A TAILOR-MADE TURBAN
University of Windsor president Alan Wildeman, left, is fitted for a turban by Dilpreet Singh at the university on Monday during Sikh Awareness and Turban Day.
Sikh students at the University of Windsor eagerly shared their history and religion with anyone who wandered through the lobby of the CAW Student Centre Monday. A table filled with brightly coloured fabrics was ready for those who wanted to try out a turban and other displays held story boards telling of famous Sikh leaders, innovators, personalities and explaining the culture’s core values and long history.
“We come from a different country and people should know about our culture,” said Sanambreet Hunjan, who is earning a master’s degree in engineering.
“It’s important to be aware of our Sikh culture, to know we are different but we support people.” Each year, the Sikh Students Association and the Sikh Cultural Society of Windsor holds an Awareness and Turban Day. “There are a lot of misconceptions about our religion,” said Dilpreet Singh, president of the student association.
“Our core values are very similar to others. We believe in equality for all and people don’t know that. We proudly live in Canada and we want to make Canada a better place to live.”
Singh, like Hunjan, acquired his undergraduate degree in India before coming to the University of Windsor last year. Gurpreet Kaur is also pursuing a master’s degree in engineering in Canada. She only arrived in January, but took time from her studies to share her heritage.
“The Sikh religion is very much confused with other religions,” the 22-year-old said.
“This is about promoting the values of the religion, how you serve, sharing resources and doing selfless service.”
The core values of the Sikh religion reflect the belief in one God, gender equality, racial equality, working hard, sharing with others, helping others and living to the highest spiritual level. The displays profiled the careers of well-known Sikhs such as Canada’s Minister of Defence Harjit Sajjan, Dr. Narinder Singh Kapany who was instrumental in the development of fibre optics, Ajay Singh Banga, the CEO of MasterCard, and Princess Sophia Duleep Singh, who was a prominent suffragette in the United Kingdom. Another prominent Canadian Sikh, NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, has come under fire of late for comments on Sikh separatism and the question of violence to attain that goal.
Dilpreet Singh believes Jagmeet Singh has been unfairly portrayed by the media.
“He’s always encouraged young people and been for human rights. He believes in equality for all,” said Dilpreet, who has met Jagmeet several times through his own work with the NDP.
“He’s a wonderful guy.”
There are a lot of misconceptions about our religion. Our core values are very similar to others.