Simryn Kaur Singh (left), 15, with 'Bannock Lady' Althea Guiboche (right). Below: Jasmyn Kaur Singh, 11.
People
Winnipeg Sisters Team Up To Do Langar Seva
JASON FRIESEN
A plate of food can go a long way for someone who needs it. And that’s why two young Sikh-Canadian sisters from Winnipeg, Manitoba joined forces with ‘Got Bannock’ last Sunday to help feed some of Winnipeg’s less fortunate.
The sisters, 15-year-old Simryn Kaur and 11-year-old Jasmyn Kaur Singh, started a grassroots organization called Langar Seva Winnipeg only a few months ago. Langar Seva is the serving of a traditional vegetarian Sikh meal where the whole community, regardless of social status, gender, caste or faith is served.
It promotes the values of eating in community, and that all human beings are equal.
They already serve the meals at their gurdwara, and Got Bannock already feeds meals to those in need twice a month at the corner of Main and Dufferin. But on Sunday they served together along with other organizations like the ‘Bear Clan Patrol‘, ‘Be the Reason’ and Kildonan United Church.
Langar Seva and Got Bannock came together when Jyoti Kaur Singh, mother of the sisters, started working at the same workplace as Althea Guiboche, who runs Got Bannock.
“Through conversation, we’ve been learning that our cultures are very similar,” said Jyoti about talking with Guiboche, who is Metis. “A lot of things that happen in indigenous culture are the same for Sikh culture.”
Jyoti’s daughters see the interaction between cultures as important too.
“I think it’s important, because we’re bringing together two communities that might not be together otherwise,” said Simryn. “And it also shows that everyone’s equal.”
Guiboche was just as pleased team up with the Singh sisters to prepare a Langar meal.
“It plays into reconciliation,” said Guiboche. “We’re embracing each other’s cultures, and we have so many similarities. We shouldn’t be concentrating on differences these days. We need to be one race, the human race.”
For Jasmyn, getting to serve Langar on the streets of Winnipeg is a reminder that some people aren’t as fortunate as others.
“We should appreciate other people who might not have things like food or who are living on the street,” said Jasmyn.
The Singh sisters felt called to help those in need when the ‘Push for Change’ initiative came to their school recently. Push for Change was started by Joe Roberts, formerly a homeless youth in Vancouver and now a successful businessman. His initiative has him pushing a shopping cart across Canada to raise funds and awareness for homeless youth. His message resonated with the girls and their Sikh values.
“Since we’re a part of the future, we have to mold the way we want to live,” said Simryn. “So if we want to have fewer problems like homelessness, we need to fix it now.”
[Courtesy: The Winnipeg Sun. Edited for sikhchic.com]
June 20, 2017