Sikhism in New Zealand

New Zealander Sikhs number over 53,000 people and account for 1.1% of New Zealand's population as of 2023, forming the country's fastest-growing and fifth-largest religious group. New Zealand has the world's third-highest Sikh proportion behind Canada (2.1%) and India (1.7%). While there are Sikhs in all sixteen regions of New Zealand, over half of Sikhs lived in Auckland Region in 2018.

The first Sikhs arrived in New Zealand in 1890, but the Immigration Act of 1899 prevented any large-scale migration. In 1987, racial exclusion was scrapped and a race-neutral, points-based immigration system was introduced; by 1991 there were 2,061 Sikhs in New Zealand. Between 2013 and 2018, the number of Sikhs grew by 113% from 19,191 to 40,908, making Sikhism the fastest-growing religion and on pace to eclipse Islam and Buddhism by 2023 at the time. However, the crackdown on student visas and low-skilled workers starting in 2017 stifled Sikh population growth. Between 2018 and 2023, the New Zealander Sikh population grew by 31%, failing to eclipse Islam and Buddhism although remaining the fastest-growing religion.

History Small numbers of Sikh immigrants from Punjab settled in New Zealand from the late 1800s. Large-scale Sikh immigration began after changes to immigration policies in the 1980s. The New Zealand Sikh Society was established in 1964 and first Sikh Gurdwara opened in 1977.

Sikh communities

The first identifiable Sikhs to arrive in New Zealand were two brothers - Phuman Singh and Bir Singh Gill from the Moga district of Punjab. Bir Singh was a herbalist who married and lived amongst the Māori on the North Island. A small wave of Sikhs arrived in New Zealand between 1890 and 1910; mostly immigrants from Punjab. Most Sikhs settled in Waikato, Auckland, Wellington, or Christchurch.

There is a significant history of many Sikhs being dairy farmers throughout New Zealand, many of them being great pioneers. The majority are in the Waikato region and have been there for many generations. Much hard work was undertaken in terms of clearing scrub and tea trees to convert to farmland in the early years. Embracing the Māori culture was also an important aspect. Many of these farmers are well respected within and outside the community for the significant contribution they have made.

With the Sikh community in New Zealand increasing, the New Zealand Sikh Society was developed in 1964, and the first gurdwara was built in Hamilton in 1977 and another in 1986 in Ōtāhuhu. With the increasing number of Sikhs in New Zealand, an increasing number of gurdwaras have been established across the country.

The number of people affiliating with the Sikh religion more than quadrupled since 2006. Papatoetoe in Auckland is considered to be the area with the most Sikhs in New Zealand and it has three Sikh Gurudwaras in the suburb.

Demographics

+ Sikh New Zealanders by Region (2013–2023)Region202320182013 Pop. Pop. Pop.Auckland 28,401 23,832 11,712 Waikato 6,795 4,074 1,875 Bay of Plenty 6,324 4,842 2,748 Canterbury 4,842 2,973 621 Wellington 2,370 1,647 612 Hawke's Bay 1,650 1,347 783 Manawatū-Whanganui 789 447 246 Otago 621 510 117 Northland 480 315 72 Taranaki 357 234 102 Southland 255 210 60 Gisborne 198 171 84 Marlborough 108 123 51 Nelson 105 102 39 Tasman 60 51 42 West Coast 45 33 24 New Zealand 53,406 40,908 19,191

Gurdwaras

The New Zealand Central Sikh Association, a centralised representative Sikh body comprising 25 Gurdwaras and various other organisation from across New Zealand was officially formed on 18 September 2022 at the Sikh Library in Takanini.

This is a list of Gurdwaras in New Zealand.

Name Location Region Begampura Gurdwara 1/9 Vernon St, Papakura 2110 Auckland Gurdwara Dukh Niwaran Sahib Papakura 7/46 Broadway, Papakura 2110 Auckland Gurdwara Jagat Guru Nanak Sahib 29 Kilmarnock St, Riccarton, Christchurch 8011 Canterbury Gurdwara Mata Sahib Kaur 23 Bryant Rd, Te Rapa, Hamilton 3200 Waikato Gurdwara Shri Fateh Sahib Botanical Rd, West End, Palmerston North 4412 Manawatu-Wanganui Gurdwara Shri Guru Ravidass Temple Hastings 193 Havelock Nth Road, Hastings Hawke's Bay Gurdwara Sikh Sangat Tauranga 43 Burrows St, Tauranga South, Tauranga 3112 Bay of Plenty Gurdwara Singh Sabha Christchurch 537 Ferry Rd, Woolston, Christchurch 8023 Canterbury Gurdwara Sri Dasmesh Darbar 158 Kolmar Rd, Papatoetoe 2025 Auckland Gurdwara Sri Guru Amardas Sahib Ji 24 Ward Ave, Fenton Park, Rotorua 3010 Bay of Plenty Gurdwara Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib Patshahi 6 84 Lady Ruby Dr, Dannemora 2013 Auckland Gurdwara Sri Guru Harkrishan Sahib 3034 Great North Rd, New Lynn 0600 Auckland Gurdwara Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji Otahuhu 120 Princes St, Otahuhu 1062 Auckland Gurdwara Sri Guru Ravidas Temple 1998 Great S Rd, Bombay 2675 Auckland Gurdwara Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Ji 24 Dunnotar Rd, Papatoetoe 2025 Auckland Gurdwara Sri Kalgidhar Sahib Takanini 70 Takanini School Rd, Takanini 2112 Auckland Gurdwara Sri Kalgidhar Sahib Tauranga 322 Cheyne Rd, Pyes Pa 3112 Bay of Plenty Hastings Gurdwara 402 Eastbourne St E, Hastings 4122 Hawke's Bay Linwood Gurdwara 692 Gloucester St, Linwood, Christchurch 8062 Canterbury Nanaksar Thath Isher Darbar 100 Great South Rd, Manurewa 2102 Auckland New Zealand Sikh Society Hamilton 6391 Te Rapa Rd, Horotiu 3288 Waikato North Shore Gurdwara 128 Sunnybrae Rd, Hillcrest 0627 Auckland Palmerston North Gurdwara 7 Amesbury St, Palmerston North 4410 Manawatu-Wanganui Sri Guru Singh Sabha 127 Shirley Rd, Papatoetoe 2025 Auckland Wellington Gurudwara 4-10 Vogel St, Naenae, Lower Hutt 5011 Wellington Whangarei Gurudwara Sahib 23 Water St, Whangarei 0110 Northland

Notable Sikhs Ish Sodhi – Cricketer for New Zealand National Team Kanwal Singh Bakshi – Former National Party MP Parmjeet Parmar - ACT MP Sukhi Turner – Former mayor of Dunedin Bhupinder Singh - Former Cricketer for Auckland cricket team Amandeep Singh - Former Cricketer for Canterbury Wizards Phomen Singh- Early Sikh migrant to New Zealand (circa 1890) Jagt Singh- WWI soldier for New Zealand Army

Sikhism in New Zealand

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