The essay "The Ukrainian wedding: The effect of memebership in Ukrainian cultural organizations on retention of Ukrainian wedding traditions" discusses the influence of cultural groups such as the "Shumka Dancers" in preserving and reviving traditional rituals, Appendix, Project Proposal, Annotated Bibliography
"The Electric Tsymbaly: An instrument from the past plugs into the future" describes attempts by Michael and Joe Tkachyk to electrify the traditional tsymbaly.
"The Ukrainian Christmas carolling tradition in Western Canada" analyzes the extent to which archaic, non-religious carols occur in the repertoire of singers as opposed to those carols encouraged by the church. Includes: essay, interview index, and project proposal.
"Sing until you drop: The Ukrainian folk song tradition in western Canada" analyzes 19 lyrical-lifestyle folk songs and one kolomeika (dance song) sung at two informal singing sessions by two Canadian choir groups. Includes: essay and interview index
"Ukrainian folk art and performance; Three genres of Ukrainian ceramics in Edmonton" discusses three genres of ceramic work currently being produced in Alberta: traditional - revivalist, contemporary, and decalomania. bib. Includes a Project Proposal "Proposal for Project Dealing with Ukrainian Ceramics in Edmonton: Decalomania versus other Decorative Techniques".
Folklore assignments
UntitledA collection of 25 songs in the repertoire of the informants, classified by marriage/dowry songs, war/love songs/ kolomeiky/love songs and death songs to test the hypothesis that remembered songs are closely associated with special events.
UntitledA collection of texts of songs, proverbs and customs collected from informants in Alberta for the course Ukrainian Folklore 499. Includes text of a religious letter from Father Kuban. Copies of work that describe love and kozak songs are also included.
UntitledA collection of folksongs sung by the Shumka Ukrainian Dancers before a performance in Calgary Nov. 1985. bib., quest.
UntitledCompares the Ukrainian "Hopak" with the Polish "Krakowiak" coming to the conclusion that Ukrainian folk dance has evolved into more of a stage form while the Polish dance retains many more village characteristics
UntitledA collection of wedding songs, winter cycle songs and various other songs sung by Maria Mazuryk. The texts are transliterated with some discussion and comments by the author
This project includes Reverend Zuzak and Mrs. M. Werezak singing, and interviews with Mrs. S. Trefiak and Mrs. M. Herman on superstitions, northern lights, and more.
This dancework was created for The Ukrainian Shumka Dancers of Canada and received its premiere at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium on November 11, 2006. Shumka Remembers is multi-media dancework tribute to those who served and those who wished to serve in world conflicts. It was directed for the stage by Gordon Gordey, with Canadian modern dance choreographer Brian Webb and Shumka’s Resident Choreographer, Dave Ganert, and was danced by the Shumka company. The stage performance included guest appearances by Nicholas Faryna, an active service Afghanistan veteran and Bill Rawluk, a WWII veteran. The presence in the performance of these soldiers linked soldiers from WWI to those of more recent times and the present. The music for this dancework came from the repertoire of Winnipeg singer, Alexis Kochan and her musicians: Paris to Kyiv. Her haunting voice for There is a Gravemound in the Field (Oj U Poli Mohyla) was a cornerstone for the dramatic emotion in Shumka Remembers. The video of Shumka Remembers was shown in Kyiv on Remembrance Day 2008 under the patronage of Canada’s former ambassador to Ukraine, Abina Dann. Shumka Remembers is a tribute to the unjust internment of Ukrainian Canadians as “enemy aliens” in Canada during WWI. These “enemy aliens” were subjected to having to carry registration identity papers, often pay monthly registration fees, and were under constant surveillance. Of the 80,000 who were registered under the authority of the Act, 8,579 were deemed: “enemy aliens”. The majority of “enemy aliens” were Ukrainians and were arrested and interned in 26 makeshift encampments located mostly in Canada’s frontier hinterlands. They were forced into hard labour clearing land for roads, building bridges, and building the railway.
First Draft Concept/Libretto for Shumka Remembers, the original work that led to Voices of the Silenced, was created in 2003.
Shumka Remembers - Premiere Performance, Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, Edmonton: November 11, 2006.
A study on whether Ukrainian action and play-songs are still an important consideration in a child's upbringing at home, and whether it is successfully thriving in today's Ukrainian Canadian community
UntitledDescribes the historical use of embroidered fabrics in folk rites in the Kiev and Chernihiv regions of Ukraine, describes the motifs used in these regions in terms of symbolism and patterns and compares this art to North American attempts. bib.
UntitledDescribes the Easter egg (pysanky and krashynky) in terms of folk traditions associated with the use of the egg. Many informants were not aware of the old traditional customs and beliefs associated with Easter eggs. bib., quest.
UntitledThrough interviews, describes the customs and rites of birth from the time of birth, acceptance of the newborn as a member of the community and the purification of the mother and her re-entry into the community. Beliefs and customs relating. bib.
Untitled"The Ukrainian Canadian Wedding" discuses studies of 20th century wedding practices of Ukrainian Canadians based on interviews.
UntitledThis work consists of descriptions of Ukrainian wedding customs and wedding songs recorded from Mrs. Olga Savaryn (mother) and Mrs. Olena Prystajecky (grandmother). All songs are transcribed and translated. This collection was a result of a fieldwork project which was part of the assignment for the UKR 422 course at the University of Alberta in the fall term of 1979. This project includes: sheet music, song lyrics, and indexed interviews.