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This biography was composed by Fiona Pelech in January 1990

A. PERSONAL
Born in Duvernay, Alberta on 10 July, 1914 in a family of four girls and two boys. Had been married for 15 years. Husband passed away in 1955 during a heart attack. Fiona raised four children (Betty, Patricia, Johann, and Andrew).

B. EDUCATION

• After high school, took one year of business training at McDougall Commercial High School
• B.Ed. Degree from the University of Alberta plus an additional year towards a Master's as well as summer courses in Business Education and Languages
• Bilingual (English and Ukrainian) - speak, read and type in both
• Took several interest courses throughout the years in leadership, photography, crafts, pottery, weaving, gardening, etc.

C. TEACHING EXPERIENCE

• 15 years in rural Alberta - elementary 4 yrs., Junior High 11 yrs.
• 1 year in the North Edmonton Junior High School
• 5 years at McCauley Junior High, Edmonton
• 14 years at Victoria Composite High School
  Retired early after completing 35 years of teaching when the family was more or less through university. Throughout the years, taught Ukrainian classes in rural and urban communities as well as credited courses at the Victoria Composite High School.

D. MEMBERSHIPS

• Alberta Teachers' Association (ATA)
• Modern Language Council of the Alberta Teachers' Association
• Member of the Ukrainian Women's Association of Canada since 1941. Served on the local, provincial and national levels
• Honorary Life Member of St. John's Cathedral
• One of the Founding Members of the Canadian Association of Teachers of Ukrainian
• A Founding Member of the Ukrainian Kindergarten classes in Edmonton (First meeting in August, 1972)
• Ukrainian Language Association (ATA) in Edmonton – secretary till May 1975
• Council of Ukrainian Schools – secretary for twelve years
• Edmonton Multicultural Society (EMS)
• Canadian Ethnic Studies Association
• Saskatchewan Multicultural Council
• Saskatchewan Organization for Heritage Languages
• Pacific Northwest Council on Foreign Languages
• Central & East European Studies Society of Alberta (CEESSA) - on the Board for five years
• Alberta Ethnic Language Teachers' Association (now the Northern Alberta Heritage Language Association (NAHLA) - Charter member, President for the first two years, then secretary and now on Board of Directors.

E. COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENTS

1. Since retirement, 1976, all work has been voluntary and dedicated to assisting various non-profit organizations. Secretary for the national executive of the Ukrainian Self-Reliance League of Canada since retiring.
2. Served in a number of positions on the local, provincial and national levels in the Ukrainian Women's Association of Canada mostly as an educational representative or secretary for the past 45 years.
3. Participated in various Multicultural Conferences in Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Toronto; language tour to New York; the International Symposium in Montreal in 1985; and many others connected with the language issue or cultural retention.
4. Prepared or assisted in preparing press reports, radio talks and television programs on topics of cultural importance.
5. Travelled to various parts of the province (Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, Evansburg, Bonnyville, Smoky Lake, Calgary, and Barrhead to mention only a few) in answer to requests by directors from the Parks & Recreational Department arranging workshops, displays, demonstrations, etc. on cultural themes. Had displays and workshops at:
   • Strathcona Place for Senior Citizens
   • Multicultural Heritage Centre at Stony Plain
   • Provincial Museum in Edmonton Commonwealth Games presentations at Edson (Yellowhead School Division 26/1/77); Robertson-Wesley Church 16/3/77; and others.
6. Initiated an overseas project which gave the Edmonton Canadian Ukrainian Youth Choir a chance to participate in the International Music Festival in Vienna as Canadian representatives. The project was most successful and rewarding in providing excellent public relations. A similar tour is being planned for 1991.
7. Arranged for an exchange of a Hindi language class with a Ukrainian class. Report filed with Alberta Culture. The experiment was most interesting. Shortly after, a German language class was hosted by a Japanese class.
8. Served on Planning Committees of many conferences among them the CCMIE (Canadian Council for Multicultural & Intercultural Education) held in 1987 in Edmonton. Co-ordinated the conference "Heritage Languages in a Multicultural Society - Present and Future" held on October 3-4/86 at the Chateau Lacombe, Edmonton.
9. Representative from the Northern Alberta Heritage Language Association to the Alberta Cultural Heritage Council since 1985. Served as secretary to the 56 members of the Edmonton & District Regional Council and as a member of the Educational Committee helped to prepare recommendations to the Minister of Culture and Multiculturalism. The Institute was initiated with the help of the Northern Alberta Heritage Language Association and the Alberta Cultural Heritage Council.

F. PUBLICATIONS

1. While teaching, was staff adviser to school publications at both McCauley Junior High and Victoria Composite High School.
2. Prepared booklets and pamphlet materials on cultural topics for use in high schools and community organizations - most recent was a cultural project at the Victoria Composite High School in Jan./83.
3. Researched, translated and prepared lessons and numerous slides for the very first six years of Ukrainian weaving initiated at the Banff School of Fine Arts in 1976.
4. Prepared papers on languages and delivered them at conferences:
   (a) "Heritage Language Programs in Alberta" appears in the book ROOTS AND REALITIES AMONG EASTERN AND CENTRAL EUROPEANS edited by Dr. Martin L. Kovacs, 1983 (Pp. 267-286).
   (b) "Status of Heritage Languages in Canada” was prepared for a conference in Toronto.
   (c) "Heritage Languages" delivered at a panel in a conference in Edmonton sponsored by the Canadian Council for Multicultural and Intercultural Education (CCMIE).
5. Involved in editing and typing:
   (a) Commonwealth Games. Using a Typing 30 class, prepared
   (from rough materials) a Teachers' Reference Manual and a Student Workbook for use in Alberta schools. Also traveled to various schools and organizations showing slides.
   (b) the publications of "Pioneers in Alberta" as well as the reference book "Ukrainian Canadiana."
   (c) the 1981 Revised Edition of the Kindergarten Guide for the Ukrainian Bilingual Program, Edmonton Public Schools.
   (d) supplementary books by S. Wasylyshyn and A. Danelovich for beginners in learning Ukrainian.
6. Constantly translate, edit and type in English and Ukrainian at the local, provincial and national levels such publications as directories, programs, scripts for plays, annual reports, and newsletters connected with cultural activities.
7. Contribute articles on multiculturalism, especially languages, and on the different organizations to ethnic papers and magazines.

G. HONORS AND AWARDS
1964 Edmonton Women Teachers' Club scholarship.
1975 Honored member marking the International Women's Year.
1976 One of five finalists in 'Mother of the Year" award sponsored by the Ladies Auxiliary of the Fraternal Order of Eagles.
1978 Certificate of appreciation for volunteer service in the Commonwealth Games.
1979 Trophy for "Motivation” in a Leadership Course at Banff, Alberta 1980 Alberta Achievement Award for community services from the province presented by Premier Lougheed.
1980 Honorary life-member of St. John's Cathedral.
1983 Honorary life-member of the Ukrainian Self-Reliance League of Canada.
1983 Certificate of Merit for services in the Universiade Games 1985 Certificate of Appreciation for outstanding contribution to the advancement of Ukrainian language and culture in Alberta schools presented by the Alberta Parents of Ukrainian Education.
1985 Life-member in the SUS Foundation for contributions.
1986 Recipient of the Shevchenko Medal given by the National organization of the Ukrainian Canadian Committee for community services rendered throughout the years.
1986 Multicultural Education Council Award presented in Lethbridge by the Alberta Teachers' Association.
1987 Heritage Language Development -- Outstanding Alberta Achievement Award presented October 17/87 in Calgary by Hon. Greg Stevens.
1987 Certificate of Appreciation presented by the Canadian Council for Multicultural and Intercultural Education (CCMIE) in recognition of valuable contributions to multicultural education in Canada.
1988 an award for outstanding services and contribution to the preservation of heritage languages presented by the Northern Alberta Heritage Language Association on June 4/88 on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of NAHLA.

Fiona Pelech passed away on March 13, 2002

Joan Margel, a Canadian folklore collector, educator, volunteer, and community activist, has dedicated her life to preserving cultural heritage, promoting education, and positively impacting her community. Born Joan Bayers in 1932 in the Prestville area east of Rycroft, Alberta, she has deep roots in Kulivtsi and Verenchanka in Bukovyna, Ukraine. Her ancestors, the Rudeichuk, Kushneryk, and Bayers families, made their journey from that region to Canada in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. With immense pride, Joan refers to herself as the proud granddaughter of the pioneering homesteaders who opened up the Peace River country in the mid-1920s, playing a crucial role in establishing a new province.
Joan's early years were marked by personal loss when her father, John Bayers, a Bukovynian German, tragically passed away from pneumonia when she was only two and a half years old. Her mother, later marrying Jack Sandul, relocated the family to Jack's Yellow Creek homestead. In 1942, they moved to the Village of Rycroft, where Jack Sandul was involved in the trucking business, contributing to the construction of the Alaska Highway through his company, "Sandul's Transport."
Joan's passion for education and her commitment to learning began early in life. After attending Naramata Bible School in 1950 and graduating, she enrolled in the one-year teaching course at the University of Alberta in 1951. Joan began her first teaching position in 1952 at the age of 19 at the one-room Blueberry Mountain School in the Peace River Country. This small school, located ten kilometres from her childhood home, presented unique challenges. Joan taught students of all grades, ranging from 1 to 7, living in the back room of the school without running water and environmental hardships.
Joan wrote to the Ministry of Education requesting a teaching position in Ontario. Her request was granted, and in 1953, at the age of 20, she began teaching grade 2 at John McCrae Elementary School in Windsor, Ontario, till 1957, when her first son Donald was born. During this time, she met her future husband, Joseph (Joe) Margel, a former refugee from the Hungarian socialistic regime. He left the country after WWII in 1946 and came to Canada shortly after. In August 1956, Joan and Joseph married in Rycroft and returned to Windsor. After having two sons and ten years living in Windsor, the Margel family returned to Rycroft, where they started a small but successful T.V. business. During this time, Joan continued to pursue her passion for teaching, dedicating a year to teaching grade 2. Two daughters were born there.
In 1967, the Margel family made another move, settling in Edmonton, Alberta. Joan and Joseph pursued their studies at the University of Alberta full-time from 1967 to 1968. In the fall of 1968, Joan returned to the field after a 12-year hiatus from the teaching profession, joining Afton Elementary School. Joseph got a job teaching High school electronics. They both got teaching jobs while still completing their 4-year education degrees. Joan graduated in 1971, and Joseph in May 1973 or 1974. In 1981, Joan furthered her educational pursuits by attending the University of Alberta's Elementary Library Education program. She then embarked on a remarkable journey, teaching as a Multicultural Library teacher at both Princeton Elementary School and Norwood Elementary School for a year (1982-1983). Her dedication to fostering cultural diversity continued as she taught full-time at Norwood for two more years (1983-1985). Joan's expertise led her to Glenrose Hospital School in 1985, where she served as a Teacher Librarian until her well-deserved retirement in December 1986.
Retirement didn't slow Joan Margel's fervour for collecting folklore and oral history narratives. In the 1990s, she immersed herself in gathering stories of the Rycroft area and her family. Inspired by the teachings of Dr. Andriy Nahachewsky and Radomir Bilash on Ukrainian culture and folklore at the University of Alberta, Joan expanded her knowledge of fieldwork methods, interview indexing, storytelling skills, and archiving communication. Volunteering at the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village open-air museum and contributing to the Local Culture and Diversity on the Prairies project, she played an instrumental role in preserving and celebrating cultural heritage. Joan Margel's unwavering commitment to community involvement extended beyond her teaching career.
Active in numerous projects from 1990 to 2010, she contributed her time and expertise to initiatives such as the Alberta Women's Memory Project, Northern Alberta Women's Archival Association, Alberta Genealogical Society, Federation of East European Family History Societies, Ukrainian Pioneers Association of Alberta, Treaty 8 Centennial Commemoration, and various ecological and mental health projects. Furthermore, Joan showcased her musical talents by participating in the Ukrainian Choir Dnipro and spearheading the Edmonton chapter of the Raging Grannies after hearing about the Vancouver group. In 2022, Joan Margel continued to reside in Edmonton, Alberta, using her professional experience to inspire and enlighten others through presentations like "Leave a Verbal Legacy."

Orest Semchishen is widely recognized as one of Canada’s finest documentary photographers. He is best known for his photographs of Byzantine churches in rural areas of Alberta of which this collection is comprised.

Orest Semchishen was born at Mundare, Alberta in 1932). A radiologist by profession, Semchishen took up photography initially as a hobby. In the early 1970s, after taking University of Alberta extension classes, he turned to documentary work and since that time has continued to work in the classic documentary tradition. Probably the most important influence on his work is the American photographer Walker Evans, although Semchishen's vision has its own distinct personality and the wide-ranging scope of his work and its comprehensiveness recalls the achievement of the great French photographer Eugène Atget.

Beginning with a survey of Alberta's Byzantine rite churches that were a part of his Ukrainian heritage, Semchishen's oeuvre has expanded to encompass rural communities, city business districts and markets, ethnic groups, fur trappers and prairie farms. In the process he has developed an increasingly sophisticated vision and technique: his prints are marvels of brilliance and tonal balance. He has compiled an extraordinary record of Canadian life, centered on the Prairies but extending across the country. Semchishen no longer produces his photographic work making this collection even more valuable.

A resident of Edmonton, Orest Semchishen's works are represented in public collections including those of the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, the Art Gallery of Alberta, The Glenbow Alberta Institute and the Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography. The Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography, located in the nation's capital, is Canada's only federal institution devoted solely to the collection, exhibition and promotion of the photographic medium. As such, it is the country's foremost advocate of artistic and documentary photography.

Ivan Honchar was a prominent Ukrainian activist, sculptor, artist. He was born on January 27 1911 in Lyp'ianka village of Kirovohrad region (today the village is part of the Cherkasy region). He studied art, drawing and sculpture the Kyiv Art and Industrial Professional School and graduated as a sculptor-decorator. While in school, he was renting a room from Maksym Korostash, a musicologist and folklorist. There he met Klymentii Kvitka and Olena Pchilka.

Honchar created numerous sculptures and monuments in many cities and villages across Ukraine. In 1960s-80s he created art albums with photographs and descriptions of folk costumes from different regions of Ukraine, architecture, folk art. Honchar did ethnographic fieldwork, and in 1970-1993 he created 18 volumes of historical-ethnographic albums "Ukraina i ukraintsi" [Ukraine and Ukrainians] based on photographs of the beginning of the 20th century and historical and ethnographic research.

He passed away June 18, 1993. In September of that year, a museum named after Ivan Honchar was created in Kyiv. His private collection of folk art became a foundation for the new museum. In 1999, the museum was renamed the Ukrainian Centre of Folk Culture "Ivan Honchar Museum". In 2009, it became a national museum.

Olha was a student at the University of Alberta.

Helen Savaryn was a student in the UKR 422 course in the fall term of 1979. At the time, she was in the fourth year of her Bachelor of Education in Music degree.

A renown artist and photographer, David Goberman was born in 1912 in Minsk. He studies in the Leningrad Academy of Arts. He is especially famous for his photographs of Jewish tombstones and Hucul ceramics. In 1950s he travelled across Ukraine and Moldova and photographed material culture, cemeteries, everyday life, and people.

Nick was born in the village of Shepenets in Bukovyna, on February 5, 1907 where he learned to play the dulcimer (cymbaly) at the age of 8. His uncle, a professional bandmaster, taught Nick the fundamentals of the instrument and he joined his uncle playing weddings and parties around the countryside. By the age of 12 years Nick Mischi was considered a professional by many musicians in Ukraine. In 1928 Nick left his homeland and immigrated to Canada. Having left his dulcimer with his uncle, Nick purchased another in Winnipeg in 1930. Nick Mischi played with a variety of orchestras in and around Winnipeg before moving west to Edmonton in the 1930's. His early career was limited because he moved across western Canada. Each place he lived, Nick picked up his dulcimer and joined a local band. Over the 77 years of his playing career, 63 he contributed in Edmonton and Central Alberta. Some of the musicians Nick played with in and around Edmonton are: Bill Boychuk (Easy Aces), Joe Trachyk (The Marango's), Peter Kassian (Sons of the Ukrainian Pioneers), Ron Lakustra's Orchestra.

As early as the 1930's Nick played on a variety of radio stations. In the 1950's Nick Mischi entertained radio audiences in the Edmonton area on radio shows, which were started by Henry Smichure on C.F.R.N. and C.H.F.A. radios. These programs were live at sponsors premises as well as live shows at the radio studios. When C.F.C.W. radio started their "Ukrainian Hour" program some 33 years ago, Nick was asked to preform many times.

Judging dulcimer competitions for many years, in places like Lakeview Pavilion, Red Barn, Vegreville Pysanka Festival and Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village, in which he competed as well, Nick won many first place trophies and earned a reputation as one of Alberta's finest dulcimer (cymbaly) players.

Throughout the years during his playing career Nick cut many records with different orchestra's. His favourite was "Dulcimer in Concert" which was recorded with a nine piece Chamber Orchestra from the University of Alberta. Some of these records were sold across Canada.

Nick Mischi retired from playing with orchestras in 1986 but was still active teaching young people, some from as far away as Calgary, Alberta, to play the dulcimer and to carry on the tradition of ethnic Ukrainian music in Western Canada.

On August 30, 1992 Nick Mischi was one of many competitors at the Ukrainian Music festival held at the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village. First place performance in the master category by the 85 year young Nick Mischi on his dulcimer (cymbaly), an overwhelmed audience of over 400 people gave Nick a standing ovation. The Festival was hosted by Johnny Bohonos of C.F.C.W.'s radio "Ukrainian Hour".

In 1993 Nick Mischi appeared as one of the guest artists in two concerts at the Annual Vegreville Pysanka Festival 1993, and was applauded loudly by the audience. The same year Nick also took part at the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village during Ukrainian Day, entertaining audiences.

Nick Mischi was a talented dulcimer musician. He played by ear, keeping alive the unwritten music for dulcimer. Nick passed away in 2006.

Leanne Buzak is a singer in Viter Ukrainian Folk Choir, and an active member in the Edmonton Ukrainian Community.