Turban tales and gurdwara food go down a treat

Longridge children had fun tying their hair in a turban this month, eating Sikh food and learning more about a gurdwara in the heart of Newcastle as part of their education into different faiths within society.

With political change and clashes of ideology leading to global wars and an increasing number of attacks on different faith-based groups or populations, religious education has perhaps rarely been more relevant in a schools’ curriculum. But more than 40 Longridge pupils were able to see, hear and taste cultural difference for themselves when they stepped out of the classroom studies this month and were welcomed into a Sikh gurdwara.

Mrs Handley teaches religious studies at the school, and she explained that the visit was helpful in lifting understanding of differing cultures and how faiths are followed by different people within the UK to another level.

“As part of religious studies at Longridge,” she explained, “we look at a range of religious beliefs, including Christianity, Islam, Sikhism and Buddhism. That is common of course across all schools, but I feel it is important for children to get out and meet people to understand different faiths properly.

“A couple of years ago we took a group of children to the mosque and they were blown away by it. Even just travelling into a multi-cultural area of Newcastle where people were dressed differently, you could hear the children reacting with surprise because it was a new concept to many of those who come to us from rural parts of the country and abroad.

“They were very curious and really enjoyed learning about how people live differently, and it led to fascinating discussion and engagement back in school.

“So, then I decided to look at Sikhism, and contacted the gurdwara in Newcastle, and they have been so welcoming and lovely about helping us to educate our children, so that we can teach not just the religious aspect of the faith but also the cultural aspect of it.

“We had to take our shoes off and cover our hair in the gurdwara on our last visit, and we had pupils asking the young men why they have different colours of turban and what that signifies. And one man just said to them: ‘It’s just like you guys prefer different hair styles – we use different styles of turban to express our personality’. Little things like that make the pupils more knowledgeable about the people around them, and the children love that.

“I still have children saying to me now that that visit was their favourite school trip because it opened their eyes to something different.”

The pupils were struck by how the Sikhs opened their gurdwara kitchen, the ‘Langar’, to anyone in the community, of any faith, making and serving food free of nuts, dairy products and other possible allergens to be as widely acceptable as possible. It was also free of charge and the food proved a real hit with the Longridge pupils.

They also commented on the beauty of the gurdwara, surprise at the men not cutting their hair, and the friendliness and sense of community they discovered. James and Charlotte particularly enjoyed the food, Johnnie enjoyed playing the Sikh drums and Flora was surprised at how tight the turbans were, while all the children were clearly fascinated at learning about new culture.

Eden summed it up, stating: “I think we found it really interesting to learn more about the Sikh way of thinking and that they are not seeking to convert people to their religion. It is very much about how everyone is equal but can have their own, different religions and beliefs. There was a real sense of community and I also really enjoyed the meditation. That was cool.”

With religious tensions often at the heart of global wars, and racial tensions still prevalent in the UK, it is necessary in current education to widen understanding of what might be at the root of such problems and Mrs Handley found the Sikhs happy to share their insight to the world.

“Sikhism is the most modern of the faiths, dating back only to the 16th Century,” she explained. “The Founder, Guru Nanak, was concerned at fighting in India between Hindus and Muslims, and put forward the notion that there is no Hindu, no Muslim; that religion shouldn’t create aggressive rivalries, but instead unify people.

“So, Sikhs believe that everybody’s equal, regardless of status, money or religion, and so everyone is entitled to the same measure of respect as anybody else. They also shared with the pupils that they have a strong sense of service to their community, and believe in working hard to earn a living, and that life is about making a difference.

“So, there are messages in there that resonate with some of the challenges we are facing around the world.”

As well as raising awareness of other beliefs, Mrs Handley (left) has found from previous trips that the Longridge children also become more aware and confident, and less fearful of difference.

She added: “This isn’t about telling children what to think or expecting them to agree with any of these beliefs that we study; it’s quite the opposite, it’s giving them a knowledge and understanding to allow them to make up their own minds about different cultures.

“What we see in the children who have gone on the trips is they become more open to other ideas. It raises their understanding of the world around them and also their empathy for people from different cultures, people who perhaps look different or have different views to their own. That is fascinating to see develop.

“Discussing it in school is one thing, but having somebody who speaks to them from their heart, and explains how they choose to live their life, is much more powerful than anything we can teach in a classroom.”