MUSEUM NEWS Ukrainian Museum of Canada ISSN: 0710-1230 Winter 2019 The Magic Behind a Snowflake
he snow has started to fall. Museum foyer is a testament TThe frosty days of winter to the symbolism it represents have begun. Dark evenings for the Museum and for its envelope us and the whole donors and their loved ones. world becomes introspective for It is strength. It is growth. It is a time. eternal love. Most importantly, the ‘Yalynka’ provides Yet, in the moonlit hours, the recognition of the special people magic of the first snowfall is a in our life. It reminds us of sight to behold. Surrounding remarkable deeds and daily acts ourselves with these dancing of kindness of people whose snowflakes, we try to catch magic and contributions to our one on our mitten. We witness lives will be with us through the its beauty and then it slips changing seasons. away. We have chosen to place snowflakes on the Museum’s We invite you to honour or ‘Yalynka’ this holiday season remember someone who has to represent the individuality brought you light, with a of each and every person that donation dedicated in their has crossed our path and the name to the Ukrainian Museum memory that they hold, be it of Canada. We will, with grace for a moment or for a lifetime. and thanksgiving, place a gold The sparkle and light that these snowflake on the Museum’s people share with us on our ‘Yalynka’ Christmas tree on journey is immeasurable and their behalf. unique. It is the key to the magic that is the Ukrainian Museum of May the Peace of this blessed Canada. time of the year provide you with warmth and comfort and Christmas and winter may the beauty and magic of the celebrations are steeped in first snowfall never leave you. culture, tradition and memory. The ‘Yalynka’s’ presence in the
Photo: Museum Sign, UMC Collection photo:Cover Photo:Chain, Archivalsite of Revelstoke Postcard, Internment UMC Collection Camp, British Columbia, Sandra Semchuk 3 Puppeteering with Tradition
hristmas, or ‘Rizdvo’, is one ‘Vertep’ productions appeared Cof the most revered holidays in Ukraine in the 17th century. for Ukrainian people across They were created in a form the world. Many customs and of puppet theatre that would traditions related to celebrating fit in a box, either elaborate or the birth of Christ have been very simple, set to resemble passed from generation to a two-storey house or church generation. One of the most with its front open to the public. vibrant and entertaining among The ‘Vertep’ box was carried them is traditional Ukrainian around from city square to Christmas theatre commonly city square or house to house known as ‘Vertep’. for each performance. The top floor, or top stage, was The word ‘vertep’ comes reserved for a traditional tale of from the Old Church Slavonic Christmas with Mary, Joseph, language and can be translated three Kings, angels, shepherds as a cave, ravine or creek. and King Herod, culminating According to legend, when in the birth of Jesus Christ. The Joseph and Mary could not ground floor, or ground stage, find a room to overnight in was used for a Christmas- Bethlehem, they stayed in a inspired second part of the cave on the outskirts of the performance. This play was city and Jesus was born there. often satirical and modelled Influenced by this legend, on the present day, featuring the name ‘Vertep’ has been peasants, lords, Kozaky, gypsies, traditionally used to describe a Russian or Polish soldiers and special theatre production that various animals, depending tells the story of Christmas. on the location and time of
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Photo: Detail from “Christmas in Hetman’s Ukraine”, by P. Andrusiv, 1976, from Ukrainian Folk Headwear 4 Revised and Expanded Second Edition ...cont from page 4
the performance. All puppets A later incarnation of the in an original ‘Vertep’ were traditional Ukrainian Christmas made from wood and were theatre is a so called live controlled by a single puppeteer ‘Vertep’. It was first introduced who would change his voice by students of Ukrainian depending on the part he gymnasiums, later favoured played. by travelling musicians and amateur actors. In this type of Over time, ‘Vertep’ developed performance, people play all into elaborate productions. They parts themselves without the involved numerous actors that use of puppets. The storyline voiced different parts and a is very similar to the one in the choir that would sing religious puppet theatre but combines songs and carols to accompany both religious and secular performances. The puppets aspects into one play with carols were decorated to resemble and Christmas songs. Today, people dressed in traditional participants of live ‘Vertep’ Ukrainian clothing and some are people of various ages and had movable parts, including backgrounds who come together a Kozak dancing hopak or to tell the world the joyous news King Herod losing his head. of Jesus Christ’s birth. There could have been up to 40 puppets in one performance.
Photo: Detail from “Christmas in Hetman’s Ukraine”, by P. Andrusiv, 1976, from Ukrainian Folk Headwear Revisedphoto: Korali and Expanded from UMC Second collection Edition 7 The Loneliest Book
n an August afternoon, sun the Museum does not have an Obeaming through the crisp infinite amount of space. If you leaves, the Museum welcomed have any artefacts you would a visitor who wished to donate like to donate, please email us a book that belonged to her at [email protected] with a grandmother. The visitor was couple of pictures of the item and unfamiliar with the Museum’s any information or accompanying acquisitions policy and was archival photographs or advised that we could not documents. We will research the accept the book on the spot. The Museum’s inventory should a visitor then wanted a Museum similar item already be a part of employee to throw the book the collection. A representative of away. Her request was refused, the Museum will contact you. If as a Museum we cannot legally the item is accepted, arrangements or ethically discard of items on for shipping, delivery or drop off someone else’s behalf. The visitor will be made. did not leave happy. Most importantly, please do not Later that day, this employee leave your family’s heirlooms on went outside to take in the last our doorstep, and please have bit of sun and noticed this poor, patience with Museum employees, abandoned book, once beloved as they are following procedures by the anonymous visitor’s in place to protect our visitors, grandmother, discarded on the donors and artefacts. cold pavement, left to wither all by itself. So, we picked up the book, gave it a bit of love and took it indoors as a reminder of Museum policies.
Moral of the Story
We as a Museum, have a responsibility to our artefacts and to our mission statement. We have procedures and policies that must be followed for numerous reasons, including the fact that
8 photo:Photo: Trophy The Loneliestand Photo Book, from UMC UMC Collection collection A Ukrainian Folktale
mitten. It may be an old man or a young boy or, at times, a little girl. Sometimes the mitten is salvageable and sometimes not. What remains the same is the moral of the story. The message promotes sharing and inclusion. Be it friend or foe the animals make room for each other to stay warm together on a cold winter’s day.
There are two versions of “The Mitten” available at the “ ukavychka” is a Ukrainian Ukrainian Museum of Canada. RFolk Tale set in a wintery The first is the classic English forest. “Rukavychka” tells the adaptation of “The Mitten” story of an elderly man that written and illustrated by Jan loses his mitten. As the mitten Brett, featuring a young boy rests on the forest floor a host of with white mittens lovingly animals make their way inside made for him by his baba. until it can no longer hold them. The second is a new bi-lingual The old man finds his mitten publication illustrated by Olha and is none the wiser, although Tkachenko, retelling the tale this mitten seems to be a little she recalls from her childhood larger than the other. in Ukraine. Also available in the Museum’s Gift Shop is a This much-loved story has been complete set of animals, old translated into many languages man, and mitten large enough to and retold many times as “The accommodate all the characters Mitten”. The animals may vary to enhance your story telling with each version. The constant with your little one. This gift set animals are the rabbit, owl, fox, is handmade in Ukraine. bear, and mouse. The animals that vary are the mole for the frog, hedgehog for the wolf, and the badger for the boar. Another variation is who loses their
Photo: Board book,“The Mitten” credit to Jan Brett and G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers. 11 Photo: Collage,UMC Collection 12
Behind the Exhibition A peek behind Michael Hosaluk’s Exhibition “From the Garden “ sponsored by Ukrainian Museum of Canada and USRA Steppe Club, TYC, Saskatoon Upcoming Events
December 2019 12.12.19- UMC Christmas Open House
31.12.19- UMC Website will be taken down (to be relaunched later in 2020) January 2020 08.01.20- Pysanka workshop registration opens. (Workshop dates TBD) March 2020 06.03.20- Flowers of the Bible, UMC Collection exhibition opens June 2020 02.06.20- Enemy Aliens Internment in Canada 1914-1920, from the collection of the Canadian Museum of History, exhibition opens. September 2020 17.09.20- UMC Harvest Crown Gala and Fashion Show
14 Photo: Detail from First Meeting of UWAC in Saskatchewan, William Kurelek, UMC Collection 2019 Donor List
Thank you to all of our donors for your Myron P. Kowalsky J William Strus & Marian generous donations during the year. The Rachel Kowaluk- IMO Alexa Shemeluck list below is updated to October 31st, 2019. Danyliuk Adele Trischuk- IMO Kay We apologize if we missed anyone in print Irene Krawchuk- IMO Sylvester Woloschuk as we are still processing donations. Syrnick Ukrainian Self Reliance Assoc. Eugene & Nancy Kucey (TYC), Steppe Branch- In support Linda Balon Smith- IMO Ed Balon Lucillea Kish of UMC and it’s valuable work in Nancy Bobick Very. Rev. Taras & Dobr. Joanne and beyond the community. Joyce Bodnar- IMO Alexa Makowsky Ukrainian Society of Prosvita- to Danyliuk Elaine Mazier Maksymiuk- IMO further the excellent preservation Helena Bohonos- IMO A & W Alexa Danyliuk of Ukrainian artifacts. Sarchuk Jean Maksymiuk- UWAC Hanka Romanchych Sylvia M. Boychuk- Yalynka: IMO Yalynka: IMO Prof D & Helen Branch (Saskatoon)- IMO Alexa mother Dobr Lydia Bodnarchuk, Maksymiuk Danyliuk Mark Boychuk, Myron Norman Mazuren- IMO Anne UWAC Lesia Ukrainka Branch Bodnarchuk, Lisa Boychuk Krepiakevich (Vancouver)- 2019 donation Dobr. Genia Bozyk- Yalynka Marlene Mysak & Brian Goin - UWAC Maria Markovych Branch Dr. Robert & Alice Chayka- IMO IMO K. Woloschuk (Canora)- Annual Donation Taras Bayda & Michael Sorochka Sonia Mysak- IMO Alexa UWAC National Office Adele Danyliuk- Yalynka: IMO Danyliuk, Syl Syrnick UWAC Olena Pchilka Branch husband Michael Danyliuk George & Ellen Parchomchuk (North Battleford)- Yalynka Ann Danyliuk- IMO Alexa Pete Pawluk UWAC Olena Pchilka Branch Danyliuk Lesia Perritt- IMO Anna (Yorkton)- IMO Kay Woloschuk Sylvia Gray Zwozdesky UWAC St Elias Parish Dr. Tony & Sharon Harras Steve & Aileen Pillipow Lidia Wasylyn- Yalynka: IMO Ben Hladun- Yalynka: IMO Joni, Ed Pohranychny- IMO Michalina Nestor Wasylyn Michael & Elaine Hladun Tataryn Michael Wawryshyn- IMO Halia Elaine Holowach-Amiot- Yalynka: Adelle & Don Ratcliffe-Smith- Wawryshyn IMO mother Stephania Holowach IMO Eleanor Humeny Vera Webster- IMO Alexa Eleanor Humeny- Bequest Emelia Samcoe Danyliuk Albert & Cecilia Kachkowski- Connie Senkiw Rosaline Winnichyh- IMO IMO Syl Syrnick Anna Siryj- Yalynka Sylvester Syrnick Anne Kalenchuk- IMO Eleanor June Skrepnick- IMO Michael Elarry & Valerie Wiwcharuk- IMO Humeny Danyliuk Mary G. Wiwcharuk Anna Kaminski- IMO Olyne Anita & Don Slobodzian- IMO Zixin Zhang Patryluk Sylvester Syrnick Christine Zwozdesky- IMO Nick Kaweski- IMO Sylvester Sonia & Harold Sokyrka- IMO Syl Michalina Tataryn Syrnick Syrnick Lucillea Kish- IMO Sylvester St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Orthodox Syrnick Ladies Auxiliary Marie Kishchuk- IMO Alexa St. John’s Cathedral Branch, Danyliuk UWAC Alicia & Larry Klopoushak- IMO Brian Starkell- IMO Sylvester C.Woloschuk Syrnick Taras & Dorothy Korol- IMO Kay Elsie Stefanuk- IMO Alexa Woloschuk, Stan Klopoushak Danyliuk Photo: Rural Church, UMC Collection Sonia Korpus 17 REMINDER!Membership Renewal
ith the year drawing to If you wish to vote at our next Wa close, we would like AGM, date TBD, you will need to remind you to get your to purchase your membership, membership renewals in! by calling or visiting the Memberships are valid from museum, prior to June 30, 2020. January 1 - December 31 of New members welcome! each calendar year.
Spadshchyna Honour Roll Donations and bequests are essential for continued existence! A planned commitment to the Spadshchyna Honour Roll helps support the heart and soul of the Museum for the future.
We are extremely honoured by those who have made a bequest to the Museum by naming the Ukrainian Museum of Canada, Saskatoon as a beneficiary.
Nadeya Melissa Constance Bodnar Jean A. Mekitiak Olga Borsa Bernice Mysak Mae Chwaluk Marlene Mysak Orest Danyliuk David Mysak Rose Faryna Sonia Mysak Honourable Dr. Sylvia Fedoruk Alice Nicholaichuk Sylvia Gryba Nellie Pawlik William Gryba John Prokipchuk Bohdan Harasymiw Russell Sawchyn Elaine Verchomin Harasymiw Nadia Schulha Zenia J Hawrysh Orysia D Shrubsole Eleanor Humeny Rev Eugene Stefaniuk Pauline Ignash Caroline Tokarik Rose Jarman William Tokarik Albert Kachkowski Anna Trojan Cecilia Kachkowski Dr. Oleh Trojan Victoria Kereluk Regehr Elaine Agnes Yaychuk Peter Kiziak Elizabeth Zoochkan Sylvia Susan Kiziak Anonymous Anne Krawetz Anonymous Eugene Kucey Anonymous Nancy Kucey Anonymous Estate of Sophie Lucyk Anonymous 18 Ola Martyn photo: Only the stars know the story it tells, RaeleenPhoto: Monks,Archival from Photo, UMC UMC collection Collection