Sikhs in Brazil are a religious minority and there are estimated to be around 300 Sikhs living in the country.[1][2][3]
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 Dr. Manmohan Singh at Palácio da Alvorada, Brazil | |
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 300 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Rio de Janeiro · São Paulo | |
| Languages | |
| Brazilian Portuguese · Punjabi • Hindi • Urdu |
History
editEarly 20th Century
editBrazilian Sikhs started with the arrival of the first Sikh immigrants in the early 20th century. These immigrants came to Brazil seeking better economic opportunities, and they settled primarily in the southern part of the country, in the Brazilian state of Paraná. However, most Sikhs went to Brazil to reach Argentina.[4]
Sikhs in Latin America, including Brazil, have been the subject of academic research as well. In his book "Sikhs in Latin America: Travels Among the Sikh Diaspora," Swaran Singh provides a comprehensive overview of the history and culture of Sikhs in the region. Singh's research highlights the challenges that Sikhs in Latin America face in preserving their religious and cultural traditions while also integrating into their host societies.[5]
21st Century
editSikhism is known for its commitment to equality and social justice, and the Sikh community in Brazil has worked to promote these values within their own community and in the wider Brazilian society. In 2018, a delegation of Brazilian Sikhs visited the Golden Temple in Amritsar, India, to plead for gender equality within the Sikh community. The delegation included both men and women, and they called for the removal of restrictions on women's participation in some Sikh religious ceremonies.[6][7]
Demographics
editMost Sikhs in Brazil belong to the 3HO community or Punjabi migrants, who have come for business opportunities. The descendants of earlier immigrant generation have largely married outside of the culture and religion due to the lack of a large Sikh population.[1]
Gurdwara
editThe Sikh community in Brazil has established several gurdwaras, or places of worship, throughout the country. One of the most well-known gurdwaras is the Shri Arjun Dev Sahib Gurdwara in the city of Curitiba, which was inaugurated in 1980. This gurdwara is the first and largest Sikh temple in Brazil and has become a symbol of the Sikh community's presence in the country.[8]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "Brazilian Sikhs visit Golden Temple, plead for gender equality". Tribuneindia News Service. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
Dr Gurusangat Kaur Khalsa said, "We have a community of more than 300 Sikhs in Brazil, out of which around 10 are 'amritdharis' whereas the rest are 'sehajdhari' Sikhs.
- ^ "Gurdwaras in Brazil". World Gurdwaras.
- ^ "Interview with Siri Sahib Singh Khalsa from Belo Horizonte – Brazil". SikhNet.
We have a network of 2,000 people
- ^ "Naipaul And The Sikhs Of Argentina". Outlook India.
When groups of Sikhs did reach the shores of South America it was not always at Buenos Aires. Some had to travel further, overland through Chile or Brazil.
- ^ Kahlon, Swaran (2012). Sikhs in Latin America: Travels Among the Sikh Diaspora. Manohar Publishers. ISBN 9788173049385.
- ^ Paul, GS (4 February 2018). "Brazilian Sikhs visit Golden Temple, plead for gender equality". The Tribune.
- ^ Rana, Yudhvir (3 February 2018). "Brazil's Sikh Dharma International delegation visits Golden Temple". Times of India.
- ^ "The Sikh Global Village - Brazil" (PDF). The Sikh Global Village - Brazil.