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ACCOMMODATION AND CULTURAL PERSISTENCE: THE CASE OF THE SIKHS AND THE PORTUGUESE IN THE OKANAGAN VALLEY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA by ANNAMMA -JOY M.A. University of British Columbia, 1975 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES Department of Anthropology/Sociology We accept this thesis as conforming to the required standard THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (c") Annamma Joy, 1982 In presenting this thesis in partial fulfilment of the requirements for an advanced degree at the University of British Columbia, I agree,that the Library shall make it freely available for reference and study. I further agree that permission for extensive copying of this thesis for scholarly purposes may be granted by the Head of my Department or by his representatives. It is understood that copying or publication of this thesis for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. Department of ANTHROPOLOGY & SOCIOLOGY The University of British Columbia 2075 Wesbrook Place Vancouver, Canada V6T 1W5 Date 30.7.'82. ABSTRACT There are two themes that are explored in this thesis. The first is an examiniation of the process of acculturation, defined here as the process of learning skills and strategies native to another group. The second is comparative and examines the causes for the relative success that the Portuguese had in learning to accommodate and be accepted in Canada. By the same token the sources of acculturative stress for the Sikhs will be identified. The two groups are comparable along several dimensions such as age, education, skills, knowledge of English on arrival and so on. Learning to be effective in Canada means understanding and acting appropriately in given contexts. The spheres that I have identified as important are the workplace and the community in which they live. The other spheres that come under scrutiny as a result of the spillover of public activities and experiences are the family, and the sphere of religious beliefs and practices. The workplace, I argue, is a central institution wherein acculturation is imperative. Secondly, the establishment of individuals in the community is a crucial factor. While the formation of an ethnic enclave might serve as a support system for newcomers, it also isolates and separates them from others. iii The Sikh definition of identity is hierarchical, with religion providing an anchorage for all other spheres such as the family, caste, village, and occupation. In sort, individuals did not experience life activities as differentiated or unrelated. Given the contexts of ambivalence and hostility they perceived and/or experienced in Canada, the acquisition of new forms of thought were neither seen as a challenge nor a necessity; but as a threat to their identity. The Portuguese model, on the other hand, recognizes the distinction between public and private lives. To them being "Portuguese" and/or "Catholic" are primarily private matters. Also, by and large they gave importance to individual achievement over corporate identity. To them, acculturation and ethnic identity were complementary modes for the definition of themselves within the Canadian context. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE Abstract ii Table of Contents iv List of Tables x List of Figures xii List of Maps xiii Acknowledgements xiv CHAPTER 1: TOWARDS A THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK 1 Acculturation 4 CHAPTER 2: DIMENSIONS OF THE REGIONAL MODEL 20 General Introduction 21 The Early Years from 1850-1900 24 Northern and Central Okanagan 30 Vernon 30 The Rutland District 32 Southern Okanagan 33 Fairview 33 The Coming of the Chinese and Anti-Chinese Sentiment 34 Summary 36 1900-1950 37 Northern and Central Okanagan 38 Vernon 3 8 Southern Okanagan 45 Oliver District 45 A Brief History of the Fruit Industry 49 Summary 52 1950-1962 54 V PAGE Northern and Central Okanagan 61 Vernon 61 Rutland District 63 Southern Okanagan 63 Oliver District 63 Summary 66 1962-1975 67 Northern and Central Okanagan 71 The Lumber Industry 71 Tree Fruit Industry 72 Inter-Ethnic Relations 76 Southern Okanagan 77 Inter-Ethnic Relations 78 Summary 82 CHAPTER 3: TOWARDS AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE CANADIAN CULTURAL MODEL 88 A Historical Perspective 88 Preferred and Non-Preferred Groups 91 Institutionalized Racism 93 Changes in Post-War Immigration Policies 96 CHAPTER 4: IN THE FIELD: A PROFILE OF SIKH AND PORTUGUESE IMMIGRANTS 105 Some Methodological Considerations: 112 Motives to Migrate 119 The Sikhs 119 The Portuguese 121 Pre-Migrant Characteristics 12 3 Rural-Urban Background 12 3 The Sikhs 123 The Portuguese 124 Family Background 124 The Sikhs 124 The Portuguese 125 vi PAGE Job Aspirations 127 The Sikhs 127 The Portuguese 128 Age on Arrival 12 9 The Sikhs 129 The Portuguese 130 Knowledge of English on Arrival 130 The Sikhs 131 The Portuguese 133 Education and Skills 133 The Sikhs 133 The Portuguese 13 5 First Jobs and Mobility 13 7 The Sikhs 13 7 The Portuguese 140 Conclusions 140 CHAPTER 5: THE MEANING OF WORK 143 The Pioneer Sikhs 148 Case Study 1 - First Generation Pioneers 149 Second Generation 150 Third Generation 151 The Pioneer Portuguese 153 Case Study 2 153 Second Generation 154 The Later Settlers (Sikhs) 155 The Sawmill Setting 156 The Local Sawmill 157 Conflicting Situation (Sikhs) 161 Semantics of the Workplace 161 Group 1 168 Group 2 169 Conflicting Situations (Portuguese) 170 Working Women (Sikhs) 173 Working Women (Portuguese) 175 Vicarious Ritualization 177 Conclusions 179 CHAPTER 6: THE MEANING OF LAND AND PROPERTY OWNERSHIP 183 Sikh Perspectives 190 Portuguese Perspectives 191 vii PAGE Land and Property Ownership (Portuguese) 192 Small Farmers 193 Medium-sized Farms 195 Category A (5-10 Acres) 196 Category B (10-20 Acres) 197 Large Farmers 200 Home Ownership in Cities and Towns 200 Sikh Perspectives 202 Single Family Homes/Multi-Residential Units 203 Low Density Areas/High Density Areas 207 Portuguese Perspectives 208 Conclusions 211 CHAPTER 7: THE FAMILY 216 A Sikh Pioneer Family - Case Study 1 219 First Generation 219 Second Generation 219 Third Generation 220 Discussion 220 The Portuguese Family 22 5 Case Study 2 230 Second Generation 230 The Newcomers (Sikhs) 231 The Extended Household 232 Case Study 3 232 Discussion 233 Case Study 4 235 The Portuguese 236 Case Study 5 236 Second Generation 237 Celebration of Life-cycle Ceremonies 238 The Sikhs 238 The Naming Ceremony 239 The Portuguese 239 Marriage Ceremony 240 Case Study 6 240 Weddings in Canada 241 Discussion 241 Marriage Ceremony - The Portuguese 242 A Canadian-Portuguese Wedding 243 Case Study 7 243 viii PAGE Discussion 244 A Typical Portuguese Wedding 245 Case Study 8 245 Dicussion 246 Death Ceremony The Sikhs 247 The Portuguese 248 Child Rearing (Sikhs) 248 Friendship and Family Ties with Other Sikhs 249 Child Rearing (Portuguese) 250 Kin and Friendship Networks (Portuguese) 250 Summary 2 51 CHAPTER 8: BELIEFS AND RITUALS 257 Issues Relating to Sikh Identity 261 Section 1 261 A. The Maintenance of Keshas, or Long Hair 2 61 B. The Kirpan, or Sword 267 Summary of Cases A and B 270 Issues Relating to Portuguese Identity 2 72 Section 1 272 A. The Maintenance of the Portuguese Priest 272 B. The Maintenance and Upkeep of the Church 276 Summary of Cases A and B 279 Section 2 279 C. The Rehat Maryada 2 79 D. The Gurudwara or the Temple 283 Summary of Cases C and D 286 Section 2 287 C. The Maintenance of Portuguese Liturgy and Ritual 287 Summary of Case C 288 Section 3 289 E. The Langar, or the "Free Kitchen" 289 F. Inter-Religious Marriages 291 Summary of Cases E and F 292 Section 3 292 D. Inter-Denominational Marriages 292 Summary of Case D 294 Section 4 294 Case F 294 i x PAGE Section 4 295 E. The Feast of Fatima 295 The Legend of Fatima 299 Summary of Case E 303 Conclusions 2304 CHAPTER 9: THE MEANING OF "COMMUNITY" 307 Southern Okanagan 308 The Northern Perspective 325 Conclusions 332 CHAPTER 10: CONCLUSION 334 BIBLIOGRAPHY 345 APPENDIX 1: TABLE XXXI 360 X LIST OF TABLES TABLE PAGE I Ethnic Population in the Okanagan Valley 39 in 1921 II Ethnic Population in the City of Kelowna 40 III Ethnic Population in the Okanagan Valley 41 in 1931 IV Ethnic Population in the Okanagan Valley 42 in 1941 V Ethnic Population in the Okanagan Valley 5 7 in 1951 VI Ethnic Population in Penticton in 1951 58 VII Ethnic Population in the Okanagan Valley 59 in 1961 VIII Ethnic Population in the City of Kelowna, 60 Penticton, and Vernon in 1961 IX Ethnic Population in the Okanagan Valley 69 in 1971 X Ethnic Population in the Cities of Kelowna, 70 Penticton and Vernon in 1971 XI Comparative Value of Land in the Okanagan 74 XII Comparative List of Canadian and Portuguese 75 Growers and the Land They Own XIII Number of Sikhs, Portuguese and Canadians 113 Who Were Interviewed XIV Factors Contributing to Sikh and Portuguese 122 Migration XV Familial Landholdings of the Sikhs in the 12 6 Punjab XVI Knowledge of English on Arrival Among the 132 Sikhs XI TABLE PAGE XVII Knowledge of English on Arrival Among 134 the Portuguese XVIII Educational Background of the Sikhs 136 XIX Educational Background of the Portuguese 138 XX Land Use Classification In the Valley 185 XXI Land and Property Ownership Among the 194 Portuguese in the Valley XXII Property Ownership Among Sikhs in Vernon 205 XXIII Property Ownership of Sikhs in 206 Rutland XXIV Baptisms Recorded for the Years 254 1959- 1977 (Oliver Catholic Church) XXV Confirmations Recorded for the Years 256 1960- 1975 (Oliver Catholic Church) 260 XXVI Issues Relating to Ethnic Identity 309 XXVII List of Canadians Interviewed XXVIII Southern Okanagan Perspectives on 319 "Community" XXIX List of Institutions in Oliver and 322 Rate of Portuguese Participation XXX List of Institutions and Rate of Sikh 329 Parti cipation XXXI Description of the Various Contact 360 Si tuations xii LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE PAGE 1 Responses of Sikhs with Respect to the 167 Issue of Removing the Turban LIST OF MAPS PAGE Map 1 Map of the Okanagan Valley 2 3 xiv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Crossing national and cultural boundaries is often a difficult and painful process.

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