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Century of Struggle and Sucess The Sikh Canadian Experience by Sandeep Singh Brar Part IV Sense of Identity |
 In order to 'fit in' as much as possible Sikhs adopted European clothes and relegated their ethnic clothes only to be worn in the Gurdwara if worn at all. Having shed their cultural appearance, some decided to go even further and abandon the visible religious articles of the Sikh faith, the uncut hair, turban and kirpan.
"When we stopped in Hong Kong I bought some dresses. Everybody said that we couldn't land unless we dressed properly. The pioneers insisted that we dress like the other Canadian people. They would not let anyone dress differently, we had to show that we could fit in and be like the white people." (Pritam Kaur Johl) "My two brothers were working at Sooke Lake in the sawmill. They came to see me the day after I landed in Victoria. First thing in the morning, Bunt said, 'Let's go to town.' We went to town to a Japanese barber. They made me sit down and get a haircut. He said, 'I don't want you to wear this turban around here.' He then took me to buy some new clothes, thicker clothes for winter." (Kuldeep Singh Bains) "These nephews thought that if I shaved, I would make better progress in Canada. Gradually, they brought up the subject of my hair and beard, and then other things. It was very painful for me. They talked about Indian culture, how backward it was, and so on, without thinking that I could be well-informed about cultures and affairs around the world. In fact, they were generally well behind me. They came to acknowledge this, but all their talk was aimed at inducing me to shave. They wanted me to change my outer form, which was my God-given form. Quite a few times, I reminded them, 'Look here fellows, faith is faith. I don't feel inferior being an Indian or being a Sikh and I never thought it would be my own people who would hate my hair. No white man has done that to me so far.' In the beginning, these discussions were friendly. Then they became more combative. They frustrated me so much that, at one point, I told my brother-in-law, with tears in my eyes, 'I did not know that my hair would be an obstacle and I am greatly grieved.'" (Tara Singh Bains)
Vancouver City Schools
To whom it may concern: If the three Hindu boys wish to continue school here it will be necessary for them to remove their turbans and conform to the usual customs of the school. Yours very truly,
Sometimes even 'fitting in' physically was not enough in order to be accepted by Canadian society. One still had brow skin and an alien culture, and this was not easily accepted by some. In 1946 when Ajit Kaur and her widowed mother and six children decided to sell their farm in Kelowna and buy a house in the city but they were stopped by neighbors from moving in. The neighbors felt that the 'Hindus' would lower the property value of the area. The family had already purchased the house for $6,000 and had been all set to move in. Ajit Kaur fought the case in the city council and was eventually allowed to move in, where over time she would go on to win the trust and friendship of the many previously angry neighbors. |
The pressures to conform ones physical appearance did came from all sides, not only family and internal pressures, but when trying to get a job, or even going to school.
