The Many Facets of Sikh: from India to the United States

“You don’t have to be a Sikh to do good.”

This one-hour film:

gives the history of the Sikh community in the USA, including why they came
explains the religion’s core beliefs
talks about Sikh contributions in agriculture, technology, and other areas
explains the importance to Sikhs of providing free food to all (langar)
shows off Sikh martial arts, including those horses
allows individual Sikhs to express what Sikhi means to them in daily life

--oneness, equality, service--

Sikhism, or “Sikhi”, is a religion. About half of all Sikhs in the United States live in California. There are other concentrations in New York City, in Washington State, and in and around both Chicago and Washington, D.C.

Sikhs believe we are all one to be treated with equal respect. They welcome, and feed, anyone who comes to their festivals and their gurdwaras, their temples – but if you do go, please be sure to take off your shoes and cover your head before entering. (They will provide you with a scarf for your head if you need one.)

The need to feed – called “langar” – means that not only at their own facilties but when there is a disaster (like covid or a war, or famine) they will try to help out with food, feeding anywhere between 100 and 10.000 or even at times, 100.000 people. Helping, or sharing, is one of the three core principles of the religion and they take this obligation very seriously.

The other two core values are the need to meditate, and to work actively in the community and earn an honest living.

The Sikh religion is some 500 years old, and it is said to be the fifth largest religion in the world in the number of adherents. Most Sikhs or their ancestors come from the Punjab region of northwestern India. They immigrated to the United States partly for better opportunities and partly to escape violence in India, especially (naturally enough) violence against Sikhs.

They first started coming to North America in the late 1900s. Many originally working in agriculture. Now, many run start-ups in Silicon Valley, or are scientific researchers, financial leaders, medical doctors and the like although there are still many farmers among them. Many live in Canada, as well as the United States. Baptized men usually wear a turban, and have a beard – requirements of the religion.

Over the years, they have faced much discrimination but have flourished in spite of this. Now, a large portion are middle class and above, and are highly respected.

WHY THIS DOCUMENTARY

Although not one of the largest immigrant communities in the United States, Sikhs have made outsized contributions to the country. Think of the “father of fiber optics,” the “peach king,” the president of the World Bank, and many others. In addition, the history of the community mirrors the history of other immigrant communities, something particularly important at this time. Plus learning more them can be a good antidote to hate crimes.

HELP US GET THIS ON NATIONAL TV

Mailing Address:

Palomino Productions
P.O. Box 8565
Berkeley, CA. 94707, USA