Knanaya/Knanaites, also known as ‘Southist’ or Thekumbhagar are an endogamous ethnic group found among the  Christian community in Kerala and around the world.  The origins of the Southist  is traced back to the arrival of the Syrian merchant Thomas of Cana (Knāi Thoma) to Muziris (current Kodungalloor) who led a migration of Syriac Christians (Jewish-Christians) from the region of Mesopotamia to India in the 4th  century according to tradition in AD345.  They were 400 people from 72 families in seven clans along with Bishop Urha Mar Yausef, four priests, and several deacons. Considering their distinctiveness including their culture, language, customs, food, and dress from the natives, the migrants preferred to live as a colony without having marital relations with others. King Cheraman Perumal assigned them a vacant land in the southern part of Muziris town for the new settlers. Since they inhabited the Southern region, they were known as Southists while other Christians were known as Northists to distinguish both groups.

The Southists had to leave their settlement in Kodungalloor because of the destruction of their colony during the war between the Kingdom of Cochin and Zamuhiri of Calicut in the 16th century. The community migrated to cities, mainly of river banks, like Udayamperoor, Kaduthuruthy, Chungam (Thodupuzha), Kottayam, and Kallissery. In mid 20th century, mass migration happened from this community  to Rajapuram of Kasaragod, Madampam of Kannur, Perikkallur of Wayanad and different parts of Idukki district.

Being a migrating community by its origin, Knanayites started migration to Persian Gulf in early 1980s for finding better jobs and living enhancement. As did elsewhere in the world, once Knanayites reached the Gulf, they started looking for their brethren and started get-together  in the beginning as family gathering and later when the number of families increased as cultural association.

KNANAYA CATHOLIC CONGRESS (K.C.C.) is a laity Organisation under the Arch-Eparchy of Kottayam and KNANAYA CATHOLIC CONGRESS MIDDLE EAST (KCC ME) is the middle East Version of KCC was formed on January 21, 2005 on the occasion of the Knanaya Catholics Middle East Convention, held at Ajman, UAE with the blessings of our then Coadjutor Bishop Mar Mathew Moolakkatt OSM.

It was formed as an independent co-ordination body for Middle East, chaired by the then Chief Coordinator of Knanaya Catholics Coordination committee-UAE, Mr.Abraham Raju Oril and Mr. Joppen Philip Mannattuparambil as General Secretary. This meeting was attended by the Presidents & members of other units in the Middle East countries.  Later, Mr. Jose Kurian Enjinattu from Qatar, Mr. Mathew Mackil from Oman, Mr. Tomy Praladi from Kuwait & Mr. Tomy Nedungattu from Dubai served as Chairman for this co-ordination committee.

The Units affiliated to this Committee are:

1) Abu Dhabi, 2) Sharjah, 3) Dubai, 4) Al Ain, 5) Ras Al Khaimah, 6) Fujairah in UAE , 7) Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA)-Eastern Province (Dammam), 8) KSA-Riyadh, 9) KSA-Jeddah;, 10) Kuwait, 11) Qatar, 12) Bahrain and 13) Sultanate of Oman 14) Salalah Oman.

The current office bearers are : Saji Joseph Koodakkattumyalil, Qatar (Chairman), Shine Thomas Thekkevanchippurackal, Oman (General Secretary), Joseph Mathew Plamparambil, UAE (Vice Chairman, Joyal Jose Edathil, Kuwait (Vice Chairman), Joseph Mundackal, Sharjah (Joint Secretary) & Joseph Thekkumkalayil, Kuwait (Treasurer).