Sri Salami (1989, 1990) A Note from the Homeland: The Turbulent History of a Nation on Stage in Tamil Diaspora Theatre, Switzerland

Abstract

This article explores how the Tamil diaspora in Switzerland employed theatre as a means of political expression and cultural preservation during the Sri Lankan civil war. Through the play Sri Salami (1989, 1990), themes of exile, identity, and resistance are brought to the fore, reflecting the community’s struggle to reconstruct belonging and preserve collective memory amidst displacement. Sri Salami, written and dramatized by A.C. Tarcisius and co-directed by Anton with Swiss artist Braschler, depicts the trauma and resilience of Eelam Tamils. As the first trilingual Tamil diaspora production— performed in Tamil, German, and English—it integrates traditional Tamil performance forms, hybrid stagecraft, and symbolic costuming. Refrains such as “I am running” evoke embodied memory, transforming the stage into a space of shared grief and resistance. The study positions Sri Salami within the evolution of Tamil diaspora theatre, highlighting its role in documenting untold histories and reimagining identity through performance. With little existing scholarship on this production, the paper seeks to record its significance and contribution to diaspora cultural practices. Theatre here functions as performative testimony—bridging past and present, homeland and host land—marking Sri Salami as a landmark in the history of Tamil theatre in Europe.