The Centre for Comparative Muslim Studies at Simon Fraser University is excited to announce our collaboration with the  Muslims in Canada Archives (MiCA)! CCMS is pleased to support MICA's important work into documenting, archiving, and sharing the history of Muslim communities in BC.

MICA began at the University of Toronto’s Institute of Islamic Studies, and we are excited to announce that they have partnered with us to steadily develop an archive dedicated to British Columbia’s Muslim heritage! We’re pleased to share records from MICA's collection, introduce our new BC Outreach Coordinator, and invite you to contribute to the Muslims in Canada Archives.

British Columbia, let’s build an archive of Muslim heritage together!

MiCA enables Muslims in Canada to tell their own story in their own words through their ‘stuff’! The things you own - physical or digital, audio or video – help to highlight the rich histories and legacies of Canada's diverse Muslim populations. If you have materials relating to Muslim stories of British Columbia, let's work together! Fill out the donor  Expression of Interest Form or contact us with questions. 

Muslims in Canada, across delineations of province and territory.

Currently, MiCA's collection is made up primarily of records that represent Muslim life in Ontario. We have everything from photographs to emails to community publications and restaurant menus.

Even so, Muslims in Canada have long been connecting with one another across provinces and territories. This relationship shows up in the archives. For example, a pamphlet collected by Naseer (Irfan) Syed documents efforts to build Port Coquitlam regions’ first masjid in the late 90s. The pamphlet offers a more intimate look at some challenges Muslims in Port Coquitlam faced building the Masjid – some challenges Muslims in Port Coquitlam faced building the Masjid – including protests from neighbours and managing a rapidly growing Muslim population eager for space to congregate.

[Courtesy of Naseer (Irfan) Syed fonds.]

Other records at MiCA reflect on Canada’s Muslim population as a whole – including British Columbia’s longstanding and diverse Muslim communities. In the Canadian Islamic Congress newsletters of the late 1990s, Vancouver is regularly mentioned as an important site of activities such as outreach and volunteer recruitment.  

[Canadian Islamic Congress materials courtesy of Naseer (Irfan) Syed fonds.]

The gaps in our archival collection invite questions that we hope to explore together as we build the Muslims in Canada Archives in British Columbia: How were Muslims relating to the diverse geographies of British Columbia? How were Muslims relating to each other within and across delineations of province or territory? And how can tracing Muslim presence in British Columbia strengthen our understandings of Muslim and Canadian identity?

Introducing Oromyia, Outreach Coordinator at Muslims in Canada Archives BC

We are pleased to introduce Oromyia Ali, a 4th-year International Studies major with a concentration in Security and Conflict, as well as a minor in Communications. Oromyia has joined the Center for Comparative Muslim Studies  to expand on the burgeoning Muslims in Canada Archives project in British Columbia. We caught up with Oromyia to learn more about her interests in community, memory, preservation, and archives.

Mitra, Archivist at MiCA: Tell us more about yourself! How do your experiences and interests intersect with the archives?

Oromyia, Outreach Coordinator at MiCA BC: My interests lie in documenting the diverse lives of Muslims in BC and ensuring these voices are included in the broader narrative of Muslim experiences in Canada. At MiCA BC, my role involves connecting with Muslim communities across the province, gathering stories, experiences, and histories to contribute to the archives.

Mitra: The overarching goal of this project is to enable Muslim communities to access and benefit from a dedicated professional archive documenting Muslim life in Canada. By doing so, we also seek to help counter longstanding problematic narratives and depictions of Muslims and instead, restore the authorship to Muslim individuals and communities. When you think of Muslim life in Canada what comes to mind? What places or experiences have been important to you in Vancouver or beyond? 

Oromyia: When I think of Muslim life in Canada, I immediately think of my childhood and the strong sense of community I experienced growing up. Being part of the Muslim community was central to my upbringing, especially since I lived near a masjid. I have fond memories of attending events at the mosque and going to Quran classes everyday after school. Those moments helped shape my understanding of faith and connected me deeply to the community. 

Mitra: What kinds of objects or stories do you have in your home that you hope will one day be a part of the Muslims in Canada Archives? What parts of your personal or professional life do you hope will be documented in public memory?

Oromyia: Some things I have in my home that I hope will one day be part of the Muslims in Canada Archives include photographs of me and my family celebrating Eid with our community. These pictures capture the joy and unity we felt during those celebrations, which were a central part of our Muslim experience in Canada. I also have Islamic newspapers that we regularly receive from the mosque, which document events, discussions, and news relevant to Muslims in BC. These could serve as valuable records of how local Muslim communities stayed informed, connected, and engaged with broader societal issues. I also have certificates from my childhood that I received at the Masjid for completing Quran classes and other religious milestones. These documents reflect the strong educational role that Masjids play in shaping the identity and faith of young Muslims growing up in Canada.