Teaching About

the Sikhs and

their

Contributions to

the World

Sean C.D. Colbert -Lewis, Sr. ,

Ph.D., NBCT

A s s t . P r o fe s s o r o f H i s to r y a n d M i d d l e

G r a d e s / Se co n da r y S o c i a l S t u d i e s E d .

N o r th C a r o l i n a C e n t ra l U n i ve r s i t y

Participants will explore the relevance of learning about Sikhism

and its global followers, the Sikhs.

Participants will highlight the key philosophies of the religion

Sikhism.

Participants will identify important figures associated with the

history of Sikhism.

Participants will l ink the global role that Sikhs had in leading to

the promotion of the American Civil Rights Movement.

Participants will address current misconceptions regarding the

Sikhs and examples of tragic events to stem out of them.

Participants will examine methods to change misconceptions

about the Sikhs.

LEARNER OUTCOMES

Sikh Basics

Khanda

the official religious

emblem of Sikhism.

God

(The Waheguru)

is all powerful!

Khanda

Kirpan

Chakra

Kirpan

The Khanda consists of four

symbols. The emblem gets its

name from the centerpiece

symbol, the double-edged

sword known as a khanda.

The Khanda represents God

as all powerful.

Chakra: The circular

emblem surrounding the

khanda symbol that

represents the idea of God

being without beginning or

end.

Kirpan: The two smaller

swords on each side of the

Khanda. They represent

fighting for justice!

THE GURUDWARA—THE TEMPLE OF WORSHIP

FOR SIKHS

The Sikh

Gurudwara of

North Carolina

A Sikh is a follower of the religion of Sikhism.

Sikhism is the world’s fif th largest religion and the world’s

fourth largest monotheistic religion.

Sikh is a word from the Punjabi language that means

“someone who learns” or “student.”

WHAT IS A SIKH?

Follow the teachings of the 10 gurus.

The 10th guru is the Sikh holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib

Pray daily.

Women and Men are equal.

No religion has dominance over another and respect for other religions and their followers.

Education leading to excellence and service (sewa) to the community and donating to charity.

Abstinence before marriage.

No alcoholic beverages or tobacco ever.

No caste system in the community.

No cutting of hair (Kesh).

Have pride in your Sikh beliefs and defend them as peacefully as possible.

Protect and defend the oppressed.

MAJOR IDEAS PRACTICED…

THE HARMINDAR SAHIB (THE ABODE OF

GOD) IN AMRITSAR, INDIA

Located in Amritsar, Punjab, India, Sikhs consider the gurudwara

as their holiest Sikh temple. Amritsar is the holiest city in the Sikh

religion. The original Guru Granth Sahib is housed within its doors!

Amritsar

GURU NANEK

(1469-1539)

How did

Sikhism

begin?

There is neither

Hindu nor

Muslim!

Guru = teacher

Born to Hindu parents.

Witnessed religious tensions between Hindus and Muslims

Hated the violence and death that took place.

The supernatural encounter with God while bathing in the Bein River

Followed his supernatural encounter with a determination to create his new religion that ended caste systems, promoted equality, and peace.

GURU NANAK, CONTINUED….

8 other gurus followed Nanek.

The tenth and final guru is the official religious holy book, “the Guru GranthSahib.”

The holy book consists of melodic versus written in Punjabi.

When reaching adulthood, devoted Sikhs engage in the coming of age baptismal ritual known as the Khalsa.

OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION

This ritual takes place in April on the festival of Vaisakhi, which is a celebration of the first five Sikhs to ever achieve the status of Khalsa…

To achieve Khalsa, one must make a lifelong commitment to adhere to the dictates of the faith…

A khalsa Sikh will always show faith through the wearing or the showing of five distinct items. (shown on the next slide)

THE KHALSA

Kesh: Long, uncut hair.

Most male and some female

Sikhs wear turbans to cover

their kesh.

Kirpan: short sword that

symbolizes fighting evil.

Kangha: small wooden

comb to help keep hair fixed.

Kara: a steel bracelet

worn to remind Sikhs

that there is one God

and one truth without

beginning or end.

Kachhehra: short

pants/underwear.

Represents changing of new

way, chastity, and flexibility in

battle.

Dr. Manmohan Singh—Oxford University educated, current prime minister of India. He is the first fol lower of Sikhism to ever hold the of fice. India is the world’s second most -populated nation and has nuclear weapons capabil i ty.

Mrs. Nikki Haley (Nimrata Nikki Randhawa)—current , incumbent Republican governor of the state of South Carol ina. As an Indian-American chi ld she was raised Sikh and attended gurdwara, but she conver ted fol lowing her marriage to her Methodist Christ ian husband. She sti l l attends gurudwara services on occasion in honor of her family roots.

FAMOUS MEMBERS OF THE GLOBAL SIKH

COMMUNITY

Nuvraj Singh Bassi—first Sikh Canadian

Football player ever.

Amrit Kaur and Rabindra Kaur—

contemporary British artists known

internationally for their Indian miniature

paintings.

FAMOUS MEMBERS OF THE SIKH

COMMUNITY, CONTINUED…

Following the April 13,1919, Amritsar Massacre (on the

religious holiday Vaisakhi) by the military of the United

Kingdom, the Sikhs became the first to solidify their alliance

with Mohandas K. Gandhi and his non-violence movement that

led to Indian and Pakistani independence.

A LITTLE KNOWN BUT POWERFUL SIKH

CONTRIBUTION TO THE WORLD!

Pbs.org

THE DREAM FOR ALL AMERICANS AS WELL AS ALL

INDIANS STARTED WITH THE SAME DREAM THE GURU

HAD…AN END TO OPPRESSION, PROMOTION OF EQUALIT Y,

AND NEEDLESS VIOLENCE!

Member of the Arabic/Bedouin ethnic group.

Sikhism is an offshoot of Islam

Sikhism is an offshoot of Hinduism

Violent radicals

Terrorists or Terrorist-sympathizers

TROUBLING MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT SIKHS

(ESPECIALLY THOSE OF INDIAN ETHNICITY)

The first week alone following the terrorist attacks on Sept.

11, 2001, “Sikhs.org” reported a total of 141 hate crimes

stretching from Washington state to Washington, D.C.

Balbir Singh Bodhi (1949-2001)—September 11, 2001

THE GRAVE CONSEQUENCES TO STEM OUT OF

MISCONCEPTIONS

“I stand for America

all the way! … I’m

an American. I am

a patriot.”

• 49 year-old father of

three.

• Gas station owner

shot as he was

planted flowers.

• Community leader

who gave children

candy when they

visited his gas

station store.

“I’m going to go out and shoot

some towelheads!”

Sterling Heights (Detroit), Michigan—gurudwara

under construction vandalized—February 6, 2012

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdDDF1fmPbg

The massacre at The Sikh Temple of Wisconsin (Oak

Creek, Wisconsin)—August 5, 2012

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2012/08

/10/pkg-rowlands-inside-sikh-temple.cnn

GRAVE CONSEQUENCES, CONTINUED…

WHAT WILL YOU DO TO PROMOTE MORE

LEARNING OF THE SIKH COMMUNITY AND END

MISCONCEPTIONS?

(1988). Gibson, Margaret A., Accommodation Without Assimilation . Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.

(1989). McLeod, W.H., The Sikhs: History, Religion, and Society.New York: Columbia University Press.

(1990). Grewal, J.S., Sikhs of the Punjab , revised edition. Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge University Press.

(1997). Bowker, John., World Religions . New York: DK Publishing.

(2001). Penney, Sue., Sikhism . Chicago: Heinemann Library/Reed Educational & Professional Publishing.

(2005). Buller, Laura. A Faith Like Mine . New York: DK Publishing.

REFERENCES