Portraits

Photo of Ikball Singh Hundal in Reserve Officer Training Corps uniform in front of a de Havilland, the aircraft used by the US military at the end of WW1 while training to be a pilot. Ikball was accepted to the University of Washington and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering in 1925. During his time at the University of Washington, he signed up for the Reserve Officers Training Corp (ROTC) and achieved the highest rank of Lieutenant. After graduating from the university, Ikball encountered a very strict race bar that effectively barred him from becoming a professional engineer, a pilot or any other professional. He was told the only work for him, as a South Asian, was on the "green chain," one of the lowest paid and highest risk jobs in the industry pushing wood through the saws. Instead, Ikball chose to return to India, under the sponsorship of the Ghadar Party in 1930 to take up the activist cause to end the British rule of India. He returned to Canada in 1955. He died tragically on December 26, 1965 as the victim of random violence in Vancouver.

Creator: Chow, Yucho

Studio portrait of Ikball Singh Hundal, Vancouver, B.C. Hakam Singh Hundal's family (Hakam's grandmother, Bishan Kaur and children Atma Singh Hundal, Ikball Singh Hundal, Teja Singh Hundal, and Jerry Singh Hundal) originally tried to join Hakam in Canada in 1911. They sailed from Hong Kong to San Francisco but were refused entry in San Francisco and forced to sail back on the three week journey to Hong Kong. They stayed in Hong Kong while Hakam lobbied for permission to bring in his family with the aid of a lawyer. After almost two years of waiting in Hong Kong, the Hundal family was permitted to enter Canada in June 1913 through an Act of Grace issued by the federal government. Hakam's brother purchased Lot 24 in Port Grey in December 1912 and Hakam built a house on the lot shortly after. Hakam's children and his mother, Bishan, settled into their newly built house as soon as they arrived in Canada in June 1913.

Creator: Chow, Yucho

Studio portrait of Teja, Ikball and Jerry Hundal after their arrival in Canada. Hakam Singh Hundal's family (Hakam's grandmother, Bishan Kaur and children Atma Singh Hundal, Ikball Singh Hundal, Teja Singh Hundal, and Jerry Singh Hundal) originally tried to join Hakam in Canada in 1911. They sailed from Hong Kong to San Francisco but were refused entry in San Francisco and forced to sail back on the three week journey to Hong Kong. They stayed in Hong Kong while Hakam lobbied for permission to bring in his family with the aid of a lawyer. After almost two years of waiting in Hong Kong, the Hundal family was permitted to enter Canada in June 1913 through an Act of Grace issued by the federal government. Hakam's brother purchased Lot 24 in Port Grey in December 1912 and Hakam built a house on the lot shortly after. Hakam's children and his mother, Bishan, settled into their newly built house as soon as they arrived in Canada in June 1913.

Creator: Chow, Yucho

Studio portrait of Teja, Ikball and Jerry Hundal after their arrival in Canada. Hakam Singh Hundal's family (Hakam's grandmother, Bishan Kaur and children Atma Singh Hundal, Ikball Singh Hundal, Teja Singh Hundal, and Jerry Singh Hundal) originally tried to join Hakam in Canada in 1911. They sailed from Hong Kong to San Francisco but were refused entry in San Francisco and forced to sail back on the three week journey to Hong Kong. They stayed in Hong Kong while Hakam lobbied for permission to bring in his family with the aid of a lawyer. After almost two years of waiting in Hong Kong, the Hundal family was permitted to enter Canada in June 1913 through an Act of Grace issued by the federal government. Hakam's brother purchased Lot 24 in Port Grey in December 1912 and Hakam built a house on the lot shortly after. Hakam's children and his mother, Bishan, settled into their newly built house as soon as they arrived in Canada in June 1913.

Studio portrait of Bishan Kaur with Hundal children in Hong Kong awaiting immigration admission to Canada. Hakam Singh Hundal's family (Hakam's grandmother, Bishan Kaur and children Atma Singh Hundal, Ikball Singh Hundal, Teja Singh Hundal, and Jerry Singh Hundal) originally tried to join Hakam in Canada in 1911. They sailed from Hong Kong to San Francisco but were refused entry in San Francisco and forced to sail back on the three week journey to Hong Kong. They stayed in Hong Kong while Hakam lobbied for permission to bring in his family with the aid of a lawyer. After almost two years of waiting in Hong Kong, the Hundal family was permitted to enter Canada in June 1913 through an Act of Grace issued by the federal government. Hakam's brother purchased Lot 24 in Port Grey in December 1912 and Hakam built a house on the lot shortly after. Hakam's children and his mother, Bishan, settled into their newly built house as soon as they arrived in Canada in June 1913. Hakam's wife, the children's mom, died in India shortly after Hakam came to Canada. Hakam's mother, Bishan Kaur, took over care of the children and came to Canada with them.

Studio portrait of Hakam Singh Hundal. Hakam Singh Hundal first came to B.C. in October 1906. Hakam and his brother, Jiwan Singh Hundal arrived in North America through San Francisco in 1905. They worked their way up the coast until he entered Canada. Hakam settled in Vancouver, B.C. while his brother Jiwan settled in Astoria, Oregon. Hakam initially worked for the Canadian Pacific Railway. However, strong union activism during the period was committed to excluding South Asians from all union jobs. Thus, Hakam worked at other jobs, including clearing the land for the Vancouver Golf Club in 1910 and later worked at the False Creek Lumber Company as a laborer, circa 1918.

Creator: Chow, Yucho

Hand-tinted photograph of Janki Shori taken in a studio setting. The portrait is a close-up of of Shori and she is seen wearing a dark top with a white collar and a light-coloured chunni.

Creator: Chow, Yucho

Hand-tinted photograph of Janki Shori taken in a studio setting. Shori is seen standing with her right hand resting on a stand that holds a vase with flowers in it. Next to her is a small table holding a potted plant. Shori is wearing a dark dress and a light head covering. Her left hand is holding the end of the chunni.

Creator: Chow, Yucho

Photograph of Janki Shori taken in a studio setting. She is seated on a chair wearing a dark dress and light-coloured hair covering. Next to her on the left of the image is a stand with a flower and on the right of the image behind Shori, is a table with a potted flower.

Creator: Bodalia, Chandra

Photograph of an unidentified woman at a Navratri event organized by the Gujarati Society of British Columbia at the Windermere Secondary School in Vancouver, B.C.

Navratri, in Hinduism, is a major festival held in honour of the divine feminine, goddess Durga. Navratri occurs over 9 days during the month of Ashvin (in the Gregorian calendar, usually September-October). The festival is celebrated differently in India's various regions. For many people it is a time of religious reflection and fasting, while for others it is a time for dancing and feasting. Dances performed include garba, especially in Gujarat. Garba is a type of Indian dance commonly performed at festivals and on other special occasions in the state of Gujarat. In addition to family observances, the puja, or ritual, days are also celebrated with public concerts, recitations, plays, and fairs.

Founded in 1969, the Gujarati Society of British Columbia is a non-profit, charitable organization dedicated to fostering community spirit by connecting and supporting both youth and seniors through events and activities, such as Diwali celebrations, Navratri festivals, and bhajans.

Named for a lake in the Columbia Valley of British Columbia, Windermere is a secondary school located on the East side of Vancouver.
It celebrates cultural diversity, while offering a diverse range of courses and programs aiming to be a dynamic and inclusive high school.