Find out more about our upcoming and past events.
South Asian Studies Institute
South Asian Studies Institute
Find out more about our upcoming and past events.
Please join us at the Chilliwack Museum and Archives for the opening of the Haq and History & The Hands that Braid exhibits!
Event details:
Thursday, May 15, 2025
Location: 45820 Spadina Avenue, Chilliwack, BC V2P 1T3
Time: 6:30pm to 8:00pm
Join the South Asian Studies Institute team at UFV to celebrate April as Canadian Sikh Heritage Month and Vaisakhi 2025!
SASI Director, Dr. Satwinder Bains, will be giving a special tour of the Gur Sikh Temple, National Historic Site and Sikh Heritage Museum. "Cultural memory and history - coming together to weave a web of place, time and community (1905-2025)"
Everyone is invited to be a part of this journey through Sikh history!
To view photographs of the event, click here.
Event details:
Saturday, April 13, 2025
Location: Sikh Heritage Museum, National Historic Site Gur Sikh Temple, Abbotsford
Time: 10:30am to 12:00pm
Please also join us for Nishan Sahib Seva, starting at 9:00am at the Sikh Heritage Gurdwara.
We welcome your presence at an intimate evening of soul-stirring melodies and poetic expressions at Mehfil-e-Sukoon, presented by SASI and the City of Abbotsford. This special event will showcase the mesmerizing vocals of Maghar Ali Khan, a renowned Sufi artist, with an ensemble of talented musicians, bringing the rich traditions of Sufi and Punjabi folk music to life.
To view photographs of the event, click here.
To read about the event, click here.
Event details:
Saturday, April 5, 2025
Location: Matsqui Centennial Auditorium
Time: Doors open at 6:00 PM
Purchase your tickets here.
In honor of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, UFV’s Race and Anti-Racism Network (RAN) invites you to a panel discussion with members of BC Antiracism Data Collection Committee. The committee’s goal is to help eliminate racism in government and advance racial equity through data collection, research, and ongoing collaboration.
To read about the event, click here.
Event details:
Friday, March 21, 2025
Location: UFV Abbotsford, Building A, Room 225
Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
In each issue, The Hive will bring you stories from our archive, updates on collaborations, and insights into how we’re preserving the rich and diverse histories of South Asian Canadian communities.
To read about The Hive, click here.
Date: January 27, 2025
Event details:
Saturday, January 25, 2025
Location: Open Space
Time: 2:00 – 4:00 PM
SASI will host their community literacy table at The Reach Gallery Museum.
To view photographs of the event, click here.
To read about the event, click here.
Event details:
Saturday, January 25, 2025
Location: Clearbrook Library and The Reach Gallery Museum
Time: 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
To view photographs of the event, click here.
To read about the event, click here.
Event details:
Friday, January 10, 2025
Location: Patio of Building K, University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford Campus
Time: 4:30 – 7:30 PM
A mix of lectures and film screenings from B.C. And beyond!
Click here for more information on each event.
October 8, 2024
Lecture by Dr. Hassan Javid – Challenging Authoritarianism: The 2024 Elections in South Asia –
The lecture is followed by a Q&A session with Dr. Javid.
Location: Room K155, Building K (next to the Event Centre), University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford
Time: 4:00-6:00 PM
RSVP: Click Here
October 15, 2024
Film Screening – I’m Not The River Jhelum – A film by Director Prabhash Chandra –
There will be an online Q&A session with Mr. Chandra after the screening.
Location: Room K167, Building K (Behind the Event Centre), University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford Campus
Time: 4:00-7:00 PM
RSVP: Click Here
October 22, 2024
Online Lecture by Ms. Karimah Rahman on Decolonial Resistance of a Muslim Indo-Caribbean Woman.
There will be a Q&A session after Ms. Rahman’s lecture.
Location: Online via Zoom
Time: 3:30-5:00 PM
RSVP: Click Here After registration a link will be send to you a week before the event.
October 29, 2024
Film Screening: – Unarchived, The Incomplete History of Marginalized Communities in British Columbia –Location: Room K155, Building K (Behind the Event Centre), University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford Campus
Time: 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM
RSVP: Click Here
The South Asian Studies Institute (SASI) invites you to come and join MEHFIL, a South Asian Folk Music event, with poetry, singing, and music. The first event of this kind at UFV!
SASI has been recording, translating, and transcribing cultural treasures of South Asian Music and Poetry over the last half year. These recordings will be published as a collection in our South Asian Canadian Digital Archive. The amazing contributing artists led us to organize this event, we are thrilled to have four of the artists we had the pleasure of working with perform.
Don't hesitate and come over on September 19th!
The event is free, and there will be refreshments.
Event details:
Thursday, September 19, 2024
4:00 – 7:00 pm
The Patio of Building K (Behind the Event Centre)
All welcome.
Free event.
Please visit our new home in K building, stay a while for a tour, chai, refreshments, and interactive activities.
Event details:
Tuesday, March 26, 2024
3:00 – 5:00 pm
Building K (entrance at the left side of building)
Please RSVP at sasi@ufv.ca
Please join us for this online event with Prof. Fazeeha Azmi, Listening to Untold Stories of returnee labour migrants.
Dr. Azmi will be conducting the lecture on Sri Lanka’s tea plantation sector, which is closely connected to the colonial history of Sri Lanka and is important in terms of foreign exchange earnings and securing millions of people’s lives. Despite the contribution of tea to its economy, Sri Lanka as a state has yet to address persisting economic, social, and political issues of the people living in the tea plantations. This lecture, which is based on a one-year qualitative research in selected tea plantation estates of Sri Lanka, draws from the lived experiences of Sri Lanka’s tea plantation sector women’s individual articulation of labour migration experiences to the Middle Eastern countries. It highlights the causes, trends, processes, consequences, and vulnerabilities of women migrants who are influenced by the patriarchal expectations of the plantation community and trapped by the Kafala system of the destination countries. It also calls for proper stakeholder dialogue on the issue to stimulate appropriate policy measures.
Event details:
Friday March 15, 2024
9:00 – 10:45 am
Online – Please RSVP for a Zoom link at sasi@ufv.ca
Free event, all are welcome to participate
A fun community day at the Vancouver Maritime Museum.
Embark on a journey of exploration and education at this family-friendly OPEN HOUSE. Engage in a variety of activities such as solving puzzles, creating crafts, colouring captivating scenes, listening to enchanting storytelling sessions, and exploring fascinating archival displays.
Delve into the intriguing world of maritime history and South Asian heritage as you participate in interactive experiences that are both entertaining and enlightening.
Whether you’re a curious child or a history-loving adult, this free event offers something for everyone to enjoy.
Event details:
Saturday, March 9, 2024
11:00 am – 3:00 pm
Vancouver Maritime Museum, 1905 Ogden Ave, Vancouver V6J 1A3
Free event, all welcome. This is a family event suitable for all ages.
We are excited to invite you to join the South Asian Studies Institute at the Sikh Heritage Museum Open House in honour of BC Heritage Week, Unfolding the Layers of Migration.
The Sikh Heritage Museum is a touchstone of history, heritage, and culture for the Sikh community in the Fraser Valley and beyond to all parts of BC. Since it is housed in the oldest standing Sikh gurdwara – the National Historic Site Gur Sikh Temple in the Americas, Heritage Week is a moment in BC arts and culture that allows us to shine a light on the long and rich history of Sikhs in BC. This year we are hosting an open house and hope to have everyone join us as we commemorate heritage and history in one afternoon with talks, a film, and an exhibit on Transnational Marriages in BC.
Event details
Tuesday, February 20, 2024
From 1:00 – 3:00 At the Sikh Heritage Museum 33089 South Fraser Way, Abbotsford,
Feel free to join us earlier from 12:00 – 1:00 for Langar at the Khalsa Diwan Society Abbotsford
(across from the Gur Sikh Temple 33094 South Fraser Way.
Entry is free, all welcome.
Please join us for a presentation and dialogue with the 2023 Dhahan Prize finalists: Deepti Babuta, Jameel Ahmad, and Balijit on November 17th in Building K at 1pm.
The Dhahan Prize for Punjabi Literature celebrates the rich culture and transnational heritage of Punjabi literature and language. The prize aims to promote the growth of Punjabi language globally, as well as encourage new, emerging, and established writers working in the two Punjabi scripts, Gurmukhi and Shahmukhi.
Please register for this event at https://dhahanprize.com/ufv
Please join us on November 7th for a screening of the National Film Board of Canada's 'Unarchived.'
Join us in the premiere screening of the first Heritage Minute by Historica Canada showcasing the rich cultural heritage of Paldi, a welcoming and inclusive town founded by immigrants on Vancouver Island, BC. All are welcome and dinner will be served. Please RSVP to sasi@ufv.ca by Monday, April 17th. We hope to see you there!
EVENT DETAILS:
April 19th, 2023 @ 6PM
F Building, UFV Abbotsford campus
Rails, Jails and Trolleys is a South Asian Studies Institute produced documentary. The film presents the history and present-day events on the decline of agriculture in India. The film analyzes responses to three agricultural bills passed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) under Prime Minister Narendra Modi in September 2020. The response to these bills became the ‘largest farmer’s protest in human history.’
All are welcome!
Date: March 15 2023, 4-5:30 pm. Entry is free
Library of the University of the Fraser Valley, Chilliwack campus
45190 Caen Avenue, Chilliwack
To get your admission ticket, sign-up below:
SASI is hosting an afternoon panel and dialogue on the critically important topic of caste and anti-casteism.
The issue of caste discrimination has received critical attention at post secondary institutions in the US in the recent past and has become an area of discrimination recognized by Universities in the US, UK and beyond.
Join the conversation on storytelling as a path towards freedom for the marginalized, learn parallels between the historical experiences of woman and lower castes in India, explore ideas for moving forward and gain life insight from towering authors who over have overcome barriers.
Our speakers on this afternoon:
All are welcome!
Date: Nov 17 at 1:00 pm Entry free
Room F125, F Building, University House
University of the Fraser Valley, 33844 King Road Abbotsford
For any questions, please contact us at sasi@ufv.ca or call at 604-854-454
November 25-26, 2022
It is very clear that involvement in sport can impact different aspects of one’s personality and social setting in both positive and negative ways. It is also clear that risk-based theories of youth crime prevention rest on shaky evidence and that positive youth development interventions, through sports or other forms of interventions, still must demonstrate how they can produce tangible crime prevention outcomes. The colloquium brings together Canadian researchers who focus on crime prevention and desistance from crime and researchers who have studied the role that sports can play in fostering positive youth development.
You are all invited to the SASI's tradition of commemorating brilliant writers, poets, and authors through the 'Ehsaas Readers and Writers Festival.' Join us in person on October 13th, at 6pm. Featuring a book launch for Tariq Malik's 'Exit Wounds' and the e-launch of Dr. Rajnish Dhawan's 'That Land Beyond the Waves,' there will also be readings from poets Dr. P. Rathanaswami, Subbu Govindarajapuram, and Dr. Kusum Soni.
Thursday October 13th 2022
South Asian Studies Institute, UFV Abbotsford Campus
33844 King Road
Room F125 - at the Uhouse building
The SASI, in partnership with Tourism Abbotsford is pleased to present a second screening of 'Rails, Jails and Trolleys,' a documentary film on the world's largest farmers protest.
Saturday, October 1st
1pm
Eventbrite tickets available at: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/taste-of-abby-rails-jails-trolleys-screening-tickets-420693835587
The SASI is pleased to host the launch of "An Ocean of Peace," a travelling exhibit curated by the New Westminster Museum. The exhibit opening will take place at the Sikh Heritage Museum, National Historic Site, Gur Sikh Temple.
Sunday, June 19th, 2pm
All are welcome.
Building a Diasporic Roadmap through Inquiry and Engagement
outh Asia represents the regions of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. More broadly, the historical, political, cultural and linguistic boundaries that constitute the South Asian region are complex and intricate, complicated and intertwined while being vastly heterogeneous. This is further reinforced in the make up and experiences of the Canadian diasporic communities from these regions all across BC and Canada. Included in the complexity of such a large region are “twice and third migrants” from the region who migrate to Canada from other second and third countries.
Since 2017, the South Asian Studies Institute (SASI) has hosted an annual symposium engaging in topics related to South Asian Canadian geo-political spaces, naming, gender, caste, history, and culture. Given the apotheosis of the time we are living in - and with an ongoing commitment to shift and build solidarities amongst our communities, the SASI invites you to ourfifth annual symposium which looks at building a road map through regional understanding.
The 2021 symposium is organized as a round table discussion where, through conversation we build upon the work of inter-disciplinary academics and other stakeholders in order to create a road map towards furthering current and future research and building partnerships.
We invite your perspectives based on the intersectionality of lived experiences with themes ranging from politics, policy, culture, language, art, aesthetics, activism, heritage, food, clothing, history, society, development, philanthropy, social justice etc. – any and all of the areas of work that drive your passion as it relates to South Asia and the Diaspora.
The questions we aim to explore are:
RSVP your attendance at sasi@ufv.ca by November 1st or call for more information at 604-854-4547.
SASI Director, Dr. Satwinder Bains is a contributor to the book "Abbotsford - A Diverse Tapestry." Please join her, and all other authors/contributors for the virtual launch on Tuesday, June 29th at 7pm.
Zoom link: https://ufv-ca.zoom.us/j/65708930768?pwd=WHlMRXREQ2I5OVV1WUZLSy9VbVRlQT09
Meeting ID: 657 0893 0768 Passcode: 105349
All are welcome. Please contact Kris Foulds for more information or to purchase a copy by emailing: kfoulds@thereach.ca or call 604-864-8087 ext.122.
DAY: Sunday, June 27th
TIME: 1:30PM PST
To register: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_fK8ZUy7cQF-QU5dxdtJkAw?fbclid=IwAR0RwWGZ_cYSAOR87WlLEA9d0J2fqMlP20ueyvUXtif8l4BlCYk-xuCAcR8
The SASI is please to partner with the Hari Sharma Foundation to host a meaningful conversation on the ongoing Farmers Protest.
The SASI is pleased to partner with UFV's Peace and Reconciliation Centre (PARC) to have an important conversation on hate and how to enact change.
6:30pm – 8:30pm
Zoom Link- https://bit.ly/2RXiPZI
Free – Open to public
Email – parc@ufv.ca
“Our heart goes out to the Afzaal family and all members of the Muslim community in the wake of this heinous hate-motivated mass murder. This tragic act of violence tears at the very fabric of our society and reveals that Islamophobia and racism are alive and well in Canada.
We know that this crime will cause all members of the Islamic faith to fear for their lives and to feel that they cannot be safe within Canada.
We must all do everything we can to counter this and to affirm for Muslims that we are committed to eradicating Islamophobia and the systemic structures of racism.”
Dr. Keith Carlson
PARC Director
June 16 2021
10 am (Pacific Daylight Time) via Zoom.
Presented by the Association of Critical Heritage Studies – Canada
This symposium examines the construction and performance of cultural heritage in South Asian diaspora communities in Canada. Panelists bring critical perspectives on how and why ‘heritage’ is important in grassroots settings, and whose heritage is omitted from the Canadian historical record.
And we ask: How does diasporic heritage challenge issues – such as the term South Asian, or the term Canadian?
Speakers
Dr Satwinder Kaur Bains, University of the Fraser Valley
Dr Srilata Ravi, University of Alberta
Itrath Sayed, Simon Fraser University
Kathleen Boodhai, Northumbria University
Moderators
Dr Shabnam Inanloo Dailoo and Dr Susan Ashley (Co-chairs ACHS – Can)
To register
For more information contact susan.ashley@northumbria.ac.uk
Abstract: As the ongoing farmers struggle in India completes six months, it has attracted global attention. The Indian diaspora has taken special interest and played a key role in this movement. What makes for this unexpected and extraordinary success of this movement? What are the lessons here? What has the movement achieved in the first six months? And, what is the roadmap and the challenges ahead? What does this movement signal for the future of Indian democracy?
DATE: Friday, April 23rd, 2021
TIME: 9 AM PST/ 9:30 PM IST
To attend the online lecture please register at: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwrcuCrrzguGtZUAZid2ca62RzCbPzt-ncK
(After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the lecture)
Abstract: Rural Punjab has been a divided region. The most important axis of this division has been through caste, which also overlaps with class. Almost all the agricultural land is owned and cultivated by Jatts and a few other minor caste groups, such as Sainis, Kambojs, Rajputs and Labanas. Dalits, who make for more than 30% of the state population, are almost all landless. This presentation will look at how the current farmers' movement has provided an opportunity to rebuild solidarities across castes. Unlike other regions of India, Punjab has the idiom of Sikhi that could help in building newer solidarities across caste communities.
Join Dr. Surinder S. Jodhka, Professor of Sociology at Jawaharlal Nehru University to take part in the conversation. Moderated by SASI Director, Dr. Satwinder Kaur Bains. Q&A to follow.