Ukrainian Exhibit: A Celebration of Heritage and Community

September is Ukrainian Heritage Month in Canada and the Ukrainian communities have been an integral part of our Island’s history. They have shaped our cultural landscape and enriched our multicultural society for the past 130 years. At CBU, we recognize the significant role the Ukrainian communities have played and continue to play in Unama’ki – Cape Breton and Canada as a whole.

Dr. Marcia Ostashewski, Founding Director at the Centre for Sound Communities and Associate Professor in Ethnomusicology at CBU, leads the launch of the Ukrainian Exhibit that takes place on Monday, September 16, at 2:00pm at the Pit Lounge. The exhibit includes five richly decorated and informative panels, augmented with items and artifacts that tell of the histories, cultural practices, relationships with other communities and contributions of people of Ukrainian ancestry in Cape Breton.

Funded in part by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, some of the exhibit contributes to a broader project aimed at fostering reconciliation with local Mi’kmaq communities. The original project was recently expanded with two additional panels focusing especially on the significant contributions of Ukrainian women and girls to parish activities and wider community life.

The exhibit is the collective effort of many groups and key collaborators within the CBU and Cape Breton communities. “One thing that’s really important about this work is that the community, particularly a group of women and a cultural committee at the parish, have been heavily involved as co-researchers, leading the research and development of the exhibit, its content and design,” Dr. Ostashewski says. “In addition to faculty members and students doing research, community-based researchers have been deeply involved, telling their own stories about what is important to them about their history, culture and communities.”

With a focus on the early history and contributions of Ukrainian settlers in Cape Breton, the first three panels highlight the relationships between the Ukrainian community and local Mi’kmaq peoples, documenting the cultural exchanges as well as mutual respect that developed over time. “The creation of these panels involved significant input from both Ukrainian community members and Elders from multiple Mi’kmaq communities in Unama’ki,” Dr. Ostashewski shares. These panels also explore the broader interactions between Ukrainian settlers and other immigrant groups, emphasizing the role of community in building a shared regional identity.

The two newer panels highlight the vital roles women and girls have played in maintaining cultural traditions, supporting parish life and fostering community development. These panels were created with guidance from the Ukrainian parish’s cultural committee so that some of the most meaningful stories and achievements of these diverse women are represented from their own perspectives.

Through the panels and artifacts, Dr. Ostashewski hopes visitors will gain a deeper appreciation of the Ukrainian communities’ contributions. “I hope visitors will learn about the rich history and the connections of people of Ukrainian ancestry with communities here in Unama’ki – Cape Breton, across North America and around the world,” she says.

The exhibit would not have been possible without the contributions of many individuals including Dr. Marcia Ostashewski; Laurianne Sylvester, Dean of Unama’ki College; Jane Arnold, archivist at the Beaton Institute; Graham Marshall and many Elders from various Mi’kmaq communities; Ukrainian community co-researchers Darlene Baggio, Stefania Sawka, Denise O’Keefe, Darene Yavorsky and Ken Horechuk; Father Roman Dusanowskyj, Father Volodymyr Perun and Ukrainian choir director Myroslava Perun.

The panels will be on display at the CBU Library Lounge on the first floor until the end of October, providing an opportunity for the campus community to learn about and appreciate the significant contributions of local Ukrainian communities. Following its time at CBU, the exhibit will find a permanent home at the Ukrainian Parish Hall, ensuring that these stories continue to inspire future generations.