By Sophie Johnson | Australia |
When thinking of large Punjabi Sikh population groups, the small coastal town of Woolgoolga in New South Wales may not be the first place that comes to mind.
But with 25 per cent of the 6,000-strong population descending from India and the town having a rich agricultural and migration history, it boasts one of Australia’s largest Sikh communities.
There were six original Punjabi Sikh families that settled in the town, with a migration story that spans back more than 120 years.
Rashmere Bhatti (nee Arkan) is a Woolgoolga-born descendant of one of those first settlers.
She spent seven years researching and documenting the history of her ancestors to produce her book about the migration of Punjabi Sikhs to Australia.
She had a core question in mind – why do the Sikhs live in Woolgoolga?
“It’s a success story in terms of multiculturalism,” Ms Bhatti said.
“Because the Punjabi Sikhs, the fore-fathers of this community, are from agricultural backgrounds in the Punjab … they were drawn to the Atherton Tablelands and Northern Rivers districts.”
Despite their contributions, they were subjected to discrimination, and the government passed laws, such as the Sugar Cultivation Act, that prohibited farmers from using coloured labour.
“They lived in tents and had a very, very hard life, and faced much discrimination,” Ms Bhatti said.
The introduction of the White Australia policy, which aimed to exclude non-white migrants, made it incredibly difficult for new immigrants to enter the country.
Punjabi Sikhs were present in Australia before 1900, so the government introduced certificates of domicile for Indians who were already living in Australia before the policy was implemented.
These certificates allowed Sikhs to return to India and re-enter Australia, and Ms Bhatti said they would often do this in five-year increments.
Read the full story here.
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