Kerby Center's Ukrainian Malanka 2013

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Calgary's Kerby Centre is hosting a Ukrainian Malanka event on Tuesday, January 22, 2013! This wonderful initiative is designed to enhance the lives of older adults in Calgary.  And with Ukrainian music, dancing, cultural presentations, and delicious Ukrainian food this is an event to put on the calendar.

The Kerby Centre strives to assist older people in their journey through their elder years, helping them reside in the community, and providing programming, services and information for their needs.

As the poster indicates, the tickets for this event are already available, and there is sure to be a rush.  Make sure to book a Malanka event for the special person in your family circle - it is sure to make their hearts warm with delight!

Call the Ed. and Rec. department  at 403-705-3233  or contact Jennifer Furke at 403-473-1311!!

Calgary Artist Wins Spot in Christmas Card Collection

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If you are planning on purchasing Ukrainian Christmas cards this season, and want to support Calgary Ukrainian artists, here is an idea for you. Stephania Romaniuk, local Calgary musician and artist, has had her original work of art (a digitally altered sketch) featured in last year's collection of a special Christmas Card collection. This year her acrylic on canvas has been included in the card collection.  

An international community of Ukrainians from Canada, Australia, the United States and Ukraine is honoring the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA).  

The heroic efforts of the 100,000 soldiers of UPA (a national army of freedom fighters) began in 1942, fighting on two fronts - Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia, and though the war officially ended in 1945, UPA continued to inspire until the 50's and 60's. Their sacrifice and dreams of Ukrainian sovereignty and independence would continue to foment interest and inspiration for generations to come.  

Stephania's artistic inspiration comes from notable sources including "Their Just War" (Humeniuk, Luciuk) a collection of photographs of UPA soldiers.  The immense expressive and artist potency of these images captured her attention.  She feels that contributing to this project, and winning a spot in the card collection contributes in some small way to the pro-sovereignty effort, and is especially pleased that proceeds will go toward youth initiated projects in Ukrainian community building.  Projects like ongoing awareness campaigns for the Holodomor, and support for Ukrainian language education are among the targets for this historical, cultural and political project fund.  

Each package includes 6 cards and envelopes - 4 restored vintage cards and 2 original works by Ukrainian Canadian artists, and is being sold for $10.  In Calgary, they may be purchased by contacting Stephania Romaniuk at (587)228-0220 or stephania romaniuk@gmail.com. 

Calgary's 2012 Holodomor Commemoration

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Calgary honored the Holodomor with a commemoration event that took place at 11 AM on Saturday, November 24, 2012 in the St. Vladimir's Ukrainian Orthodox Church Cultural Centre.  Master of Ceremonies - Michael Ilnycky, President of Calgary's Ukrainian Canadian Committee.

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About a dozen students from Calgary's Ukrainian Student's Society presented a montage of poems, and verses (presented by Roman Storoschuk and Katrusia Owad,), an interpretive dance by Christina Chumak, and song accompanied and sung by Stephania Romaniuk.

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Dr. Roman Serbyn, a Canadian historian of Ukrainian origin, Holodomor scholar, and guest speaker from Montreal,  spoke in brief about how the Holodomor came about, and used the terms "post genocidal community" and "post colonial community" as descriptors of the Ukrainian community's internal perceptions of this experience.  Internal community change, and external acknowledgement is now possible because of free-er access to historical documents which irrefutably attest that the Holodomor was an act of intentional destruction of the repository of ancestral memory - the people of Ukraine.

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A Memorial Service (Panachyda) was served by the clergy of Calgary's Ukrainian churches, St. Stephen the Protomartyr Ukrainian Catholic Church, St. Vladimir Ukrainian Orthodox Church, and Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church.

The participants prayerfully joined in the singing of Vichnaya Pamyat' - the prayer for eternal memory of the reposed.

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Organizations listed participated by laying wreaths of memorial:  Sister Servants of  Mary Immaculate, Assumption of the  Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Stephen Protomartyr Ukrainian Catholic Church, St. Vladimir's Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Ukrainian Senior's Club at the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church, Knights of Columbus-St. Nicholas Ukrainian Council #7659, Order of St. Andrew, Ukrainian Women's Association of Canada-Calgary, Ukrainian Museum of Canada-Calgary Collection, Ukrainian Catholic Women's League of Canada, League of Ukrainian Women in Canada-Calgary Branch, Barvinok Ukrainian Dance Society, Yalenka Ukrainian Dance Society, Tryzub Ukrainian Dance Ensemble, Suzirya Ukrainian Dance Theatre, Korinnya Ukrainian Folk Ensemble, Plast Ukrainian Scouts, CYM Ukrainian Youth, CYMK Ukrainian Orthodox Youth, Ukrainian Student's Society at the University of Calgary, SOS Ukraine, Ogen House Ukrainian Cultural Society, Echos of Ukraine Television Program, Ukrainian Canadian Civil  Liberties Association, Ukrainian School at Assumption Blessed Virgin Mary Parish, Slava Chamber Choir, Ukrainian Canadian Professional and Business Association, Association of United Ukrainian Canadians, Friends of the Ukrainian Catholic University, Calgary Board of Education, Calgary Separate School Division, City of Calgary, Government of Alberta, Government of Canada, Canadian Museum for Human Rights, Ukrainian Canadian Congress.

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Our elected officials from three levels of government came to honor the event.  Speeches were given by elected officials, representatives of each respective level of government - Alderman Jim Stevenson - Ward 3, Government of Alberta - Linda Johnson, Calgary Glenmore and Government of Canada - Michelle Rempel, Calgary Centre North.

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An important forward looking presentation was given by the representative of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights -  Eric Hughes.  He spoke of the upcoming opening of the new museum in Winnipeg, the complexity of this human rights issue and the truly significant and critical role Canada's new museum will play in uncovering the truths for future generations - may they learn from the lessons of the past.








Thanking all the guests for their generous participation in today's commemoration, MC and UCC Calgary President Michael Ilnysky thanked CYM Ukrainian Youth Association for the Display and Artwork from the Kyiv Art Institute - and then  invited everyone to sing O Canada, the national anthem of Canada, and Sche Ne Vmerla Ukraina - the national anthem of Ukraine.  Then everyone was invited to a Hungry Lunch of broth and bread.

Canada - We Honor the Holodomor

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Most cultures have a way of honoring their ancestors.  The heart remembers times past and the spirit learns, and develops a deeper, richer understanding of human potential.  Still, the loss of one individual leaves a hole in families, a void that takes so long to heal - but does it ever?

But when the loss is not one person, not ten, not a hundred nor a thousand, but millions?   What can the heart remember and what does the spirit learn?  What of lost potential?  What of lives cut short not by the will of the Creator, but by the will of "rulers"? What if we "break faith with those who die", shall they sleep? (John McCrae)

Today is an opportunity to remember the Ukrainian nation's ancestors, those who died by the will of "rulers", and acknowledge, though they are gone, though their physical strengths are gone, their amazing potential energy is still felt in the world.  A person of character will know we are not human doings, we are human beings - and the spirit is eternal!  Honor the Holodomor!

In Calgary - Saturday, November 24, 2012 - http://ukrainiancalgary.blogspot.ca/2012/10/calgarys-holodomor-commemoration-2012.html

http://ukrainiancalgary.blogspot.ca/2012/07/lest-we-forget-ukrainian-holodomor.html

http://ukrainiancalgary.blogspot.ca/2012/11/after-supper-conversation-about.html

http://www.pm.gc.ca/eng/media.asp?category=3&pageId=49&id=5177
Prime Minister Harper's statement on the occasion of the 79th Honoring of the Holodomor

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2012/11/21/how-stalin-s-terrible-famine-in-ukraine-was-exposed-by-a-western-mail-writer-91466-32278424/

Gareth Jones reporting the Holodomor in 1933

http://www.day.kiev.ua/205188

James Mace - Just as one cannot study the Holocaust without becoming half-Jewish in spirit, one cannot study the Famine and not become at least half-Ukrainian.

The Nativity Through William Kurelek's Art

Stupid as a calf staring at a new gate - a Ukrainian saying.  I start laughing!  What a typically Ukrainian farm saying! This is the title of one of the paintings I found in a book called Fields - Paintings by William Kurelek.  With soft snowflakes covering the trees, I actually took a moment to look at the books that don't seem to sit correctly in the bookcase.  Now, however I gotta chase this Kurelek idea. Somehow I don't think the English critics quite catch the subtlety of his humor.

William Kurelek was a sensitive soul, his short lifetime was prolific with brilliant artistry.  A Ukrainian speaking son of the Ukrainian Canadian family farm, his artistic genius was at odds with his family's struggle for sustenance and success in farming.  He was contemplative and hypersensitive, and nurturing his talent was inconceivably frivolous for the social circumstances of his community and family. Inherently a good person, he had a sharp self-awareness, and was traumatized at the distance between his dreams and his father's dreams for him.  This sense of aloneness, and homage, is palpable in his paintings.  He passionately loved the land, his family, and the unique cultural, religious, and historical circumstances of his heritage.  His artistry is deeply personal and subtle.  His themes are invariably uncomfortable for their simple truthfulness.  Images of prairies, farms and social events contain subtle humor, soft humanity, and a gentle, naive spiritual imagery.

I find another painting called Old Age is Not Joy - and I laugh again. Certainly something is lost in translation - but if you can, translate this phrase in your head - and laugh!  I adore this part of Kurelek's work!

It makes me think of all the baba's and dido's on the prairies whose simple faith, plain language, naive spiritual purity and unsophisticated social life built our Ukrainian Canadian community.  And I realize that Kurelek was ahead of his time, an artist enamoured of the land, his heritage and family -  good man.

Nativity images by William Kurelek - Canadian settings - accompanied by Chris De Burgh's composition "When Winter Comes"
www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKK_uvnph08&feature=share

For more information - http://www.catholicanada.com/2012/06/the-resurrection-of-william-kurelek/