Accusations of cultural appropriation mar Wilmot Canada Day Celebrations

What was intended to be an event celebrating Canada’s diversity, now has been spoiled after online allegations of cultural appropriation.

Following Wilmot Township’s Canada Day celebrations, the group, Citizens for A Democratic Wilmot, posted a picture of Wilmot Mayor Natasha Salonen and a Canada Day volunteer wearing turbans, tying the image of two white women in turbans with the land expropriation situation in the township.

However, the post neglected one key fact: The turbans were tied by Sikh individuals at a turban tying booth.

Wilmot Ward 3 coun. Harvir Sidhu, himself a Sikh man, was the one who reached out the Sikh student associations at Wilfrid Laurier University and the University of Waterloo, to participate in the Canada Day celebrations.

Sidhu told The Mike Farwell Show, it was the student’s idea to host a turban tying booth.

“They brought 400 meters of turban to tie for free. And, it’s a way to help educate and it’s a way to have the conversation and for people to learn and feel what it’s like to wear a turban,” he said. “If anything, this is cultural acceptance.”

Sidhu said growing up in Wilmot, it wasn’t the most diverse community but the fact the booth was included this year shows the strides the community has made to become more diverse and accepting.

He said, that’s why he is baffled as to why someone would feel the need to attack an event intended to bring people together.

“If we’re not offended by it and we take this as a point of pride, I don’t understand how some anonymous Facebook group can just come out and say this is cultural appropriation when the turbans were being tied by Sikh people to further educate.”

In his own Facebook post, Sidhu said “Turban Up 2024! was a huge success and a wonderful educational opportunity that captured the spirit of the wonderful diversity that is Canada.”

Citizens for A Democratic Wilmot has since pulled down their post.