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Teaching and Understanding Sikhism
Citation preview
Teaching About
the Sikhs and
their
Contributions to
the World
Sean C.D. Colbert -Lewis, Sr. ,
Ph.D., NBCT
A s s t . P r o fe s s o r o f H i s to r y a n d M i d d l e
G r a d e s / Se co n da r y S o c i a l S t u d i e s E d .
N o r th C a r o l i n a C e n t ra l U n i ve r s i t y
Participants will explore the relevance of learning about Sikhism
and its global followers, the Sikhs.
Participants will highlight the key philosophies of the religion
Sikhism.
Participants will identify important figures associated with the
history of Sikhism.
Participants will l ink the global role that Sikhs had in leading to
the promotion of the American Civil Rights Movement.
Participants will address current misconceptions regarding the
Sikhs and examples of tragic events to stem out of them.
Participants will examine methods to change misconceptions
about the Sikhs.
LEARNER OUTCOMES
Sikh Basics
Khanda
the official religious
emblem of Sikhism.
God
(The Waheguru)
is all powerful!
Khanda
Kirpan
Chakra
Kirpan
The Khanda consists of four
symbols. The emblem gets its
name from the centerpiece
symbol, the double-edged
sword known as a khanda.
The Khanda represents God
as all powerful.
Chakra: The circular
emblem surrounding the
khanda symbol that
represents the idea of God
being without beginning or
end.
Kirpan: The two smaller
swords on each side of the
Khanda. They represent
fighting for justice!
THE GURUDWARA—THE TEMPLE OF WORSHIP
FOR SIKHS
The Sikh
Gurudwara of
North Carolina
A Sikh is a follower of the religion of Sikhism.
Sikhism is the world’s fif th largest religion and the world’s
fourth largest monotheistic religion.
Sikh is a word from the Punjabi language that means
“someone who learns” or “student.”
WHAT IS A SIKH?
Follow the teachings of the 10 gurus.
The 10th guru is the Sikh holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib
Pray daily.
Women and Men are equal.
No religion has dominance over another and respect for other religions and their followers.
Education leading to excellence and service (sewa) to the community and donating to charity.
Abstinence before marriage.
No alcoholic beverages or tobacco ever.
No caste system in the community.
No cutting of hair (Kesh).
Have pride in your Sikh beliefs and defend them as peacefully as possible.
Protect and defend the oppressed.
MAJOR IDEAS PRACTICED…
THE HARMINDAR SAHIB (THE ABODE OF
GOD) IN AMRITSAR, INDIA
Located in Amritsar, Punjab, India, Sikhs consider the gurudwara
as their holiest Sikh temple. Amritsar is the holiest city in the Sikh
religion. The original Guru Granth Sahib is housed within its doors!
Amritsar
GURU NANEK
(1469-1539)
How did
Sikhism
begin?
There is neither
Hindu nor
Muslim!
Guru = teacher
Born to Hindu parents.
Witnessed religious tensions between Hindus and Muslims
Hated the violence and death that took place.
The supernatural encounter with God while bathing in the Bein River
Followed his supernatural encounter with a determination to create his new religion that ended caste systems, promoted equality, and peace.
GURU NANAK, CONTINUED….
8 other gurus followed Nanek.
The tenth and final guru is the official religious holy book, “the Guru GranthSahib.”
The holy book consists of melodic versus written in Punjabi.
When reaching adulthood, devoted Sikhs engage in the coming of age baptismal ritual known as the Khalsa.
OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION
This ritual takes place in April on the festival of Vaisakhi, which is a celebration of the first five Sikhs to ever achieve the status of Khalsa…
To achieve Khalsa, one must make a lifelong commitment to adhere to the dictates of the faith…
A khalsa Sikh will always show faith through the wearing or the showing of five distinct items. (shown on the next slide)
THE KHALSA
Kesh: Long, uncut hair.
Most male and some female
Sikhs wear turbans to cover
their kesh.
Kirpan: short sword that
symbolizes fighting evil.
Kangha: small wooden
comb to help keep hair fixed.
Kara: a steel bracelet
worn to remind Sikhs
that there is one God
and one truth without
beginning or end.
Kachhehra: short
pants/underwear.
Represents changing of new
way, chastity, and flexibility in
battle.
Dr. Manmohan Singh—Oxford University educated, current prime minister of India. He is the first fol lower of Sikhism to ever hold the of fice. India is the world’s second most -populated nation and has nuclear weapons capabil i ty.
Mrs. Nikki Haley (Nimrata Nikki Randhawa)—current , incumbent Republican governor of the state of South Carol ina. As an Indian-American chi ld she was raised Sikh and attended gurdwara, but she conver ted fol lowing her marriage to her Methodist Christ ian husband. She sti l l attends gurudwara services on occasion in honor of her family roots.
FAMOUS MEMBERS OF THE GLOBAL SIKH
COMMUNITY
Nuvraj Singh Bassi—first Sikh Canadian
Football player ever.
Amrit Kaur and Rabindra Kaur—
contemporary British artists known
internationally for their Indian miniature
paintings.
FAMOUS MEMBERS OF THE SIKH
COMMUNITY, CONTINUED…
Following the April 13,1919, Amritsar Massacre (on the
religious holiday Vaisakhi) by the military of the United
Kingdom, the Sikhs became the first to solidify their alliance
with Mohandas K. Gandhi and his non-violence movement that
led to Indian and Pakistani independence.
A LITTLE KNOWN BUT POWERFUL SIKH
CONTRIBUTION TO THE WORLD!
Pbs.org
THE DREAM FOR ALL AMERICANS AS WELL AS ALL
INDIANS STARTED WITH THE SAME DREAM THE GURU
HAD…AN END TO OPPRESSION, PROMOTION OF EQUALIT Y,
AND NEEDLESS VIOLENCE!
Member of the Arabic/Bedouin ethnic group.
Sikhism is an offshoot of Islam
Sikhism is an offshoot of Hinduism
Violent radicals
Terrorists or Terrorist-sympathizers
TROUBLING MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT SIKHS
(ESPECIALLY THOSE OF INDIAN ETHNICITY)
The first week alone following the terrorist attacks on Sept.
11, 2001, “Sikhs.org” reported a total of 141 hate crimes
stretching from Washington state to Washington, D.C.
Balbir Singh Bodhi (1949-2001)—September 11, 2001
THE GRAVE CONSEQUENCES TO STEM OUT OF
MISCONCEPTIONS
“I stand for America
all the way! … I’m
an American. I am
a patriot.”
• 49 year-old father of
three.
• Gas station owner
shot as he was
planted flowers.
• Community leader
who gave children
candy when they
visited his gas
station store.
“I’m going to go out and shoot
some towelheads!”
Sterling Heights (Detroit), Michigan—gurudwara
under construction vandalized—February 6, 2012
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdDDF1fmPbg
The massacre at The Sikh Temple of Wisconsin (Oak
Creek, Wisconsin)—August 5, 2012
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2012/08
/10/pkg-rowlands-inside-sikh-temple.cnn
GRAVE CONSEQUENCES, CONTINUED…
WHAT WILL YOU DO TO PROMOTE MORE
LEARNING OF THE SIKH COMMUNITY AND END
MISCONCEPTIONS?
(1988). Gibson, Margaret A., Accommodation Without Assimilation . Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.
(1989). McLeod, W.H., The Sikhs: History, Religion, and Society.New York: Columbia University Press.
(1990). Grewal, J.S., Sikhs of the Punjab , revised edition. Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge University Press.
(1997). Bowker, John., World Religions . New York: DK Publishing.
(2001). Penney, Sue., Sikhism . Chicago: Heinemann Library/Reed Educational & Professional Publishing.
(2005). Buller, Laura. A Faith Like Mine . New York: DK Publishing.
REFERENCES