On Christian names

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On Christian names
Doors into Indian culture can happen anywhere when traveling. While at breakfast today I met a scholastic. Upon asking what his name was, he said it was John Paul. I asked if he had another name, and he said no, just that one.  The elder Jesuit, soon to be heading off to Guyana on my right told me that I had just hit on something. Below is a piecing together of some of what he has told me. An Indian christian these days could have 3 names, all in the first name. They do not however have anything like a surname. The surnames in Tamil nadu were linked, i am told, to caste. For a long time, a person would have first a family name, then a given name and then their caste name. When the Jesuits first arrived, the people asked if they could continue in the castes system if they became a christian. The Jesuits said sure, all that matters is that you become a christian and in this manner, they counted their trees. Eventually, however, they began to realize that in doing so, they allowed the caste system to persist within their churches, and they served as a means of distinguishing between Christians Thus a good poison was set into the system, and they decided to no longer have the family/caste name, and now people only have the name given to them at baptism. Some Hindus have also adopted this, but of course a Brahmin is only recognized as a Brahmin with all his/her rights if s/he maintains this name. Thus they maintain their name, and only the low castes eliminate this sur name. One can still distinguish then between the high castes and the low castes based on whether they have a name or not.
The priest had a rather low opinion of the caste system, saying that it was not of Indian origin, but came from the Aryans Even saying, that should one look at the Vedas they do no speak of the castes, but only of vocations or guilds.
It is difficult though, because it is so ingrained in the Indian mind, that even Christians, have not been able to escape it. India is made up of some 80% Hindus, the majority of whom see the world through the lens of the castes.

He did say, however, that there is value in it. For example, a person trained as a goldsmith would ensure that his sons are also trained as expertly as he is. This poses problems today, as the world modernizes. You have people who know nothing but weaving, for that is their family occupation, and already they are paid very low. Now with factories making textiles for cheap, they are in a tough situation.

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Michael Le Chevallier
MDiv candidate 2011
University of Chicago
mike.lechevallier@gmail.com