Lesson video

Hello, my name is Ms. Ramalli, and welcome to today's RE lesson, which forms part of our unit Social justice: how might Sikhs promote equality? In today's lesson, we're going to be exploring the Sikh diaspora and identity.

Let's start the lesson.

Today's lesson outcome is I can explain the meaning of Sikh diaspora and the importance of identity for Sikhs living in Britain today.

To help guide us through today's lesson, there are four keywords: census, diaspora, gurdwara, and identity.

Census is an official count or survey, especially of a population.

Diaspora is a group of people who leave their home country and live in different parts of the world.

Gurdwara is a Sikh place of worship where people gather to pray, learn, and share meals together.

And identity is a person's character or personality.

Today's lesson on the Sikh diaspora and Sikh identity takes two parts.

So first of all, we're gonna begin by exploring the Sikh diaspora, and then we're gonna move on to consider Sikhi: diaspora and identity in Britain.

So I'd like us to start by having some discussion with your partner.

I'd like you to discuss, where do you live? Have you ever moved? Has anyone you know ever moved? Because where we live can have an impact on our sense of identity.

Pause the video here, and once you've discussed these questions, press play to move on with the lesson.

Okay, great discussions, everyone.

Well done.

We can use the tools of social science to help us find out how people live out their worldview and what is important to them.

To explore questions around Sikh diaspora and Sikh identity, we can use census data, surveys, and interviews.

The term diaspora originates from the Greek language, Dia meaning across, and spora meaning scatter.

Diaspora can be interpreted to mean a group of people who leave their home country and live in different parts of the world.

A diaspora stays connected with others from their group.

Okay, let's pause and complete a check for understanding.

Select the correct meaning of diaspora.

A, a group of people who live outside of their home country; B, a Sikh place of worship where people gather to pray, learn, and share meals together; or C, an official count or survey, especially of a population.

Pause the video, and press play when you're ready to see the correct answer.

Well done if you selected A.

The correct meaning of diaspora is a group of people who live outside of their home country.

Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhi, lived in the Punjab region of South Asia, now in Pakistan and India.

According to Pew Research, the census of India 2011 reported that 58% of the Punjab population is Sikh.

This census data shows how Sikhi remains a major influence in the Punjab today.

India and Pakistan were once part of the British Empire.

During British colonial rule, some Sikhs left the Punjab to places such as East Africa.

They were used as labourers.

The Sikh diaspora means Sikhs living outside of the Punjab region.

Many British Sikhs have their origins in immigration, either from the Punjab region or from East Africa.

Outside of India, Canada and Britain has one of the largest Sikh populations.

And here is some data from the England and Wales census.

What percentage of people identified as Sikhs in 2021? Well done if you said the percentage is 0.

9%.

So 0.

9% of people in England and Wales are Sikhs.

This is a relatively small percentage, but it still represents a significant number of people, 525,865 in total.

Let's complete a check for understanding.

According to the census 2021, what percentage of the population in England and Wales identifies as Sikh? A, 0.

5%; B, 0.

9%; or C, 6.

5%.

Pause the video, and press play when you're ready to check your answer.

Well done if you said the correct answer is B, 0.

9%.

Jacob wants to learn about the Sikh diaspora in Britain.

He interviews Mandeep, a British Sikh.

Jacob asks, "Have you always lived in the UK, Mandeep?" Mandeep replies, "Yes.

My granddad fought in World War I with the British Indian Army.

Many Sikh soldiers fought bravely, and over 80,000 died in the two World Wars.

Many Sikh families, like mine, were invited to stay here by the British government.

My family helped the country recover after the damage caused by the war." Around 130,000 Sikh soldiers served in World War I, and even more in World War II.

They played an important role and were respected for their bravery and sacrifice.

And here you can see a photograph of Sikh soldiers at the Royal Pavilion in Brighton.

Jacob wants to speak to another Sikh about the Sikh diaspora in Britain.

He interviews Ria, a British Sikh.

Jacob asks, "Have your family always lived in the UK, Ria?" Ria replies, "My parents and I have always lived in the UK, but my grandparents had to move to the UK from Uganda in 1972.

In 1972, the Ugandan dictator Idi Amin ordered Asians mostly of Indian descent to leave the country.

This impacted many people, including Sikhs, who had settled in Uganda during British colonial rule." Idi Amin, the Ugandan ruler, wrongly blamed Asians for taking jobs and money from Ugandans.

Idi Amin forced people to leave, giving only 90 days to pack up and go, leaving behind their homes, businesses, and friends.

This impacted many Sikhs who had lived in Uganda for a long time.

This resulted in many Sikhs moving to the UK to seek safety and to start a new life.

Let's complete a check for understanding.

Many Sikhs left Uganda in 1972 because they A, tried to take control of Uganda; B, were blamed for taking jobs and money from Ugandans; or C, wanted to move to a rich country? Pause the video, and press play when you're ready to see the correct answer.

Well done if you selected B.

Many Sikhs left Uganda in 1972 because they were blamed for taking jobs and money from Ugandans.

Time to complete our first practise task.

So you're gonna show your understanding of the Sikh diaspora by completing the following sentences.

The Sikh diaspora refers to.

Most British Sikhs have their origins in, or.

Many Sikhs fought in, as part of.

Many Sikhs moved from Uganda in East Africa because.

And the census 2021 shows the percentage of Sikhs living in England and Wales is, and this equates in numbers to.

Good luck completing the practise task.

Pause the video, and press play when you're ready to check your answers.

Okay, welcome back.

So in your answers, you could have written: the Sikh diaspora refers to Sikhs living outside of the Punjab region.

Most British Sikhs have their origins in the Punjab region of India or East Africa, where they were brought as part of the British Empire to work as labourers.

Many Sikhs fought in World War I and World War II as part of the British Indian Army.

Many Sikhs moved from Uganda in East Africa because in the 1970s they were forced to leave by the dictator Idi Amin.

The census 2021 shows the percentage of Sikhs living in England and Wales is 0.

9%, and this equates in numbers to 525,865.

Well done on completing the first practise task.

So that moves us on to the second part of today's lesson on the Sikh diaspora and Sikh identity.

So we're going to be exploring Sikhi: diaspora and identity in Britain.

Izzy and Jacob are discussing what to do next.

Izzy asks, "How could we find out more about the Sikh diaspora in Britain today?" Jacob replies, "We could look further at the census data, read surveys such as those published in the British Sikh Reports, and interview British Sikhs." Here is a map of part of England and Wales.

It uses 2021 census data to show where Sikhs live.

The darker the colour on the map, the larger the Sikh community that can be found there.

What do you notice about looking at this map? Where do most Sikhs live? Izzy says, "I can see that most Sikh communities are in cities such as Birmingham, Wolverhampton, London, and close to Leeds." Jacob says, "This is really interesting.

The data tells us where live, but not why they live there.

I will carry out some interviews to find out." True or false? Sikhs can be found across the UK, particularly in larger cities such as London and Birmingham.

Pause the video, and press play when you're ready to check your answer.

Well done if you said this statement is true.

This is true because the largest Sikh communities are in cities such as London, Birmingham, and Wolverhampton.

Jacob interviews Mandeep to find out where he lives in Britain.

"Do you live in a city, Mandeep?" Mandeep replies, "Yes.

My family settled in London.

They chose to live close to a gurdwara as it is an important part of our faith and community.

I was born in West London and live here now with my own family." This is Mandeep's gurdwara.

It is the oldest gurdwara in the UK and Europe, founded in 1911 in London.

Mandeep says, "The gurdwara is a really important part of my Sikh identity.

It is a place where I can connect with the community." So here you can see a photograph of the Khalsa Jatha gurdwara in London.

Jake interviews Ria to find out where she lives in Britain.

Jake asks, "Do you also live in a city, Ria?" Ria responds, "Yes, I live in Birmingham.

My grandparents settled here after moving from Uganda in the 1970s.

My grandparents decided to live where they could find work and in a place where they felt connected to other Sikhs.

Birmingham has a large Sikh community and many gurdwaras." True or false? Gurdwaras play an important role in supporting the identity of Sikhs living in Britain.

You've got five seconds to choose an answer.

Well done if you said that statement is true.

Why is that statement true? Well, the gurdwara is an important place to connect with the community.

Jacob wants to know how living as a Sikh in Britain might influence their identity.

Jacob asks, "How does being a Sikh in Britain influence your identity, Mandeep?" Mandeep replies, "I was born in Britain and I've never lived or worked anywhere else.

I identify as being both Sikh and British.

I suppose you could say that I have dual identity." The British Sikh Report, 2017, published findings showing how Sikhs living in Britain self identify.

The top five answers include Sikh, British, British Sikh, Punjabi, and Indian.

What does this data tell us about Sikhs living in Britain? Well, it tells us that 82% of Sikhs living in Britain identify as Sikh and/or British.

Okay, let's complete a check for understanding.

According to the data, how many Sikhs identify as British Sikh? Pause the video, and press play when you're ready to check your answer.

Well done if you said 71% of Sikhs living in Britain identify as British Sikh.

Mandeep describes how he shows his identity as a British Sikh.

Mandeep says, "I support the Khanda poppy as part of the Sikh Military Foundation.

Supporting this project is a way of remembering the 84,000 Sikh soldiers who gave their lives in the World Wars.

I support the project by donating to the Sikh Military Foundation and wearing a Khanda poppy for Remembrance Day." Established in 2012, the Khanda poppy honours the 84,000 Sikh soldiers who died in the World Wars, and for those who were injured or served bravely.

It combines the Sikh symbol of the Khanda with the red poppy.

It helps people see that Sikhs were an important part of history and deserve respect and recognition.

And here you can see an image of the Khanda poppy.

Mandeep explains why identity is important to him as a British Sikh.

"When I see the Member of Parliament Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi on TV, I feel represented.

Representation is important to me because it makes me feel valued.

It reinforces my pride in Sikh identity, especially because Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi visibly wears the Sikh turban." Okay, now we're gonna pause and complete our second and final practise task.

The Khanda poppy was created to honour the sacrifice of Sikh soldiers during the World Wars.

I would like you to create a symbol that could be worn on a person's clothing.

Your design must represent an individual or group who has sacrificed something for the benefit of others.

You also need to explain the meaning of your symbol.

Good luck completing the practise task.

I hope you enjoy it.

Pause the video, and press play when you're ready to reflect on your work.

Okay, time to reflect on your work.

So, your symbols that you designed may look like a number of different things.

So this is an example.

Your symbol might have looked like this, but it may not.

I have drawn a heart to symbolise love.

I added an image of some weights to symbolise strength, because the soldiers showed love as well as physical and emotional strength when sacrificing their lives during the World Wars.

Well done on completing the second and the final practise task for today's lesson.

So that brings us to the end of today's lesson on the Sikh diaspora and identity, and here is a summary of our key learning points.

The Sikh diaspora refers to Sikhs living outside of the Punjab region.

Many British Sikhs have their origins in immigration, either from the Punjab region or from East Africa.

The census 2021 shows most Sikh communities are in cities such as Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and London.

The gurdwara is an important part of Sikh identity, offering a place to connect with the community.

82% of Sikhs living in Britain identify as Sikh and/or British.

Sikhs may wear the Khanda poppy, which honours the 84,000 Sikh soldiers who died in the World Wars.

And lastly, Sikh representation is important for many British Sikhs.

Well done on all of your hard work in today's lesson.

Thank you for joining me.

Goodbye.