Creating dialogues on diversity in the UC
The Sikh Student Association (SSA) at the University of Guelph hosted its fifth annual celebration of faith and culture in the University Centre (UC) on March 9.
The Gryphon statue greeted the campus community sporting a bright yellow turban while the SSA invited passersby in the UC to learn about Sikhism.
“The goal of Sikhi Awareness Day is just to show who we are and educate the university community [about] what we believe in,” said Harman S. Mundi, the vice-president of the SSA, in an interview with The Ontarion. “[People] often confuse us for either Muslims or Hindus which has been a big problem in our history and we want to show them that we’re different.”
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One of the biggest draws of the event was the opportunity to have a colourful turban tied.
“While we’re tying turbans, we also educate them on why we tie turbans and what it means to us. So it’s a two-fold thing: you’re getting an awesome turban tied on you and you’re also getting information on my faith that I love so dearly,” said Brahmbind Singh Kamboj, a second-year political science student.
“In the 1500s, when the religion was born, only the royals and rich people wore turbans. It was a sign of wealth and nobility and [gave the illusion of] I’m higher than you, I’m better than you,” Mundi explained.“So our gurus, our religious and social leaders at the time, they said, ‘No, we’re not going to buy into this. We’re going to get rid of the caste system and everybody is going to wear a turban, everybody is going to be royal, and everybody is going to have full authority over themselves and their body and ability to think.’”
These humanistic aspects of Sikhism were key teaching points for Kamboj as he talked to students and community members of all backgrounds.
“We’re humans first and we share something in common, so let’s get a dialogue going about our differences and our similarities,” Kamboj explained.
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Margaret Burton, a fourth-year psychology student, was passing through the UC with her sister when they decided to participate in the event.
While getting her turban tied, Burton learned that, “The religion is a lot about equality and the central tenant of their religion is ‘God is one,’ and that means that we are all of the same God and, therefore, we are all equal, so that’s a really cool thing.”
Mundi explained that, “Most people find it really cool and interesting and it really opens them up to [the idea that] the turban is an inclusive thing. It’s really about achieving equality and humanism. It’s mostly men who wear turbans and oftentimes there’s the perception that it’s only for men, but it’s not, it’s for everybody.”The SSA, though a small community on campus, has seen significant growth over the last year. Mundi explained that their weekly meetings have a regular turnout of approximately 40 students who are active and engaged throughout the year.
For SSA member Kamboj, who is originally from Brampton, Ont. where the Sikh and Punjabi community is very visible, events like this one help to break barriers for minorities in Guelph.
“In Guelph, it’s a little different where you’re clearly the distinct outsider—people know you’re from somewhere else and I think sometimes people are just afraid to approach me,” he said. “Racism won’t end unless we talk about it.”
Photo by Dana Bellamy/The Ontarion.