Indo-Canadians VS Native Hawaiians

Indo-Canadians VS Native Hawaiians

Relationship to Land:

QUIZ:

As Indo-Canadians we have immigrated from India , and our relationship to the land is different yet similar from the relationship to land in Canada. In India depending on the location of your hometown either you live in a urban city or as a farmer. In Canada most Indo-Canadians live in cities, but there are also farms in Canada. The relationship to land as an Indo-Canadian is either living in a city and getting accessibility to places quicker than you would get in India. The weather in India is very hot compared to Canada. Working in Canada and India are both similar, you go to work, sell, and pay bills. The transportation in India can vary from cars to riding a cow. Where as in Canada we ride cars, bicycles, and motorcycles. There’s also a lot more pollution in India than Canada.

1) How old is the Sikh culture?

2) In what year was Bhangra first introduced?

3)What is the most popular job in Punjab?

4)Who do the Native Hawaiians look up to as their role models?

5) Are Native Hawaiians a polytheistic culture or not?

Language:

• Native Hawaiians are extremely compatible with ecosystems and species.
• Hawaii has a Nature Conservancy that works with people to protect the island's natural lands and water.
• In total, they have helped protect almost 200,000 acres on the island.

Punjabi is one of the most widely spoken Indo-Canadian languages. It was first introduced in sometime in the 1400’s. Holy Scriptures are read in Gurmukhi. Gurmukhi is the official language of the sacred Sikh scriptures. It is a type of poetic Punjabi. There are 35 letters and nine vowel modifiers. The God's devotees spoke different languages such as: Sanskrit and, Persian.

Arts & Attire

Traditions:

Women attire:

• Salwar Kameez are loose fitting tops and bottoms, with a piece of cloth to cover the head and draped around the shoulders
• Sikh women are known by long hair kept in a bun and a steel bracelet worn on the right wrist

Men attire:

• Sikh men wear a turban which is like a projective identity which conveys royalty, uniqueness, and grace
• Sikh men wear a Kurta Pajama. A Kurta is a long tailored shirt with side slits up to the pocket. The pajama is a loose pant often made of fabric to match the kurta

Arts:

• Bhangra and the Giddha are two types of Punjabi folk dancing. Bhangra was first introduced in 1950 and it was originally danced to the beat of the dhol drum.
• The clothing generally worn are long skirts and long tops with a head scarf. There is also a lot of jewelery worn by women when they are dancing.
• Farming is one of the main jobs that Indians do for a living. They have also carried this tradition with them to their western lives by owning small farms in Canada.

Religion:

Individual Identity: Mahatma Gandhi

Diwali:

• Diwali is the festival of lights where individuals light candles (diva) and go to the temple to pray; lastly they watch fireworks

Rakhri:

• This is a tradition where the girl in the family ties a traditional string around her brother's wrist
• After this tradition, the brother must give his sister gifts or money as a token of love. This ceremony symbolizes the everlasting bond between a brother and a sister.

The Sikh Parade:

• In this festival, Sikh individuals walk around the community and listen to prayers (Kirtan) ; this ceremony symbolizes the establishment of the Sikh religion

The Hawaiian language is one of the oldest living languages in the world. The name of this language is 'Olelo Hawaii' This official language has the shortest alphabet in the world. The word 'alho' is the most known Hawaiian word and has a significant meaning; this word means hello, goodbye, kindness, compassion, and fondness. This word also depicts the cultures core values.

From 1830-1930 native speakers decreased due to territorial legislation, establishing English as one of the official languages. After this period, the attention has increased.

Mohandas Gandhi is considered the father of the Indian independence movement. He was born a Hindu in 1869 in Porbandar, India. Gandhi stands as one of history’s greatest heroes of “engaged spirituality,” a spirituality that is active within the world to help heal injustice and hatred. Gandhi was often seen wearing a Khaddar, which is a hand-woven cloth primarily made out of hemp (refined products such as seeds, pulp, paper, fuel). Gandhi followed several traditions, one including the significance of non-violence in society. The tradition of nonviolence plays an important role in the Indian culture. Mahatma Gandhi was an inspiration to many individual because of his noble deeds towards society.Additionally, Mahatma was a environmentalist, who was concerned about the growth and cost of non renewable natural resources. One of Gandhi's teachings was that " The force of power never wins against the power of love".

Grass Skirts:

• associated with traditional hula dancers
• They are constructed from outer bark and leaves of banana tree's
• The same material is fashioned into anklets that are worn during ceremonial events

Kapa Cloth:

• Manufactured by women, made from the bark of the paper mulberry tree
• The tucked skirt (malo) worn by men and the short skirt (pa'u) worn by women
• Kapa cloth is dried or printed with bold and unique patterns/colors

Feathered Attire:

• these items were constructed from a base of finely woven fiber and thousands of brightly colored feathers.
• chiefs wore capes, whereas kings and high ranking officials wore cloaks.
• cloaks/capes were composed of feathers from the Mamo bird.

Arts:

• For the Hawaiian people carving surf boards is like fine art. Jewelry and painting are delightful to the eyes and inspire minds.
• Their artwork holds a significant meaning in their lives because it connects with their ancient roots and practices.

Sikhism is the youngest religion in the world, it is about five hundred years old. It is the fifth largest religion in the world. Guru Nanak Dev Ji was the founder. He expressed the reality that there is one god and that the name of god is truth. His famous saying was that, "There is no Hindu, there is no Muslim, so whose path shall I follow? I shall follow the path of God." There are 10 Sikh Gurus, they all represent a divine attribution.

Roles Models:

The Flower Lei:

• This is a garland or wreath of flowers presented upon arriving or leaving. It symbolizes affection, offered with a kiss and can only be removed in view of the giver.

Ho'oponopano:

• This is a practice that takes place throughout South Pacific Islands and symbolizes forgiveness. A Kahona (traditional priest or healer) performs the prayer; which heals spirit, emotions, mental and physical outlook towards life.

Merrie Monarch Hula Festival:

• A parade and Hula competition, that lasts a week long which displays art exhibits, craft fairs, performances, and demonstrations. Hawaiians take time to prepare for this annual festival. There are hula instructors, studios, and etc. This parade shows people the significance of their culture, chants, movement, and history of their unique culture.

Many Sikh individuals look up to their gods as role models. In Sikhism, the main purpose for an individual is to become closer to god through means of prayers and meditation. Sikh gods have taught many valuable lessons such as not cutting your hair, not eating meat or drinking alcohol, and always respecting your elders.

The Native Hawaiian culture is polytheistic meaning they worship numerous gods and they believe that spirits are in non-living things and objects. One of the core values of the Native Hawaiians is that an individual must follow the laws of god, if they are broken one will confront death or punishment. In their religion, a small group of spiritual people known as Kauw lived away from other individuals, so they wouldn't be influenced by Manu (spiritual energy).

Personal Identities

Spirituality & Beliefs

• Hawaiians look up to their gods as role models
• They have four main gods:
• Kane was the god of life, fresh water and provider of sunshine.
• Lono is the god of rain, peace and the forest.
• Ku is the god of war and medicine.
• Kanaloa is the god of the ocean.
• As part of their religious beliefs, Hawaiians also worship the powers of nature.

We are all a part of the Sikh culture.; therefore we have similar identities. We are a part of the Indo -Canadian group as we are Sikh individuals who have adapted to the western surroundings.

We are known as Indo-Canadians as some of us came from India and brought our culture along with us, even though we have adapted to the western culture we are living in now. A lot of us still continue to do the activities we did when we weren't living here. We continue to wear our traditional clothing when we need to, such as to the Gurudwara and parties. Punjabi is still spoken in your homes when we talk to our elders, as this will help us remember it.

We as Indo-Canadians don't have much in common with the Native Hawaiians other than worshiping our gods.

Indo-Canadians are extremely spiritual individuals who believe in the power of god. They express their spirituality through prayers and devotion to god. Indo-Canadians have been building places of worship for their respective faiths since the first settlers arrived in Canada. Additionally, Indo-Canadians have several beliefs, such as the importance of equality in society. People of all religions and races are welcome in Sikh temples. Women have equal status with men in religious services and ceremonies. Also, Indo-Canadians believe that every individual should stand up to injustice. Sikhs are peace loving people and stand for truth and justice, Guru Gobind Singh Ji said, "It is right to use force as a last resort when all other peaceful means fail." These are a few of the beliefs of the Indo-Canadian group.

Religion for Hawaiians involves the worship of all powers of nature. Each major part of their lives has its own god. Hawaiians believe that their gods took several forms. For instance, Kane appeared as sugarcane, bamboo, and lightening; Lono could be found in rain, clouds, and sweet potatoes. In Hawaiian society, one is expected to know and understand what it means to be a contributing member of the community. Everyone has a responsibility to use their talent to benefit the entire society. Lastly, the ties the bind ohana (family) together can not be broken even by the empowering force of death.