"The planet does not need more 'successful people.’ The planet desperately needs more peacemakers, healers, restorers, storytellers and lovers of all kinds. " - The Dalai Lama
Why Storytellers, you may ask?
You have to look no further than Sikh history to get an answer.
Ask yourself this: What kept the young sons of Guru Gobind Singh, ages 7 and 9, steadfast in their faith? So steadfast that they shook the Mughal regime by not giving an inch against all temptation and terror?
It was the power of storytelling.
Mata Gujri, their grandmother, inspired such courageousness by telling and retelling them the great sagas of their grandfather and great grandfather’s sacrifices. When the time came, these children walked the same path at such a tender age. Yet they made us all stand taller for all times to come. Their example of standing for truth, justice and freedom is unparalleled in the history of this world.
Sikh history has long preserved its traditions via storytelling, both in written and oral format.
The “Janam Saakhis” of the Guru Sahib recorded by many different authors give a glimpse into the life of the Gurus. How else would we have known of the greatness of Bebey Nanaki and her love for Baba Nanak?
The ballads of courage and bravery sung by the “Dhadis” through several centuries have preserved the political, martial and noble accounts of our past. How else would we know the story of Bidhi Chand and the Guru’s horses?
Women have always played a strong role in this preservation, although their role has been minimally highlighted.
Think about it. Our written records were destroyed so many times that if the narratives were not passed on orally, we would have no stories to tell today. Who else kept them alive when the men were hunted for their heads?
Yes, it’s the Sikh women who have traditionally kept this torch aflame. Not too long ago, as a busy day turned into a quiet darkness, little ones snuggled around their mothers or grandmothers by a lone, flickering lamp in their house. The dark nights passed away quickly as they were told the tales from our history and land - associated with the ethics and values that make us the people we are today.
Unfortunately, the last few decades have seen a slow death of this art. Ask a grandmother today to tell a “Baat” or a “Saakhi,” odds are that she may be found scratching her head. She could be adept in telling you Cinderella’s’ story or an episode of her favorite soap opera. But Sikh or Punjabi history or tradition is a whole other dimension.
Yet, you see the Sikh woman rising like the phoenix from the ashes, and taking her fate in her own two hands. She has realized that something has gone terribly wrong and it needs to be corrected now.
Look at Journey with the Gurus and you will find Inni Kaur working hard to take the Janam Sakhis and retell them in a wonderful way for the children of today, volume after volume.
Look at My First Sikh Books and you will see Parveen Kaur instilling pre-school students with the Sikh pride.
Look at Divided We Fall and you will see Valarie Kaur armed with her storytelling power to move the American hearts and minds towards the post 9-11 hatred towards Sikhs and other minorities.
These are just a few storytellers in North America alone. The entire globe is seeing Sikh women rise up to this art form. They are making a positive change for their communities and beyond, just as the Dalai Lama speaks of.
These ladies have inspired me to bring to you the disappearing folktales of Punjab that our Gurus may have heard as children. These folktales root us all to the beautiful language and values that our ancestors have passed on to us for many centuries.
Let us see who inspires the storyteller in you?
It’s time that “She, the Storyteller” in you rises from a slumber and arms herself with all the tools available today. Join the renaissance.
Please tell YOUR story for the Sikhnet Film Festival today.
Gurmeet Kaur is a Sikh issues writer and the creator of Fascinating Folktales of Punjab, illustrated board books that bring back to life the disappearing folk tales of Punjab for all generations to enjoy. Her blog focuses on ecology for children. Her son, Angad Singh is the young director of the award winning film Roots and Wings. Visit Fascinating Folktales of Punjab for more information on her latest book.