The Globalization of Sikhism: India and CanadaBob Atwal
  MARRIAGE While I was in Punjab, I realized the impact of globalization on Sikh marriagesymbols. Family members, acquaintances, merchants and strangers would question meabout marriage constantly. I recall lying in a hospital bed suffering from food poisoningand thinking, "This really sucks that I'm sick! But wait a minute, no one has asked meabout getting married today. Is this what it takes to avoid the topic, illness? Thirty daysstraight of being asked at least once a day, about marriage, and finally I get a break." Staring up at the ceiling, I began to revel in this awakening and actually started to feelbetter. Then suddenly, the woman lying in the bed next to me, rolled over in obviousphysical pain and said, "So are you going to get married while you're here?" Asfrustration slowly replaced relief, I assumed that the woman must have overheard that Iwas a foreigner; consequently, she decided to make conversation and perhaps gain apotential husband for a family member. At this point all that I could do was sigh, andbegin the usual defense of bachelorhood. The more these sorts of conversations continued, the better understanding I gainedabout the significance of marriage. Traditionally, the majority of Sikhs have not evenquestioned the institution of marriage. Generation after generation, parents havearranged the weddings of their children. The criteria for a suitable marriage partner are caste, education, and wealth. It is believed that if these elements are given adequateconsideration, that both wife and husband have the necessary tools for a successfulmarriage. A successful person is someone who owns a house, has children and owns apiece of the global village. Potential marriage partners, who have access to resourcesoutside of India, are held in high regard. Many people, including myself, consider thefocus on foreigners as potential marriage partners, a rather vain and hollow marriagearrangement. "How can they be so superficial? The only reason that they are consideringme is because I am Canadian...and of course my caste doesn't hurt." However, there doesseem to be some reasoning behind a Punjabi father wanting his son-in-law to beCanadian. Sikhs come from the Punjab state, an area whose enlarging population puts increasingpressure on resources. It is easy for me to understand the thought process of amatchmaker or parent. "Well, I want my daughter to get married, but to whom? Who'sthat? Here's a single Canadian guy who not only doesn't seem too insane, but is also amember of the highest caste?" Parents realize that a single Indo-Canadian male like meis a viable way not only to acquire status, Canadian resources, but also a means ofhappiness for many brides. Ironically, many Indo-Canadian parents wish that theirchildren would marry an Indian spouse. Such a marriage arrangement is thought toincrease cultural preservation One might consider such marriage beliefs quitecompatible with one another. Many couples do find success in marrying acrossinternational borders; however, numerous others find the cultural differencesunbearable. On the surface, Canadian Sikhism and Indian Sikhism may appear identical,but below the surface there are countless disparities. When comparing the two Sikhisms,close attention needs to be paid to cultural roots. Traditional Sikhism is rooted in, andfed by Indian soil. Canadian Sikhism is rooted in, and fed by Canadian soil. Each soilhas it's own unique nutrients; it's own unique enculturation. As a result, beliefs aboutclothing have been shaped differently in Canada than in India. CLOTHING In India I came to the conclusion that clothing is a vital status symbol in Sikh society. While planning my trip I decided that I would wear traditional clothing and try to fit in. Unfortunately, I under-estimated the impact of so called 'appropriate dress'. Since I am aCanadian, the expectation is that I should dress Canadian. In their opinion I should wearjeans, a nice shirt, a gold watch and dress shoes. On a regular basis I would hearcomments such as, "Why are you wearing those rags? We used to wear those clothes inthe old days, when we were poor, but now we have money. You're Canadian! Why doyou dress like a derelict?" Television and print encourage Punjab's citizens to embraceWestern ideals of acceptable dress. The increasing demands of the global village inPunjab has labeled those who wear traditional clothing as 'country bumpkins'. Clothing exemplifies the contradictory nature of Canadian Sikh beliefs and IndianSikh beliefs. This is the difference between Indian media enculturation and Canadianmedia enculturation. In Canada the push for ethnic pride has led me to search out myroots and attempt to live traditionally. The Indian media encourages globalization, orperhaps even assimilation. This difference between the two societies was madeabundantly clear, not only in India, but also in Canada. When I returned to Canada I waspraised for wearing my 'country bumpkin' clothes. East Indian customs officers, ferrypassengers and other strangers supported my choice of dress. My parents' generation inCanada encourages their children to dress traditionally, while the same generation inIndia wants their children to dress more western. This demonstrates that even thoughmost Sikhs are very proud of their cultural roots, it is very difficult to resist the attractivenature of globalization. Sikhs are encouraged by big business to join Marshall McLuhan'sglobal village. The photograph below demonstrates the cleverness, and social awareness of largecompanies. In the background of the photo, to the right, reads a Canada Dry slogan,"Cool Off With Canada!" The advertisement is a good example of an indexical sign. The implication is, that buying Canada Dry gives consumers the opportunity to drinkwith Canada. Purchasing Canada Dry gives a thirsty individual a piece of Canada, or thewestern world. Big business encourages Punjab's people to become more western; as aresult, those who resist aesthetic symbols of status cause controversy. Multi-nationalshave utilized not only billboards, but also television to indoctrinate the masses.
TELEVISION AND FILM The very nature of television and film causes conflict even though viewers maybelieve television consumption reduces turmoil. Television and film is commonly usedby Sikhs, who are often unaware of the subversive nature of the media, to strengthentheir communities. Sikh television shows and films allow Canadian Sikhs to glimpse attheir roots and allow Indian Sikhs to see 'their future'. "You kids should watch thismovie. It'll teach you about our culture. See that man farming, that is what I used to doin India." The increasing number of Sikh programs and personalities on Canadiantelevision have been a source of pride for the community. My parents' generation is ableto gain some satisfaction from my generation entering the 'professional' world. "When Icame to Canada, I was scared to wear my turban so I took it off. I was scared to have abeard, so I cut it off too. When I watch movies on television, I know things havechanged. I turn on the television and I see Monika Deol, Sunjay Dutt and Moe Sihota. Iam so proud of our culture, we came here with nothing, and look at us now!" In PunjabSikhs are encouraged by these 'successful' people to come to Canada. These images of'successful' Sikhs can be empowering; they can also cause conflict and disharmony. Inboth India and Canada, parents and children learn that certain careers are 'professional'and that others are not. Unfortunately many Sikhs do not realize that striving forCanadian 'professionalism' inherently brings cultural change. Becoming a lawyer inCanada does not solely entail status, power and wealth. A Sikh law student cannot helpbut absorb some Canadian lawyer culture. The law student will adopt beliefs differentthan his or her parents. This hidden force of cultural change is not unique to televisionand film media, but is also inherently part of the print medium. MAGAZINES Similar to television and film, magazines promote cultural preservation andglobalization simultaneously. The print medium allows Sikhs to preserve their culturethrough magazines. The value of a mosaic society cannot be overstated; however,Canadian society inherently alienates individuals. "I feel so alone. Are there any Sikhsin Canada like me?" The Mehfil, a magazine published in Vancouver, gives Sikhs anopportunity to connect with other Indo-Canadians. The magazine deals with currentIndo-Canadian issues. It gives individuals a sense of community by reducing alienation. "Wow, there are people like me out there!" The print medium is definitely a powerfulforce which strengthens the community; nonetheless, I cannot help questioning thecontent of The Mehfil. Advertisements teach readers that a 'successful' person wears asuit, a gold watch and drives an expensive car. Young girls are encouraged to emulatemodels, while boys are taught to look up to Moe Sihota. As I flip through copies of TheMehfil, I continually ask the same questions. "Do all Indo-Canadians wear suits anddrive nice cars? Aren't 'heavier' women beautiful? There sure are a lot of 'Yuppies' inthis magazine; what about the rest of society? Aren't janitors, dishwashers and farmlabourers 'professional' people?" All Sikhs cannot join the 'professional' world. TheMehfil puts pressure on young people by claiming that "...anybody, regardless of theirrace, religion or culture, can become prime minister of this country" (MacNeill 32). Clearly not all Canadians have the same access to education; therefore, not anyone canbecome prime minister. A comment such as this puts unrealistic pressure on individuals. Many subscribers fail to recognize the power of advertising. They overlook thatglobalization "...could be a vehicle for English, and specifically American, culturalimperialism." (Friedman 67). Their intentions are honourable; however, their fear ofculture loss blinds their analytic skills. FERTILIZERS The 'MTV World' has also had a marked impact on fertilizer use in Punjab. Advertising campaigns have promoted the use of chemical fertilizers with signs such as,"For Good Crops Use Good Fertilizer!" Big business has enforced the notion thatchemical fertilizers are a large part of 'modern' and efficient farming. My parent'sgeneration believes that in order to raise strong crops, one should use chemical fertilizers. The irony of the situation is that I tend to agree with my grandfather's beliefs aboutfertilizing crops. This totally undermines the notion that the opinions of 'old people' and'young people' grow further apart as time passes. One day while my grandfather and Iwere in his fields, I looked at his crops and asked, "Why is your corn so much bigger thanthe corn on the neighboring fields?" He laughed and said, "Why are my crops bigger,because I shit here each and every day...that's right I shit right here! People think I'm old,and senile, but look at my crops! Look how much bigger they are! These days peoplerely on chemicals, but we didn't always have chemicals." My grandfather's symbolsabout fertilizers are the same as mine, but for different reasons. I like natural fertilizersbecause they are environmentally friendly, and my grandfather likes them because theyare practical. The difference between my father's generation and my own were quiteobvious when I repeated the conversation to my uncle and his friends. "I asked him whyhis crops were so much bigger, and you'll never guess what he said." At this point I wasexpecting these men to start laughing once I delivered the punch line. "So then he says,my crops are bigger because I shit on them every day!" A resounding silence filled theroom, and I realized that I had mentioned an uncomfortable topic. After furtherdiscussions, I realized that my uncle and his friends considered defecating in fields dirty,unclean and the acts of a savage. They considered themselves above this sort ofbehaviour. CASTEISM When these individuals consider themselves above others, they are deriving theirpersonal identity from raising themselves socially above others. The social hierarchy thatthey enforce is based on symbols like clothing, marriage and farming techniques. TheseSikh practises are the sort of doctrines that I would call unwritten. Sikhism is founded ontolerance, kindness, compassion and knowledge. When Guru Nanak created the religionin 1500 A.D., he intended to provide India's citizens refuge from casteism. Casteism isthe belief and promotion of castes. "Castes are corporate social units which are rankedand generally defined by descent, marriage and occupation." (Smith 1986:32). Hindusand Muslims, distraught over India's caste system, joined Guru Nanak's religion andbecame Sikhs. Unfortunately, many of them brought the caste system into Sikhism. As aresult, even though Sikhism writings firmly promote equality for all, unwritten Sikhbeliefs promote casteism. Casteism appears to be at the heart of disputes between myselfand my parent's generation. Growing up in multicultural Canada I have had the benefit of coming in contact with agreat diversity of people. Living in Canada has also taught me about the destructivenature of inequality. I cannot honestly promote a system of beliefs that promotestratification, hatred and bigotry. I have first hand knowledge of the psychological,emotional and physical damage that casteism can have on individuals. Many Indo-Canadians of my generation do not even know the meaning of the word caste, " Caste?What's that? I don't think my family believes in that stuff." On the other hand, manyparents have cemented casteism in the beliefs of their children. As I discuss the issuewith these parents, the most common responses are the following: "What do you meanother castes are just like us! No they're not! We work hard and earn an honestliving...those people smoke cigarettes and do drugs!" My response is often, "well, don'tsome people in our caste smoke, and do drugs...besides, I drink and so do you...isn'talcohol a drug?" The details of such arguments in favour of inequality are not always thekey issue. As I have often found out, if I show these Sikhs that their arguments are weak,they will just pull a particular argument out of reserve against me. "You believe in thatcrap, that all people are the same because you've been hanging out with too many whitepeople!" At this point any statement that I attempt to employ is useless. Since those whooppose my position cannot deal with my statements, they choose to attack my character. This demonstrates how firmly casteism is connected to personal identity, for it isextremely difficult for human beings to introspect, and question their personal identity. Differing notions of personal identity cause friction between my generation and myparents' generation. I believe in equality, while others do not. My generation hasdifficulty finding any practical use for the caste system; as a result, future generationswill only hear about casteism in history books. Globalization and multiculturalism willcontinue to deteriorate the integrity of casteism: especially in Canada. As Sikhs continue to embrace the global village, my parents'generation needs to realize that tradtional Sikhismwill be lost forever. A lack of critical analysis leads to turmoil in Sikh communities in India and Canada. The hindering of analytic skills causes differences between Sikhism in Canada andSikhism in India. Sikh immigrants often do not realize that their children will grow upwith different beliefs in Canada. In attempting to become members of the global village,Sikhs are faced with culture change. Culture change hits Sikhism by way of print,television and film media. Indian Sikhs are motivated to become westernized; CanadianSikhs are encouraged to rediscover their roots. In conclusion, print, television and filmhave changed and continue to change Sikh beliefs. Geetha, V. and Rajadurai, S.V. "India: Caste and great state nationalism an exchange." Monthly Review: An Independent Socialist Magazine. June 1997: 35. MacNeil, Ian. "Herb Dhaliwal Making the East-West Connection." The Mehfil. Dec/Jan 1997: 32-38. Smith, C. 1986 Dictionary of Anthropology. New York: Maxwell Macmillan International. RELATED CULTURAL CITES: |
I was even criticized for my taste in sunglasses. I chose to wear 'plain Jane' or 'BluesBrothers' sunglasses for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I have a tendency to lose sunglasses;thus, losing them would not be a huge financial burden. Secondly and most importantly,I needed large lenses to protect my eyes from India's sun, dust and smog. No matter howmuch I made clear the value of practical sunglasses, I still had to deal with remarks suchas, "Why didn't you buy some real sunglasses? You look like an old blind man! Youshould have got some nice sunglasses like the ones Michael Jackson and Sunjay Duttwear. The next time you go shopping I'll go with you Bob and help you out." Some ofmy relatives, friends and acquaintances would assume that my Canadian nature impededmy shopping skills. This assumption demonstrates the powerful nature of Sikh culturalsymbols. Instead of considering for even a split second that I might honestly choosesimple clothing (I am categorizing sunglasses as clothing) people would assume thatthere was some sort of communication breakdown between merchants and me. "Theshop owners must have confused him by speaking Hindi, he doesn't know Hindi...andbesides once they hear his Canadian accent, they know he's a foreigner and that's it. Theyhave all the control, he can't haggle and negotiate with his poor language skills." In myopinion, their need to embrace the 'MTV World' by watching television programs andfilms distorts their perceptions of people like me.