Photos - Sikh-Irish citizens celebrate St. Patrick's Day in Dublin, Ireland, surrounded by historical buildings harking back to the country's revolutionary era. A 9-ft high Nihang/leprechaun and bhangra revellers join the parade.
History
The Irish Troubles
by CHARLIE ADLEY
"They're not the same as us, Charlie".
Looking deep and long into his Irish eyes, I wonder if he has any idea how that sounds to this Englishman.
"And what is 'Us', exactly?"
"Sure, we're the same, kind of, y'know. These fellas are different. Nothing wrong with them, mind, but not, y'know, just not like you and me".
Oh right, so now all of a sudden we're the same, kind of, are we?
This could have been a moment of great celebration. Having first set foot upon Irish soil fifteen years ago, I have been only too conscious of being English.
If this little verbal exchange had opened the door to a life free from historical slagging, from gentle ribbing all the way to lacerating livid hatred, I might have been jumping up and down with glee.
But I wasn't, because it didn't.
Far from a liberating leap beyond the muddy shite of bigotry, yer man had merely promoted me in some kind of Racism Premier League.
Mind you, if the English are suddenly looking good (or at least, not so bad) to the Irish, you'd better be sure somebody else is getting it in the neck.
For months, years, I've been in agony, listening to lovely, intelligent and lucid Irish people speaking indescribable drivel about immigrants, immigration, racism and xenophobia.
And then I realised that I was wrong.
No, no, no. I haven't suddenly seen beauty in fascism. There will be no burning upside-down crosses on the Adley lawn.
I was wrong because I pooh-poohed and ridiculed the Irish as they raved about the size and speed of the change. I was adamant that immigrants made up only a tiny percentage of the population, and then the census showed otherwise.
It was in England last week that I realised why I had failed to see the situation clearly.
Where I grew up, people of all colours, creeds and cultures lived together with a common nationality.
They didn't always get on with each other, but few ever doubted that they came from one nation.
The reason I failed to notice how many immigrants there were in Ireland was because this place is still a million miles away from that.
I love Ireland and the Irish, but I will love Ireland and the Irish a whole lot more when the native white Catholics stop being fearful of everything and anything that they perceive as different; when they realise how ridiculous are their demands for everyone to behave as they do; when they see how ignorant it is of them to want, expect and insist different people from different countries to completely conform and comply.
I will love Ireland and the Irish a whole lot more when they learn to love difference. The reason ye all got so upset with the Rev. Ian Paisley when he criticised the "mono-ethnic monotheistic mono-cultural State" is that it was true.
Horribly true.
Bloody hard taking it from him, I'll admit, but true nonetheless.
Enlightenment has to first be administered by government.
The deeply sad truth is that while people like Conor Lenihan are happy to deny Sikhs employment in the Garda Siochana by banning the right to wear turbans; while it is acceptable for a Minister to display such arrogance as to declare that Sikhs must "fit in with our culture"; while we have a government that sanctions the withdrawal of that most basic human right: the freedom to worship, positive change will take generations.
When people are sent to prison for incitement to racial hatred, (as they are in civilised countries); when it is illegal for newspapers to report the ethnicity of a suspected perp (a Romanian did this, a non-national did this and a foreign national did that), unless it is relevant to the story, we might stand a chance.
I'm not crying for the moon here. Just asking, hoping, praying for a realisation to dawn upon the Irish psyche.
Yes, racism will always be with us. Despite losing six million of our own people to the Nazi gas chambers, I still have to endure the racist nonsense I hear in the Jewish homes of Northwest London.
But we do know that difference is good. Some people eat different food than us, sweat a different smell than us and sing a different song. They pray to a different god and go to different heavens. But they love their children, like to live in peace and enjoy good health.
Stop and wonder how it sounds when you wax lyrical about how great your country was with only one skin colour and one religion.
"Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Führer!" ring any bells?
Let's talk cake. Immigrants in Ireland are at the moment just the icing on Ireland's cake. They sit on the outside of your society, visible and obviously different. Already they offer something new, something sweet and exciting, but they are far from being an essential part of the fabric of our everyday lives.
With racism spared for the English, the Travelling community and Protestants in the North, the old Irish sponge cake was a bland ethnic affair. Completely white and mostly Catholic, any change or integration was resisted.
Ever since your independence, all you've had is one flavour, one colour and one shape.
Now you have the chance to add something to the sponge.
Instead of fuming about how the eastern European fella has an '05 Opel Astra, or being upset because the funny-looking woman is talking with a funny-sounding accent; instead of walking past a black taxi driver at the rank, or refusing a drink to anyone who looks nothing like your own family, add a little Essence of Wisdom to the mix.
Instead of leaving out all the new and different ingredients, to later scrape as icing hanging on the edges, why not layer the sponge with different flavours?
Irish culture is unique, strong and often wonderful. It will survive intact, but your lives will be richer with humanity, and happier for the variety.
If all this cake stuff seems a tad trite and simplistic, that is because it is simple.
Instead of hanging on to the way you've always been, make that leap: The greater the variety of colours, flavours, sugars and spices, the mightier the cake.
Sure, you never know. Maybe the Irish layer cake will taste better than you ever imagined.
[Article, courtesy: Charlie Adley's Double Vision. Photos, courtesy: Sartaj/RestoringThePride.com]
Conversation about this article
1: Ruby Kaur (Oxford, England), September 25, 2007, 1:40 PM.
Integration is a two way street. Sikhs have to integrate fully in the western societies in which they now live. In some parts of the diaspora, a certain percentage of Sikhs is failing to do that, forming ghettoes and failing to embrace the society they live in. Recently a high profile case in London came to light when a Sikh woman was murdered in an 'honour killing' by her husband and mother-in-law because she wanted a divorce. A play in Birmingham was stopped after violence and death threats, destroying the value of freedom of speech, a value that allows Sikhs the freedom to practise our religion in British society. In Canada there are problems of extremism. This is not the whole Sikh story. The majority of Sikhs do integrate and live productive and honest lives and contribute immensely to the societies in which they live. However, we should never lose sight of our responsibilities to leave behind cultural baggage that has no place in the U.K., U.S.A. and Canada, and always challenge the people who refuse to integrate fully into our new societies, who retreat into mental and physical ghettoes, and fail to live up to the principles we like to proclaim so loudly.
2: P.C. (Washington D.C., U.S.A.), September 26, 2007, 1:30 AM.
Why is integration in the West the key to addressing problems whose origins are in the culture, history, and economy of Punjab? Why do you think the answer lies in embracing "western" values and society? Surely it's possible to progress as a Sikh community while maintaining a distinct Sikh identity...
3: Ruby Kaur (Oxford, England), September 26, 2007, 1:26 PM.
Well P.C., there is a high correlation between insularity and cleaving to backward cultural practices, and a reluctance to integrate. You sound offended that anyone should even posit that we have to embrace Western society. Let me ask you a question. If the thought of embracing the society you live in repels you so much, why are you living in that society? Leaving behind the dysfunctional cultural attitudes that originate in Punjab requires an openess to the culture and opportunities afforded by the societies of the U.K., U.S.A. and Canada. The two phenomena go together.
4: P. Singh (Vancouver, Canada), September 26, 2007, 8:42 PM.
Ruby, I don't buy your analysis as a whole, though I believe there is something to be said for "leaving the bad, and keeping the good" when it comes to cultural practices, be they western or eastern. That said, your comments appear to be positing a position where embracing Western society in wholesale fashion is somehow an answer to all negative aspects existing in an "immigrant" culture - I disagree. Many cultural values and ethics of immigrant groups have great potential to enrich the Western societies in which these immigrants live; moreover, many aspects of Western culture are definitely better left un-embraced, being rather "backward" themselves. From a Sikh perspective, I see absolutely no reason why a strong Sikh identity cannot exist successfully in a Western world and see no reason to blindly integrate for the sake of homogeneity. In reference to your "honor-killing" example, there is certainly no room for such practices in any culture; however, it is as misleading to use that example in support of wholesale integration, as it would be misleading for me to use examples of rampant sexual abuse in Western churches, and other plentiful examples of pedophilia, serial rapists, and mass murderers found in Western society as an argument for outright "insularity".
5: Ruby Kaur (Oxford, England), September 27, 2007, 11:27 PM.
P.Singh, nowhere in my analysis do I say that Sikhs have to in any way discard their essential, decent values. I say they have to live up to them, and not retreat into backward cultural practices. And you cannot deny that there is a part of Sikh diaspora society that is stuck in an insular cultural paradigm that has not progressed much past the Punjabi village. Just look at some of the problems we are faced with in the diaspora; examples like forced marriage, honor killings, there is evidence of female foeticide affecting gender ratios amongst North American Sikhs, domestic violence, the ever present retreat into a fundamentalist politics, writers and dissenters being ostracised and threatened. All of these things are present to various degrees amongst a minority of us. This is a call to vigilance. Whilst Sikhs are always ready to raise their voices against discrimination from outside, we are too often silent on the inequalities and injustices that occur inside us. The majority of Sikhs are integrated and sccessful, culturally, emotionally, spiritually. But some of us are not, and we have to always be aware of this.
6: Palwinder Singh Ghuman (Vancouver, Canada), September 29, 2007, 12:07 AM.
Re Ruby's comment: Being a Punjabi doesn't automatically mean you are a Sikh. Punjab-ism is not the same as being a Sikh ... they don't reside in the same place. Sikhism is a nation without borders, Sikhi is based on an ultra-modern philosophy.
7: Roma Rajpal (Santa Clara, U.S.A.), September 30, 2007, 8:26 PM.
Excellent analysis, Ruby! Beautifully written too! It is extremely important to realize that our children are being raised in an environment and culture that is vastly different from the one we were raised in. There is no question about their integration into the new culture. It will happen automatically. We cannot stop it and it would be extremely unfair if we tried to. This world is our children's world, it is THEIR culture. It is THEIR land. They consider themselves Americans first before Indians. All cultures have their positives and negatives and no culture is superior to another! For most people, it is a huge challenge to balance this mixing of cultures. It becomes easier if we make an effort to integrate and adapt to the new environment: appreciate, accept, and adopt the positives of the new culture while retaining the best of our own culture. We have to do the best we can. What other choice do we have? We can't just close our eyes and pretend the world we live in is not ours. That would be wrong! It is our world and we should be proud of it. When we leave our country to go live in a different land, it is inevitable that "something's gotta give." And, it is alright. Can't have it all! Besides, aren't we always supposed to remember that the whole world is our family? That's what our Gurus taught us. So, why would some people refuse to integrate into other societies? We are all one big family and need to see the goodness, the beauty in all, in everything around us.
8: Roma Rajpal (Santa Clara, U.S.A.), September 30, 2007, 8:31 PM.
And, Charlie Adley, thank you for giving us this very interesting article! It's wonderful! Love the pictures too!
9: Roma Rajpal (Santa Clara, U.S.A.), September 30, 2007, 9:55 PM.
Palwinder Singh, with all due respect, I believe it is not Sikh-like to compare "Punjabi" vs. "Sikh". Sikhi is of course as you say, "ultra modern philosophy", but at the same time, we Sikhs don't follow all of the Guru's teachings and don't live up to the high Sikh ideals. Since we ourselves are full of shortcomings, it is not fair to compare ourselves to other people. I am sure you will agree that there will be many Punjabis living by the high Sikh ideals. Sikhs are not above any other people! We are all the same! We are not spared of our faults and shortcomings. We are also human. The Guru's message is universal. All nations/people believe in the same high values since God has given this to ALL of His people through different messengers. Our Gurus have clearly given the message over and over again that the values we live by, our actions, and the way we live our lives define who we are and how we are progressing spiritually. It's not by the place/religion/family we are born into. The fact is that if we are truly Sikhs, we can't put ourselves ahead of anyone else. We are all guilty of put downs and also, at other times, putting a person too quickly on a pedestal. Instead of judging others, we should focus on living our life with the values of truth, honesty, pure-heartedness, selflessness, and love for all.
10: Sonu (U.S.A.), October 01, 2007, 11:29 PM.
Notice the beautiful, vibrant colors of the Sikhs in stark contrast to the dreary grey and leafless trees of Dublin. I say Sikhs bring some good icing to a bland spongecake indeed! I agree with most of the comments here. Not all Sikhs are Punjabis, since Sikhi is a spiritual faith that can be embraced by anyone. That said, there are three sides to every story, and however the cards may fall, let us be sure that we stand by the Truth in the end. A proud Sikh American.
11: Palwinder Singh (Vancouver, Canada), October 02, 2007, 12:32 AM.
Roma Rajpal, I understand where your coming from but there are lots of fully devoted gursikhs out there (I not being one of them) who dedicate their whole being to the path. This is the reason I do not like to label Punjabis as Sikhs because it is not a birth right. How does a westerner become a Sikh? The western world sees Sikhs as heavey drinkers, for example, which is all due to the practices of some Punjabi Sikhs ... this is not the way to represent our Guru... You made some very interesting and truthful points. Sikh spirits should be high in wisdom, but grounded in humility. Even when we fall, though ... it is only a place to start from again.
12: Roma Rajpal (Santa Clara, U.S.A.), October 02, 2007, 11:16 AM.
Palwinder Singh, I do understand your perspective. But, the sad thing is that I can count on one hand the number of Sikhs I personally know who don't drink alcohol. Most of the educated Sikhs, the "ultra modern" Sikhs, who even keep long hair, drink alcohol socially. I feel that each person has the right to choose how they want to live their life and their occasional/social drinking behavior doesn't affect my love for them. But, I will never hesitate to say to anyone that alcohol has the potential of bringing many problems and havoc into our lives and that we should stay away from it. (I am so grateful to our Gurus for setting this restriction). Basically, this has been my own experience, but my experience/feelings have been confirmed over and over again by other Sikhs. Sikhs as a people are just like any other group of people in this world. One will find all sorts of people (from pure hearted to mean spirited) in our community, just like in any other community in this world. The good, the bad and the ugly.
13: P. Singh (Vancouver, Canada), October 02, 2007, 7:01 PM.
Ruby, While you did not say Sikhs have to give up their own value system, you did say "Sikhs have to integrate fully in the western societies in which they now live" in your initial post. While there is no denying certain people from the Punjabi culture, having Sikh traditions, harbor some "backward" thoughts and ideas, I do not believe "integrat(ing) fully" is the answer. If "integrat(ing) fully" was indeed the answer, it is premised on the thought that Western culture is somehow devoid of any flaws and "backward" thoughts and practices. I believe full integration would, in many cases, be a case of substituting one shade of "backwardness" for another shade of "backwardness'. Any integration Sikhs pursue, should be selective, and informed by Sikhi. In the end, I think its possible to find a livable balance, maintaining positive cultural traditions and ideas of the Punjab and the same from the west. Note: I am not a new immigrant to Canada yearning for the Punjab; I am a third/fourth generation Canadian, and consider myself more a product of the west than of the east. However, I have seen the lifestyles of branches in my family that adopted 'full integration' as their mantra, and have been left un-impressed.
14: tejwant (USA), October 02, 2007, 11:17 PM.
I think now we are taking the turn towards a bumpy road by getting into the semantics of the degree of integration we as Sikhs should endeavor into while residing in foreign lands. It is not about total integration or a partial one. It is about sharing our Sikh universal values with others. But to do that, we have to attain them for ourselves first. Our main objective is to have a better life for ourselves and for our kids like any other parents living anywhere. In order to do that, we as Sikhs are forced to make extra efforts because of our Bana. We all are aware that Bana makes us stand out, but we can not impose nor can we demand from others the understanding that wearing Bana automatically makes us outstanding, while being aware of the fact that it may not be totally true. There should be pro-active, loving but persuasive ways to create this understanding in the minds of those who are not capable of comprehending the importance of this, obviously due to the cultural differences. Let's share with our neighbors - irrespective of their hue, creed or faith - our Sikhi, which in turn will prepare them to combat injustice against anyone of any walk of life. It is the Rehat that makes us Sikhs, not the jekaaras in the City Square.
15: Roma Rajpal (Santa Clara, U.S.A.), October 03, 2007, 10:19 AM.
Rehat immediately identifies a Sikh, but not an outstanding Sikh. To be an outstanding Sikh, all the values taught by our Gurus come into play. Values of humility, kindness, forgiveness, truthful living, working hard, etc. and, above all, love for and service to all mankind.
16: Ruby Kaur (Oxford, England), October 04, 2007, 11:17 AM.
Are we confusing value integration with the discarding of religious symbols? I am talking of the former, not the latter. I know of so many fully integrated, progressive keshdari Sikhs. I know of many mona Sikhs whose values are completely out of kilter with the values of the society they live in, i.e. outwardly 'integrated', but inwardly backward, cleaving to all the oppressive honour/shame paradigms that cause so much pain and dysfunction. There is no hard and fast rule or boundaries here. Ultimately our levels of integration and understanding of what it means will be personal. We can all agree on that. I think we can also agree on the need for us to insist that we debate these things and, when nessecary, criticise those elements in our community who fail to live by the progressive values our religion ostensibly champions, and the values of the societies we live in as minorities in the West.
17: Jugraj Singh (Brampton, Canada), October 05, 2007, 12:22 PM.
What exactly does it mean to fully integrate into the Western Society? Many of you appear to have access to some sort of a instruction manual that you adhere to. Is there a certification process? How does one apply for and get this certificate of "Full Integration"? I see the Western Culture as an abstract and often contradictory mix of ever changing trends and values. I'd personally get a head-ache trying to get fully integrated. Some of you see the Western Society as some sort of a homogenous soup, but I see it as a badly made "mattar paneer di sabji". Are cases of spousal abuse non-existent in the Western World? Are cases of child abuse non-existent? I for one am against forced marriages, but arranged marriages are certainly a part of Sikhi heritage and a custom I find to be beautiful, not to mention infinitely fun and exciting! The Greeks have nothing on us! Sikhs have a beautiful culture that is their very own. I speak not of bhangra and defeaning vocals popularized by the likes of Harbhajan Mann. Rather, I recall the 52 poets that Guru sahib had in his darbar, the legacy of selfless service left by the likes of Bhai Kanhaiyya, the dhadhis who through their powerful and enchanting verses bring Sikh history to life, the countless Sikhs who make it a priority to do langar di seva, the perfectly crafted blades that are in display in hisotrical gurdwaras, the verses of Bhai Nand Lal which are so drenched in love for our Satguru, the wrestling matches and mohallas that were encouraged by the gurus ... the list goes on and on ... Why would I not celebrate the rich culture my guru has given me? If the guru intended for me to blend in with the masses, I wouldn't look so extraordinarily different. If we were meant to be fully integrated, we wouldn't be wearing kirpans and sporting dastaars. If Sikhs were meant to be fully integrated, then we wouldn't have been given these beautiful locks which even now tie us to Guru Gobind Singh. The kara is a constant reminder of my bond to the eternal masters. I am a contributing member of society (pay taxes, give to charities, etc.) and still don't accept much of what Western Culture has to offer. Why would I want to merge with western society when my own culture remains so vastly rich and unexplored? Remember: "Jab lag khalsa rahe niara, Tab lag tej dio main saara ...