Dastaar: Defending Sikh Identity

August 09, 2012 from Also Like Life Productions

What it meant to be a Sikh American changed on September 11, 2001. Even though Sikhs have no relationship with the terrorist networks of the Middle East, they are often mistaken as terrorists due to their turbans. This 2005 film presents the struggle of the Sikh American community against discrimination and violence caused by ignorance of an essential symbol of the Sikh faith -- the dastaar, or turban.

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Sikhism in the United States

Sikhism is a religion originating from India which was introduced into the United States during the 19th century. Many Sikhs have contributed to the American economy, military, and lifestyle. In 2007, there were estimated to be approximately 250,000 Sikhs living in the United ... Explore this topic

Dastar

A Dastar or Pagṛi or Pagg, is a mandatory item of headgear for Sikh men. Dastar is very clearly associated with Sikhism and is an important part of the Sikh culture. Wearing a Sikh turban is mandatory for all Amritdhari Sikh men. Among the Sikhs, the turban is an article of fa... Explore this topic

Sikh

A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism, a monotheistic religion that originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region, and a member of the Sikh people. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term, meaning disciple, student, or. Also, some historians suggests that the name "Sik... Explore this topic

Aftermath of the September 11 attacks

The September 11 attacks transformed the first term of President George W. Bush and led to what he has called the Global War on Terrorism, or war against terrorism. The accuracy of describing it as a "war" and the political motivations and consequences are the topic of strenuo... Explore this topic

Religious discrimination

Religious discrimination is valuing or treating a person or group differently because of what they do or do not believe. Specifically, it is when adherents of different religions are treated unequally, either before the law or in institutional settings such as employment or ho... Explore this topic

Sikhism

Le sikhisme est une religion monothéiste fondée dans le nord de l'Inde au XVe siècle par le gurû Nanak. Le mot « sikh » est dérivé du mot sanskrit शिष्यः signifiant disciple ou étudiant, ou de शिक्ष, signifiant étude ou instruction. L'expression du monothéisme des Sikhs réside... Explore this topic

Turban

A turban, also known as bulle or dastar in some cultures, is a kind of headwear based on cloth winding; there are many variations. Turbans are usually worn as customary headwear, usually by men, in many communities in India, Indonesia, Afghanistan, the Middle East, in some are... Explore this topic

2012 Oak Creek shooting

On August 5, 2012, a mass shooting took place at a Sikh temple located in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. A lone gunman opened fire, killing six people and wounding at least three others. He engaged responding police officers and was killed. Explore this topic

United States

The United States of America, commonly called the United States, or America, is a federal republic consisting of fifty states and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its forty-eight contiguous states and Washington, D.C., the capi... Explore this topic

New York City

Η Νέα Υόρκη, πρώην "Νέο Άμστερνταμ", είναι μεγαλούπολη των Ηνωμένων Πολιτειών. Βρίσκεται στην ανατολική ακτή της χώρας και είναι η πιο πυκνοκατοικημένη πόλη των ΗΠΑ, όπου ο μεν πληθυσμός της υπερβαίνει τα 8 εκατομμύρια ενώ η έκτασή της φθάνει τα 780 τ.χλμ.. Το σύγχρονο όνομά τ... Explore this topic

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Sikhism in the United States

Dastar

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