Do you have a friend or relative married to a Non-Sikh?
Is the current Punjabi culture becoming diluted by being open to a new type of Sikh Wedding, Interfaith wedding or interracial culture?
Firstly, the term Sikh basically means to learn, so technically everyone on earth is a Sikh. Having said that, almost all Punjabi Sikhs are culturally from the state of Punjab in their genetics and ancestry. Tracing back in history ALL Sikhs were once Hindus or Muslims. As a new faith or tradition emerged, Sikhs have embedded values from both religions and cultures. Before the partition of India in 1947 it was common in Punjab to have families comprised of Sikh, Hindu, and Muslim relatives.
As Sikhs and Punjabis began migrating to foreign countries they were exposed to a new way of exploring new cultures, thoughts, and beliefs. Parents from the ‘old school’ insisted on arranged marriages and have always wanted to choose partners based on alliances of land, caste, traditional professions, wealth, and stability. Until recent days prospective couples had ‘NO SAY’ in choosing their life partners.
The first few generations in a new country tried extremely hard to impose and enforce strict codes of keeping up with their religion and cultural practices. As the younger generations started exploring the other cultures around them and their respective value systems, many ‘would be couples’ starting clearly seeing the hypocrisy within their own pre-existing system. The confrontation and challenge began, and educated independent voices started expressing their opinions. The new generation did not want to deal with spouse abuse, alcoholism, extended family drama, forced traditional socializing, etc. Couples want to be able to be themselves and live their lives true to their hearts.
As Sikh Wedding Officiants we ‘marry’ couples today who have found matches and partners that were previously a taboo because of having another look, language, or background. Couples now seek partners with similar thoughts, education, careers, dreams, lifestyle practices, and spiritual commonality of beliefs. Obviously, parents of these interracial couples have been challenged as this new generation continues challenging the social norm. Parents and relatives are coming to terms with this new change as this is now becoming a natural evolutionary change.
As Sikh Destination Wedding Officiants, we are now seeing a large rise in Sikhs marrying non-Sikhs around the world. Couples and parents should know that you are NOT alone in your change. We are here to help you make sense and assist you in building your union, sikhpriest@gmail.com.
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