Tamil Counter-Archives in Switzerland – with edhiroli

Venue: Café Bourouissa

தமிழ்

Together with the collective edhiroli, we warmly invite you to the launch of the zine Tamil Counter-Archives in Switzerland. Published by the collective, the zine brings together Tamil-Swiss perspectives and opens up a space for exchange on archives and collective practice.

The publication builds on the history of zine-making within the Tamil diaspora. As self-organised forms of archiving, publishing, and sharing knowledge, zines make personal and collective memories visible. As counter-archives, they foster self-determination and provide a means of resisting external categorisation and representation.

The zine emerged in the aftermath of the event Tamil Counter-Archives, held on 30 April at the museum as part of the exhibition Disobedience Archive (Canopy for Broken Time) in dialogue with Raqs Media Collective. It documents the contributions shared during the evening and extends the conversations that began there. Bringing together personal and collective perspectives, it explores questions of activist and cultural practice while situating them within broader social contexts.

Alongside the newly published zine, additional publications drawn from personal and collective archives will be presented, viewed, and discussed together with the audience. The event offers an opportunity to learn about Tamil diasporic archival practices in Switzerland and to reflect on how they preserve memories, make new perspectives visible, and create spaces for collective action.

edhiroli, a collective and newly established association, supports artistic and research projects by and about Tamil-Swiss practitioners and works to make their perspectives visible. The name combines the Tamil words Edhir [ētir], meaning “counter” or “against,” and Oli [oli], meaning “sound.” Tamil distinguishes between three different l sounds: ல [l], ள [ḷ], and ழ [ḻ]. Depending on which sound is used, the name takes on different meanings: ētiroli can be interpreted as “counter-sound,” ētiroḷi as “counter-light,” and ētiroḻi as “counter-action” or “resistance.” This interplay of sound and meaning reflects the collective’s aim to create spaces of opposition and possibility within white-dominated, racialised institutions shaped by unequal power relations: so-called Counter Spaces for exchange, self-determination, and collective practice.

Awareness: This evening is a space for listening, reflection and respectful exchange. Audience members are invited to engage with the conversations attentively and sensitively, and to frame their questions as open responses to what they hear. Everyone present shares responsibility for treating one another with respect. Together, we help ensure that this space remains safe, attentive and welcoming.

• Languages: German, Tamil (ஜெர்மன், தமிழ்)
• Seated event with cushioned chairs and back support
• Bright, direct lighting
• Wheelchair accessible via elevator
• No registration required (முன்பதிவு தேவையில்லை)
• Free admission (இலவச நிகழ்ச்சி)