Frances Swyri ' : ‘ ' !-:i T : m ! :? Ukrainian Canadians Published * a survey' for the Canadian - . flOA . , mstituteof v'^ of their portrayal 1 s Ukrainian Studies „ bvM , in English-language The University of Alberta Press works Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016 with funding from University of Alberta Libraries https://archive.org/details/ukrainiancanadiaOOswyr Ukrainian Canadians a survey of their portrayal in English-language works Ukrainian Canadians a survey of their portrayal in English-language works by Frances Swyripa Published The for the Canadian University Institute of of Alberta Ukrainian Studies by Press OA 1978 Published for The Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies by The University of Alberta Press Edmonton, Alberta, Canada 1978 Copyright © 1978 The University of Alberta Press Canadian Cataloguing in Publication Data Swyripa, Frances, 1951- Ukrainian Canadians Bibliography: p. Includes index. ISBN 0-88864-050-1 bd. ISBN 0-88864-022-6 pa. 1. Ukrainians in Canada— Historiography. I. Title FC 1 06. U5 S99 971 \004’9 1 79 1 C78-0020 1 2-X All rights reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, or recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the copyright owner. Cover design: J. Frascara Printed by Printing Services of The University of Alberta IV The Alberta Library in Ukrainian-Canadian Studies A series of original works and reprints relating to Ukrainians in Canada, issued under the editorial supervision of the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, University of Alberta, Edmonton Editorial Board: George S.N. Luckyj, University of Toronto (Humanities) Manoly R. Lupul, University of Alberta (Ukrainians in Canada) Ivan L. Rudnytski, University of Alberta (History, Social Sciences) v Contents Preface ix Introduction xi Chapter I The period of acquaintanceship 1 Chapter II Between the Wars 26 Assimilation versus the ‘ mosaic ’ 26 Specific studies and research 45 Chapter III The recent past 65 A maturing discipline 65 Fiction and memoirs 80 Bilingualism and Biculturalism and the Canadian Centennial 88 Conclusion 118 Appendix Ukrainian-Canadian bibliographies 120 Notes Introduction 125 Chapter I 125 Chapter II 131 Chapter III 138 Appendix 144 Bibliographic note 145 Bibliography 147 Index 167 viii Preface The object of this study was to examine those works in the English language relevant to the history of Ukrainians in Canada, determining the areas of concentration, dominant themes, and developing perspectives that characterize this literature, A chronological approach seemed to illustrate best the growing sophistication of Ukrainian-Canadian historiography as it has progressed from the initially superficial descriptions of Ukrainian pioneers by ill-informed Anglo-Saxon observers to the more thorough research into Ukrainian- Canadian history by serious students of the subject. The survey was restricted to English-language sources because of their accessibility to large numbers of people. With research, it became apparent that the major con- tributions to the literature on Ukrainians in Canada reflected an evolving concept of the role, contribution, and status of Ukrainian Canadians against the background of changing views of Canada’s national identity. For this reason the study has been organized according to the major periods in the development of Canadian consciousness: from the original emphasis on Anglo- conformity through the continuation of assimilative pressures and the germination of a mosaic concept during the transitional inter-war years, to the recent acceptance of a multicultural expression of Canadian identity. These developments in consciousness reflect the impact of daily life in an evolving Canadian environment and the influence of the varying nature of each wave of immigrants: the agricultural character of the pre-World War I pioneers, the nationally-conscious colouring of the inter-war immigrants, and the influx of displaced persons after 1945. Works have been grouped generically within these divisions but are discussed individually as to thesis, orientation, and content. The present work concludes with a bibliography of consulted sources, supplemented with biographical sketches of authors (when such information was available) and a note on existing Ukrainian- Canadian bibliographies. Viewed collectively, English-language literature on Ukrainian Canadians not only records the history of one of the most dynamic ethnic groups in Canada but also reflects the evolution in thought regarding the value of contributions by non-British and non-French segments of the Canadian population. The suggestions and encouragement offered by Dr. Ivan L. Rudnytsky, Dr. Lewis H. Thomas and Dr. Manoly R. Lupul, are gratefully acknowledged. I would also like to thank St. John’s Institute in Edmonton for the Samuel F. Woloshyn Memorial Summer Award which I received in 1973. Its support during the initial stages of research was most helpful. Introduction Ukrainians being one of the more visible and vocal ethnic minority groups in Canada, it is noteworthy that the literature about them has consistently reflected current interpretations of Canadian identity and destiny as they took into account the so- called “Third Force.” Ukrainian-Canadian historiography exists today as a legitimate and accepted discipline in both the Ukrainian and English languages simply because the circum- stances of Canadian nationhood have forced the recognition of ethnic diversity. In particular, the English-language literature on Ukrainians in Canada, when examined chronologically and according to the distinct phases in the growth of Canadian national consciousness, aptly demonstrates the progress towards eventual acceptance of the concept of diversity. The present study is a survey of this literature. 1 It hopes to establish Ukrainian- Canadian historiography in the English language as a branch of general Canadian historical scholarship which evolved from amateur and superficial commentary on Ukrainian-Canadian life through systematic research in specialized areas to the synthesis of all spheres of Ukrainian-Canadian development. As the quantity of English-language literature on Ukrainians in Canada is limited, a relatively extensive survey of existing material is feasible, although practical concerns and the diversity of sources demand discrimination. With minor exceptions, only published works — be they scholarly monographs or more popular studies — and theses written in Canada to 1970 have been selected for examination. Newspapers have been excluded as a survey of newspaper opinion would constitute a study in itself and similar views can be obtained elsewhere. Scholarly articles have received comprehensive treatment while those of a more popular nature have been consulted at random, since a great proportion of this literature is of a trivial or repetitive character. Similarly, government papers and reports and unpublished manuscripts Frances Swyripa have received only marginal attention. Although arbitrary, these restrictions do not detract from the usefulness of a survey. The mass Ukrainian immigration to Canada, to be abruptly terminated by the outbreak of war in 1914, was a movement of peasant agriculturists who were conservative in outlook, mostly illiterate, attached to the soil, and who were alienated culturally, linguistically, and religiously from the rest of Canadian society. To maintain the British character of Canada and to ensure its continued primacy, Canadian institutions vigorously cam- paigned to imbue Ukrainian immigrants with an appreciation of British-Canadian ideals and institutions. Anglo-Saxon writers frequently studied Ukrainian settlers — the most conspicuous and foreign of the “New Canadians” — for their adaptability to British-Canadian norms and standards. Motivated by a concern for Canadian national progress, these writers did not see Ukrainians as a legitimate collectivity in themselves, and reveal little of value to an understanding of the historical development of Ukrainian community life in Canada. In the inter-war period, weakening imperial ties compelled British Canada to resist absorption into an homogeneous American society, and with the resumption of large-scale immigration the question of the “ideal” immigrant once again became crucial. Writers appraised the worth of Ukrainian Canadians by considering their physical role in the building of the nation, by measuring their adaptability with racial statistics for mental illness and crime, and by assessing the degree of assimilation in their community outlook and national con- sciousness. On the other hand, there emerged individuals who tolerated a certain amount of diversity and were willing to concede that not only did tradition ease adjustment but that loyalty to those things Ukrainian and a desire for Ukrainian independence were not necessarily un- or anti-Canadian. Variety acquired value in some of the commentary on identity. The co- existence of two trends — assimilation and the “mosaic” — in the literature of the inter-war years characterizes the time as a transitional period since a clear idea of the Ukrainian’s role as a Canadian had not yet crystallized. Although Anglo-Saxons continued to write on the Ukrainian Canadians during World War II, primarily motivated by their dedication to the Allied war effort, succeeding years witnessed their eclipse by Ukrainian-Canadian writers. The question of xii assimilation