ABSTRACT
There is an increasingly non-Punjabi, western following of the Sikh faith. These Sikhs are referred to as gor1 Sikhs, literally, ‘white Sikhs’ and is a term used to distinguish between Sikhs of Indian origin and non-Indian origin. Therefore, a gor1 Sikh is a white person who has become a Sikh. Although the feminine term is gorı-, white male and female Sikhs are collectively referred to as gor1 Sikhs. The gor1 Sikhs associate themselves with what is known as the Sikh Dharma of the Western Hemisphere, many of them also belonging to the 3HO (Happy, Holy, Healthy Organization). It is in the United States of America that gor1s of the Sikh Dharma of the Western Hemisphere are most prominent. Importantly, at times, the 3HO and the Sikh Dharma of the Western
Hemisphere are regarded as one group: any distinction becomes blurred. At other times, however, the distinction between the two is quite marked. Although the Sikh Dharma of the Western Hemisphere is Sikh orientated, the 3HO is not necessarily a Sikh group, even though both groups were founded by Harbhajan Singh Puri, also known as Yogı-Bhajan, who was a Punjabi Sikh. The 3HO places an emphasis on ku76alinı-yoga which is personified by the coiled snake, as 0aktı-(energy), lying dormant at the base of one’s spine. The aim through ku76alinı-yoga is to awaken this 0aktı-by which it travels up the six cakras, or nerve centres, until it reaches the crown of the head, bringing spiritual enlightenment. The Sikh Dharma of the Western Hemisphere, although also laying an emphasis on ku76alinı-yoga, also concentrates on Sikh dharma: the religious teachings and practices of Sikhism. Gor1 Sikhs resent the idea that they are in any way different to other Sikhs of the Panth. They continuously stress that they are not members or followers of a particular group or sect, but are Sikhs. The majority of gor1 Sikhs have converted to Sikhism, rather than being
born into the faith like the majority of Punjabi Sikhs worldwide today, who are Sikhs by birth and not necessarily by personal choice. This factor, as illustrated below, has important implications for the practice of Kh1ls1 Sikhism and therefore, Sikh identity.
