Local Ukrainians celebrate Independence Day
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 26/08/2019 (2412 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
The rainy day Saturday did not dampen the celebratory spirit of Ukrainian Independence Day festivities, as the happy crowd lit up the Ukrainian Reading Association Hall with joy.
Festivities were originally planned to take place at the Riverbank Discovery Centre, but the rainy weather forced the group to change venues at the last minute, organizer Dave Federowich said.
“It was a bit of a hectic morning, but we got it moved and everyone found their way here,” he said.
It was an unexpected need, but the group was ready with a backup plan to move the festivities from the Riverbank Discovery Centre to the Ukrainian Reading Association Hall.
The day featured a variety of activities including traditional dancing, poems and bands.
This year to make the party bigger and brighter, hosts Ukrainian-Canadian Association of Brandon (Tryzub) looked to bring in entertainment from across Westman.
The celebration has changed over the years, Federowich said, this year especially as they decided to go larger to include the Westman community.
“Ukrainians are proud of their culture and heritage, and how colourful our culture is with the dancing and songs and poems,” he said.
Federowich used to live in Dauphin and served as Canada’s National Ukraine Festival president in the past. He used the relationships he fostered over the years to bring in more people, including the Dauphin group Bratsva Studios Ukrainian Dance.
A major focus of the day is to educate the youth to impart the importance of extolling and maintaining the culture and tradition of the Ukraine so they can carry it forward, he said.
“It’s important for the younger kids to know why they’re here and what they’re doing it for. Hopefully they carry on that tradition.”
As well, the Independence Day celebrations have been enriched by Ukrainian immigrants moving to the community, Federowich said, as they can help carry the culture and heritage forward in the city.
He is grateful for the support they have received in hosting the festivities, especially from volunteers who ensured the day was a success.
As members get older, it is important to have these important and diverse community members around to carry the spiritual Ukrainian culture torch into the future.
Ukrainian Independence Day commemorates the liberation of Ukraine after years of hardship under the Soviet Union, he said.
“It’s also a time to remember the fallen soldiers that fought for the freedom and the future of Ukraine.”
» ckemp@brandonsun.com
» Twitter: @The_ChelseaKemp