School of Sikh Society of Wisconsin
Back to basics for Sikh children in America
Back to basics for Sikh children in America
“We want our children to know our mother language,” Rattan Singh said. “Here,
most of them speak English only, and they know very little about our native
language. They can’t even read.”
Sikhs, many of whom now live outside of India, consider Punjab their
homeland, and their attachment to their families back home is very strong to this
day. This is particularly true of the Sikhs in Wisconsin. They go back home every so
often to visit and help their community, bringing along their Western-born children.
“If they go back home to visit, our children don’t know or can’t even read road signs,”
Rattan Singh lamented. “We want them to be able to understand and speak our
mother language fluently.”
Aside from teaching the Punjabi language to American-born Sikhs and youth
who immigrated to the U.S. as small kids, the School of Sikh Society of Wisconsin
has taken the added responsibility of teaching them how to play native musical
instruments, such as the Sarangi (a North Indian stringed instrument with three main
playing strings and 36 resonating metal strings, played not with fingers but with
fingernails), the Dilruba (a stringed instrument, which is a combination of the sitar
and the Sarangi), Pakhawaj (wooden drum), Tabla (most popular percussion
most of them speak English only, and they know very little about our native
language. They can’t even read.”
Sikhs, many of whom now live outside of India, consider Punjab their
homeland, and their attachment to their families back home is very strong to this
day. This is particularly true of the Sikhs in Wisconsin. They go back home every so
often to visit and help their community, bringing along their Western-born children.
“If they go back home to visit, our children don’t know or can’t even read road signs,”
Rattan Singh lamented. “We want them to be able to understand and speak our
mother language fluently.”
Aside from teaching the Punjabi language to American-born Sikhs and youth
who immigrated to the U.S. as small kids, the School of Sikh Society of Wisconsin
has taken the added responsibility of teaching them how to play native musical
instruments, such as the Sarangi (a North Indian stringed instrument with three main
playing strings and 36 resonating metal strings, played not with fingers but with
fingernails), the Dilruba (a stringed instrument, which is a combination of the sitar
and the Sarangi), Pakhawaj (wooden drum), Tabla (most popular percussion
By Heidi M. Pascual
Parent’s Fault
I Write In English, But Never Really Happy
I Write In Punjabi, Considered Really Crappy.
My Heart Pines For A Language Lost,
Can Speak, Not Write, Is The Cost.
With Good Intentions Wrote A Book
Had Recipe, But No Ingredients To Cook.
I Don’t Want To See Ma Boli Die,
Sahit Severed, A Generation Is To Cry.
Our Voice Will Have To Fit The New Tongue,
The Old Words Can Only Be Sung.
Let Those Born There Preserve,
What We Can We Will Reserve.
— Dhillon, Rupinderpal Singh (author of
"Annexation," a novel in English about Sikhs during
the Anglo-Sikh Wars, a Punjabi language tutor on
the Internet, and author of many poems in English.)
Parent’s Fault
I Write In English, But Never Really Happy
I Write In Punjabi, Considered Really Crappy.
My Heart Pines For A Language Lost,
Can Speak, Not Write, Is The Cost.
With Good Intentions Wrote A Book
Had Recipe, But No Ingredients To Cook.
I Don’t Want To See Ma Boli Die,
Sahit Severed, A Generation Is To Cry.
Our Voice Will Have To Fit The New Tongue,
The Old Words Can Only Be Sung.
Let Those Born There Preserve,
What We Can We Will Reserve.
— Dhillon, Rupinderpal Singh (author of
"Annexation," a novel in English about Sikhs during
the Anglo-Sikh Wars, a Punjabi language tutor on
the Internet, and author of many poems in English.)
The Sikh Gurdwara in Middleton also house
the School of Sikh Society of
Wisconsin-Madison
the School of Sikh Society of
Wisconsin-Madison
| Principal Rattan Singh |
The above poem is a call to Sikh parents everywhere to take the lead in
preserving the language of their homeland, Punjab (in India).
The belief that the native language must be preserved and carried on through
future generations in order to preserve culture and most often, spiritual traditions,
is generally shared by all people, regardless of their identity and origin. But to
millions of Asian immigrants to the West, the challenges of pursuing it have
proved too great, especially if the host society sets up insurmountable barriers
against those who are visibly different and those with very strong accents. For
many, it has become a dream. U.S. history is replete with discriminatory laws and
social ostracism that drove first generation immigrants to see to it that their
children are well-assimilated into society. They let them fully integrate and
adjust to the American system and way of life. For the Sikh community in the
Madison area, however, the dream has not been lost. Many of those who
immigrated in the sixties and eighties as professionals, postgraduate students, or
businessmen, have succeeded financially and are pursuing the dream.
Banding together through the Sikh Society of Wisconsin, the group just
recently constructed their first area temple, the Gurdawara, located on Century
Avenue in Middleton. The Gurdwara serves not only the spiritual growth of the
Sikhs with prayer gatherings, but also serves as a week-end school for their
children and youth. The classes are conducted on the lower level of the building.
Named the School of Sikh Society of Wisconsin – Madison, its principal is
Rattan Singh, who has a master’s of arts and bachelor’s in education. He’s a
businessman during the week and a school principal on weekends, as a
volunteer. He is excited to lead the Sikhs in this huge endeavor.
preserving the language of their homeland, Punjab (in India).
The belief that the native language must be preserved and carried on through
future generations in order to preserve culture and most often, spiritual traditions,
is generally shared by all people, regardless of their identity and origin. But to
millions of Asian immigrants to the West, the challenges of pursuing it have
proved too great, especially if the host society sets up insurmountable barriers
against those who are visibly different and those with very strong accents. For
many, it has become a dream. U.S. history is replete with discriminatory laws and
social ostracism that drove first generation immigrants to see to it that their
children are well-assimilated into society. They let them fully integrate and
adjust to the American system and way of life. For the Sikh community in the
Madison area, however, the dream has not been lost. Many of those who
immigrated in the sixties and eighties as professionals, postgraduate students, or
businessmen, have succeeded financially and are pursuing the dream.
Banding together through the Sikh Society of Wisconsin, the group just
recently constructed their first area temple, the Gurdawara, located on Century
Avenue in Middleton. The Gurdwara serves not only the spiritual growth of the
Sikhs with prayer gatherings, but also serves as a week-end school for their
children and youth. The classes are conducted on the lower level of the building.
Named the School of Sikh Society of Wisconsin – Madison, its principal is
Rattan Singh, who has a master’s of arts and bachelor’s in education. He’s a
businessman during the week and a school principal on weekends, as a
volunteer. He is excited to lead the Sikhs in this huge endeavor.
| Tarnam Singh Dhilon, secretary of the Management Committee |
Surinder Singh Pangli, vice
president of the Mgt.
Committee
president of the Mgt.
Committee
| Harjinder Singh Pangli, Treasurer of the Mgt Committee and school teacher |
Mata Jagir Kaur,
school and lungar
coordinator
school and lungar
coordinator
Students and teachers pose for Asian
Wisconzine
Wisconzine
instrument in Hindustani music), the Sitar, and the Santoor (stringed
instrument with more than a hundred strings). Dr. Gurwattan Singh
Miranpuri said that these music classes will also include learning hymns
and songs.
The single most important piece of the lesson plan is to teach Sikhism.
“We are going to teach the reading of the Guru Granth Sahib or the Holy
Book,” Dr. Miranpuri added, to help strengthen the children’s belief in their
religion and way of life.
Many of the parents are expected to be highly supportive of this
program, as a number of them have volunteered to become teachers.
They see the advent of popular acceptance of diversity and
multiculturalism in the United States, and they are taking full advantage of
it.
Asian Wisconzine congratulates the Sikh Society of Wisconsin for
making their dream come true.
School of Sikh Society officials:
Principal: Rattan Singh
Coordinators: Harbans Singh, Jagir Kaur
Teachers: Surjit Kaur, Swarnjit Kaur, Shaminder Kaur, Bakhshinder Singh,
Harvinderpal Singh, Baljit Kaur, Harjinder Singh
Board of Directors, Sikh Society-Madison: Gurwattan Singh, Tarnam
Singh, Surinder Singh, Inderbans Singh, Rattan Singh, Jaspalinder Singh,
Sundeep Singh, Suchinderpal Singh, Udaivir Singh, Balwinder Singh,
and Harjinder Singh
instrument with more than a hundred strings). Dr. Gurwattan Singh
Miranpuri said that these music classes will also include learning hymns
and songs.
The single most important piece of the lesson plan is to teach Sikhism.
“We are going to teach the reading of the Guru Granth Sahib or the Holy
Book,” Dr. Miranpuri added, to help strengthen the children’s belief in their
religion and way of life.
Many of the parents are expected to be highly supportive of this
program, as a number of them have volunteered to become teachers.
They see the advent of popular acceptance of diversity and
multiculturalism in the United States, and they are taking full advantage of
it.
Asian Wisconzine congratulates the Sikh Society of Wisconsin for
making their dream come true.
School of Sikh Society officials:
Principal: Rattan Singh
Coordinators: Harbans Singh, Jagir Kaur
Teachers: Surjit Kaur, Swarnjit Kaur, Shaminder Kaur, Bakhshinder Singh,
Harvinderpal Singh, Baljit Kaur, Harjinder Singh
Board of Directors, Sikh Society-Madison: Gurwattan Singh, Tarnam
Singh, Surinder Singh, Inderbans Singh, Rattan Singh, Jaspalinder Singh,
Sundeep Singh, Suchinderpal Singh, Udaivir Singh, Balwinder Singh,
and Harjinder Singh
