The man behind Komagata Maru project marks 100th anniversary

Interview with Naveen Girn, the curator of two exhibitions regarding the sending back to India of the Komagata Maru and its passengers 100 years ago:

When you’re sitting by yourself and researching and reading these stories, you can’t help but get sad and cry about these stories, because they’re so heartfelt. They’re on the boat and they’re being deprived of food and water and they believe in their cause and they’re being turned away. A country that I love, a city that I love, is treating people who look like me this way because they look like me. So yeah, it can be very hurtful. But I think the focus has to switch [from] looking at the trauma [to] looking at the ongoing battles that need to take place. So linking this 1914 story to a 2014 story – whether it’s temporary foreign workers, whether it’s rights for other migrant peoples – it has to be relevant to today. People can look at the Komagata Maru and say it’s a “safe” memorial because it happened so long ago. But I think we have to make it a difficult memorial. We have to make it a time when people have those difficult conversations about racism and discrimination. It’s not a time to rest on our laurels. The exhibition is great but what’s the further goal? The end goal is education and awareness and keeping the dialogue going. Getting this in school systems, having a lasting legacy.

My work on the Community Historical Recognition Program, getting to know these stories, their ongoing impact and the power of education and awareness was incredibly rewarding.

The man behind Komagata Maru project marks 100th anniversary – The Globe and Mail.