| Description | An interview with Parminder SINGH, a single man with no children, who is a Student, born in Walsall and now living in Walsall. Parminder SINGH’s father was a Quality engineer, born in India Punjab and his mother a Housewife born in India Punjab. In the interview, he talks about …
'PARMINDER SINGH MS2255/2/106 Logged by Lorraine Blakemore
01
My name is Parminder Singh….I was born on 1st September, 1977 in England, in Walsall.
29” Grew up in a male-dominated environment. 2 brothers. All friends were boys.
1.13 School was ethnically diverse. Sikh culture strong at home.
2.37 At our school there was a large population of Muslim people. I think there was always a kind of tension between the Muslims and other ethnic groups…inside themselves, not really integrating much with other groups. At school there was always fights and 9 times out of 10 one of the groups would be Muslim….
02
Felt that sixth form was one of the best times of his life. Explains why.
58” At primary school he didn’t recognise difference. When I was with friends we didn’t recognise colour or religion as anything….
2.15 There was probably one black teacher and that was it…there were mainly white teachers. Which didn’t make much difference to me as a person….The area was predominantly Asian.
Reflects on being part of a minority.
4.36 Parents are both from the Punjab, India. Grandfather was working for British Army.
03
Story about grandfather coming over to England and his life here.
2.35 All the family live in the Walsall area. This little village is taken from the Punjab and placed in Britain in the inner city area….
3.30 Father was forced to give up his studies and go and work alongside his father.
3.58 We are more academic, geared towards getting professional jobs. Now the idea is, if your son or daughter hasn’t got a degree they are not eligible for marriage….They have worked all their lives to get us to the stage where we can have a full-time education….
04
Parents worked to send money back home to the family in Punjab.
45” Thinks that an Asian growing up in Britain needs to rediscover their history and culture. Although at a young age, for me in particular, my parents did not tell me much about religion….we had these pictures of prophets up on the walls, not knowing who they are, what they are about….There was a problem of transmission of religious ideas…to the next generation…
1.26 Even language proved to be a big problem….Explains why.
2.41 Growing up we celebrated Diwali….but realistically we were never told the deeper meanings behind these festivals…these questions were suppressed….we had to shed culture in order to integrate….
4.10 Religious education at school….I remember doing Christian oriented festivals…Sikhism was something I came across in a multi-faith textbook at school…the last chapter with 2 pages…
05
Continued.
1.14 Describes himself as being at the time like a white person in a black skin.
2.10 Experienced an identity crisis. Discovered more about himself at university.
3.46 I fell in love with a girl from a different caste and caste for me was of no importance at all, but for my parents it was the most important thing….should I sacrifice my partner for my parents?
4.23 Story about reading a book on Guru Nanak.
06
Continues....
1.39 Move towards understanding and practicing Sikhism.
07
Social life as a teenager.
I used to go out smoking, drinking and having this whole idea of a session which was important…sitting on the canal….my friend got a car and we used to drive around….and come home totally wrecked….
2.04 Felt close to friends and discussed many issues. Not able to talk to parents.
4.15 Met girlfriend at Sixth form.
08
Her relationship with me was not to be known by anybody….if her parents found out they would be really disappointed…Asian girls are not allowed to go out with boys….They might even throw my girlfriend out of her house….She was breaking Asian norms….Her parents started talking to my parents and came to some agreement….They wanted us to complete our education and then consider a marriage….So although there was this love relationship going on they wanted to arrange it….
Continued to see each other and still plan to marry.
09
Describes the procedure of applying to university.
Wanted to attend a university with a significant Asian population.
1.06 Story about a particular teacher who encouraged Parminder to study sociology.
1.40 Attended Coventry University. Describes the experience.
2.50 Felt that Asian students tended to group together and not mix with others.
4.08 Story about meeting a lecturer who altered his views about Sikhism and Punjabi culture.
10
Continued.
2.58 Reflects on his options after leaving university.
4.01 Took a year out between university courses.
4.34 Worked at Shakti Centre in Highgate after graduating.
11
40” Describes the Shakti Centre.
12
I realised in the final year of my degree that there was this kind of prejudice or elitism inbuilt in going to an old polytechnic….I applied to Warwick University…In a way I thought that me coming from a certain class and background….Warwick may not even consider my application. Attained a special award at Coventry University.
2.11 Felt overwhelmed by being there at first, but found it to be very international.
3.22 Details the course structure.
4.23 Describes how he obtained sponsorship to fund his studies.
13
Continued.
1.49 Diverse student population at Warwick University.
3.11 Contrasts students who live on campus with his situation living at home.
14
I am the only one of my family to go into a field that is not entered by Asians yet. My cousins are looking at careers in law…business, computers…They think…shouldn’t you be in a £40, 000 job with a beautiful car…. That’s why I sometimes feel distant from my family….
15
Sikhism and its relation to women.
Growing up personally, I think women, especially in my family, were…men were the only religious ones….taking control….
1.25 Comments on how Sikhism deals with gender issues.
2.31 I tend to see in the younger generation especially, the few that do turn towards religion or rediscover religion…are predominantly males….Funnily enough, the girls that I did meet were the ones who were actually rebelling against this Sikh tradition…. Elaborates.
16
With the rise of mobile phones in the last 2 years it’s amazing….The funny thing is, they serve a brilliant function, especially amongst the younger generation who are going out with someone and don’t want their parents to find out. You have these Asian girls and guys upstairs…and as soon as their parents come into the room they switch it off….
1.06 How the internet helps to teach people about their culture and religion.
ENDS. |