How Desi stores are building community in Saskatchewan

This piece originally published Oct. 11, 2023.

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If you've driven around Regina or other Saskatchewan cities recently, you've probably seen some specialty grocery stores.

Oftenthey are attached to a restaurant,and carry a wide variety of products such as fresh and packaged food,produce, spices, specialty meats and household items associated with one or more international cultures.

Regina resident Amar Vail Kaur is originally from Punjab. She said some of these stores carry all the ingredients she needs to make dishes common in her cultureand beyond.

"That's the beauty of Canada, from what I can see," she said. "We have peoplefrom Punjab. We have people from Gujarat, South India, West India, Bangladesh, Pakistan."

A lot of these markets sell items commonly associated with"Desi" or South Asian countries, so they are known as Desi stores.

The word Desi is derived from Sanskrit and means "land and country." It'sused to describe the people, culture and products of the Indian subcontinent and its diaspora, which generally includes people from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh.

WATCH| Filmmaker and theatre artist Ayesha Mohsinexplores how Desi stores are cultivating community in Canada:

How Desi Stores are serving up a lot more than just groceries

12 months ago

Duration 4:44

Saskatchewan is made up of people from all over the world.And even though they live here, many are still seeking food or other things from their home countries.A lot of them can find those things Desi stores, which cater to South Asian communities.In this video for the CBC Creator Network, filmmaker Ayesha Mohsin takes a look inside some Desi stores, and finds out how they are much more than just a store.

Another shopper, Vidya Jain, said these stores make it possible to cook with the ingredients her mother used back homeand eatthe meals she remembers from that time.

Sharanjit Bains agreed, and said coming into a Desi store and smelling the familiar aromas makes him feel like he's at home.

According to the 2021 Census,about 12 per centof people in Saskatchewan are immigrants. Most of thenewcomers arefrom the Philippines and South Asian countries.

Data shows the top five most common countries of origin for Saskatchewan immigrants are:

• Philippines 24.3 per cent.

• India 18.4 per cent.

• China 8.5 per cent.

• Nigeria 7.7 per cent.

• Pakistan 3.9 per cent.

Desi stores are also bringing historically adversarial communities together. Some Desi countries, such asIndia and Pakistan,have had long standingpolitical tensions,but in a Desi storeshoppers can find harmony in the aisles of a shop that caters to people of many cultures, religionsand nationalities.

Jaanvi Dhekar is the manager at Bombay Spices in Regina. She is originally from Gujarat, a province in India.

She said since working at the store, she has grown relationships with fellow Gujaratis, as well aspeople from many other ethnic communities, because the store sells products from all over India and Asia.

Some Desi stores also sell items for practicing Muslims,including Halal foods and meats, which carry a special certification.

Muhammad Rehan, the owner of Central Foods in Regina, said his store focuses on ready-to-eat Pakistani foods, along with many varieties of freshly made naan and chapati flatbreads.

Regina Halal Meat, Bakery and Groceryis also considered a Desi store, and has things forcustomers from Asia and South Asia, but also caters to Middle Easterners, including people from Iraq, Syria and Jordan.

Besides selling food and household items, Desi stores can be astarting point for many newcomers arriving in Canada. They can find tips about jobs andapartments for rent, exchange recipes and make friends.

The owners also say their stores are a welcoming place for anyone who wants to try something new or different, orexperience diversity in their communities throughthe aroma of spicesand the sounds of different languages being spoken around them.