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Learn about Ukrainian culture

Heightened interest in Ukraine thanks to its ongoing conflict involving Russia has led to a chance for Vancouverites to learn more about its culture.

Heightened interest in Ukraine thanks to its ongoing conflict involving Russia has led to a chance for Vancouverites to learn more about its culture.  

The Association of United Unkrainian Canadians will host its first Ukrainian Arts and Culture Fest, a series of cultural workshops, on April 18 and 19 at the Ukrainian Culture Centre in Strathcona at 805 East Pender St.

Instructors will lead specialized workshops in bead jewelry, vocal folksong, orchestral folk music and pysanky, a type of Ukrainian Easter egg. Each workshop will have space for 30 to 35 people.

Laurel Lawry, a member of the organizing committee, said interest in Ukrainian culture inspired the association to hold the event.

“People are curious about what we do and what we’re about,” she said, noting political events in Ukraine have brought a lot of attention to the region. People who identify themselves as Ukrainian Canadians also feel strongly about what’s happening in the home country. So Lawry wanted to open the doors and say, “Here’s the sights, sounds and smells.”

A workshop on pysanky at one of the Ukrainian centre’s regular perogy luncheons drew a lot of questions, so the association wondered what other crafts neighbours and passersby would be interested in.

There is a B.C. Ukrainian Cultural Festival in Mission, Lawry said, but it’s dance-focused. “There’s nothing like a workshop series, especially not in Vancouver proper.”

She hopes participants will experience a fun day of activities, surrounded by artistic endeavors and craftwork. She also hopes those individuals will become familiar with Ukrainian culture and traditions.

“For example, people in the fashion industry or with beadwork as a hobby will have a richer experience with the bead workshop, especially with someone who has a degree in the ethnic art and folk art. [Tetiana Zaruba] will be a resource for these individuals,” she said.

“Traditions are very, very important in Ukraine and there’s different [academic] degrees to crafts.“

The association’s cultural director Debbie Karras said the organization tries to focus on keeping Ukrainian traditions alive without stifling evolution.

“Over time, since our forefathers came here at the turn of the century, the first to go is language.”

Karras doesn’t know many young Canadians who speak Ukrainian.

“The crafts, like egg painting, is something we can hang onto or pass onto the next generation. You don’t need to practice it over and over again like language.”

Even though Ukrainian Canadians have grown up in this country, Karras said they continue to look back in history for identity and inspiration. “We continue to go home to our roots,” she said.

According to Statistics Canada, in 2006, about 3.9 per cent of Canada’s population reported at least some Ukrainian ancestry. In B.C., about 4.8 per cent reported some Ukrainian ancestry.

The Canadian Encyclopedia website estimates Canadians of Ukrainian descent are Canada’s ninth largest ethnic group and that Canada has the world’s third-largest Ukrainian population behind Ukraine and Russia.

For more info, visit auucvancouver.ca

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