From Erasure to Empowerment: The South Asian Canadian Legacy Project
The Film “Unarchived” by Hayley Gray & Elad Tzadok, explores the importance of preserving and educating about the abundant cultural heritage of South Asian Canadians for future generations, through the eyes and experiences of one of their own.
Vancouver BC, 2022
Dr. Satwinder Kaur Bains, director of the South Asian Studies Institute (SASI) at the University of the Fraser Valley, proudly announces the launch of the South Asian Canadian Legacy Project, an initiative to highlight the overlooked stories and conserve the cultural legacy of South Asian Canadians. The goal of this ground-breaking project is to record, digitize, and share the colourful histories and contributions of South Asian Canadians.
The South Asian Canadian Legacy Project aims to recover and spread awareness of the large gaps in history that have left significant portions of the South Asian Canadian experience unrecorded. Dr. Satwinder Kaur Bains claims that this lack of representation has been created through erasure or neglect, leaving behind a culture that is “everywhere but seen nowhere”. The project tells the tale of Mayo Singh and his 35 investors, who bought land in Paldi, Vancouver Island, to start the successful mill known as Mayo Siding. In an era filled with systemic discrimination, this mill offered South Asians a unique chance to work and prosper in Canada. Historian and collector Joan Mayo used her vast archive research and collection-building skills to capture the spirit of love and uniqueness of the Paldi community.
To close the historical gaps in South Asian Canadian history, the South Asian Canadian Legacy Project is digitizing all of Joan Mayo’s fonds. Dr. Bains emphasizes the significance of this endeavour, stating, “That type of archive is missing for us. We don’t have a complete history of a town… the evidence is missing.” Berg Magnus identifies Paldi’s distinct past as that of an international society in which European Canadians, South Asians, Chinese, and Japanese people lived in harmony. Dr. Satwinder Kaur Bains says, “We are lucky that we can take Paldi, one small geographic city… and say ‘within that city is the lived experiences of South Asian Canadians,'” when discussing the significance of preserving South Asian Canadian history. Dr. Bains continued, “Our voices are greater if we are united… the status quo needs to shift because the status quo is rotten.” referring to the dire need for inclusivity and unity.
Diverse cultural heritages will be celebrated and preserved by the South Asian Canadian Legacy Project. The project aims to bring underrepresented histories and voices to light to promote understanding and inclusivity in society. The project is now online and accessible to anyone.
Contact Information:
Contact the National Film Board of Canada
1-800-267-7710
Or
The South Asian Canadian Digital Archive
604-854-4547
or contact Alyson Boone (media kit creator) @ boonea19@mytru.ca
The worst thing we can do is for our generations to not know where we’ve been.
Dr Satwinder Kaur Bains, Director of south asian studies institute (SASI) at the university of the fraser valley.