Tamil life in Switzerland

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Asylum seekers at the Steinbach centre in canton Schwyz. Vera Markus

Learning classical Bharatanatyam dance steps. Vera Markus

A hospital health worker. Vera Markus

Many Tamils work in the food and restaurant industry. Vera Markus

A priest shaves a child's head at a ceremony. The hair is considered a gift for God. Vera Markus

A family evening meal. Vera Markus

A former cow shed renovated into a mountain chalet in canton Graubünden. Vera Markus

Tamil wedding. Vera Markus

A media design apprentice. Vera Markus

Preparing replicas of Mary and Jesus for a procession as part of a religious ceremony at Einsiedeln Abbey. Vera Markus

Learning Tamil. Vera Markus

A young Tamil girl cleans her teeth. Vera Markus

A driving lesson. Vera Markus

Children at a play area in Flums. Vera Markus

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There are an estimated 42,000 people of Sri Lankan origin in Switzerland. Between 90 and 95 per cent of them are Tamils. They represent the largest migrant group from outside Europe.

Gone are the negative headlines about Sri Lankans of the 1980s.After repeatedly hearing phrases such as “Tamils are the most loved foreigners” and “Tamils are well integrated”, Swiss photographer Vera Markus decided to spend two and a half years documenting their lives in Switzerland.

“In der Heimat ihrer Kinder – Tamilen in der Schweiz (In their children’s homeland – Tamils in Switzerland) was published by Offizin-Verlag Zürich in 2005.