Nalini Iyer - Roots and reflections : South Asians in the Pacific Northwest

2013 by the University of Washington Press
Printed and bound in the United States of America
Composed in Warnock Pro, typeface designed by Robert Slimbach
Display type set in FF Quadraat Sans, designed by Fred Smeijers

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UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON PRESS
PO Box 50096, Seattle, WA 98145, USA
www.washington.edu/uwpress

SOUTH ASIAN ORAL HISTORY PROJECT
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON LIBRARIES
http://libwashingtonedu/saoh

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA
Bhatt, Amy Pradip.
Roots and reflections: South Asians in the Pacific Northwest / Amy Bhatt and Nalini Iyer; foreword by Deepa Banerjee. First edition.
pages cm
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-295-99244-0 (cloth: alkaline paper)
1. South Asian AmericansNorthwest, PacificSocial conditions. 2. Immigrants Northwest, PacificSocial conditions. 3. South Asian AmericansNorthwest, PacificInterviews. 4. ImmigrantsNorthwest, PacificInterviews. 5. Northwest, PacificBiography. 6. Oral historyNorthwest, Pacific. 7. Community lifeNorthwest, Pacific. 8. Northwest, PacificEthnic relations.
I. Iyer, Nalini. II. South Asian Oral History Project. III. University of Washington. Libraries. IV. Title.
F855.2.S69B47 2013
305.8009795dc23 2012032694

The paper used in this publication is acid-free and meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information SciencesPermanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z3948 1984

ISBN: 978-0-295-80455-2 (electronic)

Amy Bhatt dedicates this book to her parents, Pradip and Ranjana Bhatt, whose departures and arrivals made her own journey possible.

Nalini Iyer dedicates this book to her daughters, Mallika and Geetanjali. These are the stories of their community.

Together, we dedicate this book to the memory of Irene Joshi, whose vision and belief in the power of community guides this project.

GROUNDED in the South Asian Oral History Project (SAOHP) sponsored by the University of Washington Libraries, Roots and Reflections: South Asians in the Pacific Northwest is a pioneering study of the establishment and growth of the vibrant South Asian communities in the Pacific Northwest. Unlike other histories of the region, this book unfolds through the voices of individuals who were an integral part of building local communities historically and who continue to shape them today. Their stories shed light on the complexities of preand postWorld War Two immigration to the United States, the important role played by South Asians in the development of the region's industries and businesses, and the South Asian diaspora's rich diversity of culture. An example of community-based scholarship, this book provides insight into the often undisclosed stories of immigrant life. It represents one of the first attempts in the United States to record panSouth Asian immigrant experiences using the method of oral history. With more than 100 years of immigration to the region, these communities continue to build a significant legacy in Pacific Northwest.

FOUNDING LEGACIES: THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SOUTH ASIAN STUDIES COLLECTION

The South Asian Oral History Project was initiated at the University of Washington in order to preserve the memories and experiences of South Asians who immigrated to the Pacific Northwest in an era when such migration was relatively rare. This project started with the vision of Irene Joshi, former University of Washington South Asian studies librarian. Mrs. Joshi worked for the University Libraries from 1970 until she retired in 2000. A dedicated librarian and preservationist, Mrs. Joshi was the first person to hold the position of South Asian studies librarian at the University of Washington and she helped develop the university collection. Married to Rajnikant (Raj) Joshi, an immigrant from India, Mrs. Joshi had an interest in South Asian diasporas that was both professional and deeply personal. Under her leadership, the South Asian Collection at the University of Washington has achieved national and world renown. After identifying gaps in the collection built prior to World War Two, she worked to expand the collection with an emphasis on the social sciences and the humanities. She led the University of Washington Libraries' participation in the South Asian Cooperative Acquisitions Program, which brought together the Library of Congress and major American libraries to acquire publications from Bangladesh, China, Tibet, India, the Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. In addition, Mrs. Joshi compiled several bibliographies and databases pertaining to the field of South Asian studies more broadly. Her bibliography South Asian Diaspora Literature Written in English demonstrated her commitment to all forms of South Asian public culture and expression and is often referenced by scholars.

The South Asian Collection at the University of Washington has also grown under the leadership of several other committed librarians and faculty members. For example, a partnership between the University of Washington Libraries and the British Library led to the acquisition of the Gandharan scrolls as part of the Early Buddhist Manuscript Project. Former interim South Asian studies librarian Linda Di Biase also produced an online resource entitled New, Thinking, Agile and Patriotic: Hindu Students at the University of Washington, 19081915, based on primary sources housed at the University of Washington. Her research has been instrumental to scholars interested in piecing together histories and life stories of early South Asian immigrants to the Pacific Northwest. Starting in the mid-2000s, there was a significant expansion in the collection as the research needs of the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies grew in scope and size. This expansion required a more strategic approach to the development of the South Asian Collection; at the same time, one immediate challenge has been to reconcile the needs of burgeoning interdisciplinary fields of research and South Asian specialization with the realities of declining university budgets. Thus, new community collaborations and partnerships are becoming even more vital to maintaining and continually enhancing the South Asian Collection with the right blend of contemporary resources and more traditional texts.

COLLABORATIONS: THE EVOLUTION OF THE SOUTH ASIAN ORAL HISTORY PROJECT

The establishment of the SAOHP is one example of a community-based and collaborative project that brought together stakeholders in the university, regional donors and granting institutions, and wider community members. The SAOHP has helped to address a large gap in the historical record where there is little or no information about contemporary South Asian immigrants in the Pacific Northwest. This project has brought the library closer to its mission of promoting respect for all human diversity and its goal of serving increasingly diverse communities more effectively. It has opened many doors for future collaborations with other partner organizations to enhance the South Asian Collection and its visibility.