In the shadows of our community lurks the evil of caste.
From the innocence lost on the playground to the insidious disrespect in the workplace, from shattered dreams to broken hearts, caste-based discrimination is real and continuous to have an adverse impact on thousands of people in Canada today.
Brushed aside, but openly practiced, casteism continues to perpetuate a legacy of harm and injustice. It’s time to confront this harsh reality, disrupt the normalization of caste discrimination, and collectively evolve towards a fair and just society.
Our community needs a mirror reflecting the uncomfortable truth we shy away from: as we fight for racial and gender equity, we unapologetically continue the practice of caste. Who are we? Who do we celebrate and who’s stories do we erase?
What’s your name? Where are you from? Too many know the feeling of unease when we are asked questions designed to locate our caste — simple questions with dire consequences. It’s the whispers and comments at social gatherings. It’s the off-hand comments in the lunchrooms. It’s the casual way one’s caste is used as a slur between ‘friends’.
This isn’t about the past. It’s a revelation of our present complacency and indifference. We can no longer deny our role in perpetuating the violence of caste. We need accountability—what have we done, what are we doing, and what will we do to dismantle the structures that uphold caste? So many of us say we are against caste, yet how many of us are actually working against it?
We need a catalyst for change. A challenge to confront social norms, disrupt the silence, and evolve beyond the proud chains of a casteist society. Together, we can reimagine and rebuild our communities—through understanding, empathy, and collective responsibility.
Through the lens of media, the power of storytelling, and the experience of art, we are delivering a raw and powerful look at who we really are and the harm we continue to do to each other.
Confront. Disrupt. Evolve. The time is now.
“Our unity is our strength, and when our heads are held high, no one can stop our power.” - Lal Singh Dil
Funded By: Government of Canada
Community Partners:
Academic Partners:
Exhibit Team:
Exhibit Co-Curator
Advisor: Mo Dhaliwal
Creative Director: Jessie Sohpaul
Web Design: Shan Dhaliwal
Researchers:
Marketing and Research Assistant: Jagreet Dhadli
Research Assistant: Meena Hira
Executive Assistant: Parveen Hira
Additional Thanks:
1984 Path of the Warrior Saints exhibition drew in almost 3000 visitors to the Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives (PAMA), and received exceptional reviews.
Hosted by the Poetic Justice Foundation and McGill University's Department of Integrated Studies in Education, this event marked an important dialogue during Dalit History Month.
As Israel continued their genocidal attacks on the people of Palestine, a collective came together to educate, raise awareness and mobilize the global community to stand up for human rights and stop the bloodshed.
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