Words from Steve Zwarun about the Madonna and Sacred Heart paintings “The two paintings presented here were rescued from a pile of debris in the basement of the church, destined for the Sydney landfill. It was by chance that Father Khrivoklavy, the pastor at that time, led me through the basement when he and his family were packing for their transfer to Ontario. I noticed some crumpled-up old brown paper on the floor ~ then I saw the canvas packing. Carefully opening the mass, which was covered in mould or mildew, revealed images of the Madonna and Sacred Heart. Realizing the possibilities, and having some experience with oil paintings, I asked Father Khrivoklavy if I could have them. Since they had been discarded, he saw no reason why not, and appeared surprised that I would even want them. There was another badly damaged painting ~ on cardboard and in an elaborately carved frame: perhaps it was ‘Our Lady of Perpetual Help’ ~ that was also buried in the trash. It was quite large, and regretfully at that time, I felt it was too large to bother with. Most likely it went to the landfill. It was some time later that I proceeded with the restoration. The canvases smelled from the mould, and were quite brittle. There were also some perforations, tears and creases, from the canvases being crumpled up for such a long time. Once the paintings were laid out flat and dried, there were bonded to a new and stronger canvas backing, then they were stretched on a frame. I started to proceed with the cleaning and restoration, but decided to leave them as they were. (Notice the small and brightened portion of the Madonna’s crown.) The years of candle smoke and incense had left their mark, and that added to the antique appearance of the first painting (Madonna). Similarly, the cracks and tears were also left as they were. The new linen liner (inner frame), which is in fact new, I stained with tea to look aged so that it would match the older lining. The antiqued frame is also new. The second painting (Sacred Heart) was recently cleaned, stretched and framed to match the Madonna painting (framing is expensive!). Since I have an older home with high ceilings, I am able to accommodate these large paintings. I feel that they are remarkable, not only for their appearance, but also for their historical significance. Eventually, when an appropriate location becomes available, I hope to return them to the parish. -Steve Zwarun, October 2011
Words from Ken Horechuk about the Barvinok dance group “Our dance group is named Barvinok. The name was suggested by my Baba Mary Horechuk because barvinok is a plant often mentioned in Ukrainian folklore. Our group was privileged to be chosen to perform at the opening of the Canada Games in Sydney’s (then) new Centre 200 in February 1987. I found funding to bring a dance instructor, Danovia Stechishin, from Toronto to help us prepare for the event. She created new dance choreography for us: a three-part hopak suited to the bizarre stage that was ten feet off the ground and shaped like a large plus sign with staircases entering each of the four ends. We taped the dimensions of the stage on the floor in the hall and practised twice a week for about two months. As the time approached for the opening of the Games, a schedule was arranged for all performers to practise on the stage that was temporarily set up in the old Sydney Forum adjacent to Centre 200. We were only allotted two sessions to familiarize our group to the elevated stage where it was arranged for rehearsals in an unheated old wooden building. The dress rehearsal on Saturday before the opening was a long day for all performers, as the production crew tweaked the program in preparation for the next day’s live per- formance. The opening on Sunday was to be telecast live on television across Canada. Our group arrived early at Centre 200 on Sunday to get ready for the opening. After a short practise, it was time to get our costumes and makeup on. You would get a good chuckle watching the guys “putting their face on”. Did the girls ever give us a hard time! Show time! We are next on the program... I still remember the group lining up beneath the seating area of Centre 200, hands shaking anxiously as we waited for our call to perform. The Scottish group before us performed a slow dance,‘Dark Island’, to the eerie sound of the bagpipes. They finished...lights dimmed...we climbed the staircase and literally shook waiting for the hopak music to start. The athletes and guests roared to our upbeat performance from beginning to end. Little did they know that on this stage were three approximately 6-inch by 6-inch square plugs where micro- phones were raised to the stage floor for vocal performances. The bouncing of the dancers kept popping the plywood plugs to below the stage where technicians frantically tried to keep them in place. Luckily nobody stepped on any of the holes. The dance ended to a rousing standing ovation. The accolades for the performance came from across Canada. The Cape Breton Post published one from Winnipeg. A lasting memory." -Ken Horechuk, October 2011 This golden dome was part of an award-winning float from the Holy Ghost Ukrainian Church in Sydney’s 1985 parade. These costumes are from the Barvinok Ukrainian Dancers of the Holy Ghost Ukrainian Catholic Church in Sydney, NS. The pair of costumes with blue pants and vest is representative of the central Poltava region. The pair in the vests with bright colours and geometric shapes are costumes representative of the mountainous Hutsul region of Ukraine. These costumes, and many others, have been used in performances and parade floats by Sydney’s Ukrainian dancers. A woman’s hat, part of a Ukrainian dance costume of the region of Zakarpatia, or Transcarpathia. This costume item is from the 1980s era dance group. Dome: Holy Ghost Ukrainian Catholic Church Costumes: Kenny Horechuk Except for the woman’s Poltava costume (blue vest): Darlene Baggio Hat: Pam Mahalik This is a photo, from an earlier era of the Ukrainian parish, of the float in a parade. This photo shows the award-winning parade in long view. The parade float that appears these photos is from 1935, the year they won First Prize in Sydney’s parade. The float also won Sydney’s parade award in 1985. The first Ukrainian dance group of Sydney, 1939 (date error on the photo); children assembled in the hall with the nuns and Fr. Zarsky, early 1940s. This is a photo of the Ukrainian choir, also taken in 1935. Black and white photos: Beaton Institute Collections The dolls in this photo appear in the exhibit on loan from Sister Rachel Tataryn, a descendent of Ukrainian immigrants who settled in the Whitney Pier areas of Sydney, Nova Scotia. Dolls: Sr. Rachel Tataryn
The priests and nuns who have served the Holy Ghost Parish have played supportive roles for their parishioners. They have also been important members of wider Whitney Pier and Cape Breton communities. Parish members also contribute time and efforts to a variety of clubs and organizations based in the church and hall, keeping their community active and vibrant. As in many Ukrainian parishes across Canada, music and dance are significant in the culture and practise of Cape Breton’s Ukrainian immigrants and their descendants. These include sacred chant and choral music, as well as stage performance genres of choral and instrumental music, and operettas. Ukrainian concert dance has been popular since at least the 1920s, to the delight of local Ukrainian and wider Cape Breton and Maritime communities. Music and dance performances continue to be much anticipated as part of the parish’s many social celebrations. Many community events of the past are remembered fondly by parish members; these events have enabled them to celebrate together and to share their culture with neighbouring communities. Parish members continue to act on opportunities to create events that both celebrate and share their faith and cultural heritage.
Soon after their arrival in Canada, Ukrainian immigrants set about establishing places of worship. In 1912, a liturgy inaugurated the opening of the Holy Ghost Ukrainian Catholic Parish in Whitney Pier. Before a church could be built, services were held in Holy Redeemer Roman Catholic Church. Holy Ghost Ukrainian Catholic Church was built in 1913, at the corner of West and Swan Streets in the Whitney Pier district of Sydney. The first hall was built in 1928, behind the church. In 1932, a fire destroyed the first Holy Ghost church. A new church was opened in 1933. A new hall was built in 1962 to replace the old one; it stands at 51 West Street, adjacent to the church. The church and its hall provide a place of prayer for the community, a meeting place for a variety of activities, and a performance venue. Another church also served many Ukrainian immigrants and their families. St. George’s Orthodox parish was established in the 1910s; it was open intermittently until it finally closed in 1952. Many families who had participated in St. George’s then became members of the Holy Ghost community.
