From The Back Cover Of 'The Sikhs In Britain' By Allan De Souza

The lives of Sikhs in Britain today are inextricably mixed with their history and culture. This portrait of a community begins, then, with the origins of Sikhism in fifteenth ­century India and traces its development through five turbulent centuries. The Sikhs who came to Britain in the 1950s and 1960s combatted the persecution and prejudice they met by turning to their own traditions of self­help and mutual support. But, to the new generation of Sikhs, many of them born in this country, the old customs and values often seem restrictive and irksome. Through the stories of the three families interviewed for this book we see how Sikhs today are adapting to life in Britain and adapting that life to suit them.

About The Author Of 'The Sikhs In Britain'

Allan de Souza was born in Kenya. His family is from Goa in India. Currently working with an Asian arts cooperative in London, his work extends from the visual arts through to theatre and film.

John Ogle, who took most of the photographs for this book, spent 18 months in India and that experience helped him to understand and empathize with the three families featured here. His work has been widely used in educational books, magazines and by development organizations such as Oxfam.