Case Studies: Hidden Histories
Due to the lack of archives, we find only small traces of early South Asian muslim presence in B.C. For example, a memorandum sent by W.C Hopkinson to W.W Cory in 1912 indicates that the small number of muslims living in Vancouver at that time raised $900 and sent it to the "Grand Vizier of Turkey" for the "brave soldiers" of the Ottoman empire. Similarly, a name, Roum Shah, emerged in a 1914 newspaper clipping of The Sun. There is not a lot of information available about Roum Shah, but the newspaper clipping indicates that he was a co-author of a pamphlet called "The Tyranny of the English Militarism".
Case Study 1: Husain Rahim (1865-1937)
Husain Rahim came from a Gujarati Hindu family (his birth name was Chagan Khiraj Varma) and came to Canada
as a tourist in 1910. Five months after his arrival, the immigration
department started the procedure for deportation against him.
However, Rahim fought the case and won it in court thereby,
remaining in Vancouver.
In 1911, Rahim established the United India League, an organization focused on employing constitutional methods to stimulate social and political renewal within the Hindustanee populace.
In 1914 when the Komagata Maru incident occurred, Rahim was an active member of the local shore communities and played a prominent role in helping the ship's passengers. He, along with other members, raised some $22k to purchase the ship and find a way to evade Canadian policy. Unfortunately, while that did not work, his inspiring efforts to fight the discriminatory policies then has been forgotten by many.
Aside from this, he lived in Kobe, Japan for 15 years where he was known as, "Shagan Lall". He was also the editor for "The Hindustanee Newspaper", which was mainly read by the South Asian community residing in Vancouver and the lower mainland at the time. He owned a bookstore near Strawberry Hill, and is noted to be the first East Indian who married in Canada.
A commemorative plaque in Husain Rahim's name is located under the Cambie Bridge. Alongside Harnam Kaur Plaza and Khalsa Diwan Road, these memorial projects, undertaken by The Nameless Collective in collaboration with the City of Vancouver, aim to incorporate Punjabi and South Asian history into the cityscape. The plaque's inscription, crafted by Paneet Singh, honors Rahim's contributions. Resources:
In 1911, Rahim established the United India League, an organization focused on employing constitutional methods to stimulate social and political renewal within the Hindustanee populace.
In 1914 when the Komagata Maru incident occurred, Rahim was an active member of the local shore communities and played a prominent role in helping the ship's passengers. He, along with other members, raised some $22k to purchase the ship and find a way to evade Canadian policy. Unfortunately, while that did not work, his inspiring efforts to fight the discriminatory policies then has been forgotten by many.
Aside from this, he lived in Kobe, Japan for 15 years where he was known as, "Shagan Lall". He was also the editor for "The Hindustanee Newspaper", which was mainly read by the South Asian community residing in Vancouver and the lower mainland at the time. He owned a bookstore near Strawberry Hill, and is noted to be the first East Indian who married in Canada.
A commemorative plaque in Husain Rahim's name is located under the Cambie Bridge. Alongside Harnam Kaur Plaza and Khalsa Diwan Road, these memorial projects, undertaken by The Nameless Collective in collaboration with the City of Vancouver, aim to incorporate Punjabi and South Asian history into the cityscape. The plaque's inscription, crafted by Paneet Singh, honors Rahim's contributions. Resources:
- Here is a link to an exhibit done by SACDA on the Komagata Maru, where Husain Rahim is discussed more intensively: https://sacda.ca/exhibits/km/english/bio/bio99.php The following links are what SACDA has in store about Husain Rahim:
- https://policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/BC%20Office/2021/02/ccpa-bc_Challenging-Racist-BC.pdf
- Lal, Brij. “East Indians in British Columbia, 1904-1914: An historical study in growth and integration.” Thesis, UBC, The Faculty of Graduate Studies; Department of History. 1976. https://open.library.ubc.ca/media/stream/pdf/831/1.0093725/1 (Page 64-83 about Husain Rahim)
- Mayo, Joan. “Paldi Remembered: 50 Years in the Life of a Vancouver Island Logging Town.”Duncan: Priority Printing, 1997 https://archive.org/details/paldiremembered50000mayo - Husain Rahim little info Chapter 2, page 4
Case Study 2: Imanat Ali Khan (1887-?)
Imanat Ali Khan came to Canada at the age of 25 in 1912. He worked in Fraser
Mills for 2 years, 1912-14, and witnessed the incident of Komagata Maru in
1914. Khan moved to California after the mill shut down in 1914. Living in
Canada and America from 1912 to 1932, Khan went back to India and got married
there. After living in Pakistan till 1976, Khan came back to California in
1979 before settling in Canada.
Read the full biography here:
Read the full biography here:
Case Study 3: Barkatullah (1858-1927)
Barkatullah was one of the muslims on the Komagata Maru ship.
Born in Bhopal, Barkatullah received his early education in a Madressah
where he learnt "Arabic, Persian and other religious sciences".
Early on in his life, he was inspired by the anti imperialist
campaign of Syed Jamaluddin Afghani.
After completing his education, he moved to London where he taught Arabic for 8 years. His criticism of British imperial policies did not bode well with the British government and he decided to migrate to the USA, where he actively participated in Ghaddar Party activities. Like many other revolutionary figures of the early twentieth century, Barkatullah traveled extensively across Central Asia, Russia, and Europe throughout his life to seek international solidarity and support for India's freedom. He was in Tokyo in 1914 when he heard about the sailing of the Komagata Maru ship and decided to board it.
Resources:
After completing his education, he moved to London where he taught Arabic for 8 years. His criticism of British imperial policies did not bode well with the British government and he decided to migrate to the USA, where he actively participated in Ghaddar Party activities. Like many other revolutionary figures of the early twentieth century, Barkatullah traveled extensively across Central Asia, Russia, and Europe throughout his life to seek international solidarity and support for India's freedom. He was in Tokyo in 1914 when he heard about the sailing of the Komagata Maru ship and decided to board it.
Resources:
- Husain, Iqbal. “BARKATULLAH — A HALF-FORGOTTEN REVOLUTIONARY.” Proceedings of the Indian History Congress 66 (2005): 1061-72. http://www.jstor.org/stable/44145919.
- A portrait of Barkatullah Source: https://themuslimvibe.com/muslim-current-affairs-news/americas/these-muslims-challenged-canadas-immigration-ban-in-1914
Case Study 4: Muhammad Akbar -
Muhammed Akbar, son of Mian Alam, a prominent Muslim from the
Janjua Rajput caste in Gujarat, Punjab (now Pakistan), emerged as a
pivotal member of the Shore Committee supporting Komagata Maru's
passengers. Previously affiliated with the Hong Kong police, Akbar
transitioned into an active role within the Ghadar Party in Vancouver,
demonstrating sustained commitment post the Komagata Maru incident.
Resources:
Resources:
Case Study 5: Dan Ali Muhammad -
Dan Ali Muhammad was the great grandfather of Khalad, a member of the Abbotsford Islamic Centre. Dan came to BC in 1906, even before the Komagata Maru incident. He traveled from India to Tacoma to Duncan in Vancouver Island, and then to Port Alberni and Boston Bar. He worked in the timber industry, logging, and sawmills. Being the only Muslim person living in Duncan at that time, he was involved in raising funds for a Gurdwara to be built there, as it was the only form of connection he had to the community. At the Duncan Gurdwara, his name is plastered in the main building as a contributor. An interesting point to note is that when the first Islamic Centre was to be built in Vancouver, the Sikhs living there also contributed money towards the funds for construction.
As a typical form of migration, families from Boston Bar would move towards the Hope/Chilliwack/Abbotsford area, as did Dan Ali Mohammed. Khalad's grandfather came to Boston Bar sometime in the late 1940s as a young child from India while his great-grandfather was still in Port Alberni. As he grew older, he too worked in sawmills and so.
Due to the policies set by the Canadian government, South Asian migrants had to typically travel back and forth for getting married and having children.
Khalad's mother was born in Pakistan and came to BC after her marriage. She worked in a government-run nursery in the mountains in North Bend at Boston Bar.
As a typical form of migration, families from Boston Bar would move towards the Hope/Chilliwack/Abbotsford area, as did Dan Ali Mohammed. Khalad's grandfather came to Boston Bar sometime in the late 1940s as a young child from India while his great-grandfather was still in Port Alberni. As he grew older, he too worked in sawmills and so.
Due to the policies set by the Canadian government, South Asian migrants had to typically travel back and forth for getting married and having children.
Khalad's mother was born in Pakistan and came to BC after her marriage. She worked in a government-run nursery in the mountains in North Bend at Boston Bar.
Case Study 6: Roum Shah -
There is not a lot of information available about Roum Shah. A
newspaper clipping from the April 23, 1914 issue of The Sun
indicates that Roum Shah was the co-author of a pamphlet, “The
Tyranny of the English Militarism.” He wrote this pamphlet to
protest the forceful deportation of a prominent Ghaddar Party
member, Bhagwan Singh, from Vancouver/Victoria to Hong Kong.
Resources:
Resources: