003 Volume 1, Chapter 3 Original index of series Original Volume 1, Chapter 4 Chapter 4: Tamil Mood Toughens The Federal Party Working Committee met on 11 July, 1970 at Vavuniya to consider Dr. de Silva’s message. Thanthai Chelva told the meeting the government had indicated many positive features in the… Read more »
Pirapaharan: Vol.1, Chap. 3 The Unexpected Explosion
by T. Sabaratanam, May 1, 2003 Volume 1, Chapter 2 Original Index of Series Original Volume 1, Chapter 3 Karikalan Thangathurai, known as mama, uncle, was in charge of the secret group. There were about 25 youths, most of them from Valvettithurai and relatives. In early 1970, Thangathurai bought two revolvers, of .22 and .38 calibre…. Read more »
Pirapaharan: Vol.1, Chap. 2, Going in for a Revolver
by T. Sabaratnam, 2003 Volume 1, Chapter 1 Original index of series Original Chapter 2 Conviction Reinforced Venugobal master’s arguments that parliamentary democratic methods would yield no result reinforced Pirapaharan’s childhood conviction that hitting back is the only option available to the Tamils. The 14–year boy placed his trust on armed struggle and the separate state…. Read more »
Pirapaharan: Vol.1, Chap. 1, Why Did He Not Hit Back?
By T. Sabaratnam, 2003 Volume 1, Introduction, Part 2 Original Chapter 1 Why didn’t he hit back? “Why didn’t he hit back,” was Pirapaharan’s reaction when he heard from his father, Thiruvenkadam Velupillai, about the burning of the Panadura Pillayar Kovil priest. His father, an admirer of the Federal Party Leader Samuel James Velupillai Chelvanayakam, had… Read more »
Pirapaharan: Vol.1, Intro., Part 2
by T. Sabaratnam, 2003 Volume 1, Introduction, Part 1 Original Vol.1, Intro, Part 2 The Language Tamil youths had been radicalized by the late 1960s. Language is a matter that touches the heart of every Tamil. They are proud of the antiquity and richness of their language, and linguistic nationalism is part of the psyche of every… Read more »
T. Sabaratnam: Pirapaharan, Vol. 1, Introduction
From the Editor Mr. T. Sabaratnam wrote a history of V. Pirapaharan from 2003-2005 that was posted on the Sangam website. This history is of the period BEFORE the war began and its early stages. The history dwells on the root causes and the background of those involved. As most of this material is not… Read more »
Remembering A. Sivanandan (1923–2018)
We Are Here Because You Were With Us by Virou Srilangarajah, ‘Ceasefire,’ UK, February 4, 2018 That he was still alive at the time, though in comparative retirement, makes that neglect even sadder.” So wrote Ambalavaner Sivanandan in 1980, commenting on the lack of acknowledgement by black political movements of the 1960s in the United States of the… Read more »
Sivanandan: When Memory Forgets a Giant
by David Renwick, ‘Red Pepper,’ UK, January 6, 2018 Daniel Renwick calls for the whole movement to discover and remember the vital work of A. Sivanandan, who died this week Ambalavaner Sivanandan (Siva) was not en vogue during my life. For activists and anti-racist campaigners of previous generations of the black struggle, though, Siva was a giant. His presence… Read more »