Christmas Carol Festival 2013 Calgary

Every year Canadians of Ukrainian ancestry face the same dilemma.  One Christmas, two Christmases?  The Canadian calendar places the feast day on December 25th, but the church calendar of ancestral tradition places Rizdvo - the Nativity of Christ, on January 7th.  And each year we say we're going to cut back, simplify, to have a family Christmas that focuses on the real reason for the season.  But every year we fall under the spell of commercialism,  the advertisement, the need to indulge, even though the heart yearns for something sacred, for something more peaceful and true.  Something of depth, of wisdom, and of ancestral significance, in the language of familial homeland somehow just fills the spirit in deep places you didn't even know you had, until it is filled.  That is the koliada of the ancient Ukrainian tradition.  

This Nativity season, try to cut through the hype, leave behind the things that exhaust you, and make you broke.  Instead, try to experience the joy of common truths, of community, of togetherness and understanding.  Cultivate a different kind of Christmas - and this year join the Ukrainian community of Calgary in its Ukrainian Annual Festival of Carols, the celebration of Ukrainian Christmas Carols!

You will hear the charming voices of Korinnya Ukrainian Choir, of Ukrainian school children, of perhaps a bandura player or two.  And your heart will melt in a feeling of peace, togetherness and understanding. 

The annual Calgary Ukrainian Festival of Carols 2013 will be held on Sunday, December 8, at 7:00 pm  at the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, at 704 6 Street NE, Calgary, Alberta.  

And for samples from last year's Ukrainian Festival of Carols 2012, check these links.

Iryna Kalinovich performs bandura Спи, Ісусе- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jonIBJFbds

Calgary Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Choir performs Bethlehem Rejoice (in Ukrainian) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBvArPHZJZg

Calgary's St. Vladimir's Ukrainian Orthodox Church Choir performs Proclaiming Joy (in Ukrainian) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqpTCMhUYgY

Don't you just wonder what beautiful Ukrainian Christmas sounds you will hear this year?

Viter - the Wind Sings a Malanka Melody 2014

My family used to sing all the time,  it seemed the minute we got into the car there was a melody in the air.  I especially miss my dad's singing.  His voice was so lovely, and when mom sang along it was like a choir in the car.  Of course I had to join in.

Thank heavens the tradition is continuing, because my brother carries this fine tradition in his genetic make-up.  So, for him, singing in Viter Ukrainian Choir and Dance Ensemble of Edmonton is a gift to himself, his family and friends.

Viter's  achievements are to numerous to mention! They have developed a real following with their regular performances here in Alberta, but also across the prairies too! Their tours to international places have taken our prized Alberta Ukrainian folk tradition back to the ancestral places in Ukraine, but also to far flung locales to new appreciative audiences! I heard they have plans to tour in Europe again this 2014 season. 

For an opportunity to join their fun, and bring in the Ukrainian New Year in a Malanka way, check out the links on their poster! Not sure you will see my brother dance, but he sure has a way with a melody!

Check out their promotional video at  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6G9pvZuhXA

Standing in Solidarity - Calgary EuroMaidan Євромайдан

It has been a particularly busy Ukrainian Calgary weekend; warm, satisfying, thoroughly moving, and an indication of the values retained by Canadians of Ukrainian decent here on the western prairies of Canada. 

Filling St. Vladimir's Ukrainian Cultural Centre upper hall, Saturday's Commemoration of the Holodomor began with the singing of Otche Nash by Korinnya Choir, conducted by Iryna Kalynovich.  Then the Ukrainian clergy of Calgary led the Panachyda/Requiem.  Korinnya then sang the traditional Song of the Cranes, a song of farewell.  Dr. Bohdan Klid spoke about the intense academic and research work being conducted worldwide in regards to the truths hidden in documents only recently available to the public!  Very special guests Spiritus Chamber Choir of Calgary performed the Ukrainian Requiem for the Holodomor,as composed by Roman Hurko, with amazing bass-baritone soloist Paul Grindlay intoning the priest's part, conducted by Tim Shantz.  Svitanok, a girls singing group performed a couple of beautiful pieces. Then a dramatic reading/presentation involving the young people of CYM Ukrainian association was followed by a communal singing of Vichnaya Pamyat' - Eternal Memory.   

To a person, the community was very focused, still and extremely attentive to the program.  Appreciative of the great effort, love and care taken by the program participants in preparing for this important commemoration, comments included, "tremendous!", "so thankful to have been here", "what an important community connection we have here", "these are the best people!" Many, many were especially thankful for the deeply moving singing of the Requiem by Spiritus, an English speaking, Canadian choir.  It was an important day to honour the memory of the Holodomor victims in a quest to sensitize people to the lessons in world history.  May we never forget, and may the world be protected from such horrendous cruelty!  Never again!

Ukrainian churches across Calgary served memorial requiem Panachyda prayers Sunday morning. 
And on Sunday night in peaceful solidarity with thousands of Ukrainians across Ukraine, Canada and the world, about a hundred Calgarians gathered at Olympic Square across from City Hall for Calgary's EuroMaidan, Євромайдан, Showing their solidarity with the 100,000 (in Kyiv alone!) Calgarians voiced their concern for Ukraine's disengagement with their landmark opportunity for association with the European Union. Singing anthems, hymns, and joining together in common support for Ukrainian aspirations to European democratic values, and economic opportunity, these are Canadians of merit and principle!  

Together, we are many!  This weekend in particular, those of us with ancestry in another land, far away, were intensely thankful for our Canadian way of life! Appreciative, and aware that people in other lands aspire to such opportunities and privileges, we stood together in solidarity! 

To hear Korinnya check https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kR1e83UfIGU&feature=youtube_gdata 
And for a melodic reminder of how long Ukrainians have carried these ancestral aspirations check here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E09kWXwsEj8  for

Боже Великий Єдиний (God Great One) - spiritual anthem of Ukraine

ps proud to say Calgary was only one of the 92 ( to date ) EuroMaidan events!
check the map here https://a.tiles.mapbox.com/v3/euromaidanmap.gccpeja0/page.html#4/50.82/44.47

Sharing the Story in Calgary

For want of bread, the Breadbasket of Ukraine starved!  The International Week of Remembrance for the Holodomor has many facets in Calgary including a CYM -Ukrainian Youth - Candlelight Vigal to be held on Friday night at the Holodomor Memorial off Memorial Drive - at 7PM.  If you haven't already seen the Herald article from Monday,November 18th's paper, make a point of checking the Herald Archive online at https://webmail2.telus.net/service/home/~/?auth=co&loc=en_GB&id=6084&part=2.

Besides all the important public recognition events, perhaps lighting a candle in the window at 4PM, or asking clergy to ring church bells to mark the hour of the 80th anniversary would be much appreciated (19:32).

Bread is such an important image in Ukrainian tradition, and of course with the events of the Holodomor receiving international recognition, takes on much deeper significance.  If you are thinking of baking bread, remember the poor and hungry!  And donate to the homeless shelter but tell the story! 

Lysychka Sestrichka - Foxy Loxy

lk 2013

My daughter sent me this photo, "Look who I saw on the way to work today!"  driving through the Northern Alberta Boreal Forest! The harsh, long and cold winter season has finally arrived in Calgary, but for workers in Canada's economic frontier,  Lysychka Sestrichka is the spirited red-hair Foxy lady that guides the trek into the Boreal Forest. Isn't she the perfect example of elegant discernment, resilience, intelligence and beauty!

Some readers know I am a nut-case for human folklore and mythology. Of course the fox in popular culture is a vixen, a female, which is perhaps not too bad because the phrase "to outfox" means "to beat in a competition of wits, to "outsmart" or "outwit". In First Nations wisdom, the Trickster is an alchemist, a culture hero who questions the status-quo, and transforms beliefs when a way of thinking becomes outmoded or needs to be torn down.  In most folklore, what is meaningful about seeing Lysychka Sestrichka - the Foxy Lady, is that she appears as a time of major life transition. In Ukrainian folklore, Lysyschka Sestrichka is a smart girl, agile and adaptable.

Both daughters were born in the north.  The city was a third of the size, but Fort McMurray's Ukrainian Cultural Society was a going concern, with pysanka and paska workshops, guest performers, community events and Ukrainian dance school of 100 children.  Even then the quick witted Lysychka Sestrichka and her friend Lys Mykyta sat on the other side of the bridge crossing the breathtakingly beautiful Athabasca River, winking in shared humour at how complex, yet simple everything can be.  Of course there is danger at the edge of civilization, but there is also an excitement and exhilaration about quick and agile thinking.  The spirit of the fox may imply that one is sharpening their physical alertness and responsiveness!

Ivan Franko's superb light hearted story of Lys Mykyta, a fable full of humour, and wisdom was once as essential to each Ukrainian Canadian pioneer home as Mother Goose. It really is a brilliantly constructed ancient tale about the irresistible, independent and indomitable Fox Mykyta whose insights into human frailty enables his eventual triumphs. Today's readers might understand Fox Mykyta as a classic example of emotional intelligence at work! Tenacious, indeed!  Watch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpROlAmhDyU&list=PLI9utbP7GG229aWKt6TRhxM0uImJ4-hSl to see  Лис Микита.