Friday, 4/18/97 Generating community roots Student group hopes
to educate Sikhs about their heritage and culture
By Judy Cha Daily Bruin Contributor Debased and misunderstood
for wearing a turban for 14 years, Naindeep Chann, a first-year
neuroscience and history student, decided it was time. Time to
educate students at UCLA about the Sikh way of life. Five days
after the full moon on Oct. 31, when some masqueraded as goblins
and sheiks, Chann ran from dorm to dorm disseminating flyers with
news of the first meeting of the Sikh Student Association (SSA).
Their uncut hair wrapped in turbans sets them apart. Trimming their
hair violates a code of conduct. As faithful followers who believe
in the Creator, they abide by a universal set of rules that governs
their way of life. They are Sikhs, disciples of God who adhere to
the teachings of the 10 Sikh Gurus. Although only a handful of
students attended the first meeting, there may be a large, dormant
Sikh population at UCLA who still remains uninformed about SSA,
Chann said. Some of these students may know little about their own
faith. For this reason, Chann feels determined to educate Sikhs
about their own heritage and culture first before gradually moving
on to inform the larger UCLA community. It seemed an opportune time
for Chann to take the initiative. "I decided that if there isn’t a
Sikh group, people before me must have not tried to start one," he
said. One goal of SSA is to make sure everyone is at "a close to
equal footing" in an understanding of the Sikh faith, Chann said.
While UCLA may consist of an educated crowd, Chann said he has
still faced subtle prejudice here. "By wearing a turban, I’m going
against a social norm," Chann said. "You’re in the limelight, the
forefront, everyone perceives you as different." However, Chann
does not necessarily look down on being different. "It makes you
stronger because if you can deal with these prejudices, you grow
from it and become a better person. That’s what counts," said
Milanjit Kaur, a fourth-year physiological science student.
Although Sikhs attempt to propogate a positive image, some Sikhs
have yet to inform the masses about their way of life. "Sikhs
haven’t really gone out to educate people," Chann said, "however,
they have left their mark." Chann explained that Sikhs, who are
traditionally farmers, have come to the United States and continue
to cultivate crops as they did in India. Back in Yuba city, north
of Chann’s hometown of Fresno, a high concentration of Sikhs own
industries in the fertile agricultural fields around Yuba. "The
largest peach grower in the world is Sikh and lives in Yuba city,"
Chann said, showing the local pride that some residents feel when
reiterating this fact. Chann’s close-knit Sikh community at home
makes it easier for everyone to know each other. Families convene
regularly at the Gurdwara, a holy place of worship. "You seem to
have connections with everyone," Chann said. Likewise, first-year
physiological science student Hemant Sindhu feels the same way
about the Gurdwara he went to with his family before coming to
UCLA. "I enjoy going there because it’s like a family," Sindhu
said. Like many other adherents, Chann was born a Sikh. Well-read
in Sikhism, Chann has extensive knowledge about his faith and
eagerly shares his wisdom with members of SSA by leading
discussions at general meetings. "A lot of us are growing up in
this country and losing our culture, but we can find out more about
our religion and ourselves through SSA," Kaur said. Describing the
Sikh faith in simplest terms, Chann explained, "It’s monotheistic –
it includes belief in the teachings of the 10 Gurus, the Sikh Holy
Book and belief in Amrit, the baptism given by the tenth Guru." As
time passes and more students join SSA, the group will continue to
initiate activities to encourage participation. Currently, SSA
members meet for irregular practices in preparation for a dance
competition to take place in Stanford on April 26. "Sikhs from all
over the country come to compete," Chann said. The dance, called
bhangra, originally brought farmers on their feet in celebration of
a good harvest. Many of the farmers come from Punjab, a land of
five rivers, on the northwestern side of the Pakistan and Indian
border. Although the club has just sprouted roots, Chann plans to
establish a firm base so that SSA will be able to stand on its own.
Chann wants to put together a culture show next April to recognize
Baisakhi, the Sikh New Year, as well as organize visits to local
Gurdwaras. Nearing the end of her college career, Kaur still finds
SSA an invaluable group that builds a sense of community. "It’s a
place for incoming freshmen to go to find a set of friends," Kaur
said. CRISTINA ESPIRITU Sikh students practice the Bhangra, a dance
in which the dancers represent Punjabi farmers harvesting their
crops. Berkeley’s Sikh Student Association