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Vol. 12, No. 54, Tuesday November 7, 2017 www.LamontLeader.com
Memories evoked at museum Michelle Pinon Editor Local historian Harvey Spak talked animatedly about some of the posters on display at the Basilian Fathers Museum during a visit last Wednesday afternoon. Pointing to the Mundare Stampede poster he recalls his mother talking about the airplane ride she had at the event which was held on July 7, 1936. We move over to the Green the Magician poster. “I saw this man perform in Two Hills,” says Spak, who says it must have been in 1954 or 1955. ”It was said that he was from Mundare, and I was totally fascinated by this guy.” Spak also recalls volunteering to put his finger in the French hand guillotine which appeared to cut it
off. He was definitely relieved when he left the stage with his finger fully intact. “Although no self respecting Ukrainian woman would volunteer to be cut in half,” he said with a smile. He also remembered how Green the Magician berated the crowd for not volunteering to be sawed in half. “I thought that was extraordinary.” Museum Curator Karen Lemiski said there are a total of 30 community posters, plus related items, such as an autographed portrait of Prince Danylo Skoropadsky, entrance tickets, and a letter related to the distribution of a movie. The collection also includes local business calendars, cultural performances, religious congresses, Ukrainian language movies, politi-
This poster advertising a magic show is just one of the interesting artifacts currently on display at the Basilian Fathers Museum.
cal rallies, etc. While immigration is a standard display topic for museums, highlighted by arrival narratives and cultural artifacts, Lemiski says this exhibit focuses on the next phase and next generation which is also an important topic. Lemiski said she compiled the exhibit to mark the 125th anniversary of the Ukrainian settlement in Canada. “The goal was to show that within a few decades after immigration, there was a thriving cultural life within both the Ukrainian ethnic community as well as in the local towns of Lamont County and other centers with large Ukrainian populations such as Edmonton and Winnipeg.” What Lemiski found most interesting while researching for the display was the range of events and rallies in the local halls, from movies to the fundraising, but also the caliber of performances and artists. Also, when researching the movies, it was interesting to see the development of the Ukrainian film industry.” Several of those special event posters were printed and published by the Basilian Fathers who operated a printing press in Mundare from 1938 to 1949. “In August 1936, the Basilian Fathers fulfilled their long desired dream of opening their
own press in Mundare with the publication of “Is There A God?” a pamphlet written by future bishop Fr. Neil Savaryn, OSBM. After printing a number of
occasional papers and booklets, in 1938 the Basilians also introduced Svitlo (The Light), a religious publication issued twice a month until 1949. It then moved to Toronto
where it was produced until 2016.” The exhibit was opened this past summer and will be on display until the spring of 2018.