A New Resilience Installation by sonya iwasiuk in Vancouver

I grew up on the edges of small prairie towns where my dog and I would romp freely across fields in search of adventure, discovering crumbling empty homesteads and the treasures I would surely find there. These experiences, combined with the stories of my Ukrainian heritage, developed my curiosity about Canada’s pioneering past and my use of historical subject matter and old discarded objects in my work. In an attempt to develop the prairies, between 1891 and 1911, Canada encouraged Ukrainians and other hearty European immigrants to make a long strenuous journey to a new territory by promising free fertile farmland. These immigrants were running from oppression, poverty, war and a lack of available land to hopes of prosperity and freedom. When they arrived, sometimes just months before winter, they were taken to their remote plots of often forested, rocky land, with only meager possessions. Here, they were forced into another hostile world, another place where they had to struggle to survive. Unwelcomed in their new home, Ukrainians experienced prejudice and racism due to their uneducated and poor backgrounds and strange culture. An 1897 editorial in Winnipeg's Daily Nor-Wester stated: ‘The dumping down of these filthy, penniless and ignorant foreigners into progressive and intelligent communities is a serious hardship to such a community. These people bring with them disease in almost every consignment ... and their dirty habits render the stamping out of infection among them a very difficult matter.' During World War I Ukrainians from Galicia were deemed enemy aliens and over 5000 Ukrainian Canadians were interned in labour camps. They lost their land and the few possessions they had. All Ukrainians were forced to register, like criminals, and were disenfranchised. Ukrainian Canadian reconciliation occurred when Bill C-331, acknowledgment of the interment of Ukrainian Canadians, was passed in 2005. The short history of Ukrainians in Canada speaks to many human wrongs and parallels the ongoing and current world issues of displaced refugees running from war, famine, poverty, oppression or prejudice. It also tells of a story many of us do not like to admit or face, how these people; our new Canadian immigrants, face prejudice and racism here, in our beloved country, especially in today’s political environment. This narrative can also relate to our more historic ongoing issue, the abuse of our First Nations and the hope for reconciliation. A Story Within a Story A Strange Aside – I was adopted into a Ukrainian family and grew up believing my birth parents were Ukrainian as well. The doctor that arranged my private adoption told my parents this. I was so very proud of my heritage and thus, began creating this installation based on it. I have since found out, through a DNA test and other information from Manitoba Family Services, that I am 95% British and 0% Ukrainian or any other Eastern European heritage. I was shocked. I am not who I am! I’m okay with that but it was initially very strange and disappointing. That information has not changed a thing for me - I’m Ukrainian at heart!