Racism Towards East Indians in Canada
Introduction
The dictionary definition of racism is a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one 's own race is superior and has the right to rule others. (Dictionary.com, 2007) According to the definition, the experience felt by the new immigrants in Vancouver from India was definitely racism. The idea that the white race was superior was one that was established firmly in most of the Canadian’s way of thinking. It is a wonder why so many of these immigrants chose to stay on in a country where they were continuously met with discrimination. The table available in the appendix outlines the estimated number of immigrants to Canada from 1904-1966. “The data presented…may not be absolutely correct but they do reveal some idea about the flow of East Indian immigration to Canada.” (Ujimoto & Hirabayashi 66) The journey that the immigrants took, the work they did upon arrival, and the different types of discrimination these individuals faced are explored in this paper as a means to educate the reader about the hardships faced by the new population. Also included are two interviews that shed light on some of the issues dealt with by immigrants at the time of first arrival and first generation East Indians in Canada today.
The Journey
The reasons for immigration from India to Canada were not simple. Many issues surrounding the increase in immigration had much to do with not being able to achieve a prosperous lifestyle in India. “There was a population explosion followed by droughts, famines, and severe epidemics. Irrigation canals helped to increase crop yields after 1900, and the railroad distributed surplus, but migration also became an important factor in maintaining prosperity.”(Jensen 24) As a result of the decrease in resources, “younger sons were increasingly encouraged by their families to migrate so that the villages would not become impoverished.
The dictionary definition of racism is a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one 's own race is superior and has the right to rule others. (Dictionary.com, 2007) According to the definition, the experience felt by the new immigrants in Vancouver from India was definitely racism. The idea that the white race was superior was one that was established firmly in most of the Canadian’s way of thinking. It is a wonder why so many of these immigrants chose to stay on in a country where they were continuously met with discrimination. The table available in the appendix outlines the estimated number of immigrants to Canada from 1904-1966. “The data presented…may not be absolutely correct but they do reveal some idea about the flow of East Indian immigration to Canada.” (Ujimoto & Hirabayashi 66) The journey that the immigrants took, the work they did upon arrival, and the different types of discrimination these individuals faced are explored in this paper as a means to educate the reader about the hardships faced by the new population. Also included are two interviews that shed light on some of the issues dealt with by immigrants at the time of first arrival and first generation East Indians in Canada today.
The Journey
The reasons for immigration from India to Canada were not simple. Many issues surrounding the increase in immigration had much to do with not being able to achieve a prosperous lifestyle in India. “There was a population explosion followed by droughts, famines, and severe epidemics. Irrigation canals helped to increase crop yields after 1900, and the railroad distributed surplus, but migration also became an important factor in maintaining prosperity.”(Jensen 24) As a result of the decrease in resources, “younger sons were increasingly encouraged by their families to migrate so that the villages would not become impoverished.
References: Bains, T. S., & Johnston, H. (1995). The Four Quarters of the Night: The Life Journey of an Emigrant Sikh Clint C., Wilson, Felix Gutierrez, Lena M. Chao (2003). Racism, Sexism, and the Media: The Rise of Class Communication in Multicultural America. Published by SAGE. Henry, F. & Tatar, C. (2006). The Colour of Democracy: Racism in Canadian Society. Toronto, Ontario: Thompson Canada Limited. O. McKague (Ed.), (1991). Racism in Canada. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan: Fifth House Publishers. Buchignani, N., Indra, D. M., & Srivastiva, R. (1985). Continuous Journey: A Social History of South Asians in Canada