South Asian Studies Institute
Living in Canada, one of the sayings you always hear is that we are a very multicultural country. Of course, with so many beautiful cultures interacting within one country, it is easy to see why multiculturalism is one of our prime characteristics. Multicultural Day in Canada lands annually on June 27. On this day, we … Read more
At SASI, we want to take the time to honor and acknowledge Indigenous Peoples Day which takes place annually on June 21. On this day, and everyday, we recognize and celebrate First Nations, Métis, and Inuit language, history, contributions, culture, diversity, and more. In Abbotsford, the South Asian Studies Institute at the University of Fraser … Read more
In the summer of 2017, at the initial gathering organized by the South Asian Studies Institute at the University of the Fraser Valley, a passionate group of scholars and heritage professionals came together to ask the question, What is a South Asian Canadian Digital Archive (SACDA)? The above mapping on the white board was the … Read more
In the spirit of Asian Heritage Month and its 2024 theme, “Preserving the Past, Embracing the Future: Amplifying Asian Canadian Legacy,” the South Asian Canadian Digital Archive (SACDA) team would like to share our archival journey of documenting the Chinese Canadian sawmill workers of Paldi. Paldi, the first intercultural town in Canada, is a small … Read more
SASI acquires a rare edition of Emily Eden’s Portraits of Princes and People of India On May 20th, 2024, the South Asian Studies Institute received a rare copy of Portraits of Princes and People of India by Emily Eden (1797-1869). This book was originally gifted to a former BC Government leader from foreign dignitaries. As … Read more
Welcome to our new SASI Coordinator, Hamad Nazar. All of us the South Asian Studies Institute welcome Hamad Abdullah Nazar as the new Coordinator. Hamad started work with us on May 14th and we look forward to working with him and for you all to meet him. Born and raised in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Hamad completed … Read more
On April 18th the Honourable David Eby visited the National Historic Site Gur Sikh Temple to proclaim Sikh Heritage Month in BC. The Premier was greeted by the President Maninder Singh and committee members of the Khalsa Diwan Society, Abbotsford as well as UFV Provost and VP Academic Dr. James Mandigo and the Mayor of … Read more
On Thursday, March 28th the Research Office at UFV hosted Student Research Day and showcased projects by Research Students from a variety of disciplines. Kiara Dabreo, Research and Cataloguing Assistant at the South Asian Studies Institute was among the student researchers who shared her research and findings. She presented her ongoing research project with the … Read more
On March 26th, after an appropriate ceremony, the Lighting of the Lamps by UFV president Joanne MacLean, the offices, hallways, and common spaces filled up with the friendly faces of SASI’s old and new friends, community members, students, volunteers and colleagues. The South Asian Digital Archive had arranged interesting puzzles of the archives that friends … Read more
On Saturday, March 16th, Poetic Justice Foundation in collaboration with the South Asian Studies Institute among many other partners hosted the unveiling of Overcaste: an exhibit that exposes the harsh realities of caste discrimination within Punjabi communities across BC. The local South Asian community gathered at the Burnaby Village Museum to take part in listening, … Read more