Ukraine Independence celebrated in Steinbach

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This article was published 31/08/2023 (673 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Steinbach’s K.R. Barkman park was packed with families, many wearing traditional Ukrainian clothing, as they hosted a celebration honouring Ukraine Independence Day on Sunday.

The official event was actually Thursday, Aug. 24, and president of the Ukrainian Association of Southeast Manitoba, Daryna Malyukh said they celebrated that day as well.

No matter where they are in the world, Ukrainians on that day traditionally get together, hold hands and sing to remember independence which arrived in Ukraine in 1991.

“It means we support Ukraine and Ukrainian independence but we also say thank you for the community we’re living in,” she said.

In Steinbach, the group gathered at the clock tower for that purpose.

But Sunday’s event was different, and Malyukh said it was similar to what many Ukrainians would have experienced at home.

In Ukraine’s capital of Kyiv, she said they usually have a big parade featuring military equipment as well as big concerts.

“In small towns we usually do this kind of concert where we have speakers, where we have singing and dancing, very similar to what we have in Steinbach,” she said.

The event began with a moment of silence for those defending Ukraine and featured singing and speeches from invited guests, all of which were delivered through a translator in English and Ukrainian.

Malyukh said the event was a great experience.

“We had so many people, Ukrainians from the Steinbach area, Ukrainians from Winnipeg, Canadian friends – it was really nice,” she said.

The Ukrainian community in the Southeast is estimated at about 650 people, primarily living in Steinbach, Blumenort, Mitchell and La Broquerie.

While war continues to rage in Ukraine, Malyukh said they wanted to set the right tone for the event, feeling it made sense to celebrate independence but also honour those who are fighting.

“We wanted still to show that we’re Ukrainian and we are standing for an independent Ukraine, but we also want to honour the people who are protecting our country,” she said. “We don’t want anyone to think that because of the war, we will forget about our Ukrainian Independence Day.”

Malyukh has been in Canada for nearly eight years, and said it’s different for her than for those arriving since the war began.

“It was our will and our decision but the people who came here (since), the majority were forced to move,” she said. “The majority of them didn’t have any English, they didn’t have any relatives or friends so it was very hard to find yourself.”

Malyukh said it’s difficult to imagine how hard it is for the newcomers to live in a city they had never even thought about before.

“You were not thinking about any immigration,” she said. “You were building your life.”

However, she notes that when they arrived eight years ago, there weren’t that many families from Ukraine in the area. Now there’s over 170 families.

“It’s getting better,” she said. “And because of the Steinbach community which is very warm and welcoming it is even easier.”

Malyukh said her children don’t know another country. One was born here and the other was very young when they arrived.

“For us, I think my generation, it will always be home away from home,” she said.

Malyukh added she’s grateful for the support the Ukrainian community gets both during the Independence Day celebrations and throughout the year.

“I want to say thank you to our local community of Steinbach and all the people who were and still are involved in Ukraine,” she said. “We have a very generous community and we have so many caring people.”

“I want them to know that we appreciate it.”