Visiting the Musée St. Paul Museum and their Ukrainian Exhibit

Larisa Sembaliuk Cheladyn had posted on October 19, 2025, on Facebook, one photo of a motif that she had completed and installed at the Museum in St. Paul, AB, and this caught my attention.

“Done and delivered to the Museum in St. Paul, AB. BIRDS were very common motifs painted and stenciled on walls among immigrants from Bukovyna. This Pattern is originally from Borivtsi, Ukraine. It was inspired by embroidery on a blouse by "Mrs Peter Zukiwsky nee Zojitsa Watamaniuk" c 1935 while living near Shandro, AB.”

This warranted a trip to St. Paul. I checked out their website and saw that they are open on Wednesday and Thursday, 10 am to 4 pm, during the off-season. Note that they are closed in January and February. Admission is $10 per adult. They also provide personal tours if you call or email them in advance.

I was expecting a small room, but was surprised and taken aback. It was a very cold day, so we did not check out the other buildings on the site. This is for another trip in the spring of 2026. I also want to spend more time looking at each of the items in the Ukrainian display and other sights.

They have two museums in one. The Musée Historique de St. Paul Historical Museum and the Peoples’ Museum Society of/de St. Paul & District. We saw the School House, St. Paul de Metis display, Wanchuk Lumber Camp Model, Hair Salon, Vintage Dental Display etc.

This area of our province of Alberta (previously known as NWT) “was important to First Nations groups and fur traders. The important Winnipeg Trail from Fort Winnipeg to Fort Edmonton passed through here. Father Lacombe established a Metis settlement on the shore of the local lake in 1896. The Peoples’ Museum Society of St. Paul & District uses a variety of displays to illustrate how farming has changed since the first homesteaders settled here.” 

Source: https://tourismealberta.ca/en/attrait/musee-st-paul-museum/

A new display is the “Ukrainian Display”. “Dr. Amil Shapka has worked hard to update their Ukrainian Cultural Display. This display honors our Ukrainian Immigrants with their stories of survival, photos, artifacts, traditions, etc. You will not be disappointed!”

So true. This project is a legacy of the St. Paul & District Ukrainian Cultural Society, created by a dedicated and talented team. I was truly impressed by the scope of the collection and the thoughtful effort that went into assembling this display. It is exceptionally well-researched and stands as an artistic masterpiece, featuring original documents, handmade implements, and more.

The handout includes sections on:

• Why did they come?

• Who were they?

• Journey to Canada

• Heading West

• Almost There

• The Farm

• By the sweat of their brows

• Immigrant Women

• Health and Medicine

• Faith and the New Church

• Education and the Ukrainian Press

• World War I and “Enemy Aliens”

This matches to the historical panels in the display rooms. They have these handouts in English, French and Ukrainian!

Dr. Amil Shapka and Larisa Sembaliuk Cheladyn are second cousins! Some of the Ukrainian settlers in the display are their ancestors, relatives, or neighbors. I was really excited to see the focus more on Bukovyna, as Galicia seems to take so much of the spotlight in general. This exhibit is focused on local history, and more of the early settlers in this area just happen to be from Bukovyna, which is reflected in their content. Surnames include Pylipiw, Eleniak, Ruptash, Eliuk, Fakas, Zacharuk, Taschuk, Kuzyk, Sembaliuk, Delawski, Kordowski, Pawliuk … (note that I am related to the Pawliuk family through my Baba's family branch).

“Mother dug a plot of land and planted the wheat she had brought from the old country in a small, brittle bundle. Every day, she watered it with her tears.” 

~ Memories of Maria Adamowska ~

This photo does not show everything. The display is bigger than this!

For more information:

Musée St. Paul Museum
https://stpaulmuseum.ca/  

Musée St. Paul Museum, Go East of Edmonton.com
https://goeastofedmonton.com/places/st-paul/musee-st-paul-museum/  

It was a picture that caught my attention, so I hope that some of these photos attract your interest! Definitely worth a drive to St. Paul, Alberta, Canada.

Using Creative Non-Fiction Writing in a Family History Book

I am in the process of writing my second family history book. In 1993, I was lucky to have many relatives still alive, especially those who knew their parents and grandparents who came to Canada from the former Galicia under the Austria-Hungarian Empire in 1897.

Now 31 years later, I am finding it difficult to write stories about my great grandparents and their children. Whenever I hear that an elder relative is still alive, I rush out to visit them.

On April 23, 2024, I watched the Ukrainian Genealogy Group – NCR (Ottawa) webinar on “Ghosts in a Photograph" by Myrna Kostash. I was so impressed with Myrna that I went out and purchased her book, “Ghosts in a Photograph: A Chronicle” by NeWest Press, 2022.
http://ukrainiangenealogygroup-ncr.org/WebinarRecordings.html

Creative nonfiction is a genre of writing that uses elements of creative writing to present a factual, true story. Creative Nonfiction is focused on reality, as it relies on research to render events as accurately as possible. It must be scrupulous in one’s attention to detail like a journalist. Creative nonfiction seems to be a perfect match with family history writing especially with the earlier generations of one’s family and gaps in history.

There are numerous online courses and articles; to help understand this process of writing. There are also examples of short creative nonfiction writing online. I find it exciting to learn how to write true stories in a compelling way.

With the 2024 Kalynchuk Family History book, I am combining genealogy facts and stories from the 1993 family history book with the literature review of numerous Ukrainian Canadian, Ukraine and Galicia history books, articles, and online sources. We are lucky that the first wave of Ukrainian settlers to Western Canada has been well documented.

I am also using ChatGPT, EditGPT and Grammarly. However, I know to be cautious with ChatGPT as it does make up false things. This is called “hallucination" so this is why everything needs to be double-checked. Thank goodness for new technology and a new writing genre to assist me.

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Being an introvert and enjoying getting into the “zone”, I look forward to taking on this challenge to create wonderful stories about my ancestors to include in the 2024 Kalynchuk Family History book.

Resources:

A Complete Guide to Writing Creative Nonfiction
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/a-complete-guide-to-writing-creative-nonfiction

Examples of Creative Nonfiction: What It Is & How to Write It
https://selfpublishing.com/examples-of-creative-nonfiction/

Creative nonfiction
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creative_nonfiction

How to Write Creative Non-Fiction
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q85nRfiHdV8

Ghosts in a Photograph: A Chronicle, Myrna Kostash
This book has won the 2024 Kobzar Book Award https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61238396-ghosts-in-a-photograph

Researching Ukrainian Canadians in Manitoba

The first Ukrainian family came to Manitoba in 1891 and settled on a farm near Gretna, where many Mennonites who spoke the Ukrainian language already lived, according to an article published in 1951 by the Manitoba Historical Society in celebration of the 60th anniversary of their arrival. In 1892, a group of Ukrainians from Halychyna settled in the Cooks Creek area of Manitoba.

The first Ukrainian rural settlements were established in August of 1896 by immigrants from Galicia and Bukovyna at Stuartburn and Lake Dauphin. They travelled to Dominion City by train and the twenty or more miles to the Stuartburn district by wagon. New settlements of Ukrainian families were also established during this period in the Pleasant Home, Lake Dauphin, Strathclair, Shoal Lake, Sifton and Ethelbert districts. Source: Early Settlers in Manitoba – The Ukrainians by Anthony Garbolinsky.
https://digitalcollections.lib.umanitoba.ca/islandora/object/uofm%3A2379220/datastream/PDF/view

Many of the earliest immigrants didn’t actually call themselves Ukrainians, instead referring to themselves as Ruthenians.

Alex Kolebaba and family at Gardenton, 1917.
Courtesy of the Archives of Manitoba

“Manitoba, especially its capital city of Winnipeg, will always have great historical significance in the settlement of Ukrainians in Canada. This was the first stopping place (at the Immigration Hall) for groups of Ukrainian immigrants who dispersed from here to their final destinations, the homesteads. In 1891, the year of the first wave of settlement, there were 4,833,000 souls in Canada and 152,506 in Manitoba.” Source: Ukrainian Canadian Congress – Manitoba Provincial Council.

Manitoba History: Welcoming Immigrants at the Gateway to Canada’s West: Immigration Halls in Winnipeg, 1872-1975 by Robert Veneberg, Manitoba Historical Society Archives, Winnipeg, 2011 https://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/mb_history/65/immigrationhalls.shtml

Manitoba History: “Canadians and Ukrainians Inseparably”: Recent Writing on the History of Ukrainian Settlement in Canada by Peter Melnycky, Manitoba Historical Society Archives, 1992 https://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/mb_history/24/ukrainians.shtml

Ukrainian Settlements in Manitoba
Article taken from Ukrainian Catholic Churches of Winnipeg Archeparchy, History of Ukrainian Catholic Churches in Canada, Volume 4 by Anna Maria Kowcz-Baran, Saskatoon, 1991.
https://www.archeparchy.ca/wcm-docs/docs/Ukrainian_Settlements_in_Manitoba.pdf

Manitoba Vital Statistics Branch, Province of Manitoba
https://vitalstats.gov.mb.ca/genealogy.html

Archives of Manitoba, Province of Manitoba
https://www.gov.mb.ca/chc/archives/

The Manitoba Genealogical Society, Inc.
https://mbgenealogy.com/

Local History and Genealogy Resources Information Guide – Winnipeg Public Library
https://guides.wpl.winnipeg.ca/localhistory

East European Genealogical Society
Based in Winnipeg, Manitoba
https://eegsociety.org/

Ukrainian Canadian Congress – Manitoba Provincial Council
https://uccmanitoba.ca/

Manitoba, CanGenealogy
https://www.cangenealogy.com/manitoba.html

Manitoba, Canada Genealogy – FamilySearch
https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Manitoba,_Canada_Genealogy

Manitoba GenWeb Project
https://sites.rootsweb.com/~canmb/index.htm

Manitoba Genealogy (private group)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1636186383286595

Manitoba History: A Public Discussion Forum of the MHS (private group)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/manitobahistory

Manitoba History (private group)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1036509169818642/

Winnipeg and Manitoba history (public group)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/971227750235526/

Manitoba’s Abandoned History (private group)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/739382209487285/

Books:

Dictionary of Ukrainian Canadian Biography: Pioneer Settlers of Manitoba, 1891-1900, Vladimir J. Kaye, Ukrainian Canadian Research Foundation, 1975

Pioneer Profiles: Ukrainian Settlers in Manitoba, Michael Ewanchuk, Winnipeg, 1981

Hardships and Progress of Ukrainian Pioneers: Memoirs from Stuartburn Colony and Other Points, Peter Humeniuk, Winnipeg, 1977
A Guide to the Study of Manitoba Local History, Gerald Friesen and Barry Potyondi, Winnipeg, 1981

Finding Your Canadian Ancestors: A Beginner’s Guide, Sherry Irvine and Dave Obee, Ancestry Publishing, 2007. Chapter 18: Manitoba

Ukrainian settlers on their farm near Stuartburn, Manitoba,
early 1900’s, Courtesy of Olga Drozd on Pinterest.ca 

Researching Ukrainian Canadians in Saskatchewan

The first two Ukrainian settlers arrived in Canada in 1891 followed by tens of thousands until the start of the First World War. Most Ukrainian immigrants of this period were identified on government records as Poles, Russians, Austrians, Bukovinians, Galicians and Ruthenians, arriving from provinces in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The vast majority of these immigrants settled in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta.

The first wave of Ukrainian settlers to Saskatchewan arrived in the 1890’s and were mainly from the area of current Western Ukraine known as Halychyna or Galicia. Approximately 13% of Saskatchewan residents trace all or part of their ancestry to the former Galicia and Bukovina, according to the last census. Saskatchewan become a province in 1905 and prior to that it was the Saskatchewan and Assiniboia districts. This area was part of the Northwest Territories.

1917 Country Wedding, Sask. Courtesy of Archives Canada

There are a number of smaller rural communities in Western Canada with significant proportions of Ukrainians including Canora, Speers, Bradwell, Krydor, and Hafford, Saskatchewan. They settled around Rosthern and Yorkton-Canora districts of Saskatchewan. Many more of the smaller place names are listed in the “Dictionary of Ukrainian Canadian Biography: Pioneer Settlers of Saskatchewan-Assiniboia”, page vii.

There are numerous books about Ukrainians in Canada listing Ukrainian settlers and local community history books which settled in Saskatchewan. In the “Sources for Researching Ukrainian Family History” book, by John-Paul Himka and Frances, A. Swyripa, CIUS, The University of Alberta, 1984, on pages 34-35, it lists 20 local history books in Saskatchewan.

I assisted my friend, Ann V. (Thoms) Lummerding with the publishing of her "Thoms (Toms) Family History 1898 – 2002" book. Her family settled southwest of Alvena, Fish Creek and in the Bruno district, Saskatchewan. I also have some in-laws in my family branches who are from Saskatchewan and many of my immediate family members live in Lloydminster.

Hafford, Sask., Ruthenian Church,
Courtesy of Prairie Towns.com

About Ukrainians in Saskatchewan - Immigration and Settlement Patterns
https://www.ucc.sk.ca/oldsite/about.htm

About Ukrainians – Ukrainians in Saskatchewan
https://www.ucc.sk.ca/en/about/ukrainians-in-sk

Saskatchewan Genealogical Society
https://saskgenealogy.com/

Saskatchewan Genealogical Society – Regina Branch – Links page
https://sites.rootsweb.com/~canrbsgs/pages/links.html

The Provincial Archives of Saskatchewan (PAS)
https://www.saskarchives.com/

PAS online catalogue
https://search.saskarchives.com/

Saskatchewan Vital Statistics - eHealth Saskatchewan
https://www.ehealthsask.ca/residents/genealogy

Saskatchewan Public Library – Local History
https://saskatoonlibrary.ca/collections/local-history/

Saskatchewan Newspapers
http://sabnewspapers.usask.ca/browse/city

Saskatchewan Wheat Pool Maps 60 years: 1924-1984
https://saskgenweb.ca/skwheat/

Saskatchewan Online Genealogy Records - FamilySearch.org
https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Saskatchewan_Online_Genealogy_Records

Sask Gen Web – The Saskatchewan Genealogy Web
https://saskgenweb.ca/cansk/Saskatchewan/

Saskatchewan – CanGenelogy
https://www.cangenealogy.com/saskatchewan.html

Saskatchewan History and Folklore Society
http://www.shfs.ca/

Saskatchewan-Ukraine Relations – Government of Saskatchewan
https://www.saskatchewan.ca/government/government-structure/boards-commissions-and-agencies/saskatchewan--ukraine-relations

Pioneers of Canada – Saskatchewan
https://www.geni.com/projects/Pioneers-of-Canada-Saskatchewan/17832

Ukrainian Cultural Identity Deeply Rooted in Province
https://www.saskculture.ca/impact/success-stories/ukrainian-cultural-identity-deeply-rooted-in-province

Ukrainian Museum of Canada, Saskatchewan Branch
https://umcnational.ca/

Saskatchewan – Cyndi’s List
https://www.cyndislist.com/canada/provinces/sk/

Saskatchewan Genealogy (private group)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/107074456308967

Saskatchewan Genealogy Network (private group)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/805637286215465/

Historical Saskatchewan (public group)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/472456403800111

Old Saskatchewan (private group)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/424339521497698

Saskatchewan: History and memories (private group)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/growingupinsk/

Saskatchewan History (Private group)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/735338344738910/

Saskatchewan Memories (private group)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1607888836109581/

Saskatchewan Adoption Search & Reunion (private group)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/178843212709623/

Saskatchewan Archives Week (public group, first week of February)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/44912069786

Aerial Photos of Saskatchewan Towns, Villages, Farms (public group)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/360702462918687/

Українці в Саскатчевані / Ukrainians in Saskatchewan
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1047710605310057/

Canora, Sask., Courtesy of Prairie Towns.com

Books and a Video

Tracing Your Saskatchewan Ancestors: A Guide to the Records and How to Use Them, Laura M. Hanowski, ed., Regina, Saskatchewan Genealogical Society, 2000.

How to Research Your Ukrainian Ancestry in Saskatchewan: Rodovid/Genealogy, Kathlyn Szalasznyj, Saskatoon, Ukrainian Canadian Committee, 1986

Dictionary of Ukrainian Canadian Biography of Pioneer Settlers of Saskatchewan-Assiniboia, 1892-1904, Dr. V. Kaye, East European Genealogical Society, 2018, (This book is no longer available from the distributor and they are working to find an alternative distributor).

Finding Your Canadian Ancestors: A Beginner’s Guide, Sherry Irvine and Dave Obee, Ancestry Publishing, 2007. Chapter 25: Saskatchewan

Ukrainian Genealogy, John D. Pihach, Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies Press, 2007, (Includes information on school records (pg. 26) and church records (pg. 46-49) in Saskatchewan.)

For Harry - Harry Tkachuk traveled from the Ukraine to settle in Saskatchewan, Canada.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=501FiHsZobc&t=132s

Local History Books

Another good resource for someone who is researching on ancestors from Alberta and especially from rural communities are the local history books. They provide information on individual parishes, school districts, organizations, and villages/towns (including ones which no longer exist). They contain a large section on the biographies of local families which is a gold mine to family researchers.

These two books may assist you in finding out about the earlier publications:

• Peel’s Bibliography of the Canadian Prairies to 1953 by Ernest Ingles, Edmonton Public Library, 016.9712 ING

• Alberta, 1954-1979 A Provincial Bibliography compiled by Gloria M. Strathern, Edmonton Public Library, 013.97123 ALB

(Update: I have taken these two books out from the EPL and both are excellent resources.)

One location for these local history books is at the Alberta Genealogical Society library. However, note that they do not have a public index for their collection, so you have to scan the shelves.

When I checked online at the Alberta Genealogical Society, Edmonton Branch, Alberta Name Index (ANI) … https://www.edmontongenealogy.ca/alberta-name-index-ani

I got no results under my Kalynchuk family branch however when I checked under my Baba’s family, I got 3 results including my great grandfather, Partemy Pawliuk. I also got some results on my great grandmother’s family, the Tkachuk’s.

However, when I went to the Provincial Archives of Alberta, I found the largest collection of local history books in Edmonton. And what is really impressive is that they have a Local History Catalogue (two index binders).

Two index binders at PAA

With my Kalynchuk family branch, there is the Reflections: A History of Elk Point and District book, 1977 and the Supplement book in 1978. Then there is the Land of Red and White: 1875 – 1975 or alternate title is the Frog Lake and Districts to 1978 which includes the district of Primula which my earliest ancestors in Alberta, last settled at. For example, there are school pictures with my father, his sisters and cousins.

With this I realized that I need to locate the local history book(s) for the Wostok and Andrew areas which they initially settled at, next. As you can see with some more investigation, I was available to figure out what local history books to review.

This is a lesson on not to take the easy, quick route with one look-up on an online database or two. And that sometimes it is worth going to a library and looking through an index binder or scanning the shelves to find possible new resources. At some of the festivals which I had a display table at, I am having some people tell me that they are “hitting brick walls”, and over and over I am reminded not to limit my research scope. Just because my family did not participate much in the local history book projects, I still can find valuable information on the counties which they lived in and about their neighbours and extended family members.

Local history books at PAA

Provincial Archives of Alberta (PAA) - Reference Library
8555 Roper Road, Edmonton
The Reference Library holds approximately 1,500 published local and community histories from across the province. https://provincialarchives.alberta.ca/how-to/search-your-genealogy

Alberta Genealogical Society – AGS Library Research Centre
https://www.abgenealogy.ca/alberta-records-name-index (180,000+ local history book records)
https://www.abgenealogy.ca/ags-library-research-centre then go to the “Alberta Local Histories tab and download the PDF https://www.abgenealogy.ca/uploads/files/Resources/AlbertaHistories.pdf

Edmonton Public Library - North of 52 Collection
The Stanley A. Milner Library (downtown) has a genealogy room and many local history books.
Digital Content/Genealogy & History - https://www.epl.ca/resources/genealogy/
North of 52 Collection - https://www.epl.ca/genealogy/
You can also search under the “North of 52 Collection”.

Other Resources:

Alberta-Ukraine Genealogical Project - Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village
Other Useful Links/Family History Index* (431 pages long). This is excellent resource to check on whether your family has a family story in one of the local history books in their collection.
https://sites.ualberta.ca/~ukrville/Family_History_Portal/fhp.htm

*I found my great grandparents, Elko and Anastasia Kalynchuk here stating that they are mentioned in the “Ukrainian Canadian Biography” book on page 117. The surname is spelt, Kalinchuk and Kalanczuk. The full title of this book is, “Dictionary of Ukrainian Canadian Biography of Pioneer Settlers of Alberta 1891-1900”.

Ukrainian Pioneers Association of Alberta
Scanned copies of their three books and the Dictionary of Ukrainian Canadian Biography of Pioneer Settlers of Alberta 1891 - 1900. A really good website to check on whether your family has a story in one of these four books. (Update: the first blue book for 1970 has not been scanned and only shows the table of contents.)
https://ukrainianpioneers.wordpress.com/resources/publications/

Peel’s Prairie Provinces, University of Alberta Libraries, Find Books
http://peel.library.ualberta.ca/bibliography/

University of Calgary, Digital Collections, Local Histories
https://digitalcollections.ucalgary.ca/archive/Local-Histories-2R3BF1F0GWNK0.html

University of Calgary, Glenbow Western Research Centre 

Glenbow Library and Archives
https://glenbow.ucalgary.ca/

Your Guide to Western Canadian History with Alberta Books
http://bookpublishers.ab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/history_cat_2014.pdf


Used Bookstores in Edmonton:

Alberta Local Histories at
Alhambra Books

Alhambra Books, 

10115 – 81 Avenue, Edmonton

When I searched online, I got 55 results for “Ukrainian” including a “really good find” which I picked up when I went to check out this store. I also got 18 results for “genealogy” and later plan on returning to pick up some books on Irish and Scottish genealogy. Their section on local history books is at the front of the store and nearby are the Ukrainian Canadian history books.
https://www.abebooks.com/alhambra-books-edmonton-ab-canada/3054340/sf

Geological History of Western Canada
 at The Edmonton Book Store

The Edmonton Book Store, 

10533 – 82 Avenue, Edmonton
This is the bookstore which I have purchased many Ukrainian Canadian history books over the years. You go downstairs and it is the full wall of books to the right. I found a couple “good books” when I visited them today. The Western Canada local history books are on the main floor, on two shelves in a corner. https://edmontonbookstore.com/


Purchase Used Local History Books Online:

AbeBooks (Advanced Book Exchange)
https://www.abebooks.com/

Alibris
https://www.alibris.com/

Amazon.ca
https://www.amazon.ca/

Biblio
https://www.biblio.com/

Ukrainian Day at the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village - Display Table

I had a “Trace Your Roots – Ukrainian Canadian Genealogy” display table at this event on Sunday, August 20, 2023, in rural Alberta.

The Alberta-Ukraine Genealogy Project (AUGP) was launched on August 13, 2006, and ended in 2018. This project operated out of the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village. Some of their work is on the Family History Portal – University of Alberta. And the AUGP documents have been sent to the Basilian Fathers Museum in Mundare, Alberta. I have a binder of the AUGP Family History Index which was a very popular look ups at my display table (it is online at their portal). Many people found the community history books that their ancestors have a family history story.

https://sites.ualberta.ca/~ukrville/Family_History_Portal/fhp.htm

https://basilianmuseum.ca/

Numerous people approached my table from the first wave of Ukrainian settlers (1892-1915) to Ukrainian newcomers. I even had a couple Ukrainian University of Alberta students talk to me about Ukraine’s history in the 1700-1800’s. One lady spoke about how doing genealogy is like detective work as she encouraged her son to get more involved. If you are also organized and have a good memory, this is a bonus. Lots of people also commented about having someone in their family who is or has done their family history. This is good to hear.

Some spoke about how their grandparents did not want to talk about the “old country” nor about the first years in Canada. Our sense was that it was very difficult. We also chatted about how time heals and that some details years ago that were an issue, today are part of life. I remember after publishing my Kalynchuk Family History book in 1993, one of my cousins commented about people only writing what was good and not the full story. And I remember my Aunties telling me to put down my pen and they will tell me some real good stories. When I got home or in my car, I took notes and am very grateful for this.



A couple of people told me that they have Igor Voronchak or Andriy Dorosh doing their genealogy research in Western Ukraine, and this made me very happy as I know the professional level of work that these two gentlemen do.

Igor Voronchak can be reached at voronchak@ukr.net

Andriy Dorosh can be reached at andriy@doroshheritagetours.com or through https://doroshheritagetours.com/

Anthony Hrabok and Henriette Chomiak are the Coordinators of the Folk Arts venue at the Vegreville Pysanka Festival and share the love of doing genealogy and family research with me. They came and assisted at our display table. Also, Anthony knew how to set up and take down the tent. I pulled up Henriette’s grandfather, Wasyl’s profile on Ancestry and she was excited to find out that 15 people have family trees on him, on Ancestry.ca. I really appreciate their assistance and friendship.

Henriette, Anthony, Nathan and Elaine

I also met up with a few people who I had volunteered with in the past on other projects, and one highlight was seeing Nathan Ip. He is the MLA for Edmonton South-West. We volunteered together on Gary Mar and Dave Hancock’s political campaigns. Nathan was born in Taiwan.

I brought all of the same information that I had at the Vegreville Pysanka Festival but adapted to having only one 6-foot table. A lesson learned is to go through my books in advance and pull out the most important ones. I had my car parked behind the table, but it would be easier if I had only one box to carry out instead of looking through four boxes and a few recycle bags!

We were near the Band Shell and it was wonderful to hear the music. As we were packing up the song, Kalyna was playing. This is the root of my surname and the original singer Sofia Rotaru, from the Chernitsi region.

I am grateful to the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, Alberta Provincial Council for organizing and hosting this event. The program that they put together was impressive and the number of volunteers especially Ukrainian newcomers was wonderful to see. The Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village is a worthwhile place to visit anytime during the summer months. On the weekends, they have special events.

They also have an exhibit gallery to provide a closer understanding of early Ukrainian settlement in east central Alberta.  https://ukrainianvillage.ca/

The Ukrainian Canadian Congress - Alberta Provinicial Council also has a link to the "Community Events in Alberta". At the bottom of the event page is "Subscribe to calendar" and I receive their e-newsletter via Outlook. https://www.uccab.ca/

Vegreville Pysanka Festival - “Trace Your Roots” display table & official launch of this blog!

I headed out to Vegreville on Wednesday, July 5th, 2023, to take in the orientation session at the Vegreville Pysanka Festival office. After this meeting, with Henriette Chomiak & Anthony Hrabok (Coordinators of the venue), we went to the Folk Arts venue to start unloading my boxes from the car. Was excited to get a closed glass display unit and a tall brochure stand which Anthony had cleaned up. Henriette and Jeannette who was helping at the table, added lots of materials to the display tables area. This reminded me of a perogy supper with different cooks adding “stuff” to the pot. It all came together, looked good and added more of a variety.

A real good idea was having two maps of Ukraine on the front table. One was in Ukrainian for recent newcomers to add a pin to where they came from. The second map was in English and was for Canadians to add a pin to where their ancestors came from in Ukraine or nearby there. Some of the Ukrainians looked at the map but could not place a pin on it because their villages/cities and homes are destroyed.

With the second map, most of the Canadians put pins in Western Ukraine and the other pins where for the families who came to Canada between the wars (WWI & WWII). This task started a lot of the conversations. One gentleman brought his ancestor’s passport, and we were able to get a PhD student from the next table, (Kule Folklore Centre, University of Alberta) to translate it.

A volunteer started using her cell phone to look up the locations of small villages on Google Maps which was very helpful. And I had Brian Lenius’ book, “Genealogical Gazetteer of Galicia” to refer to. A father was there with his two daughters and their family village is Kamenets-Podol’skiy. I have been to this place a few times and they enjoyed my stories about visiting the castle and nearby village. This father plans on taking his daughters there one day. And he was looking it up on his phone as I was talking!

One surprise was how many people came to the festival from other provinces and were inquiring about Saskatchewan and Manitoba, or via the USA, migration. Even recent newcomers were inquiring about distant relatives who came to Canada. And people arrived who knew some of my family members.

We had a good selection of the main Ukrainian genealogy books, family history books, how to get start and gaining research skills, reference books, surveyor field maps, tourist materials from Ukraine, community history books, examples of research reports from Ukraine, brochures from related organizations, handouts on getting started and upcoming events and courses (e.g., AGS annual conference), etc.

With the people coming to this table, most inquiries were from people planning on starting their family research or from seasoned researchers looking for tips and advice with researching in Ukraine and Europe. A lot of people took our business cards. My business card listed this blog on the back. During the 3 days of the festival, over 260 new visitors came to this blog.

Lessons learned:

• This table was intended to provide a service, so stay focused.
• You don’t have to put out everything that you brought.
• Listen to the people arriving at your table, on what they are asking for.
• Make sure you have enough volunteers to assist.
• Take more pictures of the exciting exchanges involving family history and stories.
• Bring more snacks and bottled water, especially with the 10-hour Saturday shift!

Vegreville Pysanka Festival
https://www.pysankafestival.com/
https://www.facebook.com/PysankaFestival/

The next “Trace Your Roots – Ukrainian Canadian Genealogy” display table will be at the “Ukrainian Day” on Sunday, August 20, 2023, at the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village near Edmonton, Alberta.

https://ukrainianvillage.ca/
https://ukrainianvillage.ca/ukrainian-day

And a vendor table at the Alberta Genealogical Society (AGS) 50th Anniversary - Annual Conference in Edmonton, on September 23, 2023.

https://www.abgenealogy.ca/
https://www.abgenealogy.ca/ags-celebrates-it-s-50th-anniversary

    

Ukrainian Canadian History

In 1891 Iwan Pyllipiw and Wasyl Eleniak were recorded as the first Ukrainians in Canada, while Stefan Koroluk also filed his homestead in Alberta. There also had been some other individuals who had arrived earlier, but this year is considered the start of the Ukrainian settlement in Western Canada.

The first wave from 1892 to 1914, were mainly peasants and farmers fleeing the Austro-Hungarian Empire. There was limited land, primitive farming methods, malnutrition, widespread illiteracy, mounting indebtedness etc. Most Ukrainians emigrated to Canada came from Galicia and Bukovina in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. This first wave of Ukrainian settlers halted in 1914 due the start of World War I. Approximately 170,000 Ukrainians from the Austro-Hungarian Empire arrived in Canada.

My Kalynchuk and Stetsko ancestors arrived in Halifax, Canada on April 30, 1897, and made their way to the Edna-Star Ukrainian Bloc by the fall of 1897. They came from Galicia. My Pawliuk and Tkachuk ancestors arrived in Alberta in 1898 from Bukovina and settled near Smoky Lake, with other Bukovinians.

In the book, “Dictionary of Ukrainian Canadian Biography of Pioneer Settlers of Alberta, 1891-1900, Vladimir J. Kaye, 1984” (and some other books), I was able to find entries about my two-family branches. I continue to seek out more books and look at the contents and index first, under Galicia, Bukovina, and my family surnames and villages. We are quite fortunate that there are many publications and videos/ films produced about the first wave of Ukrainians, coming to Alberta and Western Canada.

Edited by books:

The Ukrainian Canadians: A Study in Assimilation, Charles H. Young, Edited by Helen R.Y. Reid, 1931

Continuity and Change: The Cultural Life of Alberta’s First Ukrainians, Edited by Manoly R. Lupul, 1988
https://marketplace.ualberta.ca/products/continuity-and-change-the-cultural-life-of-albertas-first-ukrainians

A Heritage in Transition: Essays in the History of Ukrainians in Canada, Edited by Manoly R. Lupul, 1982

New Soil – Old Roots: The Ukrainian Experience in Canada, Edited by Jaroslav Rozumnyj, assisted by Oleh W. Gerus and Myhailo H. Marunchak, 1983

Canada’s Ukrainians: Negotiating an Identity, 1891 – 1991, Edited by Stella Hryniuk and Lubomyr Y. Luciuk, 1991

Ukraine and Ukrainians Throughout the World: A Demographic and Sociological Guide to the Homeland and Its Diaspora, Edited by Ann Lencyk Pawliczko, 1994

Re-imaging Ukrainian Canadians: History, Politics and Identify, Edited by Rhonda L. Hinther and Jim Mochoruk, 2011

The Extraordinary Lives of Ukrainian-Canadian Women: Oral Histories of the Twentieth Century, Edited by Iroida Wynnychyj, 2022

Authored books:

Men in Sheepskin Coats: A Study in Assimilation, Vera Lysenko, 1947

The Ukrainians in Canada, Ol’ha Woycenko, Second Revised Edition, 1968

Vilni Zemli (Free Lands): The Ukrainian Settlement of Alberta, J. G. MacGregor, 1969

Chronology of Ukrainian Canadian History, Andrew Gregorovich, 1973
https://archive.org/details/chronologyofukra0000andr

Greater Than Kings: Ukrainian Pioneer Settlement in Canada, Zonia Keywan and Martin Coles, 1977

No Streets of Gold: A Social History of Ukrainians in Alberta, Helen Potrebenko, 1977

Land of Pain, Land of Promise: First Person Accounts by Ukrainian Pioneers 1891-1914, translated by Harry Piniuta, 1978

Recollections About the Life of the First Ukrainian Settlers in Canada, William Czumer, 1981

Ukrainian Canadians: A History, Michael Marunchak, 1982

Salt and Braided Bread: Ukrainian Life in Canada, Jars Balan, 1984

Peasants in the Promised Land: Canada and the Ukrainians, 1891-1914, Jaroslav Petryshyn and Luba Dzubak, 1985

Creating a Landscape: A Geography of Ukrainians in Canada, Lubomyr K. Luciuk and Bohdan S. Kordan, 1989

The Ukrainian Bloc Settlement in East Central Alberta, 1890-1930: A History, Orest T. Martynowych, 1985, preprint 1990
https://archive.org/details/ukrainianblocset00mart

Ukrainians in Canada: The Formative Period, 1891-1924, Orest T. Martynowych, 1991

Ukrainians in North America: An Illustrated History by Orest Subtelny, 1991

All of Baba’s Children, Myrna Kostash, Fourth Edition, 1992

The Land They Left Behind: Canada's Ukrainians in the Homeland, Stella Hryniuk and Jeffrey Picknicki, 1995

Community and Frontier: A Ukrainian Settlement in the Canadian Parkland, John C. Lehr, 2011

Community books:

Alberta in the 20th Century: A Journalistic History of the Province, Volume 1: The Great West Before 1900, edited by Ted Byfield, 1991

Alberta in the 20th Century: A Journalistic History of the Province, Volume 2: The Birth of the Province, 1900-1910, edited by Ted Byfield, 1992

Alberta in the 20th Century: Centennial Limited Edition, The Albertans: From Settlement to Super Province, 1905-2005, Author and Edited by Paul Stanway, 2005

Early Ukrainian Settlements in Canada, 1895-1900: Dr. Josef Oleskiw’s Role in the Settlement of the Canadian Northwest, Vladimir J. Kaye, 1964

Dictionary of Ukrainian Canadian Biography of Pioneer Settlers of Alberta, 1891-1900, Vladimir J. Kaye, 1984*
https://diasporiana.org.ua/wp-content/uploads/books/14179/file.pdf

The Ukrainian Pioneers in Alberta, Canada, The Ukrainian Pioneers in Alberta, Canada, 1970 (Blue book)*

Ukrainians in Alberta, Ukrainian Pioneers Association of Alberta, 1975 (Red book)*

Ukrainians in Alberta, Ukrainian Pioneers Association of Alberta, 1981, (Green book)*

(*Regarding the above mentioned four books, the Ukrainian Pioneers Association of Alberta has scanned and put these books online at their website, 

https://ukrainianpioneers.wordpress.com/resources/publications/ )

Videos

130th anniversary of Ukrainian Immigration to Canada Story
Historian Radomir Bilash tells the Iwan Pylypow & Vasyl Ilyniak (Eleniak) story of their immigration from Nebyliv, Ukraine to the current day Lamont County in Alberta, Canada in 1891.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqGP5rrnHh0

Studying Ukrainian Communities in Canada: Where to Start?, by Jars Balan
This is the second in a series of presentations for the 2021 Summer Institute at the Kule Folklore Centre for the project: Trapped in the Archives of Repression. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdlDQZ2aDFc

Ukrainian Archival Collections in Canada: Preserving the Past, Building the Future
May 11 – 13, 2018. Organized by the Kule Folklore Centre (KuFC), the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies (CIUS), and the Friends of the Kule Folklore Centre, the three-day event brought together some 70 archivists, academics, and community members interested in the state of Ukrainian archives in Canada and the challenges they face in the future. Keynote is Myron Momryk and 7 panel sessions.
http://ukrainian-archives.artsrn.ualberta.ca/, conference schedule
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0W64Q_Gg8hE&list=PLzaAluGOZByFxw0MPc15Ak5Fdc_KOSTtO

Steamship Agents During the First Wave of Immigration: Migrants and Historians Tell Different Stories, by Dr. Andriy Nahachewsk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICdxP65g_SI

Oldest film showing Ukrainians in Canada, 1921
This 23-minute film titled "The Ukrainians" is part of a series of early silent films in the Nation Building in Saskatchewan series. This video was posted on YouTube by Ed Monton. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_b9m9Tf7vSc

Ukrainian Winter Holidays, 1942
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecqK4wM9fyo

New Home In The West - Ukrainian pioneers/immigrants in Canada, 1943
Was posted on YouTube by Don Goodes. This early film is about the Ukrainian pioneers in central Canada. In 1943 when the film was released, Canada was in the throws of World War II.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMnqLR-y6bU

Ukrainians in Canada, 1946, Edmonton Festival
Has been posted on YouTube by Ed Monton. This is a rare film that highlights a festival of dance that took place in Edmonton in the summer of 1946. The first pioneer Wasyl Elyniak can be seen at 8:07.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxP0zBbiYoI

Kurelek/Курилик, 1967
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86hAzgPFUHw

Reflections of the Past, 1974, Ukrainian Pioneers, Manitoba, Canada
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSpkE9VamX0

Teach Me to Dance, 1978
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymh03NxLNAk

Wood Mountain Poems, 1978
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxa1ediYuqM

Canada Vignettes: Easter Eggs (pysanky) / Великодні писанки, 1978
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xb_rSMNRx74

Laughter in My Soul, 1983
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxJT01C4Xmk

Ukrainian Canadians - A Time to Remember, 1988
Ed Monton posted this video on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcGhp7W98d8

Memories of a Ukrainian boy growing up in Alberta in the 1920's
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kt55eu9C8Ak

A Place Called Shandro, Directed and produced by James E Motluk
An impressionistic documentary that chronicles the settlement of Alberta, Canada by Ukrainian immigrants at the turn of the 20th century. Narrated by the voices of actual pioneers and their descendants, their stories of struggle and celebration come to life through spectacular cinematography that captures the majesty and beauty of the prairie landscape they helped to tame.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_zcKXEzncs Trailer
https://vimeo.com/ondemand/aplacecalledshandro to rent this film

Courtesy of CIUS Press, 1988,
Book Image, Public Domain

Courtesy of the University of Alberta,
1991, Book Image, Public Domain