Just as I posted the previous picture, I came upon this interview of Am Johal on Democracy Now!
About Am Johal – Chair of the Impact on Communities Coalition, an Olympic watchdog group. He also initiated Canada’s 2010 Homelessness Hunger Strike, a rolling, nationwide hunger strike calling for a national housing program in Canada. He has worked on inner-city issues and has completed a human rights internship in Israel in international advocacy with the Mossawa Center, the Advocacy Center for Arab Citizens of Israel. He is currently working on the book The Grand Dissonance about the Israeli/Palestinian Conflict.
A brief excerpt:
Social activists who have been critical of the Olympic Games have been visited at their homes by the Integrated Security Unit, which is the unit responsible for security around the Games. Chris Shaw, a prominent anti-Olympics activist, was visited at a coffee shop near where he works at UBC. People that he knows, friends, acquaintances of his, were also visited and asked to do background on him. So I think this kind of thing that you would never suspect would exist in Canada is happening under this exception around the Games.
The Olympics in Vancouver are in full swing. This context of this particular picture was well-advertised via Facebook. Still it is worth posting (pagh salute jag): Click here to enjoy others
The caption reads:
Jarnail Sahota carries the torch across a bridge in Ashcroft, British Columbia on Day 100 of the relay, February 6th, 2010.
We often lament the state of our gurdwaras but we should just as often stop and think about how much we have accomplished.
Tonight I had a chance to visit the famous Ontario Khalsa Darbar (aka Dixie) Gurdwara in Mississauga/Brampton, Ontario. On a frigid Friday night in December, the place was packed with sangat and programs.
In one hall, a Hindu Panjabi family was having a bhog for a deceased elder. On the other side agurmat sangeet teacher was having a kirtan for her daughter with beautiful kirtan being sung in raag by her many young students. In the adjoining halls, the United Sikhs organization was having their 2nd Annual Global Sikh Civil Rights Conference with tonight’s opening session focusing exclusively women’s issues. Upstairs, Harmeet Singh was holding his usual Friday session with hundreds of youth and their families. And to top this off Bhai (no longer Sant) Niranjan Singh Jawadi Kalan was performing kirtan to a packed hall in the main hall. Almost every program was in English or being translated into English on the screens.
So while we can (and should) continue to critically analyze the hardware (physical structures) and software (programs/initiatives) of our Sikh institutions, we need to simultaneously recognize when progress is being made.
Growing up I would have killed to have been a part of each of those individual programs happening at Dixie Gurdwara tonight (well maybe not the bhog) and today all of those functions were happening on the same day under the same roof.
On many days, it seems like we’re moving two steps back, but tonight I saw at least one step forward.
12/19/09
A charity based in Southall, called the Drug and Alcohol Action Programme (DAAP) will be joining forces with local Gurdwaras to address high rates of alcohol abuse taking place at Asian, particularly Punjabi Sikh, weddings. Perminder Dhillon, CEO of the charity states that “it is no longer acceptable to ignore the dangerous levels of alcohol drinking at these events.”
There is a mistaken view in Asian communities that religious and cultural backgrounds act as a barrier to the kind of drunken scenes so often seen in so many town centres all over the country. She said: “Many parents feel pressurized to provide a huge quantity of alcohol at weddings even if they themselves are non-drinkers”. [link]
She goes onto say that there are huge expectations on families to provide alcohol at weddings – often demanded by the groom’s side. This problem has become so extensive now that it is likened to demanding dowry and by partaking, “we end up supporting users with alcohol-related health problems during the binge-drinking period”.
Research published in the British Medical Journal suggests that men of South Asian origin in Britain are four times more likely to die of alcohol-related liver problems than other ethnic groups. Eighty percent of those South Asians who are vulnerable to alcohol-related mortality are Sikhs.
The charity has stated that the strategy they will use to combat this issue is simple – they will “name and shame” those involved and publicly condemn individuals on their website.
In the coming New Year spend January attending two Sikh events-one in Canada and the other in the United States. The Toronto Sikh Retreat and Surat Sikh Conference will be taking place during the first half of January 2010.
Toronto Sikh Retreat is a 4-day retreat in the outskirts of Toronto in a winter wonderland. It will take place from January 7-10, 2010. Sikhs of various ages from around the world come together to learn, discuss 
and reflect on various Sikh issues to better understand ourselves and the world around us from a Sikh perspective. With a limit of 65 spaces, the retreat provides an intimate environment for intellectual and spiritual growth through small group discussions, lectures, kirtan diwans, and creative projects (in-door and outdoor). Visit the retreat website and watch the video for more information. Registration is NOW open- take advantage of the early bird special!
The Surat Sikh Conference will bring together 180 Sikh professionals in New York City & New Jersey during Martin Luther King
Jr. long weekend (January 15-18, 2010) to share, learn, and reflect on the theme “A Journey Through Ardas”. Through guest speakers, workshops, and a nonprofit poster session, the goal of the conference is to provide a space of introspection for participants on how to view the world through a Sikh perspective. Participants attend kirtan diwans, have intellectual conversations and enjoy outdoor activities. Visit the conference website and watch the video under the “About” section for more information. Registration will open on December 5th!
Many politicians in America and Canada appeal to their Sikh constituents by visiting local Gurdwaras. Sometimes these visits include a brief speech and other times just a saroopa. Regardless, it’s usually an ask for votes.
What I particularly find powerful about Canadian politicians is that they will walk along side their Sikh constituency during Nagar Kirtans and visit the Harmandir Sahib. To me that is representative of the political power the Sikh community has in Canada. Politicians are not only appearing to give a “vote for me” speech or state a “thank you” for the saropoa. They need to do more to get the Sikh vote.
Sam Grewal of the Toronto Star writes:
“The Liberal party took us for granted and is now paying the price,” Gill says. “It would be a mistake for the Conservatives to think that simply appearing at functions is enough to win votes.”
An appearance by the Prime Minister, at the place most revered by Sikhs, may be the exception.
Almost two years ago I blogged about an NPR story that highlighted the issue of Runaway Grooms. Today, I once again write about the same issue – this time the media terms it “Holiday Brides” – a different name telling the same story. We should be outraged that years after we first heard about this issue, we are still having the same conversation. We are told that about 20,000 women have been deserted by men in the UK, US and Canada who promise to return to India and never do. The most recent questions is then, why are Punjabi women still falling for this obvious scam?
In a dusty village in the Jagraon district of Punjab, northern India, 35-year-old Suman (which is not her real name), lives with her widowed mother in a small room in a crumbling building. Four years ago, the secondary school teacher married a British man in a wedding arranged by relatives. Shortly after the ceremony, her husband, who is in his 50s, left for London with the promise he would send for her. At first all appeared to go well. “He would visit two to three times a year. “Whenever he came to India, we had a good time,” she said. However, on one visit he claimed her application for a spousal visa to the UK had been refused. It was like being a prostitute you take along and have a good time with and then leave behind ‘Suman’, 35 ”He told me he had applied for an appeal. “But he has never shown me a copy of that appeal. He’s never shown me any documents.” The visits and calls ended, and for the past six months Suman has had no contact with her husband. “In hindsight, it was like being a prostitute you take along and have a good time with and then leave behind. [link]
3 clicks are all it takes. JPMorgan Chase Bank partnered up with Facebook to have sort of an “American Idol” of charity giving. The 100 charities with the most votes by December 10th will receive $25,000.
CLICK HERE to vote for the Jakara Movement.
There are a great number of Sikh charities that are participating. The Jakara Movement has the most votes for the Sikh groups – and needs your support to bring $25,000 to our community to support projects by the Sikh youth. This weekend alone, the Jakara Movement had 6 events. There were 5 camps, titled, “A Nation Never Forgets” that were hosted in Los Angeles, Turlock, Stockton, Yuba City, and Orange County. Here are some pictures from just one.
In the Bay Area, the Jakara Movement helped host the forum “Women and 1984”, bringing scholars and activists such as Cynthia Keppley Mahmood (author of Fighting for Faith and Nation and a champion for human rights), Navkiran Kaur Khalra (daughter of the late Shaheed for human rights, Jaswant Singh Khalra), and Jasmine Kaur (a human rights lawyer and member of ENSAAF).
To keep programs, like this going – WE NEED YOUR HELP. We are asking for ALL Sikhs – whether in the US, UK, Canada, India, Punjab, Malaysia, Australia, Africa, and beyond to rally around the Sikh organizations and provide your support. Get your non-Sikh friends to vote too!
Log into Facebook and click HERE to vote for the JAKARA MOVEMENT. And with your 20 votes, do not forget to vote for other great Sikh organizations (ENSAAF, SALDEF, and many others) too. Inspire and be inspired; together, we are the movement.
Please forward and circulate this widely. We Need the Entire Community to Rally Behind the Sikh Youth!
Although Gurdwara elections are usually not celebratory topics, the news surrounding the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey is especially noteworthy. We have covered the topic in the past a few times and the results seem to be in (again). The Youth Slate wins (again).
An overwhelming reason the story is worthy of discussion is due to the Canadian national media own interference and frequently call for Sikhs to vote against the “fundamentalist”/”conservative” slate. Statements such as these were far too common:
If elected, a slate of Sikh youth fundamentalist candidates could overturn a long moderate tradition of using tables and chairs for temple mealtimes.[link]
Well the community decided again and returned the “fundamentalist” candidates. I wonder if the Canadian media has ever delved and chose sides and support in church elections in the past? For some reason, I have a feeling this is rather a unique scenario. Although the media may not like the results the community speaks for itself.
The new committee under Bikramjit Singh will have a lot of work to do. They hardly built confidence after the last election, when it was discovered there were irregularities in their nomination processes. Still their agenda is broad and may have long-term ramifications in Surrey.
Regardless a victory of the community over the Canadian media’s portrayals and desire for specific results. Now we wait and see. The real work is about to begin.
20,000 Butchered in Delhi
25,000 Made “Disappeared” in Punjab
A Community Bruised
A Diaspora Tarnished
STILL WE RISE
A Nation Never Forgets
Remember 1984
On The Langar Hall, the fight for justice is rarely far from our minds. While justice remains elusive and mass-murderers promoted, the community suffers, but not in silence. In this 25th year of the Indian Government-sponsored pogroms, we bear witness to that genocide. We remember not only the lives lost, but call for accountability so that events such as Delhi 1984, Gujarat 2002, and the numerous human rights abuses that occur everyday in the territory that is India are not forgotten. The Indian elite may see the country as a rising economic star, but without political rights, freedoms, and a genuine commitment to justice, slogans such as “Indian Shining” fall on deaf ears.
Here is one such event that inspires us to remember:
Below the fold, see a list of upcoming events in your community. Participate, contribute, stand in solidarity – Remember 1984.
Toronto Star reporter Raveena Aulakh, posing as an expectant mother, is handed bags of pills in an industrial area in Mississauga by Kanwar Bains, news editor of a Punjabi-language newspaper.
Just in case the rest of the world didn’t know what a sorry state Punjab was in with respect to its gender imbalance, there has been two headline reports from Canada’s biggest newspapers in recent weeks. The first deals with the problem in India and the second talks about how the problem has been exported to Canada.
The first from the Globe and Mail entitled “Land of the Rising Son”, examines how India has responded to the decline of female births. There’s two sad learnings from the article. One is that Punjab is still in the worst position with respect to male-female gender ration and the second is that an individual’s level education has does little to reverse generations of discrimination.
Jasmeet Kaur Sidhu is a 21-year-old aspiring journalist, who currently writes a climate blog for the Toronto Star (she even has The Langar Hall listed as one of her links!). She was recenly chosen as one of the Top 10 College Women for Glamour Magazine (hat tip: Maple Leaf Sikh). The award is usually given out to college students in the US, however, Jasmeet (a Canadian) was picked to be part of the group this year!
Jasmeet is the founder of the Peel Environmental Youth Alliance (PEYA), a network of students in the Peel Region working to implement environmental programs in all 220 Peel Region schools. She is currently studying Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Toronto. Her dream is to become an international journalist.
As a sophomore, Sidhu wrote to the Toronto Star suggesting ways for the paper to improve its coverage. She was promptly asked to join the Community Editorial Board—the youngest member ever—and soon started writing opinion columns for the Star, Canada’s largest newspaper. Sidhu, whose family moved from Malaysia to Canada when she was a baby, has covered everything from HIV/AIDS in Africa to climate change. As the peace and conflict major says, “My mother used to deliver the Star when we first came to Canada. Now her daughter writes for the very same newspaper. Amazing, right?!”
Many of the elements that make up this article have been featured in the Langar Hall in the past – Ranj Dhaliwal’s book Daaku about the lifestyle of Punjabi gangsters, thugs, and drug-dealers in BC during the late 1990s and early 2000s that cost the lives of 100+ youth in our community, Mani Amar’s film “A Warrior’s Religion” that documents the real life stories and effects of the peak of the violence, and finally to the various twists and turns that is British Columbia’s Sikh politics – from new coalitions to disputed certifications.
However, a recent article in The Walrus, author Timothy Taylor brings all these elements together in his piece, titled “Showdown on Scott Road.”
African American publishing houses were born out of a need – the need to fill a void in the industry. Bookshelves needed to share stories of their struggles and to give children a stake in their evolving identities. In turn, they gave rise to a new generation of diverse voices, with Asian-Pacific and Latino publishers following suit. They all have the same goal – to represent stories of their respective communities and give readers some authenticity and a sense of belonging. Now, consider this, how often did the covers of the books you read as a child have children who looked like you? Did these children’s books offer you a sense of belonging or importance? As our children enter into such a global community, it is clear that having access to authentic literature representing their heritage can only help ease the numerous challenges of peer pressure and to elevate self-esteem. Literature is perhaps the strongest avenue to enable us to realize our commonalities while teaching us about the idiosyncratic nature of one another.
This is why we are so excited to bring you news about a new children’s book that promises to be “a staple on the shelves of young visionaries.” A Lion’s Mane, being released this month, is written by Navjot Kaur and illustrated by Jaspreet Sandhu. The book is published by Saffron Press, an independent publisher, aiming to encourage children to deepen their understanding of positive self-identity.
In this beautifully illustrated story, young readers journey to cultures around the world to explore the meaning of the dastaar, or turban of the Sikhs. Allusive words placed within a vibrant red dastaar help promote our connections as global citizens and encourage dialogue around issues of identity and kinship. [link]
This book certainly moves beyond the traditional in several ways. A Lion’s Mane brings a global perspective to the often misidentified image of the Sikh turban. It is printed on 100% recycled paper as well as displaying an Eco-Libris badge – 625 trees were planted for the first edition! In addition, a portion of proceeds from the sale of each book will support Seva Canada’s work to restore sight and prevent blindness in children. By shopping at Saffron Press, you really will be contributing to a green and ethical experience! We spoke with the author, Navjot Kaur, about the book and the challenges she underwent to have this story published. After the jump is the book trailer and the author’s first interview. As you view the information, consider this – how important is diverse and multicultural literature on the shelves of every library and school? Did you or do your children have access to this type of literature?
For diasporic Sikhs, it seems routine and almost expected to wake up to news about an incident where a Sikh was banned access to an event because of his or her kirpan. Many times, we blame this on the ignorance of law enforcement, who often have never heard of a kirpan. We tell ourselves, “Don’t worry, we just have to teach them and they’ll understand.” However, when Kirpan wearing patrons at a Gurdas Mann concert are barred entry, then we must stop for pause.
When a kirpan wearing citizen is blocked access from exercising their civil liberties, we as a community go into uproar mode. We file lawsuits, organize protests, and launch mass public marketing campaigns in order to exercise what we believe to an unalienable right and an articulation of our personal sovereignty. When a Bollywood movie comes out with a Sikh hero sans beard, our institutional bodies outrun and out-leap each other to be the first to cry foul. When a Baba in a Dera dresses up as Guru Gobind Singh Ji, we bring the state of Punjab to a halt.
However, at the point where cultural icon and repository Gurdas Mann, goes so far as to write “No Kirpans or Sharp Objects Allowed” on tickets being sold at a VAISAKHI show in England, then what do we do? We let him carry forward and WE outrun and out-leap each other so we can be first in line at his next concert.
Now when his concert bans an entity which is legally allowed in the public spaces of Canada, then what do we do? Do we ignore and slowly sweep this incident under the rug, like so many of our cultural problems? Or, do we stop and say, Hey, standing next to K.P.S Gill and lambasting “Sikh terrorism” is not ok; banning kirpans in UK is not appreciated; and throwing out concertgoers in Alberta, is simply no longer going to work.
One of the three Khalsa schools in Vancouver burnt to the ground yesterday. Arson is suspected. The fire started in 
the main building and two portable classroom buildings simultaneously, and spread rapidly. The Elementary School had been broken into as well. When the school secretary called 911 to report the break-in, she saw smoke coming from one of the schools. The 911 operator told her to get out of the building and that firetrucks were on their way. [Globe and Mail]
Firefighters brought the fire under control in 90 minutes, but of the 9 buildings that made up the Khalsa school, only one remains. They were able to save the Guru Granth Sahib Ji from the fire, making a touching scene when they carried it out to the sangat.
In order to provide a little bit of cheer as we head into the weekend, I thought I’d share this news bit.
A team of 32 Sikhs partnered to run across Canada, as well as fundraised $10,000, on behalf of children’s hospitals in Canada and in Africa. The runners were commemorating the 10th anniversary of a previous fundraising effort, and they hoped to expand the scope and reach of their efforts.
The runners belong to the Guru Gobind Singh Children’s Foundation, which did a fundraising run from Toronto to Ottawa 10 years ago. This year’s run is in honour of that effort, but on a much larger scale.
In addition to running legs of the race, the team had a van of supporters who provided nourishment and supplies. The runners were housed by Sikh families all across the country as they ran to Ontario, where the remainder of the relay was run by another team, in partnership.
“Barter” marriages are not uncommon. My grandfather’s generation did it in Punjab because it was wise to marry two sisters to two brothers; particularly, if the family was large or wealthy. My parents’ generation did it through the “middle-person” during family negotiations in an effort to bring more relatives abroad.
What is uncommon in our generation is that “bartering” is very upfront. It is included in matrimonial ads along with height, skin complexion, and age.
Raveena Aulakh reports for the Toronto Star that some families abroad are pressured and guilted by relatives in India to figure out a way to bring their children to Canada. Siblings in Canada are accused of not wanting their nieces and nephews to have a good life. The only resort left is to run a matrimonial ad requesting a “barter” for their children or nieces/nephews in prominent Punjabi newspapers.
Aulakh writes about Jaspal Singh, a cab driver in Vancouver, who was guilted into running such an ad by his brother in India.
Finally, Singh agreed to place an ad for his own 21-year-old son and 20-year-old daughter in hopes someone, somewhere would reciprocate with Canadian matches for his niece and nephew in India.
It is not only a long shot, it is also unethical, Singh admits. He says he has told his kids he will not force them to do something they are not ready for and that weddings would take place only after they have met their prospective partners and are ready.
He has paid for the ads to run for four weeks. If things do not fall into place by then, Singh says he has no intention of following up with more ads. “How long can you do it? I will not force them to get married for the sake of it.”
Singh knows it will put a strain on his relationship with his brother, and is already dreading that conversation.
Two articles over the weekend got me thinking. I’ll get to them soon enough. Be patient!
The issues aren’t new. I remember back to the late 1990s, when the community here in the Bay Area was moving to build the new San Jose Gurdwara. The Evergreen community protested and raised the typical objections – traffic, architecture that doesn’t ‘fit’ into the community, and sometimes the ‘undesirable neighbors’ argument.
Wherever Sikhs try to build something, these three arguments follow. The latest case…..Southall?
Earlier this week in B.C., hundreds of Sikhs protested the arrival of Mann Singh Pehowa, a granthi accused of rape, misconduct, and blasphemy.
There is, of course, an underlying issue here regarding whether or not Pehowa supports his own dera, has encouraged blasphemy, etc. There is pretty widespread criticism of him, as an individual, as well as of his behavior. I do not want to use this opportunity to get into the nitty gritty of deras and blasphemy, but rather, to focus on the issue of religion and exploitation.
Earlier in the year, Sundari discussed sexual assault in the context of a larger community-level failure to ensure gender equity. Sexual abuse is not new to faith communities, but it evokes jarring feelings of betrayal, condemnation, and deep psychological trauma, both among those who are abused and among their loved ones.
