• The Stouffville Tamils’ Association will host its annual Tamil Heritage Month Celebration on Jan. 25 at Stouffville District Secondary School.
  • The free event runs from 4:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. and features cultural performances, food, and refreshments.
  • More than 100 local students will perform traditional Tamil dance, music, songs, and drama.
  • The event is themed around Thai Pongal, the traditional Tamil harvest festival.
  • It aims to preserve and promote Tamil heritage while sharing traditions with the broader Stouffville community.

 

The Stouffville Tamils’ Association is once again inviting the community to celebrate Tamil Heritage Month with its annual cultural showcase on Sunday, Jan. 25.

The free event will take place at Stouffville District Secondary School from 4:30 to 9 p.m., featuring cultural performances, traditional Tamil cuisine, and opportunities for residents to learn more about Tamil customs.

Attendance has continued to grow in recent years, with an estimated 600 people expected annually, according to Tamils’ Association founder and president Sivan Ilangko. More than 100 local students are slated to take part this year, presenting a wide-ranging program of traditional dance, instrumental music, singing, and drama.

The event will be centred around Thai Pongal, the traditional Tamil harvest festival observed at this time of year.

“Thai Pongal is the traditional Tamil harvest festival celebrated in January, marking the beginning of the sun’s northward journey,” Ilangko said. “It signifies prosperity, renewal, and thanksgiving, and is an inclusive festival celebrated by all Tamils regardless of their religious beliefs.”

Stouffville formally recognized Tamil Heritage Month in 2016, and the Association has worked to continue that recognition while creating opportunities to introduce Tamil culture to the broader community. Ilangko initially launched the organization informally about 14 years ago, with the nonprofit becoming formally incorporated in 2024.

“Our main objective is to preserve and promote Tamil heritage, language, and culture,” he said. “Our mission also includes supporting charitable causes and volunteerism, and fostering relationships with other communities.”

Those efforts may extend beyond January, with the Association hoping to host additional cultural and community-focused events in the future.

Tamil heritage spans more than two millennia, Ilangko explained, encompassing a long-standing cultural, linguistic, literary, artistic, and social tradition. Central to that legacy is the Tamil language, widely regarded as one of the world’s great classical languages for its depth and enduring literary contributions.

Today, nearly 100 million people are estimated to speak Tamil, making it one of the oldest living languages in continuous use. While many speakers reside in India and Sri Lanka, a significant Tamil diaspora formed in Canada following the outbreak of civil war in Sri Lanka in 1983. Canada is now home to the largest Tamil diaspora globally, with thousands of Tamils living in Stouffville.

“We want to share this rich culture and tradition with the Stouffville community,” Ilangko said. “Additionally, an important component is to pass down these traditions to the next generation, and this is a great way to do so.”

The event is being hosted in partnership with the Stouffville Multicultural Association and York Region District School Board, and is sponsored by many local businesses and business owners. Municipal leaders and representatives from Markham Stouffville Hospital, as well as community organizations including the Stouffville Lions Club, Whitchurch Stouffville Food Bank, and the Greater Stouffville Chamber of Commerce, are also expected to attend.

Cover image provided by and used with permission from the Tamils’ Association