“When we came over, our children could communicate in English because they knew English. They studied in Kenya, and they could communicate very well. There was no problem for them to integrate – not assimilate but integrate – with their local friends. We had the advantage to go to the Gurdwara, and we did a lot of volunteer work at the temple. And our children – both of our sons – took a very strong part in sports.”
- Gurdial Singh Neel

“The community came with turbans in 1914, and it took 50 years to slowly lose what they had from India. And when the professionals from India came in, now is another trend – like we can do that. We can stay where we are. Everybody’s globally accepted now. Why do we have to change?”
- Sutinder Kaur

Sikhs, like other groups who have come to Canada and the United States, are often caught between the tensions of maintaining their unique identity while adapting to Western culture. For some Sikhs, the transition to life in North America is easy, especially for those educated in the United Kingdom or other British Commonwealth countries. For others, including young Sikhs born and raised in North America, the challenges can seem overwhelming. While other immigrant groups have faced similar struggles, the Sikh experience is unique since the physical appearance of Sikhs is intimately tied to their strong religious beliefs and sets them visibly apart from the rest of society.

In recent years, conflicts between Sikh beliefs and Western cultural norms have resulted in discrimination within the workplace, on athletic teams, and at neighborhood schools. For Sikhs, maintaining uncut hair and wearing the turban is part of their very being yet employers have demanded them to cut their beards and remove their turbans or lose their jobs. Sports organizations have not allowed Sikhs to participate citing “uniform” regulations even though Sikh athletes have demonstrated that the turban and beard have not impeded their performance and fellow non-Sikh athletes have supported their participation as well. No tolerance weapons policies on school grounds have included the kirpan, the religious sword and foundational article of their faith, forcing Sikhs to deny their religion and identity at the earliest of ages.

Despite these pressures, Sikhs have remained true to their beliefs and fought to preserve their religious rights. They have petitioned courts to force companies to rehire Sikhs and change workplace policies. Sikhs have demonstrated excellence in the football, basketball and boxing arenas and paved the way for future athletes. Sikh communities have organized to educate school boards, principals and teachers and help develop policies that maintain school safety while preserving religious freedom. With rising Sikh populations in school districts, including reports of nearly 20% of the population in some Kent, Washington classrooms, the Sikh community is very much a part of the Pacific Northwest mosaic. Without compromising their identity and religious beliefs, Sikhs have worked hard to integrate into workplaces, schools, teams and neighborhoods and in doing so, have enriched the fabric of our society