National South Asian Heritage Month

Switching from health to heritage – its National South Asian Heritage Month! National South Asian Heritage Month is a celebration of “the presence and heritage of people with roots in the South Asian countries of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, and Afghanistan.” This Canadian celebration came to light in 2001, but was not officially celebrated until the following year. The majority of celebrations take place in Ontario. The month of May was selected for National South Asian Heritage Month because May 5^th is recognized as South Asian Arrival Day. 

So, let’s learn a little bit about South Asian Heritage! South Asia has one of the earliest recordings of human life, having traced Homo erectus about 500 000 years ago. The first South Asian civilization is the Indus Valley. It is a diverse area of the world, with demographics including several hundred languages, religions affiliations, and over 2000 ethnicities! 

South Asians in Canada were first recorded in the later 1800s/early 1900s. Many arrived after hearing rumours about the high wages being paid to the British Indian soldiers. Unfortunately there has been some not so pleasant history between these early immigrants and Canada. However, it is important to note (even though many of those horrific events deal with this very matter), that the hard work of these South Asian immigrants resulted in the construction of Canada’s railroads. They also found work in industries such as lumber and mining. 

Today, South Asians contribute to the rich culture that is Canada. The largest populations of South Asian Canadians can be found in Ontario and British Columbia. Take some time this month to explore the culture – particularly if there are South Asian Heritage events taking place near you!