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| Members of the Cairns Sikh community, Jagdeep Singh, Gurvinder Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Tejinder Singh and Raman Singh hand out food at the Cairns airport as part of Vaisakhi Day. PICTURE: ANNA ROGERS |
April 14, 2016: THE Cairns Sikh community has fought racism with free food and drink, handing out meals at the city’s airport taxi rank on one of the religion’s holiest days.
Yesterday was Vaisakhi – a festival Cairns Sikh and taxi driver Ramandeep Singh said was one of the community’s biggest days and when they “got their identity”.
He said sharing food was part of most Sikh celebrations but the event was held at the taxi rank to counter negative public attitudes.
“We get people saying ‘go back to your country’, some (Sikhs) have been called terrorists because people see a brown guy wearing a turban with a beard,” Mr Singh said.
“The food is for everyone ... everyone from other religions can come and have food,” he said.
There are Sikh temples in the Far North at Innisfail, Gordonvale and Edmonton.