Vancouver police pipe band drum major Sukhvinder Sunger stands out in Edinburgh Military Tattoo

The Story

Vancouver Police Const. Sukhvinder Sunger, a traffic officer who can be found patrolling in Vancouver on a motorcycle, became an international talking point during the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Sunger appeared in the 76th annual Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in full formal attire as the Vancouver Police Pipe Band Drum Major, marching in front of a large public audience with a kilt, turban and windswept beard.

As a Sikh man, he wore a turban in the role, which he said was a rare sight at the event. “If you're a pipe band enthusiast, this is the Super Bowl,” Sunger said, describing the Tattoo as a prestigious gathering known to draw visitors from around the world. He added that the public reaction to his appearance grew after he started being recognized for photos and stopped frequently while walking.

Sunger joined the Vancouver Police Pipe Band in 2017 as a tenor drummer. He said he had never played that particular drum before joining, but the band provided time and lessons. Less than a year ago, the drum major position retired and Sunger became interested in the opportunity as the trip to Scotland approached.

A basic training period and an election led to Sunger being named Drum Major. “At first, I really didn't believe it was true,” he said, describing how hearing the news took time to sink in. He noted that he had seven months and six events to prepare, studying hard for a role centered on control and precision with complex mace drills. He also took extra lessons with an instructor on Vancouver Island he had worked with.

The band left for Edinburgh on July 29, and Sunger said the first days were focused on rehearsals and choreography. He described the performances as part of a massed group that integrated several bands, including marching patterns. Sunger said he reached out to drum majors for pointers once in Scotland and found other leaders supportive as he refined his movements.

In preparing his uniform, Sunger said he made additions meant to reflect the drum major’s position at the front of the band. He described the drum major’s uniform as the fanciest in the group because “it’s supposed to be because you're at the front, it's the first thing people see.”

One of Sunger’s notable upgrades involved using a piece of Prince Charles Edward Stewart tartan in his turban—tartan identified in the evidence as the official tartan of the Vancouver Police Pipe Band. He said his mother sewed in a piece to try it out, and that performers in Scotland responded when he first wore it. “When I put that on in Scotland for the first time, I started getting feedback from all the other performers,” he said. He said other performers told him his headdress was the best in the Tattoo, while he emphasized that the goal was not to compete. “That wasn’t the objective. I just showed up as who I am.”

Sunger said the attention continued in public. He described people taking photos with him and, at times, individuals arriving specifically because they wanted to see him and his turban at the event. He also said he visited a gurdwara in Edinburgh and that the administration there came out to meet him, telling him they wished they had known he was coming.

During the Tattoo, Sunger led the procession out of the castle and through Edinburgh on Aug. 19, describing it as a highlight after marching the full pipe band with 250 performers following his lead as music played. He said his wife and kids flew to Edinburgh to watch.

Sunger said his experience following the Tattoo extended beyond Scotland, with messages he received from around the world after performances. He said he and the Vancouver Police Pipe Band received only positive reactions, adding, “It's a very positive thing; there's nothing negative.”