Sikhism in Manitoba - #CultureOfTheWeek

Sikhism in Manitoba

Sikhism is the fourth-largest religion in India, with its roots in the Punjab province over 500 years ago. To get a better understanding of the religion, I sat down with Chanpreet Singh, or Channing as is friends call him, who has only been in Manitoba for just under two years.

He told me about the beliefs of Sikhism being guided by their ten gurus, starting with the founder Guru Nanak. I learned that Sikhs are monotheist, meaning they believe in only one God. "We believe that God is one divine power, it has no shape or colour or race; It could be Jesus or it could be Allah, but it is the same for everybody," said Channing. In this way, the religion is nothing like the majority-religion of Hinduism in India.

"Sikhism is based on three pillars: contemplating God's name, working diligently and sharing with others," explained Channing. There are also five major sins to avoid: lust, anger, greed, attachment and selfish pride. "Sikh means student," said Channing before explaining that Sikhism is about respecting all of humanity and living life to learn how to be a better person.

The most identifiable characteristic of any Sikh man is the turban he wears. "Sikhism is based on natural things, and according to our Guru Nanak any human should not cut hair because it is a natural thing that is given by God," said Channing. Other identifiable characteristics include a bracelet worn on the right wrist, called the Kara, and a dagger called the Kirpan.

There is also a strong military element to Sikhism stemming from the fact that they have often had to fight against outside forces in the northern region of India. Some members carry the Kirpan as a symbol of this history in their religion. Channing did not emphasize this part of the religion during our sit-down, but he acknowledges its importance to the Sikh culture.

Mr. Singh came to Manitoba through the sponsorship program shortly after he graduated with a Bachelor of Technology in India. He spoke about how Sikhs are a minority in India and they are stigmatized because of this, especially due to being a monotheist religion among the polytheist Hindu majority. Landing in Manitoba in January of 2013, Channing recently finished a network systems administration course at Winnipeg Technical College and is now selling technology for Staples.

"It was hard for me at the starting, because of the freezing temperature and it took some time to get to know the different customs," said Channing. He says he'd love to live in Manitoba permanently because of the multicultural society and his positive relationships with people.

There are nearly 500,000 Sikhs in Canada and they are credited with being among the first immigrants from South Asia. Their history includes an embarrassing incident in Canada's past.

In 1914 the Komagata Maru, a ship full of 340 Sikhs who identified as British subjects, was forced to turn around because the federal government did not welcome them, despite being British subjects just like all Canadians at that time.

Canada has come a long way since then and Sikhs now have deep roots that continue to contribute to the cultural tapestry of our nation.

Chanpreet Singh, aka Channing, aka Channing Tatum
And ladies, he's single!

Sikhs aboard the Komagata Maru in Vancouver's Burrard Inlet, 1914
(Library and Archives Canada)

The Coptic Orthodox Church - Culture Of The Week

St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church of Winnipeg

Coptic is the language of the Egyptian hieroglyphs.

This was the first of many interesting facts I learned during my 20 minute sit-down with Father Marcos Farag, the Parish Priest at Winnipeg's St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church. "Coptic means Egyptian, but nowadays specifically it is for the Christian parts of Egypt," said Father Marcos.

The artwork that lines the walls are as beautiful as the hieroglyphs themselves, with an unmistakably Egyptian character and beautifully rich colours, all including some shimmering gold accent. The building they have is massive, with many different rooms for services and prayers.

Fr. Marcos explained how the Coptic Church was founded by St. Mark himself in the first century, specifically around the year 60 A.D. Making the Coptic Orthodox Church one of the oldest Christian denominations that dates back to soon after the life of Jesus Christ. Other "sister-churches" include the Syrian Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox and Ethiopian Orthodox churches.

From my Canadian Roman Catholic perspective, I couldn't help but try to compare these African & Middle Eastern churches to those in Europe. According to Fr. Marcos the understanding of the dogma is the same, "but the formula sometimes is different." While I tried to dig for some of these differences, it became clear that Fr. Marcos would rather emphasize the fact that all Christians share the same central belief - "Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Salvation," said Fr. Marcos.

He then told me a bit about his life before the priesthood, when he was a biomedical engineer in Egypt before he found his calling. He proudly tells me about being married with two daughters, who are in architecture and dentistry. This family aspect is one interesting difference between Catholic and the Coptic Orthodox priesthood.

There are around 270 families who attend the St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church of Winnipeg, most of whom speak Arabic or English. The prayers are done in Coptic, while the rest of the service is either in English or Arabic, depending on your preference. Fr. Marcos cited Manitoba's nominee program as a big reason for the Coptic community's continued growth, saying many are pharmacists or physicians who are able to get their licenses in Manitoba. He also said that his family and others feel very welcome in Manitoba and are happy to call this province home.

Coptic Pope Tawadros II & Roman Catholic Pope Francis
Photo Credit: Reuters/Andreas Solaro

The Coptic Orthodox Church has been active in Canada for 50 years, which prompted a rare visit to Canada by the Coptic Pope Tawadros II who stayed in Winnipeg for one day. During his time here, he laid the cornerstone for the new church that is being built on the property of the St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church. Pope Tawadros II travelled to every Coptic Orthodox Church in Canada from September 3rd to September 29th, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Church in Canada.

Fr. Marcos tells me how in years past, many Coptic Christians fled Egypt to come to Canada for more safety and freedom, but he is also optimistic that Egypt is much better now and the Coptic community, which is %20 of the country, is very proud. Then he explained how the Coptic people are the native inhabitants of Egypt before a major influx of Arabs started in the seventh century. Prior to that demographic change, Egypt was nearly %100 Christian, which was news to me.

And so it went, Father Marcos Farag really expanded my understanding of early Christianity. He invited me to a big festival they host on the first of June, marking the visit of the 'Holy Family' to Egypt, referring to Jesus' early years when Mary & Joseph fled to Egypt to escape King Herod of Judea. 

I will have to take him up on that invitation and I'd urge you to check it out too. The Coptic Orthodox Church gives you a glimpse of Egypt as you may have never imagined. The rich history and beautiful artwork on display shows the visitor a view of Egypt that you won't get from the media. I am grateful to Fr. Marcos for this enlightening interview and I told him I'd try to make it down there for a service one Sunday soon. 

Let me know what you think! Leave a comment or message me on Twitter @D_A_Koroma. 

Father Marcos Farag, Parish Priest

Father Marcos describes the journey of the Holy Family

Coptic depiction of Saints Anthony & Paul

One of several chapels in the building, adorned with Coptic art.

Introducing: Culture Of The Week

Photo credit: http://canada.lilithezine.com

Starting Sunday, this blog will be interviewing a member of a specific cultural group with the goal of informing readers about different religions and cultures that call Canada home. The subjects of the interviews will vary from leaders of their community to everyday people.

This segment is called 'Culture of the Week' and I'll always be open to requests if any readers want to suggest an interesting person or culture to look into. This is a kind of selfish endeavour because I've always had an interest in world religions and all the different cultures who share this planet. I'm going to enjoy reaching out to community leaders and learning about their culture and also hearing their stories of how and why they chose to come to Canada.

In some cases, the culture I choose may be well-established in Canada going back over a century, while in other cases they may be a community that includes very few second-generation Canadians.

The goal of this research is to create a fuller understanding of Canadian culture. I'll always ask how this person feels they fit into Canadian society, with the goal of getting different perspectives of our country.

First up, I had the pleasure of interviewing Father Marcos Farag, a priest at Winnipeg's St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church. This was an enlightening interview for me and I look forward to sharing our conversation this Sunday.

Do you have a culture you think I should research? Hit me up on Twitter @D_A_Koroma with the hashtag #CultureOfTheWeek!

The World's First National Human Rights Museum

The new Canadian Museum for Human Rights welcomed its first visitors last weekend, with dignitaries and some lucky Manitobans receiving a guided tour before regular hours start this Saturday.

I was lucky enough to be one of those Manitobans and I was happy - maybe even excited - to be one of the first to visit this one-of-a-kind museum. I believe the struggle for human rights is ongoing and I wondered if this museum would agree with me or be more focused on looking back at all the ugly parts of history that we all know so well.

Slavery, check. Colonialism, check. Racism, check. Of course all those topics were covered, but these egregious acts were not the focal point of the museum. Instead, this museum is about learning from the past with the goal of building a better future. By using symbolism and telling a multitude of stories, old and new, this museum emphasizes the common threads in Humanity.

There are references to the awful residential schools system, which is less than two decades old and still impacts many people in ways most Canadians are completely oblivious to. And while I personally agree with those who want this atrocity referred to as 'genocide', I would still urge any skeptics to visit the museum.

Visitors are reminded that we are on 'Treaty 1 Land' and the 'Indigenous Perspectives' exhibit includes beautiful works of art done by local artists. Indigenous culture permeates throughout the building and even the original piles that form the foundation were all buried with a traditional medicine bag.

This was not your typical museum experience. One interesting area included an interactive art exhibit where a group of people would stand on a big blank circle. As you step on the ground, a colourful light surrounds your feet, but as you get closer to another person that light blends with their light and creates more dynamic artwork. The more people standing close together, the more dynamic the lights and ribbons surrounding you. This was an artistic rendition of the power of cooperation and it was fun for the kids too.

Unfortunately, this was the only interactive exhibit that we were able to try during the limited tour. I would have liked to try the consoles where you get to act as Canada's Supreme Court and make decisions on landmark human rights cases. Also, everyone wanted to ride the elevator up to the Tower of Hope, where you can get a better view of Winnipeg than the Golden Boy, but that experience would have to wait.

The Canadian Museum for Human Rights is a testament to the power of Canadian culture. The museum beautifully blends the story of our nation with the need for greater international cooperation and understanding. This museum implicitly asks Canadians to live up to our Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which is currently in the museum's possession.

After years of fundraising, building, and fundraising some more, the final structure is an impressive addition to Winnipeg's skyline. It is located at the historic forks location where the Red and Assiniboine rivers meet, where settlers once traded furs and Canada signed its first treaty with First Nations people 143 years ago.

Now, the hope is, visitors from across the country and the world will converge here to learn from past atrocities and contribute to building a more egalitarian world. A world governed by, what we can proudly call, Canadian values.

A Big Canadian Welcome!

Welcome to Coast to Coast to Coast!

This blog will dive into many interesting and often uncovered aspects of Canadian culture. I will be exploring how a country with such a variety of world views continues to thrive peacefully and with a clear common interest.

Are we a multicultural society? Of course we are.

During our relatively young history, we have now invited people from all over the world to join us in building a new kind of country - truly for everyone and created by everyone.

Among other things, this blog will look at the way First Nations' culture has helped shape the Canadian identity and how every culture since has added to the tapestry of our distinct nation.

Aside from culture, I will also explore the unexplainable. My blog's name pays homage to the wacky 'Coast to Coast AM' radio show which offers an odd, some would say fringe, perspective on the current world we live in.

With that in mind, I will always be on the search for interesting topics, not necessarily rooted in scientific facts.

Do you have an unusual story about a Canadian experience that you'd like to share? Hit me up on Twitter @D_A_Koroma with the hashtag #CdnCoasts and I'll try to share it on my blog!

My name's David and I'm a Creative Communications student at Red River College, so you may find some off-topic content from time to time. Also, every blog post will also have a quote of the day, with no more than one post per day.

I look forward to hearing from you!


Quote of the Day: "It's true that you gain your soul when you lose control." - k-os