By Harleen Kaur & Rasna Kaur
“Kanga” is the second set in an art series called “Kakaars.” “Kakaars,” a poetry and photo series uncovering the identity of the Sikh female. Through Harleen’s creative writing and Rasna’s visual storytelling, we hope to show another side of what the Kaur identity means to us. While our own experiences have undoubtedly impacted our understanding of the project, we hope that each and every Kaur can also bring her narrative to the series. Most importantly, this project is not only about our own experiences as Kaurs, but strives to empower all Sikh females to create an understanding for themselves.
Check out “Kes,” the first set in the “Kakaars” series! Make sure to check back each week for a new installment of the “Kakaars” series!
Kanga: Clarity
The comb:
Dark, rigid, strong
Against the cool,
Whiteness
Of my table.
Each bristle
Representing a time
When I stood
When I fought
When I remained
Unbending to your
Demands
Desires
Wishes
Orders of what it means to be
Sikh.
How you wanted me to clean my head of
All things outside your tradition
Outside of your past
Outside of what is
American/Indian/Punjabi/Human.
Each strand parts
Like each flowing of a river
Parting at a fork
Choosing the path of destiny
Each and every time
Brush. Clean. Repeat.
The bristles move through the darkness
Cleaning the dirt
And the dead away
Leaving light
And life
My skin:
Dark, rigid, strong
Against the cool,
Whiteness
Of yours.
