National Sikh Day Celebrations in the City of Swan (Australia)

Parkash of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji at Midland Town Hall, Swan 

Swan, Australia, April 15

In a significant milestone in 150-year Sikh history in Australia, the City of Swan became the first city council to recognize April 14 as the National Sikh Day and, the third Governmental organization after the Australian Bureau of Statistics and Australian Defense forces, to recognize Sikhism as an independent ethnic religion.

UNITED SIKHS and Sikh Council of Western Australia had presented a resolution comprising these proposals on April 12. The resolution was addressed to the presiding Deputy Mayor, Cr Mel Congerton, CEO Mr Stephen Cain and 15 councillors of the City of Swan and the members of the public, to re-establish Sikhism as a unique, independent ethnic religion, recognizing the importance of April 14 as National Sikh Day (Khalsa Sajna Divas) and acknowledging the month of April as Sikh Heritage Month

UNITED SIKHS also held a turban-tying and Sikh awareness program for councilors and the administration staff of the city council to experience the royalty, equality and sovereignty of tying and respecting a turban. Councilors Rashelle Predovnik, Cate McCullough, Aaron Bowman and Rod Henderson participated in the celebrations. Councilor Jagjit Singh Sandhu for organizing the event.

Councilors and city administration staff experienced royalty in turban

Councilor Cate McCullogh wore the turban for the entire session at the council chambers once she learnt that Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism advocated for women’s rights, 550 years ago.

Councilor Cate McCullogh and Councilor Jagjit Singh Sandhu

During the celebrations, for the first time in the 116-year history of the City of Swan, Guru Granth Sahib Ji, the eternal living Guru of the Sikhs presided and illuminated through a prakash ceremony Midland Town Hall. This history-defining ceremony comprised sangat (ceremonial congregation) and pangat (free food for all congregation) to appreciate and acknowledge the efforts of the City of Swan councilors and welcome the patrons of the wider community to celebrate with us.

This event was open to all and was organized by the management committees of Sikh Gurdwara Perth Bennett Springs, Sikh Gurudwara Canning Vale and Gurudwara Oldbury among other Sikh organizations.

Sikhism and Australia

The Resolution recounted deepening connection between Sikhism and Australia:

10,200 strong Sikhs and 13,600 patrons whose mother language is Punjabi proudly reside in the City of Swan. It has seen a recent 1.9% increase in the Sikh population and a 500% increase in Punjabi speakers according to the 2021 census results. The City of Swan is also home to the Sikh embassy, the Sikh Gurudwara in Bennett Springs and two language schools, a Gurmukhee Vidyala and a Punjabi School. The wider community of the City of Swan is witness to the 1500 plus free food and supply hampers the Sikh community delivers every week on Wednesday and Friday to the area of Midland in collaboration with our Christian brotherhood.

Sikhs in Australia came as cameleers and hawkers in the late 19th century very quickly developing their contribution in both World Wars and fought along with the Australian diggers in Gallipoli.  Today, Sikhs pursue diverse professions and walks of life, making rich contributions to the social, cultural, and economic vibrancy of Australia including Australian politics. Sikhs in Australia have pioneered humanitarian aid programs, be it bushfires, cyclones and free food for all (langar) during Covid-19.

The unique ethnicity of Sikhs in Australia has been recognized by the Australian Bureau of Statistics especially marked by their census 2021 program to identify Sikhs as a separate ethnicity and formation of the Sikh platoon spearheaded by the 16th Battalion – 13th Brigade in the Australian Defense Forces, one of a kind in the world.

During this month, we are praying for world peace. Sikhs stand by people suffering from humanitarian crisis, civil unrest and who are suffering in war torn nations like Ukraine.

Mandeep Singh
Director (Australia)
UNITED SIKHS

Recognize The Human Race As One