Previous

Next

Ask a Question

Summary of Question:	Why Are Indians Called Pakistanis ?
Category:	General Sikhism
Date Posted:	Friday, 2/24/2006 7:25 PM MST

Waheguru Ji ka Khalsa, Waheguru ji ke fateh,

i was just wondering why indians (sikhs or hindus) are referred to as being the same as pakistanis. you even said it in one of your forums that indians get affended by the word "paki" but why would indians be affended by that word when we are not pakistanis. is it because pakistanis refer to themselves as indian.. another thing that i dont understand is why pakistanis are involeved in some of the sikh cultural events such as the punjabi culture of bhangra, clothing, and music. they are so proud to be apart of the punjabi culture, but when sikhs are being discriminated against and are being put down, they turn the other way and put sikhs down too in a condescending way. i am not trying to discriminate against anyone who is pakistani, but this has happened numerous times in which i have experienced. i dont understand why they would be apart of our culture and then put us sikhs down by thinking that they are better than us. im sorry if this seems to be confusing or hard to understand from my perspective, but this really fusturates me...i guess i just dont really like that they adopt our culture, and i guess that is very selfish and rude of me to say..but i dont like how they put us down..confused...please help
waheguru ji ka khalsa, waheguru je ke fateh

******
reply
*********
Sat nam. The people of India and Pakistan are the same race(s), since Pakistan was carved out of India in the 1940s. Culturally speaking, the two have much in common, but also have obvious cultural differences, not the least of which is India's Hindu culture compared to Pakistan's muslim culture.

Additionally, in some communities, those who want to irritate or denigrate Indians refer to them as 'Paki' because the two countries' governments have been enemies since the 1940s and a whole culture of put-downs between the two has grown up with it. And the putdowns began long before Pakistan and are based in the historic enmity between religions that has pervaded India for centuries.

Do not get yourself wrapped up in racial identity and sensitivity to racism that pervades this world. If people want to put down Sikhs, they will, whether it's by calling you a 'paki' or a diaper-head. Sikhi is a world religion, not just Indian, so identify with that and with Guru. If you give energy to the put-down, you'll be stuck in that. If you ignore the putdown and move on, then they have no hold on you. It's your choice. Guru ang sang,
-DK