South Asian Studies Institute

SASI’s Fall Lecture Series 2026 begins next week!

Please join us on Thursday, October 8 for the opening lecture, “Research and Engagement at SASI, a Retrospect: Looking Back and Moving Forward (2006–2026)”.

Dr. Satwinder Bains will reflect on twenty years of SASI’s work at UFV and in the community, including research, heritage preservation, and public engagement & advocacy. This event will also mark the official launch of the South Asian Canadian Digital Archive (SACDA) Collections Catalogue, featuring more than 75 archival collections.

Date: Thursday, October 8, from 5–7 pm
Location: Room J182, Building J, University of the Fraser Valley Abbotsford Campus
Please RSVP: https://forms.gle/tYQiC4nbEvfQ1yodA

Swipe to view the complete SASI 2026 Fall Lecture Series.

Tomorrow: Chai & Chat with Dr. Asma Qadri ☕
Celebrate Culture Days | Fête de la culture with us tomorrow evening as we unpack South Asian folktales and oral heritage through community conversation and shared memory!

📍 Matsqui Recreation Centre (55+ Activity Centre, Room 2/3), 3106 Clearbrook Rd, Abbotsford
🗓 Friday, Sept 25 | 6:00 – 8:00 pm
☕ Free event • Open to all • Chai and snacks provided
RSVP HERE : https://forms.gle/zDA8Cg8mwFAHwprZ8

Thank you to the City of Abbotsford - The Hub Of The Fraser Valley for partnering with us to make this event possible.

See you all tomorrow evening!

🎬 Join us for Strong Son at iSAFF 2026!

SASI is pleased to partner with the International South Asian Film Festival Canada (iSAFF) for a special screening of Strong Son, directed by Ian Bawa.

📅 Friday, September 25, 2026 | 6:00–8:00 p.m. 📍 Landmark Cinemas Guildford, Theatre 12, Surrey, BC

Use code COMMUNITY15% when booking your tickets! Explore the festival program and book your seat at: https://isaff.ca/schedule-2026/

We are delighted to support iSAFF and invite our community to join us for an evening of South Asian storytelling and cinema! For any queries, please email: [email protected].

☕ Join us for Chai & Chat with Dr. Asma Qadri!

SASI in partnership with the , invites you to an afternoon of conversation, connection, and community as part of Culture Days 2026. Come together over a cup of chai for an engaging conversation with Dr. Asma Qadri. This event is free and open to everyone.

📅 Friday, September 25, 2026
🕑 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
📍 Matsqui Recreation Centre – 55+ Activity Centre
RSVP : https://forms.gle/UjSCMYSTAV9g6rP57

We look forward to seeing you there!

As part of , join us for a guided tour of Haq and History: Journeys Across BC at the Sikh Heritage Museum, located within the National Historic Site Gur Sikh Temple in Abbotsford.

📍 Sikh Heritage Museum, National Historic Site Gur Sikh Temple
🗓️ July 17, 2026
🕚 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm
🎟️ Free admission

Come explore the exhibit, ask questions, and connect with the stories that continue to resonate across generations. For more details, email [email protected].

A Sikh man walks from the National Historic Site, Gur Sikh Temple, toward the Khalsa Diwan Society gurdwara, named after the first Sikh society in North America. He walks with pride and dignity, wearing a vibrant purple turban: a symbol of Sikh identity that, during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, was often met with discrimination and prejudice as the first wave of Sikh immigrants settled in Canada.

Behind him is the street sign for Komagata Maru Way, the commemorative name for a section of South Fraser Way. It honours the 376 passengers aboard the Komagata Maru, who, in 1914, were denied entry into Canada because of exclusionary immigration policies.

More than a century later, the Gur Sikh Temple stands as a testament to the resilience, vision, and determination of the early Sikh settler community.

Today, the gurdwara continues to serve as a vibrant place of prayer and congregation for the Sikh community. It is also home to the Sikh Heritage Museum, where visitors can explore exhibitions and participate in guided tours. Together, these spaces welcome people from all backgrounds to learn about the rich history and enduring contributions of Sikhs in Canada.

Congratulations to the Class of 2026 from SASI! 🎉

Devyani, Amrit, Samarah, Makenna, Darien, Camryn, and Cole; it has been such a privilege to have you as part of the SASI team. Each of you has brought something unique to your role and we are so proud of everything you have accomplished. Wishing you all the very best in the next chapter, we know you will do great things! 💛

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Over the past month, has explored the six pillars of the South Asian Canadian Legacy Project (SACLP) and today, we finally conclude with the exhibit, "Haq and History: Journeys Across BC."

Since 2022, this bilingual travelling exhibit has visited communities across the province, inviting local residents, museums, archives, and community organizations to contribute stories, perspectives, and experiences; tracing the many ways South Asian communities have shaped, and been shaped by, the places they call home.

Now, for the first time, these community stories are being brought together in one exhibition at the Sikh Heritage Museum. The exhibit reflects more than a century of migration, labour, resilience, belonging, and community building across British Columbia. It reminds us that history is not only found in archives and textbooks, but also in the memories, relationships, and lived experiences that connect generations.

Join us on June 21 as we celebrate the opening of "Haq and History: Journeys Across BC"

📍 Sikh Heritage Museum (National Historic Site), 33089 South Fraser Way, Abbotsford, BC
📅 June 21, 2026
🕑 2:00 – 4:00 pm
RSVP appreciated: https://forms.gle/7iGZVQAmECi5gen38

After travelling across British Columbia, what new stories will emerge when these journeys are brought together in one place?

Heritage BC Abbotsford Community Foundation UFV Research Office University of the Fraser Valley - UFV Royal BC Museum Khalsa Diwan Society Abbotsford Museum of Surrey Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre BC Forest Discovery Centre Golden Museum and Archives POMO Museum Chilliwack Museum and Archives