Nation at the Guru’s door
I was asleep after Ardas

These lines penned by the Panth’s last poet –Harinder Singh Mehboob.  These lines ring true today, as they did nearly three decades ago.

It is the blood of the martyr that stirs a slumbering nation; it is the blood of the martyr that scares those in their palaces of power.

Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana has shaken the Sikhs.  From London to Ludhiana, from Surrey to San Francisco, Sikhs are showing that the spirit of the community is not dead.  We are not so focused on elections, careers, wealth, and family to forget the soul of the nation.

Although well-intentioned, I have seen some Sikhs circulating various petitions asking for clemency or a stay on the execution.  They may not have read Bhai Sahib’s own words – he is calling to become a Shaheed.  I humbly request people to stop circulating these petitions.

Punjabis and Sikhs in music and in conversations often lament for “another Bhagat Singh” or another Jarnail of the Panth.  The wonder of the Shaheed stands before us.  He asks not for leniency, but he asks to be embraced in the arms of the Guru as he marches to his wedding day on March 31, 2012.  He has proudly admitted his actions and seeks judgment not from the courts of tyrants, but only from theCourt of the Timeless.  We are to celebrate that one Sikh stands tall with dignity, his dastar, his smile, and his Guru.

Others online have called for Ardas, akhand paaths, simran, and kirtan.  All this is wonderful and should be done.

However, Bhai Sahib Balwant Singh Rajoana has called for something else….

He has called ALL SIKHS to fly Kesri flags on March 31, 2012.  Please tell your friends and family to fly the flag from their dorm rooms, homes, apartments, businesses, and offices.  Share your pictures on the internet and social media so that we take strength from one another.  As our last Panthic Jarnail repeatedly reminded us – We are NOT a minority; we are nation.

The reason for Bhai Sahib’s request is in the essence of Sikhi.  Shaheedi is not the act of an individual, it is a ‘witnessing’ of the ‘wonder of the Guru.’  It is to be shared and to be a public event.

Sikhs in Punjab have mobilized.  To those that have oft-heard naysayers state that Sikhs in Punjab “don’t care”, show them the pictures of the crowds of youth that came out in Ludhiana from their colleges to show their support.  The Shaheed’s blood has woken them.

The Sikhs in London left their schools, work, jobs, and other responsibilities to come together at the India High Commission and express their solidarity with Bhai Sahib and to shout their voices at Delhi that we will have justice. (pagh salute @BlightySingh)

The Sikhs on the west coast of the United States will form a sangat tomorrow at 12pm at the Indian Consulate at 530 Arguello Boulevard in San Francisco, CA.  Buses will depart from Gurdwara Sahib Fremont at 10:30am;Gurdwara Sahib San Jose at 10am; Gurdwara Sahib El Sobrante at 11am; from Stockton Gurdwara at 9am; and from Yuba City (Tierra Buena) at 8:30am.  PLEASE TAKE THE DAY OFF!

For more information – please see the following facebook group – (pagh salute: @randep)

The palaces of power are shaking.  Bhai Rajoana has called out the corrupt traitors (gadaar) and politicians to take a stand on the last Ghallughara.  The Prakash, the Sukhbirs, and Manpreet Badals quake; the Sant Samaj and all these so-called Panthic jathebandis tremble; their cronies sitting on the seats of SGPC president and even the jathedari shiver and beg to stall.  The role of these men, as has been the case of their entire careers, is to delay, defer, and keep their kursi.  They fear the Shaheed.  They fear a man of convictions, for they have none.  They have coffers of money, but no soul.  Do not look for action from jathedars, politicians, and ‘leaders.’  They do not lead.  They fear and caution against the violence of Sikhs, but give promotions to the murderers of Sikhs.  The Guru has given you the spirit to take collective action.

I have seen messages on facebook and other forums meant to divide and splinter.  I see Babbar Khalsas claiming one that was never theirs.  I see bickering and fighting.  This is the time for unity, power, and determination.  We stand united for justice.  Tell Delhi Takht that we have not forgotten.  Our pagh holds tall and we are 20 million together.

We stand together at the threshold of momentous moment in our collective history.  We stand at the Guru’s buhay (door).  We are being awakened by the martyr.  This is the wonder (gazab) of the Shaheed.

On March 31, 2012 fly our flag high:

Jhooltey nishaan rahey, Panth Maharaaj kay!
May the flag of the the Guru Khalsa Panth continue to fly high!

This year Jakara Juniors is doing the camp on something new. Instead of doing a camp on Vaisakhi during the spring, it will be on health. We always talk about love, but what about loving ourselves, our health, and our body? We get one body in our whole life, and that’s it! So then why would we ever treat it badly by not exercising and not eating healthy? We should exercise not only our brains but our bodies as well. It’s time we focus and take care of ourselves and those around us through a health aspect.

We know that this year’s Jakara Junior camps will be as successful as the previous years, but we want you to get involved. It wasn’t particularly hard to get the kids on board this year after we told them about the all the wrestling and sports, but we want more volunteers as well! Jakara Juniors is not only important to the youth, but it’s equally important for the volunteers as well. The volunteers get a chance to work on their leadership skills, find a positive sangat and they get a chance to mentor the next generation. That my friends is why you should volunteer and why you should bring your friends and family as well.  Together we can make a difference, because together we are the movement!

Upcoming Jakara Junior Camps:

Kerman, Ca- April 7, 2012

West Sacramento, Ca- April 28, 2012

San Jose, Ca-TBA

Los Angeles, Ca-TBA

Yuba City, Ca- TBA

San Diego, Ca- TBA

Opening on Saturday, Dr. Jaideep Singh welcomed the participants and discussed the burgeoning field of “Sikh Diasporic” studies that is finally beginning to bear fruit. The first panel showcased the projects of Bandana Kaur, a Yale graduate, on issues of ecofeminism, biodiversity, and social effects of the Green Revolution and Guneeta Kaur Bhalla on the challenges, development, and prospects of the 1947 Partition Archive.  Both projects bring together social histories and the voices of non-elite subalterns to the fore.

The second panel, titled the “Identities of Law”, explored Sikh-Americans in a legal context.  Jasmine Singh discussed the “racialization” of Sikhs in the United States, while Kiran Preet Dhillon reflected on the ways that Title VII, instead of promoting accommodation to religion in the workplace, have served to limit and demean.  She called for a rigorous opening of the conversation with groups that fight for freedom from discrimination in the workplace, including SALDEF and the Sikh Coalition.  The panel discussant was conference host, Dr. Jaideep Singh.

The last panel of the day involved explorations in musicology.  Neelamjit Dhillon, a student at California Institute of the Arts, showcased his music talents and the convergence of technology and music, adding visual imagery to the auditory experience.  Harpreet Neelam, from the University of Toronto, mesmorized the audience with her vocal talents and her explanations of the partaal through the shabad “Mohan Neend na Aavaey Haaveh.”  View her amazing rendition (along with Neelamjit Singh on the thabla; pagh salute: RimmyKay) below and continue reading beneath the fold.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The first day concluded with a viewing of Harjant Gill (Sikholars, Class of 2010)’s documentary – “Roots of Love.”

Day 2 opened with a panel exploring places of anand and resistance in the Sikh wedding.  Loveleen Kaur of Wilfrid Laurier University and the Sikh Activist Network discussed the implications of the “Hindu Marriage Act” upon the Sikh qaum.  H. Bindy Kaur Kang of the University of British Columbia analyzed her wedding through auto-ethnography to view the interstices of race and gender in Canada today.  The discussion was ably led by Lakhpreet Kaur Gill, who has completed her masters in sociology from Stanford University.

The final panel of the conference explored femininities and masculinities in the diaspora.  Ashveer Singh of the University of Chicago discussed the politics of producing nostalgia in the North American Bhangra Circuit.  Gurpreet Sehra of the University of Manitoba gave a powerfully raw and honest look at the politics of sexual identities and bodies through her artwork.  Kirpa Kaur shared the voices of Amritdhari women she interviewed as part of her “Hair Speaks: Sikh Women Voicing Spiritual, Sexual, and Identity Body Politic.”

This year also saw the establishment of the Ajeet Singh Memorial Prize in Sikh Scholarship.  Named in memory of Ajeet Singh Matharu, two prized are awarded annually to graduate students pursuing Sikh studies that best reflect the high intellectual and scholarly ideas exemplified by the life and work of Ajeet Singh Matharu (1983-2010).  The prize was established by the Matharu Family in 2011, to be administered by the Jakara Movement.  The 2012 recipients of the prize are Kirpa Kaur and Jasmine Singh.

The conference was an overwhelming success, highlighting the young talents and intellect of some of our community’s finest.  Even more amazing was the participation and excitement from the community, especially those traveling as wide and far as the participants.  Community members from New York, New Jersey, Arizona, and even Vancouver traveled to be part of the weekend’s festivities.  This speaks to the development of a community and its thirst to create spaces for intellectual engagement and discussion.  A wonderful weekend indeed!

A quick note – papers will be open to public viewing for 2 weeks at the Sikholars website –www.sikholars.org – if you loved the event or to want to make sure that we can continue with it, please support it by contributing to it here.

I spent this weekend in Fort Lee, New Jersey across the river from Manhattan at the Surat-Lalkaar Conference, “Kaur Voices: Exalt, Express, Empower.”  As discussed previously, this event was a new collaboration between organizers of the popular Surat Conference in NY/NJ and California’s Jakara Movement.  Never having attended a conference put on by either group, I was curious what the weekend would bring and eager (and a bit nervous) to help facilitate dialogue in our community about gender, sexism, and intimate violence.

Perhaps others will also have report backs and reflections on the conference in the coming days and weeks (feel free to share your thoughts in the comments), but for now I wanted to share a few highlights, a few aspects of my experience as both participant and a facilitation at Surat-Lalkaar while it’s fresh.

What struck me the most this weekend was simply the theme of the conference: issues of gender and gendered violence in the Punjabi Sikh community.  As I was co-facilitating an intense discussion about a case study (based on a real situation) about child sexual abuse in a Sikh family, I looked around at the dozen or so Singhs or Kaurs in my group and realized I had never talked about this issue with a group of Sikhs.  Nor had the rest of the participants in my discussion group.

A shared experience of nearly everyone in the group (and likely everyone at the conference) was the resounding silence about domestic violence, sexual assault, and child sexual abuse in our families, our gurdwaras, and our communities.  There was a sense from many that these issues are indeed problems in our community, but problems that are hard to know the scope or seriousness of because no one talks about them openly.  Many participants saw a tendency in our Sikh families to brush any “problems” under the rug to preserve the reputation or “honor” of the family.

These conversations are not easy to have.  These conversations hit home for many of us.  A woman is sexually assaulted every two minutes in the United States.  One in four women are sexually assaulted in the lifetimes, most before the age of 18.  One in six men are sexually assaulted in their lifetimes.  Much of this violence occurs in our own families.  Including our Sikh families.

I was encouraged to see so many young Sikhs at Surat-Lalkaar willing to open up to these difficult, painful conversations.  While we often see many try to distance themselves or their families from these issues with rationale like, “This only happens in the pind, not amongst us ‘educated’ Sikhs,” I was encouraged to see participants at this conference taking on these issues, thinking through their root causes, and strategizing about Gurmat-inspired responses.

We also delved into workshops exploring the social construction of gender and the specifics of Punjabi masculinity and femininity.  Again, I looked around in the room I was in — this time a group of all Singhs — and could hardly believe this conversation was happening:  A group of Sikh men talking about masculinity, male privilege, and the ways we might be able to challenge gender dichotomies and the oppression of women in our Sikh community.  Needless to say, this was the first time I have seen such a discussion happening amongst a group of Sikh men.

The subordination, objectification, and exploitation of women should be reason enough for us to commit ourselves every day to fighting sexism in all its forms, in the Sikh community and beyond.  But one of the points I tried to emphasize to the group was that patriarchy has costs for us men too.  While we receive privilege and power solely because of the bodies we we were born with, that power is based on an extremely narrow box of what it means to be a “real” man.   We learn to be disconnected from our emotions (unless those emotions are anger or rage), we often lack the ability to have deep emotional connections with other men (and often women as well), we often don’t know how to effectively communicate about our feelings or how to be intuitive thinkers.

The costs to us as men are not only emotional but also spiritual.  How can we men grow spiritually and get closer to Waheguru within the confines of hegemonic masculinity, which emphasizes always being aggressive, tough, stoic, and hyper(hetero)sexual?  And what does it mean for our souls if our gender identity depends on the subjugation of our sisters, mothers, daughters, and partners?

While the conference was entitled “Kaur Voices,” it is clear that these issues are not “women’s issues.”  These are issues of our entire community.  These are Sikh issues.

We barely scratched this surface this weekend.  We began to have some tough conversations and began to start imagining what action against patriarchy in the Sikh community might look like.  But for sure, we broke the silence.

As always, this year, Sikholars will offer a balance of well-known experts along with new faces and a stronger international representation.  Students and professionals will come together from all across the globe and have the opportunity to learn from each other, to interact and form personal and professional relationships and to focus on learning and spreading knowledge.

Everyone is invited to come to CSU East Bay on February 18th & 19th, 2012. For more information:www.sikholars.org

Below the fold, I’ll post the abstracts of this year’s presenters.

Bandana Kaur, Yale University/EcoSikh – Green Revolutions Revisited: Women, Biodiversity, and Folk Knowledge in Rural Punjab

The South Asian region of Punjab became the epicenter of the Green Revolution in the subcontinent, after private foundations sponsored a new package of high-yield seeds, pesticides, fertilizers, and farm machinery to increase agricultural production in developing world. The experiment was initially hailed as a success, but today poses considerable challenges for Punjab, as it rapidly loses its agrarian base.  This research examines the lived reality of the Green Revolution from the perspective of over 70 ethnographic interviews with women living in the semi-arid southern Malwa region of Punjab, an area recognized for the economic and social challenges posed to the farming community.

Bindy Kang, University of British Columbia – My Punjabi Sikh Wedding, my Canadian Homeland: An Autoethnography Exploring the Dynamics of Race

Using autoethnographic vignettes from my Punjabi Sikh wedding, geographically located in my Canadian homeland, I present my negotiation as a soon-to-be-Sikh-bride. Through the trajectory of wedding preparations, events and post-wedding discussions, I was surprised to find my wedding as a stage for new sites of racialization and gendered stereotyping. Key elements within the Sikh wedding ceremony prompted and revealed a myriad of stereotypes linked to the Sikh community within this urban, Canadian city. Identity markers for my partner and I, such as Indian attire, wearing a turban and having a beard, were significant discussion areas. This autoethnography addresses the dislocation of my dual identified-embodiment; my resistance to being a singular, ‘traditional’ identity; and the hyper-visibility of my race and gender as I became a bride intersecting my Punjabi culture, Sikh faith and Canadian homeland.

Ashveer Singh, University of Chicago – Consuming   Memory, Producing Nostalgia: Reflections onBhangra scholarship and the North American Bhangra Circuit

Previous scholarship on the Punjabi folk dance and music genre bhangra has examined is performance and production from a cultural studies perspective.  Such scholarship examines Bhangra as a transnational phenomenon, its history as a musical movement in the United Kingdom, and various narratives of identity and multiculturalism in the US and the UK.  In this paper I review the literature onbhangra, critiquing it from an anthropological approach.  What is missing from much of research is sustained ethnographic analysis in any time or place, which I argue has concealed the strong Punjabi nationalism and identity politics evinced by North American bhangra circuit.  I submit that this circuit is the dominant producer of bhangra performances, and by its transnational electronic viewership is shaping the global imaginary of bhangra.

Jasmine Singh, UCLA – “Everything I’m Not Made Me Everything I am”: The Racialization of Sikhs in the United States

Sikhs in the United States have long endured a complicated and ambiguous racial status. Since the time of their earliest immigration to today, they have been stripped of their self-identity and “re-defined” by the racer. Sikhs have been essentialized as Hindus, marginalized, forgotten, and, in recent times, misidentified and demonized. Sikhs have experienced a unique3 process of racialization that has been largely unexplored. Understanding and investigating the racialization of Sikhs can provide a “much needed and more complete understanding of the operation of White supremacy in the subordination of each individual as well as all racialized groups.

Gurpreet Sehra, University of Manitoba – Sikh-Punjabi Identity in Flux: Examining Youth Masculinity in the Diaspora Through Art

I am questioning the construction of my identity and that of the Sikh-Punjabi diasporic community. I am particularly interested in exploring Sikh-Punjabi masculinity and the male body as a site of fetishization, in the Canadian and North American diasporas. Through the depiction of youth and hip hop-based Sikh-Punjabi masculinities, I contest and question the kind of impact these representations could have on other gendered positions, such as my own position as a Sikh-Punjabi female. Using poetic visual language, painting, performance and moving images, I intend to transform and subvert notions of masculinity and femininity. In looking more specifically and directly at constructions of Sikh-Punjabi youth masculinity, I explore conceptions of gender as related to aggression, feminization, racism, homophobia, xenophobia, cultural appropriation and power.

Harpreet Neelam – An exploration of Partaal and its significance in the rendition of the shabad “Mohan Neend Na Aavey Haavey”

There is a long tradition of Gurbani being sung and performed as kirtan in raag. An aspect of kirtan rarely explored is the importance of taal, the accompanying rhythmic elaboration of kirtan. A further extension of the rhythmic aspect of kirtan is the use of partaal, defined by Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha as “verification, scrutiny, check, checking, audit, enquiry, investigating, confirmation.” In this presentation I shall be giving a rendition (composed by Professor Tara Singh and elaborated and taught by Professor Paramjeet Singh) of a shabad of the fifth form Guru Arjan Dev Ji in raag Bilaval and rhythmical instruction of partaal, from panna 830 of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib, rwgu iblwvlu mhlw 5 Gru 13 pVqwl <> siqgur pRswid ] mohn nId n AwvY hwvY hwr kjr bsqR ABrn kIny ] aufInI aufInI aufInI ] kb Gir AwvY rI ]1] rhwau ]. Through this rendition I hope to demonstrate that there is a need to further explore, in terms of both music theory and as a spiritual exercise, what exactly is the significance ofpartaal as an “instruction” in the heading of the shabad.

Loveleen Kaur, Wilfrid Laurier University – Sikh marriage as an act of Resistance: The case of Sikhs as Hindus in the Hindu Marriage Act and its implications on the diaspora

As Sikhs have become an increasingly transnational community, there is a continuous negotiation of cultural/spiritual knowledge, customs, and traditions that are carried through to the next generations. Marriage has been an important way in which communities connect to the past, live in the present and move to the future. However, I would argue that in many cases, the ‘Sikh’ in Sikh marriage has become lost among the celebration.  Looking at historical occurrences of Sikh marriage, it becomes evident that the Sikh Gurus intended for the institution of marriage to be one of political resistance. Sikh marriage in the diaspora can be used as a subversive force that does not require acceptance by the dominant hegemonic culture.

Kiranpreet Dhillon, University of Southern California – Covering Turbans and Beards: Title VII’s Role in Legitimizing Religious Discrimination Against Sikhs

The story of the Sikh who is not given a job or is fired despite being qualified because he wears a turban or has a long beard is one we have all heard time and again. The story we rarely hear is of the Sikh who succeeds on a claim of religious discrimination against such an employer. This paper analyzes why this is the case by looking at the intersection of the religious accommodation provision and the grooming codes doctrine under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and argues that this disparity is due to the fact that Title VII legitimizes the very discrimination it was meant to remedy and protect against.

Kirpa Kaur, SAFAR/SikhRI/IamCommunity – Hair Speaks: Sikh Women Voicing Spiritual, Sexual and Identity Body Politic

This paper will attempt to draw attention to one of the five Kakkars of the Khalsa – Kesh, through a critical feminist perspective questioning what hair on the body constitutes as Kesh? How? By who? And For whom? Through this inquiry, I will highlight a journey of layered complexities and questions that Khalsa-initiated women silently negotiate their bodies within. As a Khalsa-initiated woman, I am forced to propel myself into a place of negotiation where my voice, access to identity, and my sexuality is dictated twice over- once within the Western imposed ideals of what is feminine and what is not and then again within Sikh spaces, where the accepted norms have been cultivated by and continue to be located in male voices and history. In this paper, I will engage in an autoethnographic and ethnographic analysis of narratives of the initiated as well as pre-contemplative Khalsa-initiated women in terms of their spiritual, sexual and identity body politics and experiences whilst living in the Sikh diaspora.

Guneeta Bhalla – Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory/1947 Partition Archive – The Rewards and Challenges of Documenting Partition Through Citizen Journalism.

In 1947, the newly formed governments of India and Pakistan enforced an unprecedented population exchange that sent Muslims West into Pakistan, and Sikhs and Hindus East into India. The most recent estimates reveal that over 20 million individuals were displaced, while over 1 million lost their lives.  South Asia today is still reeling from the profound transformations left in the wake of Partition, yet, the consequences are hardly studied within academic realms, when compared to other twentieth century calamities. One year ago, a few ordinary citizens realized what a great loss the lack of Partition knowledge has been for our identity and cultural heritage. Since then, nearly eighty volunteers have helped collect and preserve nearly 300 stories.  Here I discuss the rewards and challenges of documenting the world’s largest human displacement, one story at a time.

Over winter break, nearly 20 students participated in the Jakara j.Korps initiative that seeks to explore the issue of immigration.  Here is a photo-essay composed by Josh Singh.

During winter break 2011 members of the Jakara Movement were brought together for the first annual SUJH Alternative Winter Break to examine the issue of immigration first-hand by visiting the so-called ground zero, the Mexi-Cali border.  The issue of illegal immigration continues to be brought to the forefront as witnessed in the divisiveness this issue caused among 2012 Republican primary candidates and the recent rise of nativist sentiment that has been fueled by deteriorating economic conditions.  In 2006, huge protests calling for a more open and humane immigration policy were lead mostly by our Chicano/a and Latino/a brothers and sisters.  The Sikh-American response to this issue however has been largely indifferent and silent.  Through this trip, our goal was to break down commonly held conceptions about undocumented migrants and their journey into the U.S. (sujh=becoming aware).  One of the most common misperceptions among people is that illegal immigration is a Latino-centric issue and therefore primarily deserves attention from that community. However, as seen in the LA times article earlier this year highlighting the increasing number of undocumented Punjabi workers in the U.S. (1600 were caught and detained in 2010 alone), this is hardly the case. It is imperative for us to stand in solidarity with other communities, especially on issues we have a personal stake in.  Otherwise, how can we expect them to support issues that are deeply important to us?

Day 1- Orientation/Friendship Park

The day began with an orientation from Border Angels, our partner organization.  Here is a brief description from their website:

Founded by Enrique Morones in 1986, Border Angels is a non-profit organization supporting humanity. The organization consists of extraordinary volunteers who want to stop unnecessary deaths of individuals traveling through the Imperial Valley desert areas and the mountain areas surrounding San Diego County, as well as the areas located around the United States and Mexican border. The high percentage of unnecessary deaths have been results of extreme heat and cold weather conditions, in addition some have sadly been the results of racial-discrimination crimes. Steps Needed To Be Taken Spring and Summer Months: With horrifically hot temperature conditions, hundreds of rescue stations are located along the ten state US Mexico border region. Temperatures reaching as high as 127 degrees, water is critical for survival. Volunteers maintain stations throughout the spring and summer months. Fall and Winter Months: Critical life-saving stations are established throughout the San Diego Mountain areas. Winter clothing, food and water are placed in winter storage bins to help decrease negative health results from being exposed to the incredibly freezing temperature changes that exists in the San Diego County mountain areas during the Fall and Winter. Awareness and Support Educating citizens and government dignitaries on the status of weather related deaths and racial-discrimination crime deaths is crucial in gaining support in the volunteer, donation and jurisdiction areas. Border Angels are proud supporters of Equal Rights.

On the first day, we explored Friendship Park, a historically significant site in the immigrant rights’ movement.  Situated right along the Pacific Ocean, it marks the beginning of the U.S.-Mexico border fence.  In the past, separated families on both sides of the border would meet at this location.  Bush-era policies have resulted in significant construction additions to the fence, making face-to-face communication impossible in recent years.  Border Angels and several organizations are working on making this a more open, friendlier environment as it was intended.  To read more about the history of Friendship Park, you can go on their website here.

Enrique Morones, Angels’ founder, told us several personal stories of his experiences organizing the Marcha Migrante.  This annual march occurs in remembrance of the individuals who have died crossing the border and to show support for immigration reform.  As mentioned above, the march in 2006 received a great deal of media coverage and consisted of protests throughout the country.  One of the most inspiring parts of the trip was to see how Enrique has completely devoted his life and career to the cause of immigrant rights as human rights.

Another issue our group sought to explore was undocumented migrants’ access to healthcare.  Later that evening, we read and discussed a dissertation related to healthcare access among Punjabi migrants in Germany (read an interview with the author here).  Aside from describing the immense risks these immigrants were willing to take in order to reach Europe, this article highlighted the challenges that they faced in trying to obtain basic health services.  It also revealed the huge importance of the gurdwara as a place where one could meet contacts in order to obtain access to medicines and basic healthcare services, as well as jobs.

Day 2- Desert/El Centro Gurdwara

We began our second day with heading out towards the Imperial Valley.  Our first stop was along the U.S.-Mexico border wall.  Surrounding us were Border Enforcement patrols (who were unwilling to talk to us) while their helicopters were continuously circling us above.    We were able to talk extensively with a young boy living on the Mexican side of the fence.

A few miles off the highway, Enrique showed us areas in the canyons that migrants often cross, miles upon miles of desert and rocky terrain.  He told us personal stories of the people he has met, helped, and learned from.  It was incredible to see the lengths that potential migrants are willing to overcome, crossing severely inhospitable areas all in the pursuit of a better life.   We left several humanitarian items including water and blankets along the paths for any potential wayfarers.  In the spirit of Bhai Khaniya, no one shall die of thirst.  Dehydration and environmental conditions are the top causes of death for people attempting to cross.  We also learned about so-called minute men who often slash the water bottles left by border angels and other groups.

We then stopped at a local cemetery in Holtville, CA.  In the front of the cemetery are the usual tombstones, grass, and flowers, but in the back of the cemetery is what is referred to as the “potter’s field”.  It is here where hundreds of people, most often unidentified, are given their final resting place.  The local county sends the bodies there.  Over 700 people have been buried there since 2010 alone.  It is the largest unmarked mass burial site in the United States.  Most are only marked by a brick that reads ‘John/Jane Doe.’  In the future, many of our own Sikh brothers and sisters may wind up there.  For many of these unidentified migrants, no word is ever sent to their families and loved ones miles away.  It was very reminiscent of Jaswant Singh Khalra’s work, reminding us that this uncertainty is the worse part.  Border Angels puts crosses on these spots that read “No Olividados” (Not forgotten), so while we may not know the names and backgrounds of these men and women, collectively they have not been forgotten.

On our way back to San Diego, we visited the Gurdwara in El Centro. This historical gurdwara documents the early 20th century settlement of Sikhs in California and is the second oldest Gurdwara in the United States, after the first in Stockton, CA.  The PBS documentary Roots in the Sand explores the early Punjabi-Mexican community of the Imperial Valley.  At the Gurdwara, we met up with David Dhillon, a descendant of this pioneering community and a former mayor of the town.  He described the significant efforts made by these early Punjabi immigrants to make the barren land productive enough for farming.  Since most of their children and grandchildren were raised Catholic in accordance with their mother’s religion, including David, there are virtually no descendants of this community who identify themselves as Sikh.   Although the gurdwara once had a thriving sangat, there are only a few families who come here today.  Given the limited economic opportunities in this region, the future of this historic gurdwara and the local sangat remains to be seen.

Day 3-Day Laborers

Our final day was spent visiting the local Home Depot.  We met with Luis and a number of day laborers.  We brought them lunches and water, and provided them information about local health clinics.  With smiles and a shake of hands, they expressed their gratitude.  They expressed no political rants, but simply told us their amazing stories of the sacrifices they made in all in the pursuit of a better life.  Border Angels is currently working with the city of San Diego to make the day laborers’ space a public loading zone.

Many of our preconceived notions and myths were broken down.  Some of these myths include:

So now is something big and exciting.  For years a criticism of the Jakara Movement was that it was California-centric.  Recently an exciting collaboration opportunity availed itself.  Sevadars of the annual Surat Sikh Conference were seeking fresh blood and ideas.  The Jakara Movement was seeking an opportunity to begin unveiling its numerous local projects in more venues.  Synergies were found and Surat-Lalkaar 2012 was born.

The theme will be similar - Kaur Voices: Exalt, Express, Empower. At the conference, we will begin the exploration of the complexity of the ways genderism, sexism, and even casteism affect our relationships as individuals and how they manifest as a community. We will begin the first steps in a conversation to challenge these hierarchies and discuss how we can put into practice the vision of the Gurus and their celebration of equality.

Exciting guests speakers include Kirpa Kaur, a Youth Case Worker for the largest youth and young adult Crisis Shelter Program in Vancouver, British Columbia and Kulvir Singh, a founder of the Seva Food Bank.

The Surat-Lalkaar 2012 has a limited number of spots available.  It ALWAYS sells out, often in a matter of hours.  Don’t get left behind! Registration will be opening TODAY (December 11, 2011) at 12pm EST.  We hope to see you there!

Check out more details at www.sikhconference.org

Definition: Seva means service. In Sikhism, seva refers to selfless service for altruistic purposes on behalf of, and for the betterment of a Community.  Sikhs have a tradition of seva. A sevadar is one who performs seva through philanthropic, voluntary, selfless, service.  Seva is a means to promote humility and demote egoism which is a basic concept of the Sikh religion and is one of three fundamental principles of Sikhism

Now that another Thanksgiving has come and gone, we can all say that we are thankful for many things: A warm house, food on our tables, and the clothes on our backs and a loving family. But what about the people who are not as fortunate to have these things? Together we will partake in selfless service or Seva raising money to purchase food, and collecting clothes to then distribute them to the less fortunate. In hopes that our small helping hand will help them through the winter.

So far we have collected $100 PLEASE help us raise money. Though we are all strapped for cash, we HAVE a community to turn too, so ask your family, friends and loved ones for donations. As Sikhs, let’s do something that is in part REQUIRED of one, to help not the poor or someone “LESS” than us but those equals who have had a rough life.

If you can’t donate money now, please donate your valuable time. It’s a ONE day event and maybe it will inspire new younger generation of Sikh to acknowledge and take actions against the severe crisis in our own backyards.

According to the Washington Post 43.5 percent of Fresno’s poor live in extremely poor neighborhoods (where more than 40 percent of the residents live below the federal poverty line — $17,600 a year for a family of four).

Now with the recession, you can count on more young and homeless on the streets of Fresno. STAND UP Singhs/Kaurs!

Items you can donate:

• Tooth Brush
• Tooth Paste
• Dental Floss
• Bandaids
• Underwear
• Neosporin
• Cortisone Cream
• Cotton Swabs
• Listerine
• Deodorant
• Nail Clippers
• Baby Wipes
• Thick Socks
• Batteries
• Feminine hygiene products
• Blankets
• Sweaters/Sweats

Invite your friends please and forward the message, together, we are the movement.

Please fill out the following registration form if you wish to volunteer and it will also give you the option to help with donations:

Last year Bakersfield, Seattle, and Sacramento joined in on the event and planted the seeds there.

In 2011, we expect for it to grow even further.  We will update this link with the dates of all the locations as we get them.  Read about it and then make it happen in your community.  Keep on checking for the latest updates.

At the Advancing Justice conference (10/27-28), one member talked about the Sikhs of the Central Valley, sharing insights, challenges, and futures.

At the American Public Health Association (10/27-31), Semran presented her qualitative study from our project – Ladoos: Pink and Blue – about gender preference in the Punjabi Sikh community in California.

Such presentations are necessary to connect with coalitions and allies.  We hope to continue these efforts in the future as well.