They long for Kerala, but hate to quit NY

By K.P.M. Basheer

KOCHI, SEPT. 16. New York City, whose tallest building unknown terrorists razed to the ground last week, is NoRKs' (Non-Resident Keralites) most favoured American city.

Quite naturally--for, the Big Apple symbolises the epitome of the Great American Dream. It has been the dream city of carpetbaggers worldwide. Small wonder then, the World Trade Center collapse victims included so many Malayalis.

``One day you will find a thattukada in NYC with the Malayalam notice `kappayum meenum ready' (tapioca-and-fish-curry dish available) here,'' an American Malayali joked to this reporter during a recent visit to New York. Keralites constitute a significant section of the Indians working not only in New York City (NYC) but also in the State of New York.

The FOKANA (Federation of Kerala Associations in North America) estimates that there are over three lakh Malayalis in the U.S. and Canada (Well, that's one per cent of Kerala's population.) In the U.S., the States of New York and Florida have the largest Malayali populations.

Pathanamthitta district, particularly the Thiruvalla and Kozencherry regions, have sent the largest contingent of Keralites to New York. A sizable section of them are from the Mar Thoma Christian community. Like else where in the world where the NoRKs live, New York too has many `Kerala associations'. There are Malayalam papers and magazines and Friday-evening Malayalam lessons.

Quite interestingly, women were the first real immigrants to New York from Kerala. Most of them were the enterprising Christian nurses and paramedics. This was way back in the early 1950s. In the post-Vietnam War, when there was an acute shortage of nurses in the New York hospitals which were flooded with wounded veterans, a wave of immigration by Malayali nurses started. These nurses, with their commitment and hard work, won the respect and appreciation of the Americans. They were followed to the U.S. by their husbands, relatives and friends, and this process still continues.

The second major wave of immigration from Kerala to New York, as else where in the U.S., started in the 1990s in the wake of the information technology revolution. But, this time most of the immigrants were men--and they found well-paid computer jobs. But, Malayalis could be found in a spectrum of jobs in New York--from shop assistants to computer professionals to doctors. There had been Malayalis running shops and offices in the World Trade Center: some Malayalis had their own offices in the WTC.

``As in Kerala, Malayalis here too prefer a stable, salaried job to starting their own industries or opening businesses,'' a New York Malayali told this reporter. ``The Gujaratis and Punjabis, on the other hand, set up their own little enterprises.''

Nostalgia

Like all ethnic groups in America, the Malayalis too live in two worlds. At home they are Malayalis--they speak Malayalam, eat mostly Keralite food and lead a near-typical Malayali life. But, at work they are part of the American life and eagerly attempt to integrate with the mainstream.

In fact, in many ways, the New York Malayalis--for that matter most American Malayalis--are more Malayali than those back home. They live in nostalgia and nurse an intense longing for Kerala. (It is an altogether different matter that many of them, after a once-in-five-years vacation in Kerala, return to New York dejected and some of them vowing never to go back to the home State--what with the bandhs, strikes, bad roads, power blackouts and above all the `intolerable arrogance' of Keralites.)

While looking for an acquaintance's house in a quiet neighbourhood in Queens--one of the five boroughs of New York City--on a Sunday morning, this reporter was greeted with a feeble Malayalam movie song emanating from the house. That was a favourite Jesudas number--a Christian prayer song--in an old movie. The family, unable to attend the Sunday mass, was making amends by listening to the prayer song on the tape.

The inside of some of the Malayali homes looks more Keralite than American, sometimes with a `Malayala Manorama' calendar hanging on the wall. Don't be surprised if you find a `curry veppila' plant in the backyard of a New York Malayali home.

Despite having lived in the big city for several years, many first-generation Malayalis speak the American English with a distinct Malayalam accent. Many still pronounce `bus' as `bess' and `pocket' as `paayikket'.

The life and attitude of the second-generation Malayalis are very different from their parents. For them New York is home, though they retain a vague Malayali identity.

Materially, the New York Malayalis have done very well. But, they have a tough time--many have eight-to-14-hour workdays. Added to this is the time spent on driving to work and back. This often takes two to five hours. In many cases, husband and wife get to see each other on the weekend. Life for couples having babies is tougher. They work different shifts and do the `relay race' (one partner taking care of the baby until the other returns from work and passing on the kid in a hurry).

There is hardly any social life for couples. The two-day weekend is for doing the unfinished housework, helping children with schoolwork and preparing for a hectic week ahead.

But, in spite of their hectic life and intense longing for Kerala, almost everyone this reporter spoke to did not want to wind up the show in the U.S.--for very obvious reasons.

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