The new signage, created by local queer artist, Jag Nagra, features storyboards providing historical context and honouring the passengers’ struggles. Photo courtesy City of Vancouver
Ken Sim, mayor of Vancouver, recently revealed an honorary street sign designating Komagata Maru Place as the secondary name for Canada Place in downtown Vancouver. This additional naming and signage honour the memory of the 1914 Komagata Maru tragedy, where passengers on a ship, predominantly from Punjab, British India, endured detainment, mistreatment, and discrimination upon their arrival in Canada.
The new signage, created by local queer artist, Jag Nagra, features storyboards providing historical context and honouring the passengers’ struggles. Placed at eye-level on lampposts, these installations aim to educate passersby about the tragedy. A QR code is also displayed, which directs viewers to a webpage for further information. “As a city, we are committed to learning from the past and building a more inclusive future. The honorary naming of Komagata Maru Place, and the impressive new signage designed by a talented local artist, Jag Nagra, is one important step in the city’s larger ongoing work to addressing historical discrimination towards South Asian communities,” says Mayor Ken Sim.
The honorary naming and new signage at Komagata Maru Place serve as reminders of Vancouver’s commitment to cultural redress. An outcome of a May 2023 City Council decision, this initiative addresses the city’s role in the 1914 tragedy. The ship, Guru Nanak Jahaaz, carried about 340 Sikh, 24 Muslim, and 12 Hindu passengers, who faced detainment, mistreatment, and loss of life.
The honorary naming and new signage at Komagata Maru Place serve as reminders of Vancouver’s commitment to cultural redress. Artwork courtesy © Jagandeep (Jag) Kaur Nagra
On May 18, 2021, Vancouver City Council apologized for its role in discriminating against Komagata Maru passengers in 1914 and declared May 23 as Komagata Maru Remembrance Day.
