The City of Mission unveiled a new interactive sign at Jack Poole Harbourside Park on Wednesday (Aug. 16) to commemorate the 1914 Komagata Maru incident.
The sign explores the incident with photos of the passengers aboard the Komagata Maru, sourced from the Vancouver Public Library’s Special Collections and Archives.
Mission Mayor Paul Horn spoke to open the ceremony before a welcoming prayer from Mission Temple and remarks from Coun. Ken Herar, Raj Singh Toor of the Descendants of the Komagata Maru Society and Mission Heritage Committee chair Ken Hood.
“This plaque will provide an education for many who may walk in this plaza, increasing further dialogue, and how we can build an inclusive community and stop hate and discrimination in the process,” Herar said. “Even though this incident took place over 100 years ago in 1914 and didn’t happen on these shores, it serves as a gentle reminder that more work needs to be done within our understanding of each other.”
Toor is the grandson of one of the Komagata Maru passengers and helped advocate for the renaming of South Fraser Way in Abbotsford to Komagata Maru Way in July.
“Komagata Maru interpretive sign in Mission is a great tribute to those passengers who suffered a lot during the tragedy,” Toor said. “We can’t undo the past but we can move forward and leave a legacy for future generations by educating them about the past and create a legacy of acceptance for future generations.”
At a council meeting on May 15, the City of Mission proclaimed May 23, 2023 as Komagata Maru Remembrance Day.
Storyboards were also presented at Mission Public Schools’ May 16 board of education meeting by Mission Community Heritage Commission representatives to educate students about the Komagata Maru incident.
Horn says he’s grateful to commemorate another lesson from local history — not one to be proud of, but one to learn from.
“While the Komagata Maru event didn’t happen within the boundaries of our city, it did touch our community,” Horn said. “In the Fraser Valley, South Asian settlers had already established themselves as key members of our community. They came together and took action to support those on the Komagata Maru.”
Horn says the South Asian diaspora has come together in this way on countless occasions throughout Mission’s history and plays a crucial role in impacting the city economically, socially, and culturally.
“Not only was the Komagata Maru a story of racism and fear that led to the deaths and imprisonment of [many of] those who were on the ship… but also it represents a lost opportunity for our community. Instead of being in prisons in India, or passed away or ostracized, many of those people would have been in this part of the world and would have left a foundation just as so many South Asian settlers did in our community, before them and after that. So we mourn that opportunity — we mourn that loss as well.”
The Komagata Maru ship was chartered in 1914 by Gurdit Singh, a businessman and leader of a movement that challenged British laws in India. It carried 376 passengers including Hindu, Muslim and Sikh supporters that Singh recruited from Hong Kong, Shanghai, Moji and Yokohama.
Upon arrival in Vancouver, some passengers were allowed entry if they were previous residents but others had to stay on board. The ship was asked to leave but stayed for two months.
On orders from Prime Minister Robert Borden, the ship was escorted from Vancouver’s harbour and reached India two months later. Indian police arrested the passengers, and 19 were killed in an ensuing riot.
Residents and visitors are invited to visit the new sign in Jack Poole Waterfront Park.
READ MORE: Mission proclaims May 23 Komagata Maru Remembrance Day
READ MORE: Abbotsford honouring Komagata Maru incident in renaming ceremony for main road
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