Artists pay tribute to murdered Surrey temple president on National Indigenous Peoples Day


Multimedia painting presented 3 years after Nijjar organized prayers for 215 Indigenous kids

Artists Jarnail Singh and Jennifer Sherif paid tribute to Hardeep Singh Nijjar on a special day, little more than one year after he was shot to death.

They presented their multimedia painting of Nijjar to officials of Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara on June 21, recognized as National Indigenous Peoples Day, with Nijjar’s son, Mehtab Singh, also in attendance to receive the gifted artwork.

Painter Singh and especially Sherif, an Indigenous educator and beadwork artist, wanted to express gratitude to Nijjar for organizing prayers for the 215 Indigenous kids whose remains were detected in Kamloops back in June 2021.

At the time, Nijjar had invited Sherif to talk about the history of cultural genocide of the Indigenous peoples. Wanting to contribute something meaningful in the temple president’s memory, Sherif set about working with Singh on the watercolour portrait, with Nijjar in symbolic orange.

On June 18 outside the gurdwara, a huge crowd of Sikh community members gathered on a day filled with remembrance and activism in honour of Nijjar.

Nijjar, 45, was an ardent supporter of securing an independent Sikh nation in India called Khalistan. He was killed in the gurdwara’s parking lot, at 7050 120 St., on June 18, 2023.

Four suspects are charged in Nijjar’s murder. On June 25, courtroom 107 at Surrey provincial court was packed with people interested to hear more news on the fate of the accused. The next court appearance is Aug. 7.

– with files from Tricia Weel, Tom Zytaruk

 

 

 

 



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