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Stories of Migration and Belonging

Every immigrant has a unique story to share of their migration and of finding a sense of belonging in a new place. The stories often include personal memories of both inclusion and exclusion, experiences which not only shape individuals, families and communities but the city as a whole.

This exhibition provides insight into peoples’ journeys to Hamilton through video storytelling. These stories showcase the diversity of contemporary immigration while at the same time underscoring the common humanity that binds us all.

Throughout its history, Hamilton has become home to hundreds of thousands of newcomers, displaced persons and refugees. The city we live in today is shaped by their community-building efforts.

The Head of the Lake, the area known as Hamilton today, has been the traditional territory of Indigenous Peoples for millennia. Long before the incorporation of Hamilton as a city on June 9, 1846, immigrants settled here in large numbers. In fact, at the time of the 1851 census, only 9% of Hamilton’s population was born in Canada. Most residents had come from England, Scotland, Ireland and, to a lesser extent, in the United States.

The beginnings of heavy industry in Hamilton at the turn of the 20th century acted as a driver for labour migration, diversifying the population by attracting non-English speakers from continental Europe, many of whom were labourers seeking employment in iron and steel plants.

More recently, immigrants come to Hamilton from around the world for a variety of reasons, to seek opportunities for themselves and their families, pursue education, reunite with family and even flee oppression and persecution

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Together, phases one and two of the stories of migration and belonging exhibition explore the diverse experiences of immigrants to Hamilton. And powerful testimonies that discuss universal themes, journeys, challenges, and making a home. Hamilton is home to thousands of newcomers, and the city we live in today is shaped by their community building efforts.

Stories of migration and belonging is the culmination of work over three years by Hamilton Civic museums, Hamilton immigration, partnership council, and individuals from the community who have generously shared their own immigration stories. And helped us to explore migration experiences from Hamilton's past and present.

Through video storytelling, this exhibition explores the diversity of immigration journeys. While at the same time hiding the emotions and experiences of making a home in Hamilton that we all hold in common.

The land that we now call Hamilton has been the traditional territory of indigenous people since time and memorial. And long before, Hamilton's incorporation as a city, on June 9, 1846, thousands of people journeyed to and made a home here. The twelve contemporary stories featured in this exhibition are part of that continuum of experience. Of those who've migrated to Hamilton before, and those who will arrive to the city in the future.

These stories of migration and belonging examine immigration since the Second World War. And throughout this period, the motivations of newcomers to Hamilton were varied. From fleeing war and conflict, persecution and oppression, to seeking out new opportunities, pursuing education and reuniting with family.

But each and every one these individuals has made a home in and contributed to Hamilton in their own diverse ways. We invite you to explore the breadth and depth of these experiences through the individual accounts of migration and belonging featured here. Each of our interviewees shares their personal stories of struggle of perseverance and strength. Picking up where generations of previous immigrants left off. Hiding the ways in which each of our own individual threads comes together to tell the multi-faceted story of Hamilton.

The Stories

Resources: Series One

“City of Immigration: Inclusion and Exclusion”

  • Wayland, S. (2020)
  • In Reclaiming Hamilton: Essays from the New Ambitious City, ed. Weinberg, P., Hamilton: Wolsak and Wynn
  • Find it at a library near you on WorldCat

Craft Capitalism: Craftworkers and Early Industrialization in Hamilton, Ontario, 1840-1872

  • Kristofferson, R. B. (2007), Toronto: University of Toronto Press
  • Find it at a library near you on WorldCat

Hamilton: An Illustrated History

  • Weaver, J. C. (1982), Toronto: J. Lorimer
  • Find it at a library near you on WorldCat

Land of Triumph and Tragedy: Voices of the Italian Fallen Workers

  • Breda, P., & Toppan, M. (2019), Toronto: Verità
  • Find it at a library near you on WorldCat

Lunch-bucket Lives: Remaking the Workers' City

  • Heron, C. (2015), Toronto: Between the Lines
  • Find it at a library near you on WorldCat

The Italian Presence in Hamilton: A Social History 1870-2000

  • Carlson, C. E. T. (2000), Toronto: The author
  • Find it at a library near you on WorldCat

Working in Steel: The Early Years in Canada, 1883-1935

  • Heron, C. (2008), Toronto: McClelland and Stewart
  • Find it at a library near you on WorldCat

 

Resources: Series Two

Banerji, R. (2022). Time to Change Focus? A Review of Immigrant Labour Market Barriers, Outcomes and the Role of Employers in Canada. https://inclusion.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/TimeToChangeFocus_ICC.pdf  

Caring for Kids New to Canada. (n.d). Adaptation and Acculturation. A Guide to Health Professionals Working with Immigrant and Refugee Children and Youth.  tps://kidsnewtocanada.ca/culture/adaptation

Government of Canada. (2019). IRCC Minister Transition Binder 2019: Immigrant Outcomes. https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/transparency/transition-binders/minister-2019/outcomes.html 

Government of Canada. (January 23, 2023). Canada Meets Its Francophone Immigration Target in 2022. https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2023/01/canada-meets-its-francophone-immigration-target-in-2022.html

Government of Canada. (n.d). Ukraine Immigration Measures: Key Figures. https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/ukraine-measures/key-figures.html

Government of Canada. (n.d.) Immigration Matters Philanthropy. https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/campaigns/immigration-matters/growing-canada-future/philanthropy.html 

Nazish, Petrovskaya, Ol. & Salami, B. (2021). The mental health of immigrant and refugee children in Canada: A scoping review. International Health Trends and Perspectives. https://journals.library.ryerson.ca/index.php/ihtp/article/download/1467/1441/7298

Shields, J. & Lujan, O. (2018. Immigrant Youth in Canada: A Literature Review of Migrant Youth Settlement and Service Issues Knowledge Synthesis Report. https://youthrex.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/IWYS-Immigrant-Youth-in-Canada.pdf

Statistics Canada. (2019). Ethnicity, Language and Immigration Thematic Series Educational and labour market outcomes of children with an immigrant background by their region of origin. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/89-657-x/89-657-x2019018-eng.htm

Statistics Canada. (2022a). Census 2021 Community Profiles. https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfmLANG=E&GENDERlist=1,2,3&STATISTIClist=1,4&DGUIDlist=2021A00033525&HEADERlist=2,,28,24,22,27,23,29,25,26&SearchText=hamilton) 

Statistics Canada. (2022b). Immigrants make up the largest share of the population in over 150 years and continue to shape who we are as Canadians. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/221026/dq221026a-eng.htm

Statistics Canada. (2022c). Immigrants make up the largest share of the population in over 150 years and continue to shape who we are as Canadians. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/221026/dq221026a-eng.htm

Statistics Canada. (2022d). Socioeconomic outcomes of immigrants admitted to Canada as children, https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/220203/dq220203b-eng.htm

Sutter, A., & Esses, V. (2021). Discrimination Experienced by Immigrants and Visible Minorities in Hamilton. Hamilton Immigration Partnership Council. https://hamiltonimmigration.ca/wp-content/uploads/HIPC-Discrimination-Experiences-Report_Revised.pdf

UNHCR. (n.d.) Global Trends. https://www.unhcr.org/globaltrends.html#:~:text=At%20the%20end%20of%202021,most%20since%20World%20War%20II

Weinberg, P. (2020). Reclaiming Hamilton: Essays from the New Ambitious City. Wolsak and Wynn. 

Yang, W. (2018). Addressing Cultural Identity Confusion within Multi-Generation Chinese Canadian Families through an Educational Lens. https://openresearch.ocadu.ca/id/eprint/2288/1/MRP%202018%20by%20Yao%20WANG.pdf

 

Credits

This virtual exhibition launched in 2021 as part of Hamilton 175, a digital commemoration of the 175th anniversary of Hamilton’s incorporation as a city. We would like to thank the Hamilton 175 Advisory Group, Hamilton Immigration Partnership Council (HIPC) and the following individuals for their invaluable contributions to the exhibition development:

  • Brydie Huffman
  • Kelly Dixon
  • Mohammad Araf
  • Narges Hameidi
  • Natasha Hernandez
  • Sam Holdridge and the Hamilton Rising team
  • Sarah Wayland

The exhibition team is grateful to all the participants who shared their stories of migration:

  • Joyce, Jolie Phuong, Neekee, Israel, Ebun, and Fadi for series one
  • Alyna, Betty, Lanciné, Len, Safaa and Yudara for series two

Thank you to the team at the Cotton Factory for providing us space to film and  to the artists Vivian Rosas and Vesna Asanovic who created the Gateway mural on James St. South, which we’re displaying on this exhibition. 

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We preserve and present the many untold stories of Hamilton and Hamiltonians in a sustainable, accessible, inclusive and engaging manner. Through this virtual platform, we empower residents and community members as collaborators and co-creators in bringing their histories to life. The Hamilton Civic Museums are equal parts physical, mobile and virtual.

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