Surrey’s Steven Purewal calls his endeavor a “one-man show.”
He’s been working for 10 years to try and change the way people view the history of Sikh soldiers in World I and their contribution to the British war effort, and in turn, one of the most important battles in Canadian history.
“I’ve tried to divorce my personality from the project,” he said. “The project is bigger than me (and) ultimately concerns everyone.”
Purewal, born and raised in England, came to Canada in 2002. When he got here he was immediately struck by what he saw as “a gap in the history being taught in schools” and in what is known in wider society.
As such, he launched “Duty, Honour, and Izzat,” a project he runs through his media organization, the Indus Media Foundation. The three-pronged approach aims to educate the public and change hearts and minds for the betterment of society. He’s written a book that he wants to see put into the schools (also called Duty, Honour, and Izzat), he’d like a monument to Sikh soldiers erected in Veterans’ Square in Cloverdale, and he’s making a film about Sikh soldiers’ contributions in WWII.
He wants to fill in that “gap” to make Canadian history more inclusive and also to educate Canadians of every background about the contribution of Indian soldiers in WWI and their shared history with Canada. He also wants to help Canadian Punjabi youth to learn their cultural history.
“Some Punjabi youth in Canada still don’t know their true identity,” he explained. “Youths don’t feel like they belong and therefore they become easily radicalized and can end up joining gangs.”
He said his project tries to restore some of their “lost” identity.
As part of the process to get funding, Purewal wrote a 500-page book as a proposal to the Federal Government in an attempt to bring to light some of the Punjabi history he says has been missed.
“We need to get the history right, because we’re paying a big price in the misinformation about who this community is.”
He thinks if he can replace history books in school that only show white Canadians in Flanders fields with books that include Sikh soldiers, it will go a long way to educating Canadians about the roles Sikhs played in Canadian history. So too, if he can get the new monument approved.
SEE ALSO: Surrey man educates people about Komagata Maru
“I’m not for tearing down statues and I don’t want to change history,” he added. “I just want it to be more inclusive. I want Canadians to learn that Sikh soldiers played vital roles in the First and Second World Wars.
“And I don’t want to dishonour the statue that is there now,” he said. “So let’s put another one up that’s got both white and non-white soldiers and let’s make everything inclusive.”
He said this will instill a better sense of belonging to anyone who comes to Veterans’ Square and it will also act as a source of education.
He presented his idea for another monument in Cloverdale to the Surrey Heritage Advisory Commission last November. He said they had a meeting about it in February. Now he’s just waiting to hear back.
His proposal to the Feds garnered a grant that will cover the entire project. All the city has to do is agree to have the monument build on a parcel of city land.
“If the city is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion—which in a multi-ethnic, multiracial, multicultural city, it should be—then we’ve got to do it. For our own good.”
Purewal added Sikh soldiers were vital in helping Canada achieve victory at Vimy Ridge. The victory in which historians say Canadian identity was first born.
At Vimy, the Punjabi Lahore Division’s artillery unit was attached to the 4th Canadian Division. The Lahore Division artillery supported Canadian troops at the Battle of Vimy Ridge.
Along with getting the monument put up, and getting his book in schools, Purewal is also working on a short film. It will be about 25 minutes in length once it’s completed, which he thinks will be this fall.
The film, called “Promises,” will be an educational heritage film about the British Indian army in the Italian campaign. The army was made up of Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs and they served alongside Canadians there as they fought Hitler’s Nazi elite Fallschirmjager paratroopers.
“The film will start to get the story across to people outside of museums and classrooms.”
For now he’s cautiously optimistic his endeavors will come to fruition.
“I want lasting change,” he said. “Change in monuments. Change in public space. Change in museums’ permanent displays. Changes in what you cover as a part of the education system.”
For more info, visit the Indus Media Foundation at imfc.org.