Punjabi Literacy, Language & Speaking Program

The Punjabi alphabet is called Gurmakhi, and during our summer camps, working with trained and knowledgeable Punjabi teachers the Gurmakhi was taught in a fun and educational manner by Sherry Dhillon.

Over the years along with our dance program we have offered learning the language to our students. In 2013 - 2014 Amy Sundher and Kamalpreet Kang provided classes where confidence was focused on speaking the Punjabi language. A notebook was provided where students recorded what they learned on a weekly basis called My Punjabi Language & Speaking Book.

Basically providing translation or survival language so students could feel confident speaking to their grandparents, parents and in public.

We will be working with other organizations to encourage more students to speak Punjabi or at least respect and understand the language when others are speaking to them or when entering a Sikh Gurudwara or a family event to be able to have a conversation in Punjabi. The Greater Victoria Public Library has worked with Shan-e-Punjab to provide a list of books written in Punjabi with English translation and vice versa for all ages.

List to be available soon.

Please note we are going to start an online book club. This is open to parents, grandparents, students, public, community, educators and anyone interested in learning and promoting the Punjabi language. We will select a book, written in Punjabi, yes you can get books with English subtitles or a book with Punjabi history, or culture; as well to start out if younger participants wish to be in the book club and can not read or write Punjabi, we can start with a book that works for everyone (there are also e-books too). There are some amazing Punjabi authors. Can not wait to get started.