'100 Year Journey'
A book created as an homage to 100 pioneering Canadians who migrated from South Asia; from the archive of Mehfil Magazine and newly collated entries.
100 accounts of pioneering families' that helped to shape the nation's rich history
The design ethos was to centre on the human story; orchestrate a collective harmony to the unique visual records and present a compelling celebratory layout
“I write to thank you for the lovely book Hundred Year Journey…. The book is a valuable tribute to the pioneering spirit of early South Asian families who made Canada their home and went to contribute to Canadian history."
Background
Mehfil Magazine was Canada's first premier South Asian magazine, published from 1993 to 2010. It served as a periodical that catered to the Canadian South Asian community and a platform for promoting cross-cultural harmony and understanding.
In 2014, Juga Singh was invited to design a special commemorative publication marking the centenary of the Komagata Maru incident, a landmark event that became a catalyst for reforming Canada's discriminatory laws. The publication would feature 100 accounts of pioneering families that helped shape the nation's rich history. The design ethos was to centre on the human stories, orchestrate a collective harmony through the unique visual records, and present a compelling celebratory layout. The written accounts were a mixture of interviews and articles from the Mehfil Magazine Reflections Archive, along with additional newly collected accounts of Canada's early South Asian settlers.
The accompanying images were a blend of previously commissioned editorial photography, imagery supplied by interviewees, or archival materials. Guidance was provided on appropriate digitizing of originals for the publication, and assistance was offered with the photo-editorial process. As a final addition to the design, Singh introduced pull quotes into the page layout, which were favourably received, and he continued to select the quotes for the publication.
Outcome
The 100 Year Journey, a 150-page book and community project, was released on November 29, 2014, at a sold-out black-tie gala where 500 influential members of the community gathered to be part of a project committed to preserving the stories of the South Asian pioneers who helped build Canada. Among the attendees were British Columbia Premier Christy Clark, who later commented, "These stories matter, and these stories inspire," and Federal senior cabinet Minister Jason Kenney, who applauded the efforts of this unique inaugural publication and event.
A special hardcover edition of the 100 Year Journey book was designed to be presented on April 16, 2015, by BC Premier Christy Clark at a state dinner held for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Prime Minister Modi wrote on April 21, 2015: "I write to thank you for the lovely book Hundred Year Journey.... The book is a valuable tribute to the pioneering spirit of early South Asian families who made Canada their home and went on to contribute to Canadian history. It is touching to read about their struggles, sacrifices, and hard work, and their journeys to create opportunities for themselves while upholding their pride and dignity."
In October 2015, the book was recognized at the 20th annual Governor General's History Awards for excellence in teaching Canadian history, and in September 2017, it was acknowledged in the Canadian Senate.