I had the pleasant opportunity this week to work with the folks at The Mash-Up Americans, a website and podcast that discusses the experiences of multi-identity Americans. Head over to their site to find out about the 11 things you wanted to know about Sikh turbans.
Categories: Education, Humor • Tags: The Mash-Up Americans, Turban, turbans
Besides mentioning Waris Ahluwalia, Soraya Roberts assesses the emergence and use of the Sikh turban in fashion, and the motivation for Sikh designers to incorporate the Sikh article of faith in their portfolio: “Having introduced turbans on the runway and having had such good press so far, I believe I have brought a little more awareness to this religion,” [designer Jeetinder Sandhu] tells The Daily Beast. “I believe people need to be more aware of Sikhism, because it’s a religion […]
Categories: Profiles • Tags: Dastar, Fashion, Jeetinder Sandhu, Singh Street Style, Turban, Waris Ahluwalia
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) describes the mistreatment of Jagjeet Singh, a Sikh truck driver from California, by the state of Mississippi’s justice system. Police officers and the judge responsible for his case not only failed to recognize Sikh articles of faith, but also harassed and discriminated against him based on their ignorance of these articles. It began with the police officers who arrested Jagjeet Singh in January of this year after he experienced a flat tire while driving […]
Categories: Civil Rights • Tags: court room, Jagjeet Singh, MDOT, Michigan, Mississippi, Pike County, Turban
A storm is continuing to brew in Canada’s province of Quebec where the provincial government is expected to propose regulations that limit freedom of religion in the province. Earlier this summer, the Parti Quebecois (PQ), the governing party, supported the Quebec Soccer Federation’s now-overturned ban on the patka (a form of turban worn by young Sikh boys), and it is expected that Quebec’s government will be proposing a ban on religious articles of faith such as the turban, hijab and […]
Categories: Civil Rights • Tags: Canada, Parti Québécois, Quebec, Quebec Soccer Federation, SAFAR, Sikh Feminist Research Institute, Turban, World Sikh Organization
To the north, Canada’s province of Quebec is seeking to prohibit religious symbols such as the wearing of the turban, yarmulke or headscarf by public employees in a political maneuver believed to be veiled in secularism. The move by Quebec’s provincial government follows in the footsteps of the Quebec Soccer Federation, who earlier this summer attempted to ban the wearing of the turban in amateur soccer in the province (the ban was lifted after national and international criticism and objection). […]
Categories: Civil Rights, Interfaith, Politics • Tags: Canada, freedom of religion, Immanent Frame, Kathleen Skerrett, Multiculturalism, Quebec, Religious symbolism, Secularism, soccer, Turban
In late July, at a theme park in Livermore, California (called Boomer’s Parks), several Sikh boys wearing patkas (a version of a turban for young Sikh boys) were not permitted to ride on go-karts because the owners of the attraction, Palace Entertainment, have a strict policy prohibiting loose hair or any kind of head-covering: “We’ve had a safety policy in place for quite some time at all our parks that prohibits hats, baseball caps, Yarmulkes,” [Palace Entertainment spokesperson Michele Wischmeyer] […]
Categories: Civil Rights • Tags: AMC Theatres, Boomer's Parks, California, Kirpan, Livermore, Palace Entertainment, patka, Turban
Little Sikhs and the Sikh Coalition have released a new brochure with instructions on how to tie a patka, a typical turban for young Sikh boys. This would have been helpful for my kindergarten teacher, who, when my patka once came off while playing in class, had no idea how to retie it on my head. My mother later gave a modified head covering to my teacher in case such an instance happened to me again, but I would imagine […]
Categories: Education, Sikhism • Tags: Keerat Kaur, Little Sikhs, patka, Saffron Press, Sikh Coalition, Turban
The Des Moines Register in Iowa features a dastar bandi ceremony (tying of the first turban) at a Gurdwara in the town of Johnston: About 100 people sat cross-legged on the floor watching Sunday’s ceremony. Midday light poured in the picture windows, lighting up the all-white interior of the temple. Members sang to the tune of a harmonium, an instrument similar to an accordion played on the ground. The five boys prepared to live out their commitments. Dastar bandi ceremonies […]
Categories: Sikhism • Tags: dastaar bandhi, dastar bandi, Des Moines Register, Iowa, Johnston, Turban
Gurmun Singh is a young Sikh high school student in California who just this week wore a full turban at school for the first time. He was nice enough to share his thoughts about his experience on this blog. Thank you and congratulations, Gurmun! I was born in New York, but now I live in California. I am 14 years old and I go to Sheldon High School as a freshman. I decided to wear a dastaar (turban) on Wednesday […]
Categories: Reflections • Tags: California, dastaar, Gurmun Singh, Turban
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