'This is my pride': Manitobans mark province's 1st official Turban Day

A symbol of sovereignty, self-respect, freedom of faith, courage and human equality is getting its day.

Manitoba is marking the province's first official Turban Day on Thursday, a day Diljeet Brar says is meant to inspire many things: awareness of Sikh and Punjabi cultures, the contributions of minorities to building the province, a connection to the rich diversity in society — but above all, benevolence.

"Due to how we look, there has been racism all over the world, there has been violent attacks. Racism still exists, but it's not stronger than the love and harmony that we have in our hearts," Brar, the NDP MLA for Burrows, told CBC Manitoba Information Radio host Marcy Markusa on Thursday.

Brar's private member's bill, which he introduced last March, led to April 13 now being recognized across Manitoba as Turban Day.

April is already recognized as Sikh Heritage Month in Manitoba, following the passing in 2019 of a bill brought forward by NDP Leader Wab Kinew.

Brar and Kinew were among the speakers at a celebration to mark the inaugural Turban Day in Manitoba at the legislative building Thursday afternoon. Mintu Sandhu, the NDP MLA for The Maples, also spoke at the event.

The event also included a cultural performance, an art display of Sikh and Punjabi heritage, and a turban-tying stall.

The turban is sacred to the Sikh community and Brar wants the wider community of Manitoba and Canada to know why.

"When we wear turban and when we talk about turban, we feel so proud. It reminds us to do the right thing, to stand for equality, gender equity and social justice. So it means a lot," he said.

"When I wrap it around my head, I am myself. This is my pride."

Earlier this month, Brar posted a notice on social media, reminding people about the first official Turban Day coming up and encouraging them to spread the word.

When someone responded by asking "why — what are we hoping to achieve?" Brar responded "love, peace, harmony, humility, compassion, respect, empathy, tolerance and positivity."

RRC event lets non-Sikhs try on turbans

Red River College Polytechnic also hosted an event to celebrate Turban Day on Thursday.

The annual event is in its fifth year at the school, but this year marked the first officially recognized day in the province.

The event was also the first in-person Turban Day celebration at the college since the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

The event was started at the college in 2014 by Sukhjot Singh, who now works at the college but was a business administration student at the time, to enlighten anyone who had questions about his turban but was too nervous to ask.

Manpreet Kaur is the president of RRC's student association, which now organizes the event. Like Singh, she wants the event to be an opportunity for those who aren't part of the Sikh community on campus to ask questions. 

The turban is an important symbol of cultural pride, Kaur said.

"In Sikh culture the turban represents a crown," she said. "It represents our culture."

Attendees at the college's event were invited to wear a turban for the day. A tying station operated by students and community members provided a space where people who aren't Sikh could experience the process first-hand and have a chance to ask questions. 

RRC Polytech president and CEO Fred Meier was one of those first-time wearers. An RRC welding student adorned the president's head with a navy-coloured turban, while Meier learned about regional style variations and how turbans vary based on gender.

"It was a great opportunity to connect," Meier said. "It's important for us to understand and embrace diversity. It's a key pillar of our community."

RRC Polytech has a large international student community, including many student from India, said Meier, and it's important those students feel embraced.

Lauren Dominici, the academic equity, diversity and inclusion co-ordinator at the college, also had a turban tied on her head for the first time. 

She said the event was the perfect opportunity to ask questions she would typically shy away from.

Originally from Chicago, Dominici recognizes that her experiences as an immigrant in Canada are different from those of a racialized person.

As the turban was wrapped around her head, she asked the person tying it about his experiences with discrimination as a turban wearer, and said she was sad to hear that he had been denied opportunities because of his turban.

Events like the Turban Day celebration at the college are necessary to fight prejudice, she said. 

"When we know our differences and we know how to support one another, then really we have a community that is strong."

Manitobans mark province's 1st official Turban Day

2 years ago

Duration 3:08

Manitoba is marking the province's first official Turban Day. It is meant to inspire many things: awareness of Sikh and Punjabi cultures, the contributions of minorities to building the province, a connection to the rich diversity in society — but above all, benevolence.