Author:
Publication: The New Indian Express
Date: March 11, 2008
URL: http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IER20080311030312&Title=Kerala&rLink=0
A seminar on the activities of the Basel Missionaries
in Malabar and South Canara district of Karnataka, held here on Sunday, has
thrown up some interesting aspects on their activities.
The seminar `Mission and vision' was organised
by Vasudha, a cultural organisation. Dr. Albrecht Frenz, an indologist and
grandson-in- law of Dr. Herman Gundert said the missionaries had denigrated
the religion and the culture of the local people to placate the British.
Dr Dennis Fernandez, head, Department of History
at the St Aloysius College, Mangalore said the intention of the missionaries
was to convert the natives. Though they tried their best to convert the upper
castes, especially Brahmins, they could not succeed in their efforts. Instead
they converted Thiyyas of Malabar and the Billavas of South Canara which are
considered identical by the historians.
He said sixty percent of the converts were
Thiyyas and Billavas, thirty percent from scheduled castes and five percent
from Nairs. The efforts of the missionaries to convert Muslims were met with
stiff resistance.
Jayaprakash Raghavaiah, professor, Indian
Institute of Management, Kozhikode said the Basel Missionaries were good at
management of crafts.
They taught the converts several trades also.
He also said that several Basel Missionaries had later joined the Nazis.
Dr Kesavan Veluthatt, head, Department of
History, Mangalore University said though the missionaries had contributed
a great deal towards the enrichment of Tulu and Malayalam languages, their
ultimate aim was religious conversion.
