Film on Sikh turbans adopted in Birmingham syllabus

A major film that seeks to dispel popular myths in western countries after September 11 about the turban worn by Sikhs has been accepted on the Birmingham City Council's agreed syllabus for religious education.

Several Sikhs sporting turbans were targeted after September 11 and the July 2005 London bombings. The council's decision to accept the film titled Turbanology as part of its religious education syllabus means that teachers throughout the Midlands will be able to draw upon it as a resource to educate and inform pupils about the turban and what it represents for Sikhs.

The film also sheds light on how the turban as a symbol has become connected to terrorism, how it has affected some Muslims who wear it and why the turban is represented in Christian age.

Religious Education Adviser Simone Whitehouse said, "This is a valuable resource in the current climate to understand misconceptions about faith and to build links with communities."

"It will be most valuable to show parts of this documentary demonstrating inclusion and identity, symbols of faith under the duty to promote community cohesion and shared understanding" he said.   

Producer Jay Singh-Johal said, "Academics in 2008 found that simply noticing someone had a turban increased the aggressive tendencies of westerners because of the connection that has arisen between it and extremism since 9/11 and the 7/7 attacks in London".

He added, "Turbanology aims to address this misconception by delving into what the turban represents for the people that wear them. It provides insight into the history of the turban and acts as an educational resource to explore its importance for the diverse groups in society who consider it a crown".

The film has been critically acclaimed at the Sikh International Film Festival in New York and the at the Spinning Wheel Film Festival in Toronto. Singh-Sohal, who hails from Birmingham, said, "What I wanted to do with Turbanology was give viewers an insight into what the turban as a symbol means for different people, whether in Islam, Sikhism and or even Christianity."

The documentary does so by exploring its role and importance for all three faiths and by narrating the experiences of people who have been affected by its negative connotation since the attack on the Twin Towers in New York and the London Bombings.