Prince Albert celebrated the first-ever Ukrainian Day celebration on Saturday at Little Red River Park.
The celebration brought long-standing residents and newcomers to showcase Prince Albert’s Ukrainian roots and cultural traditions.
There was a large group of Ukrainian newcomers who were part of the organizing committee along with representatives from the Ukrainian-Canadian community in Prince Albert. Olena Shpylchak and Iryna Dehtiar were just two of the Ukrainian newcomers who assisted in planning the event.
Dehtiar said the event was a way to thank Prince Albert residents and share Ukrainian culture.
She said that over 100 families have settled in Prince Albert since the Russian invasion began.
“We came some years ago and we are really thankful to Prince Albert and Canada for your help,” Dehtiar said. “We would like to be involved in community life and to unite with Canadians, Canadians with Ukrainians roots and just share our culture with everybody.”
Tehtiar said they wanted to combine the Ukrainian Heritage Day celebration and the Ukrainian Independence Day celebration.
“Just to make it in one place in the park where people can join us—different ages, different cultures, nationalities—and everybody is welcome,” Dehtiar said.
Dehtiar said Ukrainian newcomers felt like part of the community when they arrived in Prince Albert, and they wanted to return the favour.
The day opened with greetings from Prince Albert Northcote MLA Alana Ross and Mayor Bill Powalinsky and a prayer by Father Harry Salahub. The afternoon included performances by the Yevshan Ukrainian Folk Ballet Ensemble, Prince Albert’s Veselka Choir, and the Barveenok Ukrainian Dancers.
To lead into the evening, the Dean Bernier Band performed. There was also poetry by Darcy Blahut and a performance by sisters Kateyna Zakharchenko and Tatiana Samusenko.
There was a cultural tent with the Ukrainian Museum of Canada. This included some embroidery workshops. There were newcomers in the cultural tent with crafts and activities, games for families, a Ukrainian backdrop made by newcomers for photos and a Ukrainian fashion show.
Shpylchak said it was great to be a part of the community and do something for the community.
“It’s not just Ukrainian Independence Day, it’s not about just about Ukrainians,” Shplylchak said.
“We are in Prince Albert and Prince Albert helped us and we are in the community,” Dehtiar said.
They both said it was a way to create a bigger and brighter event to celebrate Ukrainian culture in Prince Albert.
“We have a lot of reasons to celebrate Heritage Day in Saskatchewan, Ukrainian Independence Day, so a lot of reasons to have fun (and) many Canadian have Ukrainian roots,” Shpylchak said.
“We are really thankful for Veselka, especially for Charlene (Tebbutt) and for Kayleigh Skomorowski, president of Barveenok for their help and their support, because without them we will not be able to prepare something like this,” Dehtiar said.
They both said that they were able to help because they knew so many people in the community.
“We just maybe communicated with people and involved people, but many people just participated,” Shpylchak said.
Shpylchak and Dehtiar both just hoped that everyone enjoyed the day.
“We wish Canada prosperity, and all the best,” Dehtiar said.
