THE EXISTENCE OF THE KNANAYA COMMUNITY

AND

A Thesis Submitted to the Department of Philosophy in Candidacy for the Degree of Bachelor of Philosophy.

Department of Philosophy

PONTIFICAL INSTITUTE OF THEOLOGY AND PHILOSOPHY, ALWAYE

January 2000

By Abraham Mukalel

Directed by Rev. Fr. Jose Karimattam

Prof. of Sociology

	TABLE OF CONTENTS
	ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
	PREFACE
	CHAPTER - I HISTORICAL IDENTITY
1.1	Introduction
1.2	Ancient Recorded History
1.3	Tradition
1.3.1	Ancient Songs
1.3.2	Oral Tradition
1.4	Modern European Writers
1.4.1	Mar Abuna
1.4.2	Fr. Francis Dionisio
1.4.3.	Fr. Antonio de Gouvea
1.5	Native Writings
1.5.1	Vettikkuttel Mathai Kathanar
1.5.2	Varthamanapusthakam
1.6	Analysis of the History and Tradition
1.6.1	The Place of Immigration
1.6.2	The Surname of the lay Leader
1.6.3	The Attendees of immigration
1.6.4	The Time of immigration
1.6.5	Various Names of the Group
1.6.6	The goal of Immigration
1.7	Conclusion
	CHAPTER - 2 SOCIO-CULTURAL IDENTITY
2.1	Introduction
2.2	Life style
2.2.1	Place of settlement
2.2.2	Language
2.2.3	Pattern of Work
2.2.4	Style of Dressing
2.2.5	Food habits
2.2.6	Religious Beliefs
2.2.7	Social Status
2.3	Cultural anthropology
2.3.1	Non-Marital Customs
2.3.2	Marital Customs
2.4	Social Anthropology
2.4.1	Socio-historical Origin
2.4.2	Is Knanaya Community a Caste?
2.4.3	Is Knanaya Community a race?
2.4.4	Ethnic Community
2.5	Conclusion
	CHAPTER - 3 THE ECCLESIASTICAL IDENTITY OF THE KNANAYA COMMUNITY
3.1	Introduction
3.2	A Knanite
3.3	Knanaya Community
3.4	Catholic Church
3.5	Knanaya Catholic Church
	CONCLUSION
	APPENDIX
	BIBLIOGRAPHY