Art and Education: An Interview with Keerat Kaur
Do you know how to tie a patka? The following video, an original creation by Keerat Kaur, was produced by Saffron Press in an effort to educate about the Sikh identity – allowing educators (and curious children) to learn how to tie a patka/dastaar and see what actually lies beneath the piece...
Slavery in Punjab
While most focus on Al-Jazeera’s coverage of the Middle East for its importance in today’s media landscape, slowly their incisive programs and documentaries have gained an audience amongst those serious about global issues throughout the world. I am a huge fan of their English service and...
Speed Meeting Sikhs
Co-blogged by Sundari and Ajaib Kaur
How many young Sikh women do you know who are looking to meet their Sardar? And how many young Sikh men do you know who are looking to meet their Sardarni?
Lots? We hear you. But how can we make these two groups meet?
We decided to write a post on this topic...
Artmosphere, A New Generation of Fine Art in Panjab
Beginning on October 15th, a three-day exhibition was held in Ludhiana to profile a generation of rising young artists in Punjab. The mission according to gallery is ‘to further enrich and diversify cultural life in the Punjab region by facilitating the development of emerging artists.’ The newly...
Amrit Bains Tells It Like It Is
Sit down with my cousins in Punjab for more than a few minutes and in-between their reckless driving and ear-pumping tracks of Jazzy B and Gippy Grewal, they will often give their commentary about how Punjabi music is now trash and doesn’t represent the “true” culture. Ask if they...
Challenge the Darkness for the [Unheard] Voices of Punjab
This week, Ensaaf launched their Challenge the Darkness campaign. The aim of the campaign is to remember human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra and bring awareness to the mass state crimes committed in Punjab, India from 1984 to 1995. At the end of the month, Ensaaf and the Khalra Mission Organisation...
Fauja Singh – 100 years and runnin’
Posted by Jodha in Sports on 10 17th, 2011 | 6 Comments
With Bhangras and Jakaras – our very own beloved Fauja Singh crossed the finish line to be the first 100 year old to complete a marathon – thus also setting a world record. Running in the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, he may have been last in the pack – but he finished first...
Sikh Identity: Separate but Equal?
Guest blogged by Birpal Kaur
Over this past weekend there was an article published in the Los Angeles Times of the experiences of Sikh women and maintaining kesh. This article addresses the journey and relationship with kesh, looking at societal pressures as well as a personal journey, and in this...
This is what profiling looks like
It’s been quite a day here in New York City. I woke up at 3am this morning and arrived at Liberty Square at 4:00 to protect the Occupy Wall Street encampment from eviction. Sleep deprived but fired up, I joined with thousands of others who showed up to stand in solidarity with this growing...
Sikh runner featured in NYC marathon: Cast your vote!
Following in the footsteps of great Sikh marathon runners like Fauja Singh, a young Sikh Ph.D. student named Simran Singh is currently training to run the largest marathon in the world — the New York City Marathon. And he’s running for a good cause. Simran is working with Team in Training...
DAY OF ACTION – In Sacramento THIS Sunday
Posted by Jodha in Events on 10 13th, 2011 | 3 Comments
The tragic murder of two of our grandfathers – S. Gurmej Singh Atwal and S. Surinder Singh – in Elk Grove earlier this year, shocked both the Sikh and local communities. The murderers still roam free.
This Sunday, if you are in the Sacramento area, or if you can reach there, please come...
Reflecting on a SAFAR
Posted by Jodha in Events on 10 12th, 2011 | 11 Comments
This post is a bit late, but every bit still important. Last week, the first “Sikh Feminist conference” – SAFAR – was held at the University of Toronto. The conference brought together academics, activists, and community members to reflect on the meanings and experiences of gender in a Sikh...
Confusion to Solution: Educating Children about the Sikh Identity
Guest blogged by Navjot Kaur
Usually, I can take quite a lot before something unsettles me. Today, my pressure cooker was whistling.
When you think things can’t get much worse, they have a way of doing just that. When it rains, it pours, right? As I went to pick up my son at the end of his second day...
Sikholars 2012 – Call For Papers
Posted by Jodha in Events on 10 10th, 2011 | 6 Comments
For the past two years, the Jakara Movement has created a forum for budding scholars and researchers, working on various projects Sikh, to come together, share, and challenge each one another.
Over this period, it has become an extremely popular venue for community members, activists, and researchers...
Afghanistan: 10 years of war, 10 years of occupation
Occupation has come to carry a different connotation of late as the #OccupyWallStreet movement quickly spreads throughout the country. But for millions in Afghanistan it still means U.S. militarism. It still means war. It still means injustice. Today marks the 10th anniversary of the U.S. invasion...
Wall Street Sikhs, Corporate Tyranny, and the 99%
By now I imagine most of you have heard about Occupy Wall Street in New York City and the growing “Occupy” movement all over the country. Inspired by the mass uprisings of the Arab Spring, the movement is uniting under the banner, “We are the 99%”, in its protest of unprecedented...
