Honorary Komagata Maru street signs unveiled near Vancouver Harbour

The City of Vancouver has unveiled new street signs honoring those impacted by the Komagata Maru tragedy, while acknowledging the city’s role in the event.

The signs, which are located on the north ends of Burrard and Thurlow streets on Canada Place, read “Komagata Maru Place,” and will serve as secondary signs to the regular Canada Place signs.

"The Komagata Maru was a horrible incident in a dark time in Vancouver's history,” Mayor Ken Sim told reporters at Friday’s unveiling.

“I think if we want to progress going forward and celebrate all cultures and peoples, we have to acknowledge this.”

Vancouver City Council officially apologized for the event back in 2021.

In 1914, 376 people of Sikh, Muslim and Hindu descent boarded the ship bound for the Port of Vancouver. Upon arrival, they were met with resistance from the Royal Canadian Navy. Only 20 people were let into Canada, while the rest were sent back to India.

When they returned, they were met with violence.

"My grandfather, when they were forcibly sent back to India, he was jailed. British police opened fire, killing 20 of them, and the rest of them were put in jail two to five years,” said Jaswinder Singh Toor, president of the Descendants of Komagata Maru Society.

Toor said his grandfather – as well as everyone else on the boat – helped paved the way for South Asians to have a better life in Canada.

He hopes the signs will be a reminder of their legacy.

"Thousands of people every day will take memories and find out the struggle for the Komagata Maru passengers and tell their stories all around the world,” he said.

Two different signs were made by Vancouver artist Jag Nagra. The first features 19 doves to honor the 19 people who died. The second shows several passengers with their eyes closed to mourn the tragedy.

“Every line I drew felt physically heavy, as I listened to interviews, podcasts and articles of the tragedy while I created,” said Nagra.

“Today, on this historical day, we’re taking up physical space in this city,” she said. “Seeing the new signs next to the colonial Canada Place name, seeing people wear turbans, seeing our language written, this is a momentous day.”