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Book Reviews - Sikhs In Asia Pacific
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P - 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
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Chapter 9 "Sikhs in China" is almost an appendix to Chapter 8. The Sikh migrants went to Shanghai (and mainland China later on) as policemen and security guards or watchmen in the same way as they immigrated to Hong Kong. However, after the 1949 Chinese revolution, they moved out to Hong Kong, or returned to India. The British won the Opium Wars in China with the help of Sikh troops. The Chinese hated the Sikh policemen and there was no love lost between the two communities. Author has visited Shanghai Police Museum and inserted some photos/cartoons showing Sikh policemen. Shanghai Gurdwara (1908) is occupied by Chinese families and its building is deteriorating. There is a revival of interest in mainland China and Thakral Brothers of Singapore have set up their business enterprise in Shanghai with over 1,000 stores across China.
Chapter 10 "Sikhs in South Korea" describes the pattern of Sikh migration to South Korea as different to the pattern in other Asian countries. Sikhs went to Korea looking for jobs in mid-1980s as there was a shortage of labour in the country. The Sikh migrants work on farms and most of them are illegal and avoid contact with the police. There are two Gurdwaras in the suburbs of Seoul. Dr. Lakhwinder Singh, who is a Professor in University of Seoul, provided answers to queries made by the author regarding the Sikh migrants and their situation in Korea, in the form of a questionnaire.
Chapter 11 "Sikhs in Japan" describes two distinct communities of Sikhs in Japan. The older Sikh migrants in the Kobe area are well entrenched and affluent in Japan while the new entrants prefer to stay in Greater Tokyo area and majority of them are 'overstayers' and vulnerable to being deported. As reported by the author, the first Sikh student who joined Tokyo University in 1899 was Puran Singh, who returned to India after 3 years. There were Sindhi businessmen already in Tokyo before 1899. The Sikh migrants docked their ship Kamagata Maru in Yokohama en route to Canada to pick up passengers. But there is no historical evidence of Sikh presence in Japan before 1936 when Thakral Brothers of Singapore set up their overseas branch in Japan. The Sikh merchants were staying in Kobe before World War II and the first Gurdwara was set up in 1952. Kobe Sikhs are engaged in business dealing with electronics, automobile parts, textiles and other sundries. They are quite rich and affluent. In Kobe, Sikh migrants retain full Sikh identity and maintain cultural links with Sikhs in South-East Asia.
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