On may 23, 1914 a ship called the komagata marunormally used for transporting coalarrived at vancouver and anchored in burrard inlet. Other booklength depictions include anita rau badamis 2006 novel can you hear the nightbird call. The sikh challenge to canadas colour bar johnston, hugh j. The internet has become a great time saver in tracking down small points that sometimes make a meaningful difference. The komagata maru incident involved the japanese steamship komagata maru on which a group of citizens of the british regime attempted to immigrate to canada in 1914 but were denied entry. The ss komagata maru was a chartered ship featured in a dramatic challenge to canadas former practice of excluding immigrants from india. Komagata maro memorial vancouver, british columbia. Komagata maru arrived in canadian waters, it was not allowed to dock.
This self published manuscript provides a unique perspective not only on the voyage but also on the writing of history. Today, the komagata maru incident has resonance within canadian history and public discourse, and has significant iconic value within the south asiancanadian community. The komagata maru incident involved the japanese steamship komagata maru, on which a group of citizens of the british raj attempted to emigrate to canada in 1914, but were denied entry and forced to return to calcutta presentday kolkata, india. Hugh johnston is a professor of history at simon fraser university and coeditor with robin fisher of from maps to metaphors. There they were fired upon by indian imperial police. This question has challenged historians for decades because there has never been one definitive list. In may 1914, 400 sikhs left for british columbia by chartered ship, resolved to claim their right to equal treatment with white citizens of the british empire and force entry into canada. Their arrival provoked massive opposition from the public, and prevalent ideas of race and exclusion held by the majority of the local population led to an outpouring. In 1914 the britishbuilt and japaneseowned steamship komagata maru left hong kong for. The parks name references a 1914 incident in which the komagata maru, a steamship carrying 376 immigrants from the punjabi region of india, was turned away at the port of vancouver due to canadas discriminatory immigration laws. The pacific world of george vancouver ubc press, 1993. Her forthcoming book, across oceans of law, is a global legal history of the komagata maru. She was built as a cargo ship in 1890 and had previously been known as both ss stubbenhuk and ss sicilia while sailing for two different german owners.
Upon its return to india, the british army imprisoned and killed many of the passengers. Komagata maru a japanese ship was chartered by gurdita singha from india to vancouver containing 376a indians, among whom 340 were sikhs, 24 muslims and 12 hindus. Over the past two decades he has engaged with the history of immigration through a feature documentary, continuous journey 2004, a book, undesirables. Ebook maru as pdf download portable document format.
Komogata maru memorial more than just an isolated incident, the komagata maru story reflects a deliberate, exclusionary policy of the canadian government to keep out ethnicities with whom it. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. Komagata maru seminar at guru gobind singh college sikhnet. Komagata maru sailed from hong kong, then a holding of the british empire, via shanghai, china, and yokohama, japan, to vancouver, british columbia, canada. But what happened on that crowded ship in 1914 has become, for many scholars, emblematic of an. For many canadians, the name komagata maru means little. Its 45 reproducible pages are filled with a wide variety of ideas designed for use with children and young adults. Change in immigration law and komagata maru incident law is. What is the significance of komagata maru incident. It proved to be a bitter and tragic experience for the passengers, first in an unsuccessful and eventually physical confrontation with officials, police and the. Change in immigration law and komagata maru incident law. Then the komagata maru was taken to a place called budge budge, about seventeen miles away from its original destination of calcutta. The komagata maru approached calcutta on september 26, 1914. Sep 27, 2019 ajmer rode has also written short stories on komagata maru.
Unmooring the komagata maru demonstrates that, more than a hundred years later, the voyage of the komagata maru has yet to reach its conclusion. On may 23, 1914, the komagata maru reached vancouvers harbour via hong kong and japan carrying 376 prospective south asian immigrants who hoped to settle in canada. On may 23rd, 1914, the komagata maru, a japanese ship, entered burrard inlet outside of vancouver carrying 376 people looking for a better life in canada. Komogata maru memorial more than just an isolated incident, the komagata maru story reflects a deliberate, exclusionary policy of the canadian government to keep out ethnicities with whom it deemed unfit to enter.
Harry stevens name stripped from federal building in. Johnston began researching his book in the late 1970s, only a few years after canada opened up its immigration policies, and says very few people had heard of the komagata maru at that time. Even though the number seems low, given the population then, it was enough to alarm the populous or at least the politicians. Komagata maru20th century exclusion laws in canada and. From a collection of oral histories and familial photographs to academic studies that span generations these texts demonstrate a. Canada had introduced a law that required immigrants to canada to arrive by a single, direct journey from their country of origin. Ajmer rode has also written short stories on komagata maru. The conservative premier of british columbia, richard mcbride, gave a categorical statement that the passengers would not be allowed to disembark. A meticulous account of neglected historiographic threads brings to life the komagata maru incident, which launched a thousand protests in. This challenge took place in the spring and summer of 1914, on the eve of the first world war. The komagata maru incident canada history and mysteries. Just days before the outbreak of world war one, the most direct challenge to canadas racist, antiasian immigration policies was about to come to a potentially bloody end in the waters of burrard inlet. The voyage of the komagata maru the sikh challenge to canadas colour bar book.
What was the komagata maru incident and why does it matter. Several friends of the author suggested the title of the novel for the sikh heritage museum of canada komagata maru exhibition in 2014 which was. May 22, 2014 over the past two decades he has engaged with the history of immigration through a feature documentary, continuous journey 2004, a book, undesirables. Canadas prime minister, justin trudeau, delivers a formal apology for the komagata maru incident in the house of commons on parliament hill in ottawa, canada, may 18th 2016. Books and theses featured here are a selection works from the leading scholars working on the komagata maru and south asian canadian history. As it approached calcutta, a european gunboat signaled the ship to stop. The komagata maru returned to india on september 26, 1914. This book brilliantly disrupts the tendency to write the komagata maru into canadian history in ways that support canadian multiculturalism and nationalism, and.
Johnstons book the voyage of the komagata maru, when stevens spoke for the first time in parliament, it was to talk about the asian threat to canadas future as a white. The sikh challenge to canadas colour bar by hugh j. The komagata maru incident is about a japanese steamship called komagata maru that voyaged from hong kong part of british empire to vancouver, british columbia in canada passing through shanghai, china to yokohama japan in the year 1914, carrying 376 passengers from punjab, part of british india. The ss komagata maru was a chartered ship featured in a dramatic challenge to canadas former practice of. The passengers, however, did not receive a friendly welcome.
Review this book brilliantly disrupts the tendency to write the komagata maru into canadian history in ways that support canadian multiculturalism and nationalism, and instead places the ship and its. The names of those on the ship are in enscribed in the monument. Komagata maru incident upsc read about komagata maru incident. British authorities suspected that the passengers were revolutionaries arriving to make trouble. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle coronavirus. May 19, 2016 the ss komagata maru was a chartered ship featured in a dramatic challenge to canadas former practice of excluding immigrants from india. In the years prior to the komagata maru s arrival, the canadian government placed limitations on south asian immigration through racially restrictive policies. Komagata maru incident was the first to trigger other similar incidents in the history of the struggle for indian independence in the early 20th century. The komagata maru was a coaltransport steamship that had been converted into a passenger ship by hong kongbased businessman gurdit singh.
I am indebted in writing about it to hugh johnston and his definitive book, the voyage of the komagata maru. Feb 06, 2020 the parks name references a 1914 incident in which the komagata maru, a steamship carrying 376 immigrants from the punjabi region of india, was turned away at the port of vancouver due to canadas discriminatory immigration laws. In may 1914, a group of 376 passengers 340 sikhs, 12 hindus, and 24 muslims, organized specifically to test canadas colour bar of exclusionary immigration policies, sailed from the orient for vancouver on the freighter komagata maru. New book release with new facts on komagata maru in canada. Komagata maru was a steamship owned by the shinyei kisen goshi kaisya of japan. They were anchored off vancouver for over two months, enduring extreme physical privation and harrassment by immigration officials, but defying federal deportation orders even when the canadian government. The ship was put under guard and the passengers were held as prisoners. Charting colonial trajectories, edited by rita kaur dhamoon, davina bhandar, renisa mawani, and satwinder kaur bains is published by university of british columbia press. The ship, komagata maru, arrived with indians from india who were refused entry to canada. Reflecting on the komagata maru, 100 years later the star. The komagata maru incident is a dark piece of canadian history that entirely contradicts the sunny ways image of canada today it was a political event that demonstrated xenophobia. Upon the komagata marus arrival to canadian shores, immigration and security officials intercepted the vessel and the 375 passengers on board were.
Also digitized and available for the first time is the personal account of the komagata maru voyage by the ships charterer gurdit singh. He chartered the japanese ship komagata maru to transport these. On may 23, the komagata maru arrived in canadian waters, it was not allowed to dock. Sep 10, 2017 the komagata maru incident is a dark piece of canadian history that entirely contradicts the sunny ways image of canada today it was a political event that demonstrated xenophobia. When singh was approached by sikhs seeking to immigrate to canada, he agreed to help. By situating the history of south asians in canada in a globalimperial context, this volume emphasizes the ways in which the komagata maru incident. There was an altercation between authorities and passengers, and shooting started. When it ended, 22 people were dead, including 16 passengers.
The komagata maru monument is a monument to an incident which happened in coal harbour in 1914. The 1900 census in canada indicated that there were over 2000 indians. The story of the komagatu maru at long last, a formal apology was delivered in the house of commons for canadas racist behaviour in its shameful treatment of sikh passengers aboard the komagata maru who had the effrontery to seek immigration to the west coast more than a. This episode of connected events, started with a challenge to exclusion laws in both canada and the united states. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. In the longer term, the komagata maru was a factor in turning indian public opinion against the british. The voyage of the komagata maru book vancouver public. Invision employees share their remote work secrets. A century ago on may 23rd in 1914, the komagata maru, a ship of migrants from india sailed into the western shores of what is now called british columbia, canada, in the traditional territories of the coast salish groups of first nations peoples. Instead, what we have are multiple passenger lists with varying degrees of authenticity that feature inconsistencies in everything from the spelling of passengers names to places of origin. Komagata maru incident upsc read about komagata maru.
The legacy of the komagata maru the globe and mail. Calgary, canadaa book named komagatamaru da asli sach the real story of komagatamaru was released by prominent sikh. The komagata maru incident involved the japanese steamship komagata maru, on which a group of people from british india attempted to immigrate to canada in 1914, but most were denied entry and forced to return to budge budge calcutta presentday kolkata, india. May 18, 2016 the story of the komagatu maru at long last, a formal apology was delivered in the house of commons for canadas racist behaviour in its shameful treatment of sikh passengers aboard the komagata maru who had the effrontery to seek immigration to the west coast more than a hundred years ago. May 17, 2016 the story of the komagata maru at long last, a formal apology is being delivered in the house of commons for canadas racist behaviour in its shameful treatment of sikh passengers aboard the komagata maru who had the effrontery to seek immigration to the west coast more than a hundred years ago. A the shipa entered vancouver on may 23, 1914, by crossing through hongkong and shanghai, buta the ship was not allowed to arrive in port. The komagata maru narratives by tariq malik may 1, 2010 the komagata maru incident by sharon pollock 1978. The approaching centenary of the komagata maru has been an incentive for an extensive revision of a book that i first published thirtyfive years ago over the decades, fresh material published and unpublished has come my way. Browse the amazon editors picks for the best books of 2019, featuring our favorite reads in more than a dozen categories. Komagata maru monument komagata maru monument in coal harbour. From a collection of oral histories and familial photographs to academic studies that span generations these texts demonstrate a wide variety of styles and genres. Johnston is a professor emeritus in history at simon fraser university. The komagata maru attracted a lot of attention while she was in port photo. Unmooring the komagata maru challenges conventional canadian historical accounts by drawing from multiple disciplines and fields to consider the international and colonial dimensions of the voyage.
White canada and the komagata maru an illustrated history by ali kazimi may 8, 2012 chanting denied shores. The strength of this book lies in its balanced approach, which involves young learners in every aspect of the communications process speaking, reading. What trudeaus komagata maru apology means to a descendant. She was launched by charles connell and company of scotstoun on august. The story of the komagatu maru at long last, a formal apology was delivered in the house of commons for canadas racist behaviour in its shameful treatment of sikh passengers aboard the komagata maru who had the effrontery to seek immigration to the west coast more than a hundred years ago. But what happened on that crowded ship in 1914 has become, for many scholars, emblematic of an entire period of canadian history.
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