It's Sunday afternoon at the Singh Sabha Gurdwara in Bellingham, one of three Sikh places of worship in Whatcom County. The building is bustling with activity: adults greet each other while their children play games. The musicians, called rajis, perform Gurbani Kirtan (Sikh hymns) on the harmonium along with the tabla.
Sikhs bow before the Sri Guru Granth Sahib – considered a holy book and an eternally living teacher – and read from its 1,430 pages at the height of the service. All the devotees gather on the ground as a sign of equality.
On the other side of the hall, the smell of fresh dal and well-spiced tea wafts from the langar to the entrance. Following the Sikh principle of seva (selfless service without expectation of reward), this communal kitchen is staffed entirely by volunteers. Anyone who visits the gurdwara is invited to enjoy a free meal, regardless of religion, race, gender or class.
Today the langar hall is a gathering place for Sikh devotees, but on March 23, it will become the venue for the Shardi Kala Project's third annual children's arts festival. The Shardi Kala Project works with the three gurdwaras in Whatcom County to build bridges between members of the Sikh and non-Sikh community.
The Shardi Kala Project is involved in a variety of outreach efforts, but the Children's Arts Festival is its main annual event. Community members of all faiths are invited to exercise their creativity, enjoy a meal, and perhaps learn a thing or two about the diverse cultures within Whatcom County.
About Shardi Kala Project
Founded by the late Dr. Kirpal Singh and Dr. Phyllis Singh, started the Shardi Kala Project in January 2018 to combat discrimination against Sikhs and promote cross-cultural understanding. The name is derived from a Punjabi term that means “keeping our spirits up, especially in difficult times, because you know you are doing the right thing,” said CEO Kamala Kaur.
The project falls under the financial umbrella of the Chuckanut Health Foundation, and its first initiative was to provide meals to homeless community members. Kaur initially linked Lynden's langar kitchen with organizations like HomesNow and Bridge2Services. Today, they continue to deliver meals to sites including Swift Haven Campground and Civic Field Campground.
Eventually, the project began giving presentations at local schools and universities. In addition to Kamalla Kaur and Principal Tarnjot Singh Brar, an extensive roster of volunteers — including Whatcom County Executive Satpal Sidhu — is helping with these educational efforts. Sidhu has been involved in Chardi Kala since its inception. The project “has had a tremendous impact in showcasing Sikh culture and religious traditions to citizens,” he said in an email.
Kaur also organizes field trips to Whatcom County's three gurdwaras, a phrase that translates to “home of the teacher,” though members of all faiths are welcome. These days, she said, “everyone becomes… [a Chardi Kala Project] Volunteering” by welcoming and interacting with visitors. Punjabi culture helps bhangra dancers and jhatka performances – or Sikh martial arts, which is a physical and spiritual practice – connect with the wider community. The Chardi Kala Project also runs a job fair outside the Pole Road gurdwara in Lynden.
Finally, the organization participates in numerous interfaith networking and events across Whatcom County — but the Children's Arts Festival has become the flagship festival for the Shardi Kala Project. Jackie Presadola of Pace Atelier Art Studio facilitated the arts and crafts for the event, which she described as “a great opportunity to bring all the communities together in a space that people may not be used to coming to.”
Sikhism in Whatcom County
Through its outreach, the Shardi Kala Project aims not only to raise awareness but also to reduce hate crimes through education. This is important given Whatcom County's complex history of anti-Asian racism and violence.
In 1906, about 200 Sikhs arrived in Bellingham from Punjab to work in lumber mills. A year later, these workers were attacked by a mob and forced to leave the county. Sikhs did not return to Whatcom County until 1983 – even though British Columbia is home to one of the largest Sikh populations outside of India.
In the decades following their return, Sikhs became an integral part of Whatcom County's agricultural economy and community. Whatcom County grows the largest berry crop per capita in the world; It is now estimated that Sikh farmers account for more than half of this production. Punjabi immigrants also own a host of trucking businesses, motels, convenience stores, fast food restaurants and construction companies in Whatcom County, contributing to the economy by creating jobs.
Whatcom County now has between 5,000 and 8,000 Sikhs, Kaur said. Furthermore, there are clear signs of progress within the wider community. In 2018, a permanent memorial, known as the Arch of Healing and Reconciliation, was erected in downtown Bellingham to honor and commemorate Sikhs, Japanese and Chinese immigrants – all of whom were forcibly evacuated from Whatcom County. Local politics also exemplify the success of reconciliation efforts, with Sidhu now twice elected to the position of county executive.
But amid the great progress, problems remain: In December 2019, a Sikh Uber driver was assaulted by his passenger after a series of racist remarks. The driver fled and called 911, and the Bellingham Police Department declared the incident a hate crime. The attack catalyzed the spread of the Shardi Kala Project: Kaur said Sikhs often face harassment and outright racism, especially amid rising Islamophobia after 9/11.
Sukhvir Singh, a volunteer representative of the Singh Sabha Gurdwara and Chardi Kala Project, said he was often assumed to be a Muslim because of his turban. This is despite the fact that turbans, or dastars, are a feature of Sikhism, not Islam. Worn to represent respect and humility, the dastar is one of the many aspects of his faith that is often misunderstood.
Singh explained that the word “Sikh” means “learner” in Punjabi. The religion is relatively recent, having originated in South Asia in the 15th century. Members of the Sikh faith, mostly of Punjabi origin, study the teachings of the founder Guru Nanak, the first of 10 human gurus (the 11th and last being Guru Granth Sahib).
Guru Nanak traveled throughout India and Asia more widely to spread the message of Ek Onkar, the God who dwells in all creation. The ultimate goal of Sikhism is to overcome selfishness and unite with the omnipresent Divine. Guru Nanak advocated women's equality, challenged the Indian caste system, and called for peace, tolerance, and equality between cultures and religions.
As such, seva – or selfless service – is an integral part of the Sikh religion. In Whatcom County, Sikhs are among the first groups to provide assistance in times of crisis: During the pandemic, the Shardi Kala Project has helped at-risk individuals obtain groceries and medicine, Brar said. The Sikh community also raised US$75,000 for flood relief in November 2021 and provided meals to those affected.
These efforts, along with the outreach undertaken by the Shardi Kala Project, have helped deepen Sikh connections with the broader community.
“People now recognize us as a constructive member of society,” Brar said. “I'm really happy with what we've done so far.”
Building bridges through creativity
If you are looking to learn more about the Sikhs of Whatcom County and connect with them, the Children's Arts Festival is an opportunity to do just that. Food will be provided from the langar kitchen (in addition to pizza), and Presadola will facilitate stations for four different crafts: painting, glue guns, weaving, and polymer clay.
These open activities led to a “natural translation” among attendees, Kaur said. She cited an example from 2023, when her makeshift bracelet — made of duct tape and stickers — sparked laughter across languages.
“I went to where my parents were and I was… showing off my bracelet,” she said. “Oh, come on,” says a young Punjabi woman who speaks good English. This is so pretty you could wear it to the supermarket!' So all the English speaking people exploded – then I translated it into Punjabi, and all the Punjabi people laughed. Then someone translated it into Spanish!
The art festival is free, and community members of all cultures are invited to attend. While there will be opportunities to learn more about Sikhism, Kaur pointed out that proselytizing is against the religion, and this aspect is completely optional. Instead, she hopes the event will help people feel comfortable visiting places of worship from a different culture.
“Feeding people and feeling the hospitality of the gurdwara is the first goal,” she said.
Brisadula described the gurdwara's atmosphere as a feeling of “deep connection and love,” and the Children's Arts Festival is no exception. She believes that art has a unique way of facilitating communication, regardless of culture or religion – and not just between children.
“Pre-K all the way to adult…we don't treat [festival attendees] “If it were different, they would get to experience the enjoyment of creativity,” she said. “I think just being open to exploration with creativity is a gateway to connection, and strengthening us in the community.”
Children's Arts Festival presented by Shardi Kala Project in partnership with Pace Atelier Art Studio. The event takes place from 10am to 4pm on Saturday, March 23 at the Singh Sabha Gurdwara (591 Telegraph Road). information: thechardikalaproject.org.
Cocoa Laney is CDN's lifestyle editor. Contact her at Cocoalaney@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 128.
