Another year-end. Another New Year. What’s so celebratory about a date in a paper (or digital) calendar that gets millions of us around the world to cheer, drink, revel and make merry? Don’t get me wrong: this is not a… Read More ›
Canadian Identity
A year of finding Self: SandhuBhamra.com is one today!
A year ago, on this date, I launched my blog SandhuBhamra.com – a voice to the internal conflict of finding who I am. I was born and raised in India and started working as a journalist after Grade 12. First… Read More ›
Why free food is not the highlight of Vaisakhi Nagar Kirtan (parade)
Vaisakhi Nagar Kirtan (parade) is not about free food. Period. I am tired of hearing the phrase “free food” in some media coverage without giving a context to it. Yes, the food is served free of cost but the ‘why’… Read More ›
Why the fear around “ethnic enclaves” and fewer White faces in Metro Vancouver?
If you are reading this on your handheld device, please sit down and put your device on a table, lest you drop it and break it. Here’s the scariest news to come out this week: Whites will become the minority… Read More ›
Guest blog: Bollywood extravaganza TOIFA comes to Vancouver — on the backs of South Asian women
First came the Times of India Film Awards (TOIFA) announcement. Interestingly, the timing of the awards couldn’t be politically better: to be held on April 06, just ahead of the B.C. provincial elections on May 14, the star-studded show has… Read More ›
Call us desi if you want to. We have big hearts and a lot of candy for Halloween
First, the desi story: Who is a desi (pronounced they-see)? In the Canadian colloquial use, the word desi has come to denote, one of South Asian-heritage. Literally, desi, a Hindi/Punjabi word means an indigenous person. In the Canadian context, since… Read More ›
Bhangra: stop cultural stereotyping of Punjabis
How do you tell a Canadian of Punjabi heritage to step out and take a walk? Going by David Suzuki Foundation: wear a bhangra outfit, put on Punjabi music and invite Punjabis to explore nature in their mother tongue –… Read More ›
Mangoes: a slice of immigrant life, South Asian style
Downtown Toronto. Fresh snow on the ground. A young man of about 20 on a sidewalk. He is dressed like any Canadian young man, except his tee with the word Pakistan written across, in all caps, is not too subtle…. Read More ›
CBC: Journalist upset about link between Indian Rakhi festival and anti-domestic violence campaign
Last evening, I was a guest on CBC’s On the Coast show to talk about my stand against City of Surrey associating the warm festival of rakhi with domestic violence. The now-recorded interview is on CBC website and is about… Read More ›
Guest blog: Not White and won a gold medal? Either you did drugs or were made in a lab
Chinese swimming sensation Ye Shiwen’s name has finally being cleared off suspicions of doping. But what about the smear campaign against Ms. Ye? My today’s guest blogger is my friend Winnie Hwo, who is Climate Change and Clean Energy Campaigner… Read More ›
Sandhu Bhamra on Finding Self 