Enjoy Ukrainian food, theatrical performances this weekend

The Sault’s Ukrainian community is inviting the public to a free admission Ukrainian-Canadian Heritage Day celebration this Saturday, Sept. 7.

The event will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Ermatinger Clergue National Historic Site on Bay Street.

The Ukrainian celebration is a first for the city, said Anastasiia Pavliuk, an Ermatinger Clergue National Historic Site office assistant and a spokesperson for the Sault’s Ukrainian community.

“The event will have many interesting moments. Our community put a piece of their soul into both the creation of the idea and its implementation. There will be traditional Ukrainian songs and theatrical performances illustrating our ancient traditions, as well as Ukrainian food,” Pavliuk told SooToday.

Pavliuk is from Ukraine, a recent arrival to Canada and Sault Ste. Marie.

There will be interactive cultural displays, Ukrainian food tasting, activities and crafts for children as well as Ukrainian music and dance performances at Saturday’s celebration.

Pavliuk said notable attractions will include:

• theatrical scenes portraying traditional Ukrainian greetings of guests with bread and salt and a humorous scene in which a woman gives a pumpkin to a rejected suitor
• Molfarka’s Corner, a look into the world of a folk healer and the secrets of medicinal herbs
• performances by Ukrainian dance groups and a chance to sample national dishes

Though the celebration is a free admission event, Pavliuk said visitors should bring cash as there will be Ukrainian goods and souvenirs for sale on a cash-only basis, many of them handmade.

“Some of them have been brought from Ukraine. Cross-stitched paintings, and paintings painted here in the Sault by our Ukrainian women, will be on display. There will also be delicious Ukrainian food,” Pavliuk said.

Traditional Ukrainian dishes will be on sale at the Ermatinger Clergue National Historic Site’s summer kitchen from 12 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Theatrical presentations will include the story of Vasyl Eleniak and Ivan Pylypiw - the first official Ukrainian immigrants to Canada - performances by singers Anna Kirlian and Chris Mozarowski, a dance workshop held by Marichka Ukrainian Dancers of Sault Ste. Marie, a look at traditional Ukrainian ‘matchmaking,’ a portrayal of a round dance around a bonfire and a final song by members of the local Ukrainian community.

“Ukrainians are amazing people,” Pavliuk said.

“We are very strong in spirit, have great support from each other and we are hardy and adaptable to different conditions. I am very proud of our endless resilience, infinitely talented people and warm hospitality. You will be able to see and feel all this by visiting our event.”

Facing difficulties in their homeland and as immigrants to Canada, the Sault’s Ukrainian community has brought its cultural traditions and strong work ethic to Sault Ste. Marie since the first Ukrainian immigrants arrived in Canada before the First World War.

A brief glimpse at the Sault’s Ukrainian community can be found in this 2022 SooToday story.  

“We are a very diverse people. Representatives of our community have a higher education. About half of Ukrainians have several university degrees, some have a master’s degree or higher academic degree. We are glad to be a part of this city and try to be useful in different areas of the city's life. We develop local businesses,” said Pavliuk, who owns a small business named Chocofruits that sells fruit covered in Belgian chocolate.  

Saturday’s celebration will include an information stand showcasing members of the Sault’s Ukrainian community.

Approximately 40 families have arrived in the Sault since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

"This is hard for me. My family is from Donetsk and for us the war began in 2014,” Pavliuk said.

Russia occupied and annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and supported pro-Russian separatists fighting the Ukrainian military in the Donbas War. 

“We have been waiting for victory for 10 years. Each of us, those Ukrainians who are in the Sault today, still have relatives in Ukraine. Bad news comes every day. Almost everyone has parents, brothers, and some have husbands there. This pain is not visible but it is with us every second of our lives. We are waiting for victory very much.”

There will be a donation box at the door at Saturday’s event, funds collected going to Voices of Children.

Voices of Children is a charitable organization that supports families and children affected by the war in Ukraine.

Despite the war, Pavliuk said “this event is not political.”

“The main goal is to more deeply acquaint the residents of our city with our culture, to tell and show our heritage and traditions. This event is for everyone. I hope this will start a good tradition and become an annual event.”