Interview Paper On Sikhism

I decided to reach out to college students who identify with the Punjabi ethnicity and whose parents practice Sikhism. It was important to choose college students, as they have more freedom in decision-making as compared to living at home. Since I was noticing differences between my experiences and those I was hearing from people living in Wisconsin, I thought it would be interesting to take that into consideration. Therefore, I included both people who were raised in Wisconsin as well as those raised in California. Altogether, I received responses from two people from California (one male and one female), and three from people in Wisconsin (one male and two females). This is by no means a thorough investigation of the varying relationships
that Punjabi Sikh parents and children share. Even though I’d love to compare as many stories as possible, I was only able to hear back from a few people. What I found overall was that there was always some sort of “double-life” aspect to each person’s life, but the degree to which they assumed this role varied based on different factors. As I had suspected initially, there seemed to be a difference in responses based on where people lived.
Both people from California characterized their relationship with their parents as more secretive than the people from Wisconsin, because their parents were more strict. For example, Sikhism calls for the practice of growing out one’s hair without cutting it, to practice a more overall respect and love for God’s creation. This includes shaving arm and leg hair. The female I interviewed from California has not cut her hair to this day. She did, however, shave her arm and leg hair without her parent’s knowledge. When asked why she made those decisions, she responded that her parents would only see the hair on her head. She keeps her arms and legs covered around them. On the other hand, both the females I interviewed from Wisconsin get haircuts on a regular basis, clearly visible to their families. The male from California also keeps his hair long and wears a turban on his head. He stated that the reason for keeping his hair had more to do with adhering to his parents’ rules than his own piety. This again undoubtedly contrasts with the male from Wisconsin, who cuts his hair
routinely. To better understand these differences, I researched the statistics of Sikh populations relative to California and Wisconsin. A simple google search reveals that California actually boasts the largest Punjabi Sikh population in the country. This is reflected in the fact that the largest Sikh Gurudwara (temple) in the United States is in San Jose, CA. Furthermore, Yuba City, CA holds a Nagar Kirtan (parade procession singing devotional hymns) throughout the city in celebration of the inaugural anniversary of Guru Granth Sahib (Sikhism’s holy scripture). It’s the largest in the United States, with hundreds of thousands of people coming from different parts of the world to watch and participate (1). Having such a large community creates a sense of acceptance and encouragement that allows for a more open and outward celebration of the Sikh identity.
This isn’t so much the case for Wisconsin, a majority white state that just recently became home to a deadly Gurudwara shooting in Oak Creek. Being less strict on their children is very likely a mode of assimilating into a majority white community. And especially after an event like the racially charged shooting in Oak Creek, it may also be a fearful reaction. The differences between each person’s responses doesn’t just stem from the state in which they were raised.
It’s true that my interview subjects with more strict parents were raised in a region with much more Punjabi/Sikh community. But there also seems to be a relationship between level of strictness and gender. It turns out, unsurprisingly, that Punjabi Sikh parents are more strict with their daughters than they are with their sons. All the females I spoke with seemed to hide a lot more from their parents than the males I spoke with. They also found their parents to be more strict than their male counterparts, and seemed to engage in far more activities that their parents wouldn’t allow. For example, the female from California recalls the countless times she’s lied about going to the library so she could spend time with her friends. One of the females from Wisconsin particularly pointed out this bias, pointing to the fact that she wasn’t allowed to go to her homecoming dance when she was elected queen. The very next year, however, her parents celebrate her brother’s nomination as king and let him go to the
dance.