Sir,
A recent letter written by a young Sikh in World Sikh News has prompted me to write to you. The views expressed by the writer has sufficiently demonstrated the sociological process of acculturation. This is like a warning signal to the Sikh Community settled in the Western World. Time is not far when our future generations will forget about their identity say, “yes, my ancestors came from India but I am a born American Canadian etc. lam Jimmy I don’t remember my Sikh name.” Would that generation of ours practice Sikhism? This is the right time that we all and intelligentsia in particular should do something to maintain our identity in the country of our adoption. Unless we put in sincere, dedicated and sustained efforts we are bound to lose our faith in times to come. I have a few suggestions to make.
(1) Efforts should be made to educate and motivate the mothers for inculcating religious teachings and practices in the daily routine of child’s life. This could be done by forming the task force of dedicated males and females reaching at the grass root level.
(2) Emphasis should be made to make use of the different Medias to propagate the message of religious teachings i.e. folders, pamphlets, through newspapers etc.
(3) To open elementary schools within the frame work of educational system of the country of our adoption with a special emphasis on religious teachings.
Sincerely yours, Surinder Singh Baidwan Briarwood, NY
Article extracted from this publication >> November 2, 1990
