The sense of cultural homogeneity among Keralites, irrespective of their religious belief and social status, is quite well known. Interestingly, it is more pronounced when they are far away from their homeland. This similitude has been explicitly expressed whenever they celebrate their popular festivals like Onam, Christmas and Id.  As a matter of fact, this spirit of oneness, which binds the people from the "God's own country " together,  was displayed very elegantly during this years Christmas celebration of Kerala Association of New England (KANE).

KANE, based in Massachusetts, celebrated this year's Christmas and New Year festivities with utmost enthusiasm and zestfulness on December 11th , 2004 at KEEFE Technical High School, Framingham, Massachusetts. The program was packed with an evening full of fun, followed by the traditional Christmas dinner. The cultural programs started with a religious emphasis, and then gently shifted the rhythm to resonate the upbeat of the upcoming New Year.

 The colorful evening started with the welcome speech from Mr. Vargheese Yohanan, the president of KANE. He introduced the chief guests of the event, Archbishop H.E. Mor Titus Yeldho Pathickal and Mr. Isaac John (Shibu), General Secretary- FOKANA. The Archbishop delivered a very meaningful Christmas message and Mr. Issac John conveyed a thoughtful New Year message and greetings.

 The commencement of the cultural programs was marked by the introductory remarks from Ms. Revathi Pillai, the Arts Club Secretary of KANE. She introduced Mr. Mohan Somasundaram, who graced the occasion as the Master of Ceremonies of the program. As expected, Mohan did a wonderful job, and indeed had stolen the show by his biblical gift of narration. His active involvement with the audience definitely helped to maintain the upswing momentum of the long and eventful evening.

The cultural program began with the melodious Choir by the New England Choristers, followed by a candle dance symbolizing the solemn offering to God Almighty. The next item was a skit by some of the young talents in the community, enacting the birth of Jesus Christ. An angel dance by bunch of young girls, garnished in milky white attire, with their glittering wings and gleaming wands radiantly glorified the occasion. The young women folks also sanctified the event by dancing to the tune of a religious folklore, holding lighted lanterns in their hands, and as in the archetypal myth, eventually got blessed by Jesus himself.

The variety of entertainment continued with a series of dance line-ups and skits, featuring artists of different age groups and gender. The dance items, which ranged from semi-classical to interlacing cinematic and folk numbers, demonstrated the abundance of artistic skills and talents within the community. There were numerous solo performances also, both in vocal and instrumental music, which further endorsed the amplitude and depth of the talent pool. The highlight of the event was a scintillating folk dance performed by the not-so-young, and of course very much young at heart, men folks of the community. Over all, the cultural program could be manifested as a well-balanced fusion of traditional values and modern trends in order to cater a wide spectrum of audience.

The KANE members also used this opportunity to honor one of the founding fathers of the Association and President of the Association during 1971-72 and 1983-84, Rev Abraham Thomas, fondly known in the community as “Vazhayil Achan” on his 70th Birthday.

Mr. Athul Dwaraka, the Secretary of KANE delivered the vote of thanks, and the cultural program was concluded with the Carol, featuring Santa Claus delivering gifts and candies to the children. Finally, the delightful festivities wrapped up with a delicious Xmas dinner, complete with the nostalgic Vellayappam and Fruitcake, which was cooked and served by the members of KANE. Gratifyingly, both the cultural program and the Xmas dinner were well appreciated by everyone attended the function.

It is also significant to note that despite the ferocious downpour and cold weather, it was an well-attended event by comparison with earlier Xmas functions, making it one of the most successful Christmas and New Year celebrations in the history of KANE. Also, it is encouraging to note that the number of participants in the cultural event has also been substantially increased this time. Approximately one hundred artists took part in the cultural events! In fact, the various events organized by KANE are indeed becoming instrumental in identifying and nurturing young talents in the area. Moreover, events like this are indeed helping the Malayalee Community to make remarkable impact on the cultural landscape of New England area.

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