We Asked Sikh Men in Britain What Turban Means to Them: Here’s What They Said
The dastaar – most commonly referred to as a turban – is perhaps Sikhism’s most visible expression of identity.
The dastaar – most commonly referred to as a turban – is perhaps Sikhism’s most visible expression of identity.
(Photo: Chetan Bhakuni/The Quint)
The dastaar – most commonly referred to as a turban – is perhaps Sikhism’s most visible expression of identity.
As part of our ongoing research, we talked to 13 British Sikh men to learn about their identity, religious practice and their experiences of wearing the turban in the UK. They told us that they hoped the recent visibility of the turban in fashion collections, police uniform and advertising campaigns would help to dilute the stigma surrounding the turban.
Other noteworthy cases include the 2022 recruitment campaign for the Royal Navy, which exposed the traumas and stigmas associated with keeping hair and wearing a turban for a young Sikh man in Britain.
The Sikh code of discipline – the Rehat Maryada – states that Sikh men must cover their heads. While most Sikhs in the UK and around the world do not wear the turban, it remains the most recognisable article of faith for adult Sikh men and women.
There has been a Sikh presence in Britain for almost 160 years, but Sikh migration to the UK mostly started in the 1950s.
The first Sikh migrants to Britain faced significant discrimination in securing employment and many had to forgo their identities, resulting in the removal of all outward religious symbols including turban, hair and beard. Having to abandon the dastaar and cutting their hair were not benign acts:
More recently, British society has positively responded to inclusion of Sikh ways of life, with the acceptance of the turban in police and military uniforms. But there have also been real challenges and struggles along the way.
Most notably, stigmas and discrimination around the turban were exacerbated following the 9/11 World Trade Center terrorist attacks in 2001.
Alongside Muslims, turban-wearing Sikhs have borne the brunt of the subsequent rise in hate crimes, anti-Islamic sentiment, discrimination and racial profiling worldwide.
The Sikh men we spoke to for our as yet unpublished research, explained how wearing the turban signalled their observance to Sikhism and the life choices this entails, such as the protection of and service to others:
The dastaar holds both practical and spiritual significance:
Kuldeep, 27, who runs a successful fashion blog, spoke of his desire to feature his difference and break stereotypes. However, other interviewees expressed discomfort regarding the new found popularity of the dastaar in marketing campaigns and its commodification as a fashion item.
The striking visual of a fully observant Sikh keeping hair (kesh) and wearing the dastaar is part of its appeal for marketeers who seek to signal their inclusive values. Interviewees generally implied, however, that simply prioritising the visual aspects of the turban would come at the expense of its symbolic and spiritual dimension.
As many interviewees explained, to them, the dastaar is so much more. It is not only a symbol of faith and a life of service, but also an embodiment of its long heritage and sacrifice borne by the Sikh community.
(This is an opinion piece and the views expressed above are the author’s own. The Quint neither endorses nor is responsible for the same. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article here.)
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