Savella Stechishin: a Case Study of Ukrainian-Canadian Women Activism
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Savella Stechishin: A Case Study of Ukrainian-Canadian Women Activism in Saskatchewan, 1920-1 945. A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in History University of Regina by Natalie Ostryzniuk Regina, Saskatchewan November, 1997 Copyright 1997: Natdie Ostiyzniuk National Library Bibliothèque nationale du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographie Setvices services bibliographiques 395 Weiiingtori Simet 395, rue Wellingtm Otmwa ON K1A ON4 OnawaON KlAON4 Canada Canada The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive Licence allowing the exclusive permettant à la National Library of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or sell reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microfonn, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la forme de microfiche/nlm, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in ths thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts fiom it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otheMrise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. Savella Stechishin was the first woman to publicly cal1 women of Ukninim descent in Canada to unite under the umbrella of a national women's orgmization for the bettennent of their being. To realize her vision of uplifting women of her ethnic group, she encouraged them to develop self-esteem, self-worth and self-enlightenment. Education was the key to accomplish bis concept. She promoted Ukrainian national consciousness as an important facet in the elevation and fûlfilment of ULrainian-Canadian women. Women were, she believed, the guiding light in the home and were obligated to steer their children on a path toward higher leaming - ail within a framework of Ukrainianness. Ukrainien-Canadian women could not be separated fiom their ethnic group. Stechishin's conception of the woman issue developed under the influence of the Saskatchewan wing of the Ukrainian-Canadian intelligentsia Due to prejudice against Ubainians and their struggle to attain nspectability and acceptance in Canada, the leading activists restricted their mandate within manageable confines. Their agenda did not include philanthropic projects nor abuse and welfare issues. Stechishin echoed the intelligentsia's pronouncements that to achieve success was to practice the ideology of self-reliame, self-respect and self-help, al1 tied together with the retention and promotion of their hentage. Once this philosophy was embraced. other issues could then be tackled. National consciousness preceded women's consciousness. Stechishin advocated a balance of socio-economic improvement with the importance of education and the pivotai role of motherhood. She can best be described as an ethnocdtural social matemal feminist. nie advice, guidance and encouragement of rny supervisor, Dr. James M. Pitsula, is gratenilly appreciated. Special thanks are extended to Myron Momryk of the National Archives in Ottawa for his unfPiling co-operation in retrieving relevant documentation from the Savella Stechishin files. His helpful and supportive correspondence Jways appeared at the right moment to give me the desire to continue. I thank moa sincerely, Roy Cullimore, for his encouragement and willingness to allow me time off from my job to undertake this research. 1 thank Savella Stechishin for granting me an interview, for kindly sharing with me her unpublished autobiography and granting me access to her papers in the National Archives. Al1 this information clarified many aspects of her Me and work with women of her heritage group, as well as giving me insight into her penonality. Much of the research was in the Ukrainim language and had to be translated into English. This could not have been done with accuracy and speed without the generous help of my son, Evan, and my fiend, LWsa Bondarenko. 1 am indebted to both and thank them very much. The financial support by way of a grant from the Ukrainian Canadian Foundation of Taras Shevchenko which helped to defiay some of the expenditures incurred is gratefully acknowledged. Last of dl, 1 wish to thank my husband and funily for their belief and support in my desire to take on this research. TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT .................................................... i TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................... iii LISTOFFIGURES ............................................... v CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................ 1 2 A NEW BEGINNING: LAND OF HOPE AND PROMISE .............. 15 The Prairies at the tum of the Century ....................... 15 A Ukninian Officiai's Appeal for Emigration .................. 17 Inthe hdofHope .................................... 18 Socio-Economic Condition of Ukainian Immigrant Women ........ 23 Response of Anglo-Celtic Canadians ......................... 25 Education ........................................... 26 A Canadian Based Church for Ukrainians ..................... 28 SAVELLA STECHISHIN'S VISION: A PATHWAY TO ENLIGH'IENMENT: ........................... 36 Her Formative Years .................................... 36 First Ukrainian Cauadian Women's Organization in Saskatoon ....... 45 The First Step in a Caner ................................ 47 Cal1 to Unite Women of Ukrainian Descent in Canada ............ 48 SAVELLA STECHISHIN: CATALYST FOR THE INCEPTION OF A NATIONAL UKRAINIAN-CANADIAN WOMEN'S ORGANIZATION .... 61 Founding of the Wkrainian Women's Associaiion of Canada (VWAC) ...................................... 61 Link with Ukraine and the Perpeaiation of Its Culture ............. 66 Aims aud Objectives of the UWAC ......................... 68 The First Year of hception .1927 .......................... 70 nie Crucial Formative Years ............................. 74 UWAC Ftminism ...................................... 76 REACHING ACROSS THE SEA ................................ 83 The Role Played by a Ulminian Activist Emigre ................ 83 Exchanging Ideas with Women Activists in Ukraine .............. 85 A Visit ta the Homeland ................................. 90 Advancement of Ukraiaian Handicraft ........................ 92 A Museum to House Ukrainian Treasures ..................... 95 6 CRYSTALLIZATION OF SAVELLA STECHISHIN'S GOALS: ACTIVIST. HOME ECONOMIST. JOURNALIST ................... 104 Guiding a Newly Established Organization ................... 104 Achieving the Essentid Goal of a University Education .......... 106 Aquiring her Chosea Caner ............................. 108 Forming Links with their Ukrainian Americaa Sisters ............ 113 Responding to their Ukninian Sisters ....................... 114 Loyaity to her UkiPinian Roots ........................... 116 Pursuing Her Career ................................... 119 7 IMPACT OF SAVELLA STECHISHIN'S ACTIVISM ................ 124 Tenets of the UWAC .................................. 124 Branch DemogrPphics .................................. 127 Influences of Savella Stechishin's Endeavours ................. 130 The WarYears ...................................... 134 A Cornparison of Attitudes .............................. 135 Contact with Anglo-Canadian Women ....................... 138 8 CONCLUSIONS ........................................... 146 BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................... 154 GLOSSARY ................................................... 170 APPENDIX A TABLES 1.2.3.4. 5 ....................................... 171 B NOTABLE AUTHORS AND ACTWISTS OF UKRAINE ............. 173 C TABLE OF ACTIVITIES. UWAC SASKATCHEWAN BRANCHES ..... 179 LIST OF FICURES Figure 1 . Ukrainian Bloc Settlement in the Prairie Provinces ca 1914..... 21 Figure 2: Location of UIKAC Branches in Saskatchewan in 1936 ........ 129 Figure 3: Regional Location of UWAC Branches in Saskatchewan Electoral Division in 1936................................... 129 "Ukmine endow ed her w it.a optimistic outlook on li/o md Canaila gave her an educaïon. After a fnu yems of redittg she mpstemci et our University. She is a bom le ode^ We pmdict a vety ltttemsting adsvccessfuf futunz for her. '" Savella Stechisbin was the first Ukraiaian-Canadian woman activist to organize women of her ethnic group in Canada so that they, hma low immigrant entrance status, could achieve fulfilment and pvity with the mainstream society. She promoted integraion rather than assimilation into the broder society; Ukrainian heritage was to be nurtured and not forsaken. By 1920 she had become a member of the Saskatchewan wing of the nascent Ukrainian-Canadian intelligentsia 'Ihc intelligentsia were guiding their people out of a peasant culture to be equdly good and acceptable Canadian citizens. In the fàce of rampant discrimination by many in the host society, they promoted self-reliame, self-respect and education to achieve British-Canadian middleclass status and a positive image in the eyes of maiastream Canada. Savella Stechishin wu a driving force in ensuring that a national women's organization be established to unite Ukrainian women of al1 backgrounds regardless of politid and religious biases. She haci to contend with a Ulrrainian population scattered mainly throughout the prairies, women who were isolated due to