The Making of Little Punjab in Canada

Patterns of Immigration

Archana Verma’s powerful and vivid narrative focuses on a specific community in a particular time-frame, namely the Punjabi diaspora in twentieth century Canada. The author concentrates on two localities—Paldi village in Punjab and the Punjabi settlement of Paldi in Vancouver Island, British Columbia. She traces the historical links and ethnic roots of these two village communities situated on opposite sides of the world. Dr Verma depicts rural peasant migration in terms of the creation of social spaces at home and overseas. The sub-text of this book is a revealing inquiry into the dynamics of caste, family and kinship networks and the resulting reciprocal relations between the two communities.