Ceremony recalls injustice of 1907 mob violence against Whatcom Sikhs
Members of Whatcom County’s Sikh community gave a Bellingham monument that recognizes racial injustice its annual cleaning last weekend.
That Arch of Healing and Reconciliation recognizes the Northwest’s indigenous Lummi and Nooksack people, and the bigotry of white settlers against Chinese, East Indian and Japanese immigrants and citizens.
But the soap and water that members of the Lynden Sikh temple used to scrub away a year’s worth of grime had a much deeper meaning.
September marks the month in 1907 that white mobs chased Sikh mill workers out of Bellingham, and they offered prayers for both the victims and their oppressors, said Amarjit Brar, who farms in the Lynden area.
“This is the way to remember what pain our ancestors must have gone through during that time. We are praying for their peace,” Brar told The Bellingham Herald in a text message.
Brar said the prayers were of forgiveness as well as remembrance.
“We hope this monument is a symbol of memory and teachings to our current and future generations to remember and do their best that ‘never again’ this kind of treatment should happen to anyone in our community. It is a lesson of history for our kids and grandkids to remember,” he said.
Whatcom County Executive Satpal Sidhu said that members of the Sikh temple have cleaned the arch every year in September — also the end of the berry harvest — since it was installed in 2018.
“This year the prayer also included the thanks for safe and successful berry harvest season and safety from COVID-19 pandemic,” Sidhu said.
