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The Sikh Cartoonscape
www.sikhtoons.com
Vishavjit Singh
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World Sikh News is pleased to present
the world of Sikh cartoons. With this issue, selective
sikhtoons will find a significant place in the pages of World
Sikh News and on
www.worldsikhnews.com. |
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 The
9/11 attacks in
New York and Washington changed the world in many ways. As a Sikh
living and working few miles from New York City, I had to confront a
sudden upsurge of hate crimes from ignorant Americans who mistook me
for an Arab. In the midst of the hate crime wave, I remember seeing
an editorial cartoon by an American cartoonist portraying the real
terrorist in the Unites States. It was not a brown skinned Hispanic,
Sikh, Buddhist or an Arab but it was a white ignorant American
venting out his anger. That provided the spark for me to start
creating cartoons of my own.
I had seen newspapers around the world with editorial cartoonists
who interpret and analyze news of the day putting it all into an
image that speaks louder than words. Significantly, I did not see a
single cartoonist focusing on the fifth largest religious community
in the world, the Sikhs. I decided to start creating cartoons
focusing on Sikh news exclusively.
Sikhs living in
Punjab, United States, Canada, United Kingdom and beyond became the
source of my imagination. Armed with my laptop and right index
finger on a touchpad I started creating cartoons on a weekly basis.
The first Sikhtoons were mostly a black and white affair with single
panel drawings focusing on the struggles with Sikh identity issues
in the west and corrupt Sikh leadership in Punjab.
 The
most personal and engaging cartoons were created commemorating the
November 1984 genocide of Sikhs in
Delhi. As a survivor having witnessed mobs guided by local police
going on a rampage after the assassination of Indira Gandhi,
editorial cartoons provided an outlet to the personal and collective
tragedy. What lent an edge to these cartoons is not only that
thousands were burnt alive but the fact that none of the guilty has
been brought to justice.
I quickly learnt editorial cartooning mostly thrives on
contradictions. Unfortunately, Sikhs are blessed with a variety of
contradictions within the community and many originating from the
outside.
Sikhs love to advertise equality of humankind yet we practice the
caste system with a vengeance. Sikhs love to highlight emancipation
of women yet we have one of the highest rates of female infanticide
in
South Asia.
We are blessed with one of the worst leaderships in the world which
would make even Aurangzeb perk up his ears in grave. In our young
500 year history we have faced unprecedented persecution yet
majority of us are content with the status quo. Against all odds
Sikh history is replete with countless heroes, both men and women
with dynamic virtues.
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Cartooning thrives on contradictions and unfortunately Sikhs are
blessed with many. Sikhs love to advertise equality of humankind
yet we practice the caste system with a vengeance. Sikhs love to
highlight emancipation of women yet we have one of the highest
rates of female infanticide in South Asia. We are blessed with
one of the worst leaderships in the world which would make even
Aurangzeb perk up his ears in grave. In our young 500 year
history we have faced unprecedented persecution yet majority of
us are content with the status quo. |
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Needless to say the budding editorial cartoonist inside me was
handed a treasure of material that can last a lifetime. On occasion
I have moved out of Sikh news and created imaginary Sikh Olympians,
Sikh clothing store equivalent of GAP, a Sikh ice skater, Sikh
incredible and Sikh weight watchers.
Over the course of few years
Sikhtoons.com has built a fan base
around the world. Words of support have arrived from all corners of
the world along with a few threats from those who wish to silence
any voices highlighting the injustices committed at the hands of the
Indian state. All of these have only inspired more Sikhtoons.
As there is no other source, diverse Sikh news portals, websites and
magazines feature Sikhtoons on a regular basis. Sikhs from
North America,
Europe, South Asia and beyond have shared their support. This
support has translated into Sikhtoons exhibits in museums, film
festivals and galas. Sikhtoons workshops have been held at youth
camps and retreats to inspire young Sikhs to pursue their own
artistic proclivity.
Sikhtoons.com recently celebrated its 6th anniversary.
Close to 700 Sikhtoons are available for view on the archives
section of the website. To celebrate the occasion, a new feature has
been started on the website to further engage fans around the
globe. A caption contest is held on a monthly basis wherein a
cartoon image is created for caption submissions. The funniest
caption submission is declared the winner and published on the
website along with the author’s name and is offered freebies.
Soon, a new redesigned and enlarged version of the website will be
released along with the much awaited online shopping center with
Sikhtoons merchandise available for purchase.
Sikhtoons.com
promises to bring you cartoons on a weekly basis along with more
pleasant surprises in the coming months and years. The choices are
endless. Cartoon strips, illustrated novels, comic books, animated
features, movies are some of choices available at our disposal. The
future of Sikh cartooning is in our hands.
Vishavjit Singh may be contacted at vsingh@sikhtoons.com
14 January 2009
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