Historic Sites
Our Team
Advisory Committees
Advisory Committee – South Asian Canadian Labour History Research
Advisory Committee – South Asian Canadian Digital Archive – SACDA
Advisory Committee – Social History
Advisory Committee – South Asian Canadian Historic Sites
Projects
B.C. Labour Movements Social Histories Research
South Asian Canadian Digital Archive (SACDA)
Mandate:
Research and promote the significance of 15 sites officially added to British Columbia’s Register of Historic Places in 2017.
Plan:
- Identify opportunities for signage/commemorative plaques and short films in collaboration with Indigenous peoples/council, cities and province.
Create content for SACDA archive. - Integrate the significance of Historic Sites into K-12 Curriculum.
- Identify opportunities for recognition of additional sites of cultural and heritage values for diverse South Asian Diaspora.
- Showcase and promote the short films during the Sikh Heritage Month-April 2021.
The South Asian Studies Institute at the University of the Fraser Valley under the auspices of the South Asian Canadian Legacy Project presents two short films: The Gur Sikh Temple, National Historic Site and the Solidarity Lives.
These two short films present five historic sites in BC that are significant sites of history, memory and community life. The films span a period of over a 100 years from the early 1900’s and the first settler arrivals to the current moment. The five historic sites include the oldest standing built for purpose Gurdwara, the Gur Sikh Temple National Historic Site in Abbotsford BC, the 1st Gurdwara built in BC in 1908 that was located at 2nd Avenue in Vancouver, Burrard Inlet where the Komagata Maru was stranded for 60 days under a discriminatory law that prevented would be immigrants from setting foot in BC, the site of the first hanging of a Sikh man, Simcoe Park in New Westminster and the Khalsa Diwan Society Gurdwara in Vancouver on Ross Road.
Each site signifies a rich past that is replete with a historic account that is beautifully recounted in the films. While this history may be known to some, there are many others in Canada who have not heard or read about this significant history of South Asian Canadians in BC.
Both the films are directed by two young South Asian Canadian film makers.
The Gur Sikh Temple, National Historic Site.
Henna Mann is a third year student at York University in Toronto, Ontario where she is pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film Production. Her work specializes in documentary and deals with topics of history, social justice and equality. As a documentary filmmaker, her goal is to direct films that educate, inspire and unite humanity. Last year, Henna directed her first documentary produced by York University on the “South Asian Studies Institute ” which touches on the history, research and mission of the institute followed by interviews with Dr. Satwinder Bains and the South Asian Canadian Legacy Project (SACLP) team. Following this documentary, Henna wrote and directed “Gur Sikh Temple ” for the South Asian Canadian Legacy Project covering the history and creation of Canada’s National Historic Site and British Columbia’s Provincial Historic Site, Gur Sikh Temple located in Abbotsford, BC.
Gur Sikh Temple
Solidarity Lives
Bhavesh Chauhan is an independent filmmaker, music video director and cinematographer. His career in filmmaking has spanned almost 15 years with humble beginnings making shorts with his friends in high school. Many of his films have gone on to screen and win awards at numerous film festivals around the world. Some recent productions that feature his work include shorts “Solidarity Lives,” “Prisoner,” “Lovely Mummers,” and “A Calling,” a web series pilot with TELUS StoryHive “Lux-Me,” a Crazy8s short “Mom vs. Machine, and a feature film “Jewel Fools” which screened at the Calgary International Film Festival.