It’s almost time for one of Te Puke’s most colourful events – the annual Te Puke Sikh parade, taking place on September 27.

The parade, or Nagar Kirtan, brings colour, generosity, tradition and a community spirit to the town.

Bay of Plenty Sikh Association secretary Lehmber Singh said it is an opportunity to see the Sikh religion and culture first hand.

The parade will start and finish at the Sikh temple, or Gurudwara, on No 3 Rd and is a way of showing the Sikh community’s connection to the local community.

Nagar Kirtan is the Sikh custom of processional singing of hymns through a community. Nagar means neighbourhood and kirtan describes the singing of devotional hymns.

Singh said the parade is an acknowledgement of faith rather than a celebration.

Central to the event is the Sikh holy scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib, that is transported around the parade route.

The Sikh religion teaches followers to share earnings and possessions with others, especially those less fortunate and that is one of the key reasons behind the parade, which includes the giving away of food and drink as it passes by.

While there are several Sikh temples across the Western Bay of Plenty, only one other hosts a regular parade.

Singh said the Gurudwara is the hub of the Sikh religion, culture and community – and that everyone is welcome there.

Celebrations and prayers

Following the parade, everyone is invited to return to the temple, have a look inside and share a vegetarian meal.

The temple hosts everything from birth celebrations and weddings to prayers following cremations.

“Also, things in our personal life, our success and everything is celebrated.”

There are regular prayers each Saturday, and roughly once a month, a three-day celebration running from Friday to Sunday.

“[The temple] is a hub for our cultural activities but we also invite other people from other religions. A lot of Hindus go there because they are also from India, and a lot of Nepalese go there because they like it and we have similar culture and they like our food. There are also a lot of people from Bangladesh.”

Large crowds are expected in Te Puke for the Sikh Parade on September 27. Photo / Stuart Whitaker

Many of the non-Sikhs who visit the temple do so because they have become friendly with Sikhs through working in the kiwifruit industry, and that includes New Zealanders.

“About 90 per cent of our people work in the kiwifruit industry and they mix with others and they become friendly because they see them every day.”

Community engagement

Singh has noticed more and more New Zealanders at the temple, especially at weddings.

He said it is in contrast to when he first arrived in New Zealand.

“When we came here, people didn’t understand our culture and didn’t understand our religion. They were thinking we were not very friendly people.

“We live here with our families. Our kids are born here, and we want to show the local community that we are part of the community, and we should work towards the whole community being as one. We might be from different countries, but we are one community and it’s our mission to show we belong to that community.”

He said the parade is one way of doing that.

The parade will attract Sikhs from across the Bay of Plenty and further afield, including Hawke’s Bay and the Waikato.

From the Gurudwara, starting at 11am, the parade will head south, then on to Atuaroa Ave, right on to Jellicoe St as far as the roundabout at the intersection with Boucher Ave, where it will turn and make the return trip.

There will be road closures in place and food stalls on part of the route.

To support the parade, Made in Te Puke Trust has secured Mitre 10 Te Puke as a sponsor of free ice creams.

The staff of Pizza Hut Te Puke and Coffee To Go will provide pizzas, garlic bread and doughnuts for the community and there will be traditional food and drinks from Indo Spice.