> Plenty of Americans and Canadians (and, I’d posit, Brits) meanwhile could probably recognise the headdress and little more.

Probably not even that. In the early noughties, as the US reached Peak Neuroticism, people attempting to hate-crime Muslims sometimes accidentally murdered Sikhs, instead, due to confusion about turbans: https://www.cnn.com/2016/09/15/us/sikh-hate-crime-victims/in...

Huh, you didn't learn about how Indira Gandhi was assassinated by two of her Sikh bodyguards? It's pretty old stuff but it was a fairly significant event.

Americans dont learn who Indira Gandhi IS.

There are 330 million Americans.

I learned about this in a mainline world history class in public high school. In Indiana.

I didn't say not no American has ever learned it. Im somewhat surprised that you learned it, but still think that most don't cover this.

Do schools not teach about religion there? Sure not Khalistan (maybe in Geography or History it could be relevant), but about customs & beliefs beyond (or reason for) turbans, and certainly existence?

> Do schools not teach about religion there?

Can’t speak for Canada. But my American curriculum didn’t cover the Sikhs. The exposure came from family and at community cultural festivals—it was superficial. Most Americans wouldn’t have even that.

I think the general issue is that while there is a focus on "ancient civilizations" (which, of course, covers India) Sikhism is too new to be covered in that. By the time the Middle Ages end and Enlightenment picks up almost all curricula swing back to Europe. I actually learned very little of what happened from 1500-1800ish around the world, besides how they related to the affairs of what was now some colony of a European country.

In the UK state education system it would be covered in Religious Education lessons, around ages 11-13. They cover most of the world's major religions. As a completely non-religious person I try to keep myself from telling my concientious son not to worry too much about his RE homework

And before (and optionally after). Also variously called Theology, Theology & Ethics, Religious Studies, Theology & Religious Studies, etc. - presumably because RE sounds like you're being educated to be religious, which is not the point at all.

Depending on the place, usually it doesn't get to Sikhs Unless it's a zone with high affluence of a particular group it doesn't go too far after Abrahamic Religions, plus maybe Buddhism or Taoism if your Teacher particularly cares

In my (Catholic) school we got as far as visiting a mosque, which was an interesting experience