40 The End

Sudan graduated from the University of Ottawa eons ago, and now works in Toronto as an IT Analyst. Even though he’s spent most of his life in Toronto, he makes it a point to let everyone know how his favourite hockey team is the Montreal Canadiens.

You have to pass through four different oor picnics in the same park before you locate the correct one.

You arrive at the picnic and hear what sounds like a huge ruckus.It turns out to be the aunties having a casual conversation.

You fake laugh at the same story that your uncle tells at every picnic, realising this stopped being funny after the first fifteen times you heard it.

Your grandma wins a huge, shiny trophy. And that’s just for participating in a contest involving knitting and a balloon.

The couples’ race ends up creating blazing confrontations within the couple instead of between couples, especially between the couple

that actually wins the race.

It takes longer to complete the hundred metre dash than it does a plate of rice. And everyone runs ten times as fast when it’s towards the BBQ.

There’s more mutton curry than there is rice and people still argue over whether or not there’s enough for everyone.

The Coconut’s Guide to Tamil CultureBy Sudan Ponnuchamy

SEVEN SIGNS THAT

YOU’RE AT AN OOR PICNIC

Special Section: Awards of Excellence 2007

Programme

From The Program Coordinator’s Desk

A Note Of Appreciation

Keynote Speakers

The Award Recipients

People & Ideas

Your Take

Advice For Youth By Youth

Hoop Dreams In The Big City

The Toronto Tamil Basketball Association

Don’t Worry, Fat People Have Kind Hearts

A New Take On Body Image

Poetry & Prose

Nocturne In E Minor

New Fiction

Breathing Hard

New Fiction

Lady In White

A Poem

The End

The Coconut’s Guide To Tamil Culture

Seven Signs That You’re At An Oor Picnic

4

6

7

8

11

20

Edited by Archjana Packirajan

23

Abi Jeyaratnam

29

Kavitha Moorthy

32

Ramya Jegatheesan

35

Mithunan Ravendran

38

Thadsana Premachandran

40

Sudan Ponachamy

DMP e o p l e . I d e a s . A r t .

DMP e o p l e . I d e a s . A r t .

Managing Editor:Christopher Mudiappahpillai

Contributing Editors:Annette SelvanayagamVipoositha Gnanenthra

Archjana PackirajanKavitha Moorthy

Vani Jearajah

Contributors:Thadsana Premachandran

Mithunan RavendranRamya Jegatheesan

Abi Jeyaratnam

Design Consultants:Shangar KamalanathanDarsan Sivanantharajah

Staff Photographer:Vipoositha Gnanenthra

Webmaster:George Emmanuvel

Printer:Amudham Publication Inc.

4465 Sheppard Avenue East, Unit 37Toronto, Ontario

M1S 5H9 Canada

Directions Magazine705 Progress Avenue, Unit 40

Toronto, OntarioM1H 2X1 Canada

Directions Magazine (DM) is a publication of the Canadian Tamil Youth Development Centre. We would like to hear your opinions about this issue. Please send us your comments and suggestions to the above address or directions@cantyd.org.

We are always looking for articles, essays, commentary, poetry, art work, &c. Please feel free to forward your contributions to the above addresses.

We reserve the right to refuse the publication of letters or submissions which are deemed libelous or prejudiced towards any particular gender, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or (dis)ability.

© 2007 Directions Magazine. All rights reserved.

What you’re holding in your hands is the culmination of about nine months of work, and I’d be greatly amiss if I didn’t take a few moments to thank all the people who were involved.

The editors and contributors, along with our design consultants and printers, did some wonderful work under less than ideal conditions.

There are, however, several people not named in our masthead who also deserve a lot of credit for all the time, advice, and support they sent our way.

These individuals include Daphne Jayendran, Pragashini Sasinayagam, Anjkur Jain, Anuba Thiagarajah, Nayani Thiyagarajah, Jana N., and Dilani D.

The preceding list is by no means exhaustive, and my sincerest apologies for those names I’ve missed.

And with that, I’d like to stop. Of course, being the editor, I have a lot more to say. But I’ll leave all that for the next issue.

Cheers,

Christopher

Well then, that wasn’t so bad.

38 Poetry & Prose

Mithunan Ravendren is a Ryerson student studying Graphics Communication Management. He likes red, the rain, blizzards, luxury cars, and good food; pretty much anything that’s on his mind, really. He’s worried that a tragedy much worse than 9/11 will cause citizens to succumb to a one world government.

couldn’t stop thinking about one thing. I hope he’s still alive. It was one of those moments, again, where my mind leaves my body, moves far away. All the details ran through my head again. Today, seven guys stole a van, and killed a man. They beat him with a tire iron until he dropped and broke metal sticks on his head. They swung at him with a baseball bat repeatedly. They stabbed him in the chest and then sliced him with a machete. They did this as he was on the floor pleading for his life. Begging for mercy, he was grasping his last breath. The seven guys left the murder weapon at the scene of the crime. Driving away in a stolen caravan, they crashed into another car, but sped off. Only to turn into an alley where they were all cornered and arrested –

I opened my eyes as the gear locked in park to see red and blue lights, dancing so gracefully, through the windows of the red caravan.

With head held high

She graced the street

Ignoring the men’s sighs

Oblivious to their lust

Wearing a white sari

In mourning of her beauty

Not of a husband

Whom she never married

The white draped around

Protects her from

carnal thoughts

Of the town’s men

By demanding their respect

The sari head flaps in the wind

Signaling (begging) for peace

With the men’s wives

Who loathe her existence

She looks up to the heavens

With questions in her eyes

Hoping it will ask nature

To hide her beauty

Instead she felt tear drops

Bathing her, revealing her

To the ogling eyes

Awaiting at the sides

Lady in White

By Thadsana Premachandran

4

Awards of Excellence 2007

Opening Greeting

Lighting Of The Ceremonial Lamp

National Anthems

A Word of WelcomeSri-Guggan Sri-Skandarajah

Instrumental Music PerformanceMiruthangam Sheshthiram

AwardsVisual Arts, Performing Arts, & Athletic Achievement

Youth Council Documentary

Guest SpeakerKrisna Saravanamuttu

AwardsAcademic Achievement

Keynote SpeakerJustin Trudeau

Dance Performance

AwardsOverall Achievement

Dance Performance

AwardsProfessional Achievement

AwardsMost Improved, Unique Distinguished Effort, & Community Contribution

Medai KonalDrama Performance

Closing Remarks

Programme37Poetry & Prose

screamed out after suddenly realizing I had thrown it away.

“Where’s your knife, Siva?” Ramesh asked.

“Holy shit, I threw it away, right after stabbing him, right after pulling it out of his heart, there was too much blood, I threw it on the ground, shit. I didn’t know I did it to him in

the heart. I screwed up,” I cried it all out at once. Of what sense they could make out of it, they knew we all screwed up.

“Kannan, u-turn, we have to go back, Siva’s knife is there and I left my machete back there too. We’re going to get caught, the murder weapon is right there next to the body!” From the back of the van, Soori pleaded to the front.

“SHUT UP Soori! No one’s dead, don’t talk about shit you don’t know happened.” Uzi jumped in.

“Kannan u-turn – we should go back, Siva and Soori are going

to get caught for sure, their prints are already re–“ Ramesh was just about to finish when Kannan cut Ramesh off.

“Shut up everyone, you’re all getting hyper for no reason, now I’m driving recklessly,” Kannan fussed on.

I would have heard the rest of Kannan’s calming down lecture

but it seemed to only make Kannan more frustrated. In a sixty zone the caravan was doing one-fifty. I normally don’t get scared of drivers when I’m in a car, but after stabbing somebody, and arguing about the damage done, and the fingerprints left behind, I felt a bit nauseous. When I thought everyone had finally quieted down, it was just my head fixing itself. The sudden realization that I have done something utterly wrong kills me on the inside. Remorse and regret flash through my head, only wishing I had the power to rewind time. My whole body felt wrong. The blood

pumping through my veins felt as if it no longer belonged to me. My muscles, causing my every motion, seemed to disown me. My senses, used to connect me to this world, had abandoned me. I couldn’t stay in a state of mind like this. I had to come back. So I came back, to my mind, in the van.

But I came back a bit too soon. Just in time to see the parked Civic straight in front of us. Not enough time to do anything about it though. The van crashed.

“Shit. Good thing it’s a stolen Caravan” Kannan sighed. And then he sped the van far away before the owner of the Civic could even identify any faces.

I didn’t even know the van was stolen. At the same time, that was the least of my worries. If the police should pull us over, all the weapons in the car would make the stealing part seem insignificant.

“We need to pull over; we can’t keep driving like this.” I shouted at Kannan.

“Yeah, we need to do that.” Kannan agreed.

As we turned into an alley, I

My whole body felt wrong. The blood pumping through my veins felt as if it no longer belonged to me. My muscles, causing my every motion, seemed to disown me. My senses, used to connect me to this world, had abandoned me.

36 Poetry & Prose

shouldn’t lead to regret. But it did, and Ramesh wouldn’t let it rest.

“Yo, what if he’s dead!” Ramesh screamed out, suddenly.

“Then we’ll find out tomorrow on CityPulse!” Suthan screamed back at Ramesh.

Suthan was one of those guys who knew everything but acted otherwise. Before we ran out to hit the guy, Uzi gave Suthan an Extendo bar. Of course, Suthan played with it, wondering what on earth it could be. However, five seconds before any one could offer explanations, the unlucky guy walked by. And then, with the flick of a wrist, the small metal bar stretched out into a metal stick. An instant later, the stick cracked over the guy’s head.

I didn’t completely realize what we had done until we were in the van, trying to catch our breath, trying to calm down. We didn’t stay calm for long.

“If he’s on CityPulse, then we’ll know what killed him!” Ramesh boasted.

“Don’t even say it” Uzi threatened Ramesh. But no one listened.

“Uzi unleashed the machete on him just before all of you got in the car. It was crazy. Shit, that must’ve killed him, yo.” Ramesh continued.

“Shut up Ramesh!” Kannan screamed. “No one is dying; no one killed anyone – just shut up.”

That’s when my head started spinning. I looked to my left, and saw Uzi sitting there, holding a foot-long machete. My head wouldn’t have spun so badly if the blade wasn’t soaked in blood. Telling Uzi to wipe it would only cause further tension in the van, so I took off the bandana which I was used to hide my face. I cleaned the blade. Wiped the blood off, even the blood on Uzi’s pants. Although they were stained, it helped.

“Kannan, serious, what if something happened? We should go back?” Soori worriedly asked everyone in the van, although naming only Kannan.

“Obviously something has happened, you idiot. Theepan clubbed him on his head with a tire iron, Ramesh beat him with a bat, Suthan broke an

extendo on him, Siva stabbed him, and then Uzi slaughtered him. I don’t know what the hell you were doing, but my hands were on the steering wheel,” Kannan said.

“Siva stabbed him? Siva, you stabbed him? Where did you stab him, Siva?” Soori interrogated me, as if the poor bastard’s lawyer was already there. But before I could reply Uzi stepped in and saved the day.

“Soori! Forget about where Siva stabbed him, what the hell were you doing? Where the hell is your blade?” asked Uzi.

“I tried to get a hit on him, but you guys were surrounding him, so I just chased his friends away.” Soori quickly defended himself.

Of course, all six of us in the van knew that Soori probably didn’t even try to get a hit on the guy. It didn’t matter though. I left enough damage on him for the two of us. It’s unfortunate that a simple nudge into someone’s skin can slice their flesh apart so deep the bleeding would have bled in itself.

“SHIT! Where’s my knife?” I

6

Awards of Excellence 2007

The theme for this year’s annual Awards of Excellence gala

is Moving Forward and Building A Stronger Community

Together, and this takes many forms at the Canadian Tamil

Youth Development Centre (CanTYD). An organization

needs a strong base if it is to develop and prosper. Our

base has been established over the past 9 years, and it has

been made possible by the hard work, dedication, and

commitment of many good people. Since 1998, CanTYD

has grown and diversified into a strong youth outreach

organization in Toronto, offering the broadest array of

services to Tamil youth.

In this relatively short time, CanTYD has made a significant

impression on our community by adding value to the lives

of youth and their families. As unique and diverse as the

many programs offered by CanTYD are, all of them share

the common goal of helping young people succeed. In

that regard, the Board of Directors and staff work together

to provide the organizational structure and programming

necessary to support young people in their growth as

strong, healthy, contributing members of society.

CanTYD has always taken pride in being able to showcase

the many talents our youth have to offer. As such, Awards

of Excellence plays a key role in commemorating the

achievements of Tamil youth all over the GTA. This night

is not just about the awards but it has a deeper entrenched

meaning. It is a symbol of our volunteers’ hard work,

dedication, and perseverance. Further, it is proof of our

community’s commitment to stand behind and support

our youth.

I would like to thank everyone for their efforts and tireless

devotion in putting this event together because without

all of your support this would not have been possible.

Congratulations to all the winners tonight. I encourage all

youth to never give up, to pursue your dreams, and to aim

to attain the impossible.

Shaminy Ratneswaran

Program Coordinator

Canadian Tamil Youth Development Centre

From The Program

Coordinator’sDesk

35Poetry & Prose

Ramesh jumped in the shotgun while Uzi and I took the middle row. Suthan, Soori, and Theepan were already in the back seats. Before I could close the van door, Kannan let the tires spin out and began to race away. It must have been one full minute of silence. No one talked; there was only the sound of rubber spinning on asphalt clouded by the roaring engine. But with the windows up, all I seemed to hear was us, breathing hard – all seven of us were breathing as if grasping at our last breaths. It felt like I was experiencing what he was feeling. No. He couldn’t even draw a last breath now. Not

after this. The very thought jerked me back to where my body was, in the van, my sweat still layered over my skin, adrenaline still pumping. The windows were still up and the air was damp. And we were all still breathing hard.

“We done him good” Kannan said, almost ecstatically.

“Yeah, a bit too good,” Ramesh quickly replied.

I had known Kannan for nearly four years. Spent my high school life with Kannan and beat the shit out of people with Kannan. Even though my parents would tell me not to hang out with my high school friends, I still

did. They called Kannan a bad breed, but Kannan would just say, “My parents bred a bad person.”

“He had it coming. They all had it coming,” Kannan said.

“Don’t you think, for once at least, how it would be if you were in their shoes?” Ramesh asked, with a sarcastic tone.

Ramesh only asked it that way because otherwise, we’d start naming him a soft person. After all, how could you worry about people after you’d repeatedly hit them with sharp, dense, wooden objects? In Ramesh’s case, swinging a baseball bat at a bruised body on the floor

A red caravan. I only noticed the colour when I ran back inside. Catching my breath, I wondered why Kannan never brought the van out before. Although the van was a bit bruised - not by accidents, but by time and rust - it brought us here. Now I just hope it gets us far, far away.

Breathing HardBy Mithunan Ravendran

34 Poetry & Prose

Ramya Jegatheesan is reading towards an English, Anthropology, and Political Science degree at the University of Toronto. She is in her fi nal year.

stayed most of his life through the midst of a civil war as he watched all his children slowly move away to countries oceans and continents away, contact reduced to occasional letters and visits every few years until he joined us in cold Canada, the country we turned into a home, only to leave us short weeks later. But it is here I return to scatter his ashes.

I walk away from the others and head down the beach. Landmines are like road signs here, a daily fixture. I go past the rotting ribs of boats, the empty husks of coconuts, the leathery skin of eaten mangos, the collapsed remains of a one-room schoolhouse, and past the anemic cat slinking around the chains of a rusting bike. The land is still feverish from war. Tonight the moon blinks like a lighthouse in the distance, and my hands are spread against the cool breath of sea air, seeking to capture memories that elude me.

It is not easy composing memory from scratch. Shakespeare borrowed material and even improvisational jazz doesn’t pluck notes from out of the blues. Herodotus was

both the father of history and the father of lies. All the ways of my body, the sensations of my mind have been played like an eternal chorus, a variation in a fugue. String theory holds that the universe is made of tiny vibrating strings, the notes they play make our reality. In this way we are ciphers, decoding the melody to find the notes. My spread hands reach after those elusive notes, the minor and major chords. A hand tugs mine, leading me into the boat.

I hold the lantern as we move away from shore. We scatter his ashes on the sea under a haze of cloud, singing arpeggios of death. The water black beneath us, oars dipping with hypnotic movement, we row far into its arms, the abstract lines of my map rousing to show its physicality in the curves of the coastline. I cannot see through the water, through its black stillness.

The land is scarred here. You

can’t always see it but it is like peeling back the skin of a bruised fruit, the wound always deeper than you think. A map cannot gauge the temperament of a land. A memory is impressionistic; history is a series of memories. We wear history in our skins. I wade into the sea, moving forward against the gentle rolling of the waves, deeper and deeper into the water as the moon dips its head among the clouds. My clothes cling to my body, heavy with water, heavy with memory. These are the melodies that fragment like glass, struggle to resolve. I keep moving until the water nearly reaches my lips, and then close my eyes.

The land is scarred here. You can’t always

see it but it is like peeling back the skin of

a bruised fruit, the wound always deeper

than you think.

7

Awards of Excellence 2007

From the beginning, CanTYD has been a grass-roots

organization - transforming one young person’s life at a time

through the efforts of not only our staff but also through

the work of several hundred volunteers. Over the years, the

growth of CanTYD as a non-profit organization has seen

numerous obstacles. Whether these challenges have been

organizational or financial, our strength has always been

the diverse skill set of our volunteers. Through them, we

have been able to identify the needs of our youth as well as

the organizational changes necessary to grow. Given that

such growth does not happen over night, we are grateful for

the commitment and dedication that our volunteers have

shown over the years.

Recently, Ontario Trillium Foundation awarded CanTYD

for our impressive outreach and growth. For this, we

would like to extend our sincerest thanks to our staff and

volunteers, both past and present. Although CanTYD has

not been known for shining the spotlight on our volunteers,

we hope you can understand and appreciate the difference

that you have made and continue to make. If it is true

that actions do speak louder than words, then there is a

strong statement to be made by the large number of young

participants who return to the organization to volunteer.

Moving forward, especially as we embark on CanTYD’s

10 year anniversary, we look forward to your continued

support in breaking the barriers and building the future.

“We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we

can build our youth for the future. “

~Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Sincerely,

Board of Directors & Staff

Canadian Tamil Youth Development Centre

One YouthAt A Time...Made Possible By One, Two, Three Volunteers At A Time

8

Awards of Excellence 2007

The education and empowerment of youth are priorities that have

dominated Justin Trudeau’s professional and personal life. Shortly after completing a degree at McGill University, Trudeau moved to Vancouver to earn a bachelor’s of education degree from the University of British Columbia. For the next few years, he devoted himself to teaching children of all ages and working on his Master’s degree in Environmental Geography at McGill University.

Trudeau has been actively involved with Katimavik, Canada’s leading national youth volunteer

service program. He has worked to increase the engagement of Canada’s youth towards their country, their communities and their environment.

In addition to Katimavik, Trudeau has also been involved with the Canadian Avalanche Foundation, promoting intelligent risk-taking and safety awareness; and wilderness groups such as the Nature Conservancy of Canada and the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society.

Trudeau is constantly being quoted in the media across the country on his views concerning the future of Canada. His work with a

large number of diverse organizations and levels of government keeps him travelling extensively to help ensure that Canada is prepared to meet the challenges and responsibilities its future holds. Most recently, his highly-anticipated entry into Canadian politics has been secured with his Liberal Party nomination. He will be representing the Liberal party in the next federal election in the Montreal riding of Papineau. The combination of Trudeau’s electric charisma and inspirational message leaves audiences educated, entertained and ready to make a difference.

JustinTrudeau

33Poetry & Prose

waters, breath on fire, burning from a bite of bread soaked by monsoon rains. What it might be to know love nestled among the broken places of the world: to love in a place where a touch is an act against History. My mother calls me dramatic.

Then she tells me. Of the fishermen pushing off in their boats to meet the sea while their wives busy themselves in the fields, in the homes, milking the cows, harvesting the fruit. Of the birds, delirious from monsoon rains, twittering on the ground, snatching bread from the hands of unsuspecting children. Of the tourists, scattered on the beaches, hair under wide-brimmed hats, pale skin roasting under the heat of the sun, cigarettes held firmly,

elegantly between white fingers. Of the children, romping in the sea, and on the beaches burying their bodies waist high in sand. There are always stray animals wandering the village, she says, gorging themselves on the scraps of food left by the villagers,

cavorting with children. My mother does not say why she left. Her memories are pristine like crystal and idyllic like More’s Utopia. They are not for daily use.

In one of her stories, a man with one leg leans against the trunk of a palm tree, his hollow cheeks chewing tobacco. He asks my parents to take a picture. He is in his white sarong, chest bared and a small belly topped off with a handlebar moustache like

in the old Indian films. Flash. He never returns for the photo. My parents kept the picture. I think he wanted there to be a record of himself as he was at that moment.

We’re a species of documenters, forever making records – records of milestones, records of seeming trivialities, records of every microscopic detail. Maybe we do it in the hope that someday we can untangle the mess of our identities, that by creating meaning around us we can quiet the uneasiness sloshing around in the caverns of our own minds. Or maybe leaving marks of our existence is a form of self-confirmation – we have changed this place and these things, we exist. History makes eunuchs of the losers – a crowd of storytellers gathering round the proverbial marketplace auctioning off competing narratives. Some stories don’t get sold or get sold to the wrong people. These are the losers. Armenia lost. This story is still being negotiated.

My feet have not touched this land since my parents fled Sri-Lanka twenty-one years ago and I have no memories of this place. Yet it is here that my grandfather

We’re a species of documenters, forever

making records – records of milestones,

records of seeming trivialities, records

of every microscopic detail. Maybe we

do it in the hope that someday we can

untangle the mess of our identities, that

by creating meaning around us we can

quiet the uneasiness sloshing around in

the caverns of our own minds.

32 Poetry & Prose

My mother’s father was a fisherman. She told me how he carried me as a baby in a sling slung over his neck when he was not working; hands and voice often retelling the epic of Gilgamesh in the peasant speech of the village, colourful additions woven into the tale so it was remade, renewed in the burning sand of the beaches.

The smell of salt would cling to him like a second skin, his hands and skin erupting with blisters from the work as if he were not meant for such things.

Days spent catching and gutting fish made it impossible for him to stomach it in his meals. He was a strict vegetarian from the day he gutted his first fish.

At night he would take me to the ocean, walking with me on his shoulders deep into the water until we were nearly submersed. We emerged each night with a token: seaweed draping our skin, a seashell glinting in the moonlight, a fallen coconut riding the curve of the waves. His eyes could not decipher the letters of books nor string them

together to make a life of print. Instead, he cupped them in his hands and spoke them into stories, memory, history.

My mother’s memories try to be sturdy. She speaks of the lush flora drawing out ardent lovers who work alongside one another in the sweating day, bodies brushing, speaking some secret password all their own, the ripe summer wind resting coolly on their glistening skin. I imagine then what it might be to know love while standing knee deep in malaria

As a child I washed away my history, thinking only to be the author of my own tale. My memory contained no rusted Buddhas, amputated Shivas, no figurines of faith caught in holy crossfire. I did not drink it from the lips of refugees crossing over or from Alexandrian-like libraries where history burned on the point of a flame. Instead, I received its silhouette in scraps from the arthritic hands of my parents. But mostly my memory grew in an illusory emptiness sometimes coloured in by stray photographs that grew their own tales through curiosity. Identity through imaginings.

Nocturnein E Minor

By

Ramya Jegatheesan

9

Awards of Excellence 2007

Growing up in poverty, yet having a strong and influential mother,

fuelled Krisna Saravanamuttu’s determination to rise above his circumstances. Like many Tamil youth growing up in a conflicted cultural generation, he became lost in a maelstrom of violence, alcohol abuse, and depression. However, his interest in social justice made him question the societal inequalities inherent within his own immediate environment, and inspired him to dedicate his life to social activism. His last two years of high school were spent in a new school where he completed all his courses with honours and graduated as an Ontario scholar. In his grade 12 year, he also

applied and managed to have a co-op placement in the Criminal division of Old City Hall where he also won the annual Ontario Old City Hall Mock Trial. After attaining his high school diploma, Krisna received a York University entrance scholarship and is currently studying Criminology.

In the summer before his first year of university, Krisna was nominated for the Unique Distinguished Effort Award by Gary Anandasangaree, a youth advocate and community worker who is a positive influence in Krisna’s life. The award served as an excellent form of recognition for Krisna’s ability to turn his life around and affirmed his leadership potential. Consequently, Krisna became a leader on his campus and became heavily

involved in various clubs and university wide events, subsequently finding his passion for University governance. He is currently a Senator on the Senate of York University, the institution’s highest governing academic body, and represents 17,000 students as the President of the Faculty of Arts Student Council—all while maintaining a ‘straight A’ average. His leadership and academic accomplishments have been recognized by several university awards.

Ultimately, Krisna hopes to attend Osgoode Hall Law School and study Criminal and Human Rights Law, with the end goal of attaining a Master of Laws (LL.M) abroad. He aspires to become an International Criminal Lawyer and prosecute those responsible for war crimes against humanity.

Krisna Saravanamuttu

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30 People & Ideas

Kavitha Moorthy holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Ryerson University, with a Minor in Marketing and Fashion. Kavitha has been a part of CanTYD since 2002, working with Awards of Excellence, and currently in Layout and Design with DM. She loves cheesecake, the Toronto Raptors, the colour maroon, dancing, and Iced Cappuccinos Tim Hortons. But not necessarily in that order.

avoided at all costs. Close your eyes. Think

about a wall. You have a hammer in your hand. You hit the wall once, and it makes a small mark.

You keep on hitting it and the mark gets bigger. Until finally – BAM! You didn’t even realize how many times you used the hammer, but you’ve made a big hole in the wall. That wall is like a person’s self-esteem. The hammer is someone’s opinion. Without realizing what they are doing, they are breaking confidence, self-worth and self-respect. And, having low self-esteem can result in depression, substance and alcohol abuse, educational underachievement, eating disorders, and even suicide attempts.

The media plays a large role on what society sees as the perfect body image. If you look at South Asian movies, although each actress is beautiful in their own way, some are favored over others. Aishwarya Rai and Jothika Sadanah are both world-renowned actresses

who have made their mark in dozens of films. But if you ask someone who he or she would think is prettier – Aishwarya or Jothika – it would be safe to

assume that most people would choose Aishwarya. Although both women are about 5’7 and light skinned, with gorgeous hair and excellent acting abilities, because Jothika is a bit chubbier, she is seen as inferior to Aishwarya.

Thankfully in western culture, the need for encouragement of all body types is now becoming more popular. Supermodel and talk show host Tyra Banks is a spokesperson for a healthy body image. Sources say that Tyra is now 30 pounds heavier then what she used to be, and is not only fighting for herself, but for all woman, according to a Health and Diet article, “Body Image: Bigger Can Be Better”. She was recently the cover story in Time Magazine, and has really helped women across the world understand that being thin isn’t

everything. “Don’t worry, fat people

have kind hearts,” is what someone said to me at a funeral. When I first heard the comment, I looked down while my eyes welled up in tears. Now, I look back and feel sad for the ignorant and close-minded individuals that exist in the community. The solution? Dove puts it best: a Campaign for Real Beauty.

So next time you see a “thick” girl or someone who doesn’t look like they eat – before you say, “Eww she’s ugly.” – think about what’s inside and what they have to offer. Think about the impact of what you’re saying on the person’s health and self-esteem. Roles reversed, the next time an uncle or aunty tells you “Oh, you’ve put on weight!” or “Do you even eat?” challenge them and ask them about their knowledge of eating disorders. The more they know, the less they can say.

Just remember to keep an open mind, and appreciate the real beauty that comes in all shapes and sizes!

“...low self-esteem can result in depression, substance and alcohol abuse, educational underachievement, eating

disorders, and even suicide attempts.”

11

Awards of Excellence 2007

Pranavan Ganeshalingam Grade Eleven Academic Achievement Award & Overall Achievement Award

Matheeshan Selvakkumaran Unique Distinguished Effort Award

Mauran ManogaranPerforming Arts Award

Vithushan Jeyakumaran Grade Ten Academic Achievement Award

Puvanathas Vijayakumar Most Improved Student Award

Vijith Ganeshalingam Athletic Achievement Award

Ardavan GaneshalingamGrade Ten Overall Achievement Award

Pereyanga KulasegaramGrade Nine Academic Achievement Award

Sangeevan Tharmaratnam Visual Arts Award

Abi Vijenthira Grade Twelve Overall Achievement Award

Duluxan SritharanGrade Twelve Academic Achievement Award

Vyshe Balendra Community Contribution Award

Anusha AruliahProfessional Achievement Award

Photographs by Vipoositha Gnanenthra.

AwardRecipients

12

Awards of Excellence 2007

Pranavan GaneshalingamGrade Eleven Academic Achievement Award& Overall Achievement AwardMiddlefield C.I.

What would you say is unique about you?Well, I would say that I am a uniquely optimistic person in the sense that I am happy all the time because I like to always think positive, no matter what the situation holds. I wholeheartedly enjoy helping out others even if it means going out of my way by sacrificing my time and effort!

What is your favourite quote?“Life’s too short for drama and trivial problems, so break the rules, kiss slowly, laugh insanely, love truly, and forgive quickly. Life’s too short to be anything but happy because every sixty seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you’ll never get back! Take chances, give everything, and have no regrets. People change, things go wrong, but just remember, life goes on.”

- Unknown

Matheeshan SelvakkumaranUnique Distinguished Effort AwardJarvis C.I.

In two sentences please describe your accomplishments.I mentor younger kids in Scouts. That to me is very important because it gives me a chance to have a positive impact on kids who are looking for guidance.

What is your favourite quote?“In order to get up, you have to fall down first.”

What song most resembles you or your personality?Ovoru Pookalumea.

People & Ideas

If you’re brown, you know the routine - women are expected to have the perfect figure. It doesn’t matter what your personality is like,

it doesn’t matter how hard you work. All that matters is whether you are too big or too small.

Body image plays an important role in our community. It’s the first thing our aunties and uncles comment on, it’s what they see, and what they can’t forget. It’s one thing to make an observation, another to voice it. By telling you what they think, they’re trying to accomplish one of two things. Either they’re trying to wash away their own insecurities of how they feel about their own body, or they’re trying to help you – trying to make you better and possibly healthier then you already are. Of the two, I believe it is the latter.

They are trying to help you – it’s nice of them to care and be concerned. What they don’t realize is that words are not just words. The way you tell someone, the place you tell them in, and how

close you are to them, impacts the way people receive comments. Instead of trying to help you because of the way they said something, they are in fact doing the opposite. They’re creating a world in which a specific body image is important, meaning that, in order to be accepted, you need to look a certain way.

Women are very self-conscious of their bodies. According to “Transforming Body Image”, 80%-90% of women dislike the size and shape of their bodies. What are the results? Eating disorders and low self-esteem.

We are all familiar with Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia, and Compulsive Overeating. These are all eating disorders that can harm our bodies and cause serious damage. These are the extremes that women go through in to achieve the perfect body image. But it’s important to realize that eating disorders are not only harmful to your health, but are also life-threatening. It may seem like it’s your only option – but it is an extreme that should be

Don’tWorry, Fat People Have Kind Hearts. By Kavitha Moorthy

13

Awards of Excellence 2007

Mauran ManogaranPerforming Arts AwardJarvis C.I.

In two sentences please describe your accomplishments.In this field, I have passed my teachers grade examination held by the Thamil Isai Kala Manram and I am continually performing in concerts with local artists and those from abroad.

What is your favourite quote?“Perfection has no boundaries, and we should all try to get as perfect as we can.”

What motivates you?My desire to be a great mridangist and to make my parents proud.

Vithushan JeyakumaranGrade Ten Academic Achievement AwardRichmond Hill High School

As an award recipient This year, what inspiring advice would you share with other youth who may be thinking of applying for the same award next year?School is important, but if you want to be different from everybody else, get involved! Join a school club, volunteer somewhere, find a hobby or sport you like a lot, and do whatever you can to give back to the community.

What is your favourite quote?“Every artist was first an amateur.”

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

What is your weirdest craving?I have to listen to music no matter where I am.

14

Awards of Excellence 2007

Puvanathas VijayakumarMost Improved Student AwardWinston Churchill C.I

What would you say is unique about you?Even though I may seem very quiet, people don’t know that I’m able to act as different characters.

What is your favourite quote?“There’s two things you have to remember about me: #1- I’m the man, and #2 – Don’t forget #1.”

Who is your role model and why?My brother because he taught me to never give up.

Vijith GaneshalingamAthletic Achievement AwardWinston Churchill C.I.

What are some of your extra-curricular activities?Being involved in extra-curricular activities, has helped me to shape who I have become today. I have been involved in the Toronto Tamil Basketball Association for the past three years. I recently joined the Ryerson TSA Basketball Team and have been helping with volleyball for most of my life. I have been participating in the sports events that CanTYD has held for the past five years as well.

Who is your role model and why?Michel Jordan because he came, he saw, he conquered, and left the NBA.

27People & Ideas

Abi is currently in her fi nal year at the University of Toronto, completing a double major in Health Studies and International Development Studies. She’d like to thank the Toronto Tamil Basketball Association for welcoming her into its community. She (Ed: and all of us here at DM) would like to wish them all success with the future expansion of the league.

about Sri Lankans. It’s good that we’re on a court playing.” I also got the opportunity to speak with a young and talented power forward for the Rexdale Renegades, Senthuran Indrasithu, whose humble persona spoke volumes on the court. When asked how the older guys on league act as role models, he quickly replied, “They are our mentors. They teach us how to play basketball, and how to become responsible men.”

As the day came to an end, I had the pleasure of speaking to a very high-spirited team that demonstrated an amazingly positive outlook on the game and their team, even after an unfortunate loss. Dinesh Saravanamuttu, of the Etobicoke Eagles, spoke words of strength when I asked him where the team was going to go now: “Listen, the team’s going to go nowhere but up from here. We learned a lot about all our players, we fought with heart. Unfortunately, the ball didn’t bounce our way today.” And although I had at times wondered if there would be such sportsmanship amongst all this testosterone, it then dawned on me what fine individuals the league has made its players into.

Just before leaving, I asked some of the players what final thoughts they would like to leave with the community at large. The coach of the Rexdale Renegades, Roshan Canagasabay, said it best: “We’re productive young members of society. A lot of things are focused on the negative, but you should see the young members of society working together in an atmosphere where it could be just as likely we don’t get a long. But here, we’re working together, working hard, and helping each other.”

My experience with the league provided me with insight into a dynamic little community

functioning through the hard work of young, talented men who are putting their heart and soul into their passion for the game of basketball. The league’s guiding mantra, as stated by Mayuran Rajashivam, is “the TTBA is the only place we encourage Tamils to shoot at other Tamils.” Using this wry sense of humour, coupled with the realisation of where they’re coming from, they have created a place where any young Tamil man can feel at home.

The future of the young Tamil community lies with the likes of the Toronto Tamil Basketball Association. This year alone, the league welcomed over sixty new players into its fold. Certainly, with the continued support of the players, coaches, administrators, and sponsors this league will continue to flourish.

At the end of our interview, Shankar left me with this thought: “We believe in our product, and soon, everyone else is going to believe in our product.” Without a doubt, it won’t be long before the Tamil community, and the city at large, begins to take notice of this diamond in the rough and its star athletes.

~The TTBA is currently stepping into its third successful

season. Congratulations go to the defending champions

of last season, the Scarborough Slashers, and their

opponents, the Etobicoke Eagles, for putting up a

competitive and exciting final game. It was an eventful

day for the entire league, its extended family, and over

three hundred spectators who came out to support them.

~

26 People & Ideas

Recently, the TTBA was awarded the Youth Challenge Fund, a project for GTA youth in at-risk neighbourhoods headed by Pinball Clemens, of the Toronto Argonauts fame. This new funding has paved the way to create a more holistic league, catering to the development of more socially aware young men by way of workshops geared to creating awareness and leadership among the players. Many of these workshops are headed by Juanita Nathan, a community outreach worker with YouthLink. Topics covered include addiction prevention, money management, and sex.

most apparent is the strong sense of brotherhood, evident right across the hierarchy of players, coaches, and administrators, as well as in many of the spectators. Considering that the age of the participants ranges from the mid-teens to early thirties, and that they come from every walk of life - high school students, university and college students, young entrepreneurs, and other professionals - this is quite a remarkable accomplishment. And while many of the younger players bring a youthful vitality to the court, constantly innovating the way the game is played and challenging the older players to bring an edge, it’s the older folk who teach refinement of technique, patience, and the development of rhythm, often also acting as mentors.

When I asked players about what basketball and this league has come to mean to them, I received a variety of inspirational responses. Marlan Rajashivam, guard for the Markham Monstars,said, “Basketball, to me, is a drive, it’s

a passion. It’s something that, if I can do it on the court, than I should be able to achieve it anywhere else.” When speaking to Nishan Thurai, coach of

the Markham Monstars, he told me the TTBA was about teamwork, cooperation, and patience: “We’re all leaders here, that’s what it is!” And what would he like the community to know about the league? “If you think you’ve got game, come here!” But this enthusiasm for the league, and its vision, also extends to the referees. When asked for his opinions on the league, Michael Wardell, a referee from the Toronto Basketball Association, had nothing but praise. “These guys are great. They are really good to deal [with], play hard and physical, playing the game the right way - they’re just a super bunch of guys. There’s a lot of talent here, and the guys play the game at a high level.”

As my time at the league progressed, I spoke to other players and listened to what they had to say about basketball and the league. Annojh Sinnarasa, who plays point guard for the Brampton Bulls, gave me a compelling statement when asked how the league helps its players become good role models. “You shouldn’t be out on the streets, associated with drugs and all the bad things that the media is portraying when talking

The Rexdale Renegades

The North York Knights

15

Awards of Excellence 2007

Ardavan GaneshalingamGrade Ten Overall Achievement AwardMiddlefield C.I.

What is your favourite quote?“Our attitude toward life determines life’s attitude towards us.”

- Earl Nightingale

What motivates you?Feeling accomplished at the end of the day

Who is your role model and why?Martin Luther King Jr. because he never took no for an answer while trying to reach his goal of equal rights.

Pereyanga KulasegaramGrade Nine Academic Achievement AwardGordon Graydon Memorial Secondary School

What would you say is unique about you?Although music and art is something most people enjoy, to me it’s a daily part of life. Music is what helps me get through the day and art is what I use to reflect my anger or happiness (I enjoy sketching, making crafts and acrylic painting).

Who is your role model and why?There are many activists and people to learn from who also serve as role models for me. Nelson Mandela is one of them because he showed perseverance and commitment. He stood by his beliefs even after spending twenty-seven years in jail and this unique quality is something I admire.

16

Awards of Excellence 2007

Sangeevan Tharmaratnam Visual Arts AwardWoburn C.I.

What would you say is unique about you?I’m very positive and optimistic, and rarely lose my temper. I’m usually the ‘funny one’ and one people might call ‘smiley’

What is your favourite quote?“English side ruined! Must use French instructions! Le grill?!?!?! What the hell is that?!?!”

-Homer SimpsonOn attempting to build a barbeque pit, which

eventually ends up being a work of art.

Who is your role model and why?Santiago Calatrava, because of his one-of-a-kind designs that unify sculpture and architecture.

AbiVijenthiraGrade Twelve Overall Achievement AwardUniversity of Toronto Schools

In two sentences please describe your accomplishments.My personal successes vary from travelling to Sri Lanka to teach computer skills to young girls, to travelling to OFSAA with my school’s volleyball team. I consider anything in which I have accomplished a personal goal to be an accomplishment.

What is your favourite quote?C’est le temps que tu as perdu pour ta rose qui fait ta rose si importante.

– Antoine de Saint-Exupery

(Translation: It is the time you have spent on your rose that makes the rose so important.)

25People & Ideas

Jerseyed up and ready to go, the teams bring their A-Game to the court every Saturday, competing at scheduled games refereed by professionals. The expectations are high and the competition stiff. There are tryouts, draft-picks, and the aforementioned trade system - the TTBA functions like any other professional league. There are also award ceremonies, workshops, and weekly practices.

expected to represent their teams and transcend social lines. In order to bring this point home, a trading system was also incorporated. This often results in players from completely different areas of the city playing together on the same team. Shankar feels that the reason for these existing problems is a lack of mutual understanding among Tamil youth. And sports, he says, is a real solution: “If you can learn to understand each other when you’re struggling to win the game, you begin to understand each other in real life.” The drive to win and compete paves the way for professionalism and skill building. It leaves no room for violence on the court, creating relationships between athletes that would not have been possible any other way.

When further questioned about the challenges they faced when creating the league, the organizers agreed that it was, quite simply, a lack of belief. They referred to severed relationships between transitioning Tamil youth and their communities, and suggested that the community does not value or appreciate the priorities of these young people. This lack of support has, unfortunately, translated into difficulties such as the gathering of funds to run the league as they envisioned it. They would not, however, let these issues become barriers for them. Rather, they saw them as challenges that they would use as motivation, drawing on the support of their friends and family.

After attending a few games, interacting with the players, and observing them, what becomes

24 People & Ideas

The league is comprised of ten teams that compete professionally on a weekly basis, for an eventual spot in the playoffs, and hopefully the fi nals. The teams are divided into East and West divisions, and further divided by regions in the Greater Toronto Area – Ajax Admirals, Brampton Bulls, Etobicoke Eagles, North York Knights, Lansdowne Lions, Markham Monstars, Mississauga Mammoths, Pickering Panthers, Rexdale Renegades, and the Scarborough Slashers.

Every Saturday morning, the ball drops on the parquet floors of the gymnasium in Stephen Leacock Secondary School, where

an elite group of young men vie for a chance to be crowned winners in the Toronto Tamil Basketball Association’s season finals. Spending a few days with the league quickly brought me to the realisation that the TTBA, family to over a hundred talented players, is truly a testament to what hard work and vision can bring about.

The success of this hidden gem, however, takes us back to a story of struggles and big dreams.

Shankar Balachandran and Mayuran Rajashivam, the founders of the league, believed a basketball league for the Tamil community was a necessity in the face of an emerging youth culture struggling against street violence and turf wars. They felt that young Tamil men, who had to balance the dynamics of growing up in Toronto without real connections to anything positive, needed an outlet. So, they began with simple

street games – a chance for anyone to take their street skills and big talk to local neighbourhood courts to battle it out. And while the games first began as a place to play some ball, meet new

people, and hang out, as momentum picked up, so did support around the idea of creating a league, making way for the establishment of the TTBA around three years ago.

Having come this far, they decided to go one step further. The group aspired to take the community by storm, creating a league that would incorporate stiff competition, dedication, and leadership. They also wanted to foster a very professional aura, gaining inspiration from the workings of the NBA. So, the league was split into divisions and regional representations in an attempt to dispel the concept of turf and all the politics that tag along with it. Here, athletes are

Shankar Balachandran

Mayuran Rajashivam and

the Mississauga Mammoths

“ If you can learn to understand each other when you’re struggling to win the game, you begin to understand each other in real life. ”

17

Awards of Excellence 2007

Duluxan SritharanGrade Twelve Academic Achievement AwardWoburn C.I.

In two sentences please describe your accomplishments.I won the Governor General’s Academic Medal for the highest scholastic performance in my high school. I was also part of a school team that finished first in the Senior Division of the American Computer Science League.

What is your favourite quote?““Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.”

- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

VysheBalendraCommunity Contribution AwardBrother Andre Catholic High School

What would you say is unique about you?Everything is unique about me! I am very enthusiastic, determined in reaching my goals, motivated and I am always there to lend a hand or offer a shoulder to cry on.

What is your favourite quote?“Live each day as if it is your last, even in the most negative circumstances there is always something to be happy about!”

What song most resembles you or your personality?“Don’t Stop” by S Club 7.

18

Awards of Excellence 2007

Anusha Aruliah graduated from the University of Toronto’s law school in 2000. Prior to that, she attended the

University of Toronto and obtained a B.A. in Political Science and Philosophy as well as a Masters in Political Science. Upon completion of her law degree, Anusha articled with the Department of Justice in Ottawa. She was called to the Ontario Bar in 2002 and the Nunavut Bar in 2007.

As a young person growing up in Toronto, Anusha was very active in the Tamil community and participated in many community events. During the 1983 riots in Sri Lanka, Anusha, only a child at the time, spoke out against the human rights violations against Tamils back home. Her passion to protect and promote human rights grew stronger over time. Anusha was a contributor to Refuge, a publication of the York University’s Center for Refugee Studies.

While in law school, Anusha was active in many student organizations including participating in a mentorship program to encourage minority students to enter the legal profession. Anusha also volunteered her time with the African Canadian Legal Clinic. In 2003-2004, Anusha was a member of the Board of Directors for MicroSkills, a non-profit organization that helps immigrant and low-income women find employment.

While working at the Department of Justice, Anusha focused in on her interest in Aboriginal rights. As a result, when the opportunity to work more closely with the Aboriginal community in Northern Canada arose, Anusha left for Nunavut to become a staff lawyer at Maliiganik Tukisiiniakvik Legal Services, a legal aid clinic in Iqaluit, Nunavut. Anusha’s achievements and dedication towards social justice was profiled in the National – the Canadian Bar Association’s magazine for lawyers in Canada.

Photo Credit: Chris Windeyer

Anusha AruliahProfessional Achievement

People & Ideas

20 People & Ideas

There are many things you can

do. Try researching the field

that you’re interested in. You can

look it up in a university or college

booklet or you can visit their

official websites. When looking up

your career, you can also see which

one is the most in-demand right

now, and which one is the easiest

to enter into through college or

university. You can also talk to

your guidance counselor and see if

your school offers courses that are

related to the field that you want

to get into.

For example, when going into

nursing, you need to take sciences.

If you take the course and you

don’t feel that science is your

thing, try some other course that

has to do with social work such as

anthropology and see if you enjoy

social sciences. You can also sign

up for co-op in your school and

see if you enjoy working in the

field that you’re really interested

in. And if your not interested in

that career, you can always go back

to the other choice.

Another thing you can do is

talk to people you know who are

in the career that you are interested

in. Ask them questions about the

kind of work they do in this field,

what university or college they

went to, the type of courses that

they had to take, and the amount

of money that they make (but

never put money as your major

reason for entering into the career

that you choose). Remember,

these are just some of the questions

that you can ask when you talk to

someone about their career.

If, even with all your research,

you still like both careers, you can

always apply to study in both fields.

Going back to our example, you

can study to receive a bachelor’s

degree in Child and Community

Services and then try working as a

nurse for two years. If you enjoy

working as a nurse then continue

with that career, but if you feel like

you need a change of career, then

try working as a social worker.

- A Student from Stephen Leacock C.I.,

Grade Twelve

Advice for Youth by Youth.

This is a forum where students from across The GTA have

submitted questions related to topics ranging from academics

to relationships in order to gain perspective from their peers.

Your Take.

“I want to be a nurse, but I am also interested in becoming a social worker. What can I do to help me decide?”

21People & Ideas

If your interest has been piqued, or you would like to contribute by posing a question or providing advice, please e-mail us at directions@cantyd.org.

The best way to tell someone

that you like him or her is

to actually go up to them and

tell them. If it turns out that they

don’t have a “romantic interest”

in you, that doesn’t mean it’s the

end of your friendship. BUT if

you know that they are already

involved in another relationship

with someone else, then you

should reconsider, meaning that

you should think about what

will happen to the person when

you tell them.

Again, the best advice is to

just move on if the person you

like is involved with someone

else because the person is most

likely not going to accept you in

any other way than as a friend,

especially if they are really serious

about their relationship.

If you really care about

them, you should try to be

friends with them and be with

them through their happy times

and rough times. Just remember

“you have to take the good with

the bad, smile with the sad, love

what you got and remember

what you had, always forgive

but never forget and learn from

your mistakes but never regret,

people change and things go

wrong, but just remember...life

goes on!”

If this doesn’t work out,

there are always other people out

there that will one day complete

your dreams and make them

come true!

- A Student from Jarvis C.I.,

Grade Ten

Many Tamil parents have

such high expectations

of their children for two reasons:

they want us to gain respect from

society through our careers, and

have the opportunities they never

had. If you study well and receive

high marks, you will definitely

get into well-respected careers

such as medicine, teaching or

engineering. Also, when you

achieve awards or good marks,

they can share their happiness

with relatives and friends at

work.

Sometimes this can be a

problem because most parents

tend to push their children to

work hard to earn good marks.

When pushing a child to work

hard, it makes the child think

that they’re not studying because

they want to, but because their

parents want them to. Tamils

parents - and parents in general

- should understand that their

children work hard and try their

best to get the marks that they

do. On the other hand, they

should also do their best to help

their children develop to the best

of their ability.

- A Student from David and Mary

Thomson Collegiate Institute

“What is your best advice when it comes to telling someone you have feelings for them but they are already involved with someone else?”

“Why do Tamil parents have such high expectations of their children in school?”