Sikh Awareness
Who are the Sikhs?
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Sikh means “student” or “disciple”
Sikhism is world’s 5th largest religion, after Christianity,
Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism
26 million Sikhs worldwide
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20 million in Punjab
1 million in North America
99 % of the people wearing turbans in America are Sikhs
Guru Nanak: Birth of a Revolutionary
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Punjab (the land of Five Rivers)
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Born in 1469; Village Talwandi
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Socio-political environment
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Land divided by religion
Ruled by invaders from Persia & Afghanistan
Rich exploited the poor
Castes: Untouchables had no rights
Women had no role
Superstitions & Rituals
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Guru means “Spiritual Enlightener”
Spread the revelation across 8000 miles on foot
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Defender of human rights and equality
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Tolerant of other’s perspective and freedom of choice
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Often used metaphor and analogy to communicate
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Basic Sikh Beliefs
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There is One God for all of creation, a loving Creator
attainable through the Grace
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Loving remembrance and devotion of the One
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Absolute equality of humanity
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Living a moral, truthful and hardworking existence
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Selfless service towards the entire Creation
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Humility and loving action
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Defending the rights of the downtrodden and oppressed
The Sikh Revolution Timeline
Adi Granth Compiled
(1604)
Guru Nanak
(1469-1539)
Columbus discovers
America
Martyrdom Guru Tegh Bahadur
(1606)
Creation of Khalsa -5 K’s
(1699)
Guru Gobind Singh
(1666-1708)
Maharaja Ranjit Singh
(1780-1839)
Golden Temple Foundation
(1588)
Martyrdom Guru Arjan Dev
(1606)
Guru Nanak was followed by nine Gurus (same spirit).
Evolution of Distinct Identity
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Distinct script – Gurmukhi
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Distinct community - Sangat, Pangat, Dharamsala
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Liberation and empowerment of women
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Education,
Physical well being (wrestling)
Against Sati (widow immolation), Pardah (Veil)
Supported widow remarriage
Manji (Seats of Authority) system (22 Manjis)
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4 women bishops and preachers
Collection of money for social/religious causes (daswand)
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Distinct Ceremonies (birth, naming, marriage)
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People of the Book
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Adi Granth compiled and installed by the Fifth Guru
Miri Piri (Temporal – Spiritual)
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Sikhs were to lead active lives both in temporal and spiritual realms
Formalization of Identity
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Baisakhi 1699
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Concept of Khalsa
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Amrit
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Saint Soldier
5 K’s
Dedicated to service of Humanity
A public declaration and
A private commitment
Singhs and Kaurs
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Caste/Class less society
Guru Granth and Guru Panth
After Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru
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Spiritual Guru, Sri Guru Granth Sahib (The Sikh
scripture)
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1430 pages
The Gurus’ Experience of the Divine
Also included were consistent teachings from Hindu and Muslim
saints
Gurmukhi script
Temporal Guru, Guru Khalsa Panth
(the charismatic Sikh community)
Articles of Faith
5 K’s – mandatory articles of faith
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Kesh – Uncut hair
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Kirpan – Religious sword
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Karra – Steel bracelet
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Kangha – Wooden comb
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Kachehra – Boxer shorts
Kangha
Dastaar – the Turban
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Mandatory – not a social or cultural
article.
Symbolic of sovereignty of humans.
Always be recognized and duty bound to
offer help.
Sikhs wearing it for the last 500 years.
Removal of turban in public is tantamount
to a strip search.
Stand for social justice of all people.
Gurudwara – “Door” to the “Guru”
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Everyone welcome
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Services typically held on Weekends
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Language – Punjabi
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Langar (Community Kitchen)
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Local Contact Information
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Planned Visits
Sikhs in North America
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Arrived around late 1890’s
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Places
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California, Oregon and Washington
British Columbia
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Farming & Lumber Industry
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Immigration Barriers by 1920’s
Vancouver Diamond Jubilee 1897 Hong Kong Regiment
San Francisco Chronicle, April 6, 1899
Sikhs in America
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1920’s – 1950’s
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Reverse Immigration
Freedom struggle against British imperialism
Partition of Punjab 1947 bw. India and Pakistan
1950’s – today
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End of immigration controls
Professionals, Extended Families
Refugees (1980’s and 1990’s)
Some Sikh Public Faces
Gurbax Singh Mahli
First Turbaned Sikh in
Canadian Parliment
Palbinder Kaur
Human Rights Lawyer
Narinder Singh Kapani
Father of Fiber Optics
T Sher Singh
Recognized with the
Order of Canada
Baltej Singh Dhillon
First Turbaned Sikh in
Royal Canadian Mounted
Police
Some Sikh Public Faces
Nuvraj Singh Bassi
University of Oregon
Football Player
Colonel Sekhon
United States Army
Amrit and Rabindra Kaur
Artists
Bhagat Singh Thind
US Army 1912
CHALLENGES TODAY…..
Challenges after September 11, 2001
HATE CRIMES and BIAS INCIDENTS
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Misunderstood and Targeted because of their turbans and appearance
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First 3 months – More than 250 hate crimes recorded
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Vandalism, assault – verbal/physical, fatalities
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Balbir Singh Sodhi – first victim of Post 9/11 Hate in Mesa, AZ
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His brother killed 9 months later in San Francisco, CA
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Events such as Iraq war continue to affect the community
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<provide local context>
Challenges after September 11, 2001
EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION
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Several cases of Sikhs being told to remove their turbans or
they will be fired
Before 9/11 employment discrimination was the biggest civil
rights issue for Sikh-Americans, many are afraid that now hate
crimes have gone down, employment discrimination will go up.
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Difficulties finding employment
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Racial Profiling – airports/transportation and law enforcement
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Reinforcement of stereotypes
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NYPD “no-turbans” policy
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The Sikh Coalition and Amric Singh Rathour filed a federal lawsuit
challenging the New York Police Department’s (NYPD) “no turban”
policy. Amric Singh was terminated by the NYPD in August 2001 for
refusing orders to remove his turban and trim his beard, both
required by his religion
Challenges after September 11, 2001
SCHOOL HARASSMENT
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Since September 11, 2001, there has been a significant increase in
violent attacks and bullying of Sikh students.
Many of these attacks are by middle school children. In Seattle,
Atlanta, New York, Maryland, Sikh children have been the target of
violent attack because of their religion.
Challenges after September 11, 2001
KIRPAN
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Since September 11, 2001, the Sikh Coalition has defended six Sikhs
who were prosecuted for wearing the kirpan from New York City to
Wisconsin to Tennessee. Charges in all six cases were dismissed.
There is no criminal intent in wearing a kirpan. It an article of faith.
There are exemptions in many jurisdictions for boy scouts or knives
salespersons to carry instruments whose blades are longer than the
legal limit.
Before 9/11, Sikhs were generally not arrested for wearing the
kirpan.
France: Secularism?
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On December 11, 2003, a commission appointed by the government of
France, issued a report recommending that all “conspicuous articles of
faith” in French public schools be banned.
These Signs Include:
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Muslim Hijaabs
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Sikh dastaars
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Jewish Skullcaps
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Christian Crosses
More than 5000 Sikhs live in the greater Paris area alone.
This would effectively ban French Sikh children from being educated in
French public schools.
No French Sikhs were amongst the more than 200 people interviewed in
the six month preparation of the recommendation to the French president