The inaugural meeting and opening ceremony of the West Wales Malayali Association (WWMA) was held on Saturday, March 12, in the meeting hall of Our Lady of the Taper Roman Catholic Church, Cardigan, in the presence of Mr. Mark Williams MP and the Mayor of Cardigan, Clr. Mair Morris and her consort.

Following introductory speeches in English and Malayalam by leading members of the managing committee, a sumptuous meal, cooked on the premises by members, was served to a large gathering.

With the exception of a few Malayali unable to attend because of their duties, all those from the three counties attended; some 200 in all, including their children.

The afternoon was filled by entertainments, with ceremonial music, singing and displays by dancers in traditional dress, including children and adults.

Presentations of beautiful hand-carved models of a

Kerala Snake Boat were made to the VIP guests during the proceedings.

The day was a great success, and the hard work by all those who made it so was greatly appreciated.

Although Hindi is the traditional language of India, the people of the state of Kerala also have their own language, Malayalam, and refer to themselves as Malayali. A comparison may be made here, with the separate languages of Welsh and English in the UK.

The WWMA is a non-discriminatory organisation, one of its main objectives being integration into the local community. Many Malayali are British citizens.