Read on Twitter
Thread of ridiculous things my Syrian Christian loved ones have done:
I love my family but we need to claim our role as a Brahmin-adjacent political group
1/n
I love my family but we need to claim our role as a Brahmin-adjacent political group
1/n
My grandfather has told me about a lower caste family that worked on his farmland.
He said that even after the son of that family got a good job, he would address my grandfather respectfully with a word that means 'Lord' in Malayalam.
2/n
He said that even after the son of that family got a good job, he would address my grandfather respectfully with a word that means 'Lord' in Malayalam.
2/n
As a child, it was common for other Christians to ask me what church my family attended.
It was many few years later that I realised there were two CSI churches in Trivandrum. One for UC Christians and one for LC Christians.
3/n
It was many few years later that I realised there were two CSI churches in Trivandrum. One for UC Christians and one for LC Christians.
3/n
Within my immediate family, we have married mostly in the community.
My second cousin is married to a Brahmin. I've personally dated three Brahmins, a Nair and a Syrian Christian.
This is an important marker of horizontal caste mingling across religious lines
4/n
My second cousin is married to a Brahmin. I've personally dated three Brahmins, a Nair and a Syrian Christian.
This is an important marker of horizontal caste mingling across religious lines
4/n
My grandparents used malayalam slurs for lower caste communities as insults.
This practice has not carried on to the next generation. The words we've used are 'philistine', 'illiterate' and 'barbarian', which also have a distinct colonial flavour.
5/n
This practice has not carried on to the next generation. The words we've used are 'philistine', 'illiterate' and 'barbarian', which also have a distinct colonial flavour.
5/n
Of course, when I was growing up the maids in my house did not eat at the table.
On the other hand, my brother was usually fed by our maid, until we left Trivandrum.
6/n
On the other hand, my brother was usually fed by our maid, until we left Trivandrum.
6/n
Syrian Christians might not ask your caste but they will ask about your church, your family's background, your occupation and your education.
Marriage in the community happens on the basis of these four parameters which are substitute caste indicators
7/n
Marriage in the community happens on the basis of these four parameters which are substitute caste indicators
7/n
The last thing I want to mention is a mindset that I now realise is central to Brahminical thinking.
This is the belief in skilled and unskilled labour and the compensation that is owed to 'unskilled' labour.
8/n
This is the belief in skilled and unskilled labour and the compensation that is owed to 'unskilled' labour.
8/n
I didn't realise that many of these practices were casteist until I had the chance to learn from Bahujan discourse on Twitter and Instagram.
I'm grateful for the work of activists that is helping me progressively kill the Manu in my mind
9/9
I'm grateful for the work of activists that is helping me progressively kill the Manu in my mind
9/9
So, UC folk reading this, please follow @BluePan10159831 @BuffaloSpeaks @Datlitwriter @anticastecat to start with.
Start reading their posts and follow the accounts they retweet or share
Start reading their posts and follow the accounts they retweet or share
