Siva and Indira Segaran with Ketharini on the day of her coming of age ceremony, Toronto, 1993.

Photo: Vincenzo Pietropaolo

The Segarans place great emphasis on the maintenance of traditional Tamil rituals, religion, and language. Persecuted in Sri Lanka for being different, the Segarans appreciate their new freedoms and that "Canada encourages people to practise their own religion and culture" (Siva). The coming of age ceremony, called Poopunitha Neeratuvilla, welcomes the young girl at puberty into the adult world.