April is the perfect time to dive into the vibrant culture, rich spirituality and stories of Canadians with Sikh heritage. In 2019, Canada designated April as Sikh Heritage Month to recognize the contributions of Sikh people who call Canada home. There are more than 500,000 Sikh people living in Canada, making it the second-largest Sikh population in the world.
There's so much to discover this Sikh Heritage Month! Whether you're into entertainment, education or community connections, there's something exciting for everyone.
Kitchener Public Library Resources
Curated Reading Lists
Discover Sikh voices in the collection at Kitchener Public Library! Check out these hand-picked reading lists for adults and kids.
DiscoveRead
DiscoveREAD is a service where we help you find something great to read. Tell us what you're interested in, and we'll send you a list of suggestions or create a surprise book bundle for you. Request a special bundle for Sikh Heritage Month!
Virtual Library Resources
The Virtual Library is a collection of digital resources that you can access for free with your library card. There's lots of Sikh Heritage Month content that you can discover. Here are some resources that we recommend!
- "The Faith Project - Making Space" is a short documentary about a Sikh couple from Vancouver and their daily prayer practice. Watch it on the National Film Board of Canada.
- "Gurdeep Singh Bains" is a documentary that follows a thirteen-year-old Canadian Sikh whose family runs a dairy farm in the 1970s. Watch it on the National Film Board of Canada.
- "What is Sikhism?" is an informative documentary filmed at the birthday celebration for Guru Nanak, the 15th century founder of the faith. Watch it on Kanopy.
- "The Harvest" is a docu-musical that combines documentary with traditional Punjabi choreography. It follows Gurwinder, a Sikh man, who works as a day labourer in a farm in Italy. It explores the exploitation of agriculture workers in the fields. Watch it on Kanopy.
- "Learning to Drive" is a comedy-drama that follows a Manhattan writer who takes driving lessons from a Sikh instructor. Watch it on Kanopy.
Community Resources
- Golden Triangle Sikh Association (Gurdwara Sahib Kitchener-Waterloo)
- Guelph Sikh Society
- Sikh Students Association at the University of Waterloo
Have fun exploring these resources for Sikh Heritage Month!