Gurtej Singh Bhamra, Grade 8
UWCEA (Moshi)
I cut off all of my hair in September 2012. This was a bold decision because I grew up in a Sikh family. It had to be done because of an infection on my scalp. The reason why this is significant is that Sikhs do not cut their hair and choose to wear a turban. I was given a choice to grow my hair, but I decided to continue cutting my hair like everyone else. I had a sense of guilt, but that quickly faded away. For me, cutting my hair made me feel accepted in the wider community. Throughout the years, my relatives urged me to grow my hair and wear a turban, but I saw no point in doing so. My mum was my protection. She supported me with whatever I felt comfortable with.
Fast forward to approximately seven years. I was 13 years old, and I still cut my hair. I was often referred to as Cristiano Ronaldo because of my hairstyles. One day when I was at the library, I picked up a book called: “Does My Head Look Big in This” by Randa Abdel-Fattah. This book was about the struggles of a Muslim girl, who fought for her right to wear a Hijab in a predominantly white Australian high school. While I was reading the book, I was taken aback by the courage she had to achieve such a feat and this, in turn, made me think about myself.
The book was still in the back of my mind. A few weeks later, as my grandma was organizing her drawers, an envelope spilling with photos caught my eye. This envelope was filled with old family photos. As I looked through the pictures, the first thing I noticed was their sense of style. It was simplistic yet strong, sophisticated, but bold. I felt empowered just by looking at them. I also had a lot of questions. Listening to my grandma’s stories, these individuals were humble and influential in their community. This was evident from the confidence that was radiating through the photos. I wanted to know more, so I did some research. What caught my eye was that every ancestor I had, wore a turban, but the question that kept bothering me was, why wear a turban? |
From my research, a turban symbolizes peace and sovereignty. Both men and women wear it. Wearing a turban means fighting for justice and serving humanity. Turbans also symbolize a reminder for Sikhs to always do the right thing. Underneath the turban, Sikhs do not cut their hair. It is a way of accepting who you are and staying unattached to the material world. Learning about this made me dig deeper into my faith.
One morning, around June 2019, I thought to myself; what if I wear a Turban to school? I sighed deeply and then tried to forget about it. But the idea kept coming back to my mind. It scared me. How would people react? Would I be treated differently? Would people be disrespectful? Then, I thought to myself; “Screw it, what could go wrong?” |
From then on, I decided to keep my hair and wear a Turban. As is the tradition in my family, my dad taught me how to tie a turban; starting from the first fold to the last layer. The Turban that my family traditionally ties is an East African/UK style turban that is about five meters long. I tried many different colours like maroon, blue and even pink. I confirmed this transition when my barber called me for a cut, and I said: “Thank you, man, but...”
On the first day of school, I felt like I was part of the Tsunami of new students who had just joined UWCEA until I entered my class. As I opened the door in slow motion, my heart pounded. The second everyone got a glimpse of me; I received a roar. Everyone that met me seemed pretty delighted and surprised about the change, even though they probably did not know much about Turbans. Receiving this type of response, removed all of the fear I had previously, which had led me to cut my hair in the first place.
Although I have experienced some hardships while wearing a turban, it has made me want to express myself even more. I urge everyone to wear their true colours, and accept those around you. Especially in the UWC community, a place for exploration and finding your true self.
On the first day of school, I felt like I was part of the Tsunami of new students who had just joined UWCEA until I entered my class. As I opened the door in slow motion, my heart pounded. The second everyone got a glimpse of me; I received a roar. Everyone that met me seemed pretty delighted and surprised about the change, even though they probably did not know much about Turbans. Receiving this type of response, removed all of the fear I had previously, which had led me to cut my hair in the first place.
Although I have experienced some hardships while wearing a turban, it has made me want to express myself even more. I urge everyone to wear their true colours, and accept those around you. Especially in the UWC community, a place for exploration and finding your true self.
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