Title image from @councilmemberlisakaplan on Instagram
Image from @manjeetk.sibia on Instagram
Mrs. Manjeet Sibia’s journey from Punjab to California is one marked by resilience, care, and a deep commitment to Sikh history and community. A historian at heart and a community builder in practice, Mrs. Sibia has spent decades documenting Sikh stories and nurturing cultural pride across generations.
She immigrated to the United States in 1974 with a Master’s degree in History and built her life in Davis, California, alongside her husband, who later joined the faculty at UC Davis. “We lived in Davis for 25 years,” she recalled. “I was raising kids and working part-time, taking them to school, helping them grow.”
Her engagement with Sikh culture in the U.S. began with Sunday school Punjabi classes at the West Sacramento Gurdwara, where she taught for 15 years. “Then they found out I know how to do dance,” she laughed. “So me and my husband started Vaisakhi programs. It became a family thing. My son and daughter both joined.”
After experiencing deep personal loss, including the passing of her husband and son to leukemia, Mrs. Sibia found strength in community. She helped launch Natomas Teeyan, a vibrant women-only festival that now draws more than 1,000 attendees each year. “It’s a celebration just for women,” she said. “No husbands telling them not to buy something. There are vendors, music, dancing. Even five-year-olds and grandmothers join in. We dance, we dress up, we celebrate.”
In 2023, the City of Sacramento formally recognized Natomas Teeyan for its cultural importance. It was a moment of pride for Mrs. Sibia and the five women who now organize the event.
At the heart of her work is the Sikh Pioneers website, a digital archive she and her late husband created to collect stories of early Sikh immigrants, scholars, laborers, and changemakers. “He just got into it. He wanted our kids to know where we come from,” she said. “Whenever we traveled, even to Canada or Panama, he’d find a Gurdwara or a library. I’d say, ‘We’re on vacation!’ and he’d say, ‘Just give me one hour.’”
Much of the material was in Punjabi, so Mrs. Sibia helped with translation. “He would ask me, ‘What does this mean?’ I’d say, ‘You do the dishes, I’ll do the translating,’” she joked. After his passing, she took it upon herself to maintain the site. “It’s not just about keeping a website up. It’s about keeping our stories alive.”
When the original domain (sikhpioneers.org) was lost, she worked to reclaim the archive and re-establish it under a new domain, sikhpioneers.net, with help from students and supporters. She now hopes it can eventually be managed by a trusted organization. “It’s a very unique website. Students, researchers, they all used it. It shouldn’t be sitting idle.”
Mrs. Sibia’s message to the next generation is clear. Stay connected to your roots. “Sometimes kids grow up with their roots but lose them in college,” she said. “Our culture teaches respect, to parents, to elders, and to each other. Be proud of your heritage. Be proud of your brown skin.”
Whether through Punjabi classes, dance performances, community festivals, or archival work, Manjeet Sibia has dedicated her life to ensuring Sikh history is not only remembered but celebrated.
“I want to retire,” she smiled, “but I’m getting younger and younger.”