Transcript Who are the Sikhs?

Who Are the Sikhs?
The Game Plan
 The Basics
 Key Beliefs
 Quick Sikh History
Origins
Gurus
Immigration to United States
 Sikh Symbols, The Turban
 Experience Post-9/11
 Sikhism Today
Sikhism: The Basics
 A Distinct Religion
 Different from Hinduism, Islam, Christianity,
Judaism, Baha’i, etc.
 Founded in late 1400s by Guru Nanak in what is
today North India
 Has its own holy scripture, written by the founder
and succeeding Gurus
 There are about 500,000 Sikhs in the U.S., and an
equal number in Canada
 22 million Sikhs worldwide
 World’s 5th largest religion (World Almanac)
Sikhism: Key Beliefs
 One God
 Universal Equality—gender equality &
equality between all people
 Community Service
 Helping Anyone in Need
 Respect for Other Faiths
 No drugs, alcohol
 No rituals, superstitions, idols
 Point of life: Get Closer to God
Historical Origins of Sikhism
CHINA
INDIA
• 22 million Sikhs worldwide
• 20 million Sikhs in India
INDIA
Guru Nanak
Born in 1469 near
Lahore, India
Guru Nanak
Born into in
environment of Caste
System & Oppression
Established beliefs of
the Sikh faith
Guru means teacher
Sikh means disciple or
student
© 1997, Maboli Systems, Inc.
Golden Temple
Golden Temple, Amritsar, India
aka Harmandir Sahib (1588)
Holy Site founded by 5th Guru
Tenth Guru
Guru Gobind Singh
April 1699—Khalsa
Initiation: Amrit
Articles of Faith: 5 “K”s
Singh/Kaur
© 1997, Maboli Systems, Inc.
Guru Granth Sahib
1430 pages
Gurmukhi
Written
By Sikh Gurus
© 1997, Maboli Systems, Inc.
Sikhs in the United States & New Jersey
 Sikh Americans join American society without
giving up religious beliefs and values
 First Sikh Immigrants to US in late 19th Century,
California Farmers
 Sikh house of worship called “Gurdwara”
 Several Gurdwaras in New Jersey (Glenrock,
Bridgewater, two in Carteret, East Windsor,
Lawrenceville, Deptford, Burlington Township)
 10,000 Sikhs in New Jersey
 Visitors Welcome (covered head, shoes removed)
 Free meals at all times.  (Langar)
Articles of Faith
 Kesh—uncut hair. Sikhs do not cut hair or
beards to remain in the image that God
gave us .
 Kuchha—under-shorts. (boxers) To
represent modesty and fidelity.
 Kanga—comb, made of wood. To keep
uncut hair neat and clean.
 Kara—bracelet, made of steel worn on right
hand. A reminder of noble actions, a
symbol of eternity.
 Kirpan—ceremonial small sword.
Symbolizing freedom, liberty and justice,
and the defense of anyone weak or
oppressed.
Sikh Turbans
 99% of people with turbans in US are
Sikhs, not Muslims or Hindus
 Covers long, uncut hair
 Approx. 15 feet of cloth wrapped neatly
around the head every time it is put on
 Symbolizes discipline, integrity, humility,
and spirituality
 Religious requirement—must be worn at
all times in public
 King’s Crown
 Why do other people wear turbans?
September 11, 2001
 Sikhs grieve with America. Like
many, Sikhs lost friends, loved
ones and colleagues
 Sikhs unequivocally condemn the
recent terrorist attacks
 Sikhs continue to donate blood,
food, and money, and participate
in memorial services
 At the WTC, Sikh doctors were
first on the scene helping save
lives
First to Help
Dr. Navinderdeep Singh,
a fourth year resident
Set up the first triage center
at ground zero, just in front of
one of the collapsed towers.
He also helped organize a
makeshift morgue in the
lobby of the American
Express building.
An American Hero?
Dr Nijher stayed until 2 a.m., mostly treating injured
firefighters who had been pulled from the rubble. From
there, he went back to the hospital, slept for an hour, and
reported for his regular shift at 6 a.m.
A Hero’s Welcome?
"Every person was staring at me"
"People were saying 'There goes one of them now.'
Someone yelled 'Go back to your own country!'"
9/15/01: Mesa, Arizona
Balbir S. Sodhi
Former Bay Area Resident
Small Businessman
1949-2001
Why?
"On Sept. 11, America was attacked from abroad,"
said Maricopa County Attorney Rick Romley
"However, with the murder of
Mr. Sodhi, we have now been
attacked from within."
Victims of Sept 11
 Victims: Sikhs have been victims of a
hate backlash and harassment because
of their appearance (100s of hate
crimes)
 Profiling: Sikhs have been victims of
racial profiling at airports & on highways
 Discrimination: harassment, racial
profiling and employment discrimination
is making it much harder for Sikhs to
wear turbans and other articles of faith a basic constitutional right
Sikhism Today – 4/23/03
 Though violent attacks have
subsided, discrimination & hatred
still persist
 Young Sikhs in schools have been
targets of ignorance & violence
 What can you do to help?
Take Home Message
 Sikhism is a distinct religion.
 Sikh values of freedom, hard work,
helping the needy and defending the
oppressed fall perfectly in line with
American ideals.
 Sikhs believe in One God, like many
other faiths, and are proud to be
Americans.
Resources on the Net








www.sikhs.org
www.sikhmediawatch.org
www.sikhcoalition.org
www.sikhnet.org
www.sikhcommunications.com
www.sikheducation.com
www.come.to/sikhsabha
www.sikhfoundation.org
Acknowledgments
Presentation compiled by Savraj Singh
’03 ([email protected]) for the
Marlboro School District, April 23, 2003.
Sources: Presentations created by Jasbir
Singh of Maboli Systems, The Sikh
Mediawatch & Resource Task Force,
Sutinder Singh Dhanjal of Sikh Sabha,
Amardeep Singh, SikhEducation.com,
and SikhCommunications.com.