Ukrainian festival a celebration of culture

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This article was published 06/08/2019 (2306 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

DAUPHIN — The Canadian National Ukraine Festival, which took place in Dauphin over the long weekend, continues to honour Ukrainian culture.

Ryan Rauliuk, from Dauphin, has been volunteering with the event since he was a kid and said he was amazed at how far the festival has come.

The festival celebrated its 54th year this time around, Rauliuk said, explaining that is hard to not have pride in the event — especially as when he attended the show 25 years ago the future of the festival did not seem as cemented as it is now.

“Every year is historical because we always do something different. That’s what keeps us going,” Rauliuk said.

Sunday, in particular, has gotten stronger over the years, he said. What used to be a day that shut down at noon now lasts until 2 a.m.

Rauliuk appreciates how the board behind the festival has taken risks to help the show grow while building the bonds between community members.

“It’s a reunion every year for us,” Rauliuk said.

Over the years, the festival has changed to reflect the generational differences. Steps have been taken to bring in different types of entertainment that can attract the younger generation while still keeping the “Ukrainian flavour,” he said.

They have seen an influx in the number of Ukrainian immigrants coming to the festival and this has added to colourful mosaic celebrating the culture.

“There’s a different type of Ukrainian coming in,” Rauliuk said, describing how the festival blends Canadian Ukrainian culture with the old country now more than ever.

Rauliuk loves being able to share that passion with others over the course of the weekend. The Grandstand show is a highlight of for many he added given that it features incredible song and dance performances. He especially enjoys seeing the Cossacks ride over the hill.

John Orisko is a member of the historical re-enactment camp for Canada’s National Riding and Dancing Cossacks.

Participants ride horses wearing full costumes and have camp set up during the day trying to be authentic as possible to the era while displaying their Ukrainian hospitality.

The Cossacks represent a group of 1600s Ukrainian horse militia, and set up a traditional camp where they cook, eat, ride horses and shoot guns like they would have done in the past.

Orisko has been helping to host the camp for 12 years, and it has grown over time.

“This is where you get the biggest gathering of people with Ukrainian heritage,” Orisko said.

It captures a piece of Ukrainian heritage and history, and offers a way to reconnect with the routes of the culture.

“That’s a neat piece of history to hold on to,” he said. “It’s really neat to represent that — it’s so much like home.”

Gracey Gulak from Gilbert Plains danced with the Cossacks and Zirka Ukrainian Dance Ensemble in the Grandstand show over the weekend and also helped at the Cossack camp.

“It’s a big tourist attraction for the festival, a lot of people like to come,” Gulak said. “Performing, it’s just a great feeling to be on that stage and dance the best you can.”

The dance she showcases is lively, upbeat with many colourful costumes — it’s usually very entertaining for most people.

The show left guest Lydia Oleksandriw impressed. She travelled to the festival from Palmerston, Ont.

Her husband’s family is Ukrainian and they learned about the festival online. This year marked their third time attending the event.

“The music, we really enjoy it,” Oleksandriw said, adding that it is nice to have the chance to celebrate the culture in Manitoba.

The festival has brought her closer to the Ukrainian culture, and she always relishes and recognizes the music.

The highlight of the show is always the Grandstand performances.

“I really like the Cossacks on the horses,” she exclaimed. “The hopak, the last dance, is very thrilling in many ways.”

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