The Island We Carried is supported by the Sailan Muslim Foundation to serve as a chronicle of the community.
“Within these pages lie the stories of a resilient people, Sri Lankan Muslims, who, driven by hope and the yearning for peace and prosperity, left the familiarity of their homeland to begin anew on Canadian soil,” says the book “The Island We Carried,” the first volume of the history of Sri Lankan Muslims in Canada and an anthology of their individual stories and experiences.
Mpulse recently spoke to Scarborough resident AGA Barrie, who was tasked by the local Sri Lankan Muslim community and the Sailan Muslim Foundation with leading the creation and publication of the book.
The 220 page, hardcover coffee table-style book took more than a year to finish. Arranged chronologically, beginning in the 1960s, it tells the stories, in their own words, of the families and individuals who left Sri Lanka and came to Canada, many settling in Scarborough.
“The stories are all unique,” Barrie told Mpulse. “Each person has their own reasons for immigrating, their own problems and their own successes. Each has made a contribution to Canadian society.”
Barrie collected these stories, edited them and worked with a small publisher to produce 60 copies of the book. He is now working on volume 2 and shared a first draft with Mpulse.
In the introduction, it says, “The primary objective of this book series is to document the arrival and integration of Sri Lankan Muslim immigrants into the Canadian tapestry. By preserving their narratives we aim to: honour their legacy, inspire future generations and contribute to historical records.”
Barrie says that there are 3000 Sri Lankan Muslim families in the community and some are now fourth generation Canadians. He said they could easily fill 30 to 40 volumes of the book with their stories.
As he works on volume 2 and thinks about his own story, Barrie told Mpulse about how different Scarborough was in the 1960s when he arrived.
“The 401 was only 2 lanes. It’s hard to believe now,” he said, “but back then Scarborough was very quiet. There wasn’t much going on.”
Anyone looking for more information or to order a copy of the book should email AGA Barrie at aga.barrie@yahoo.com
Scarborough author AGA Barrie poses with a copy of The Island We Carried
