Guralam S.D.

Komagata Maru (A Story of Injustice & Courage) 

Guralam S.D.
Surrey Regional Heritage Fair
Surrey, BC

In 1914, a ship named Komagata Maru carrying mostly Sikhs from India arrived in Vancouver. Led by Gurdit Singh, who challenged unfair immigration laws that made it difficult for Indians to enter Canada. The law required immigrants to entry by “continuous journey” from their country of birth, making it impossible for immigrants from South Asia to enter Canada.  

When the ship arrived at Vancouver Harbour, the passengers were not allowed to get off. They had to stay on the ship for about 2 months with limited food and water supplies. They fought the legal battles, but the judgement did not come in their favor. Eventually, the government sent the ship back to India. When the ship reached India, the British authorities considered the action a revolt. They arrested a lot of passengers and 19 were killed. 

My final response to my inquiry question is that the Canadian government intentionally passed the continuous journey regulation to stop South Asians to enter Canada because of discrimination and racism. This event teaches use about equality and how Canada has changed to become more welcoming to immigrants.  

What sources and evidence did you consult for your project? What different perspectives did they provide on your topic?

I used trusted websites like Wikipedia and Canadian Encyclopedia. I watched a movie (Guru Nanak Jahaz) and few documentaries. I also asked my grandmother’s brother about the incident.

What is the historical significance of your topic?

The government perspective was that this law justifies exclusion and passengers' perspective is the struggle for human rights and impact of being turned away. Over 350 passengers were denied from entering Canada after a 2 month stand off at Vancouver Harbour. It became a landmark case in the fight against racism and unfair immigration policies. It affected the Canadian government as well as the immigrants because later the Canadian government apologized for their unfair laws and in long term, it opened doors for future generation immigrants.  

Why did you choose this topic? 

As my family are also immigrants in Canada. So, I could relate with the struggle of those passengers. And it also demonstrates how laws can be used to discriminate.