The province of British Columbia is one of the most popularly diverse areas of Canada with residents from over 180 different countries, some of the most common countries migrants travel from are mainly Asian such as China, India, Hong Kong and the Philippines, so there are a lot of strong Asian communities. In 2010 there just fewer than 45,000 people migrated to British Columbia, which is 15.7 of the entire Canadian population! The two highest percentages were 21.1% from China and 13.2% from India.
Abbotsford is located in the mainland/southwest area of BC and this area is the most popular for initial settlements of migrants however it has the lowest proportion (55%) of people with English skills, so this might lead to some migrants not fully integrating with the new society and not feeling like they belong. Abbotsford itself has the 3rd highest proportion of visible minorities among Census Metropolitan Areas in Canada and the most popular minority is that of South Asian or Indian descent (19.1%) and many of these citizens are Sikhs. Sikhism is the most popular in Abbotsford after Christianity as 13.4% of the town’s population practices it.
Abbotsford Lumber Mill, Sikh and Canadian workers- 1915
It is thought the first Sikhs arrived in Abbotsford in 1902 from the Punjab Province in India and many got jobs at the Abbotsford Lumber Company. By 1911 they had built their first Gurdwara Temple in the town with free wood from the lumber company and this year it celebrated it’s 100th anniversary, and the oldest Gurdwara in North America! During the last 109 years the Sikh community and grown from strength to strength and has made lasting impacts in Abbotsford. They have made significant contributions to the economy from helping to build up the Abbotsford Lumber Company to owning and running many local retail shops. They are also a very welcoming and friendly community, as it is custom in all Gurdwara’s food free of charge is provided to all who visit them, even to those not of the Sikh religion.
Abbotsford's 1st Gurdwara
From my time in Abbotsford I can see that Sikhs are a very important and large part of the local community and it's identity and provide a lot for it. They have helped to make Abbotsford the town it is today and I hope they are happy and willing to live here as long as they wish to.
“I regard Canada as my home and my country...I feel that Canada is everyone's country. It belongs to no one ethnic group. By working hard, every person has the chance to have a happy life and satisfied life here in Canada." To him, and many others, Canada is truly ‘everyone's country’.”
Sikh Pioneer- Indar S. Gill
Links:
www.welcomebc.ca
www.welcomebc.ca/wbc/communities/facts_trends/facts.page?
www.welcomebc.ca/wbc/communities/facts_trends/maps/main_cities/abbotsford/index.page?
www.msamuseum.ca/index.php/abbyhistory/indo-canadian-history-a-culture
I agree with your statement of the Sikh community we got to know in Abbotsford to be very welcoming and open towards others, even non-members of their community. During a field trip with one of the classes taught at UFV we visited Abbotsford’s first Gurdwara as well as the newer and bigger one across the street. Many of the students in the class were Sikh themselves, so at first I felt a little uncomfortable when we entered the old temple. But the teacher reassured us that everyone was welcome to visit a Sikh temple. The only conditions that have to be fulfilled are the following: all visitors to the Gurdwara have to cover their hair and heads and they have to take their shoes off before entering the temple.
ReplyDeleteWe also learned that Sikh temples are generally open for people who do not have a place to stay overnight and they are given a bed and a blanket in many Gurdwaras because no matter what religion one practices, according to the Sikh religion every human deserves a place to stay at night.
Besides this, as you state in your journal entry, they feed every visitor to their Gurdwaras free meals. During our visit to the newer Gurdwara in Abbotsford we were also given a free Indian dinner. I really enjoyed the meal, even though I felt a little unsettled because we did not have to pay anything and especially because I felt like I was taking advantage of their religion because I am not Sikh and therefore did not feel eligible to enjoy their free meal. But I realized that charity and caring for others are essential parts of Sikhism and therefore my bad conscience about eating free food at the Gurdwara was eased.
The opportunity to learn about the large Sikh community in Abbotsford was a demonstrative example of a diaspora community living in Canada because many immigrants from the Punjab region in India still practise their religion in their new home country, even though they might be second or third generation and might have been born in Canada.