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Raising the Chomiak Homestead House
Raising the Chomiak Homestead House
Michelle Pinon - News Advertiser
Twelve decades after the construction of Motivi, (Mathew) and Salomea Chomiak’s homestead house, (SE 4-52-16-W4) approximately 11 miles southeast of the Town of Mundare, approximately 60 descendants gathered there on Aug. 12 to remember, reminisce and honour the courageous and determined efforts of those brave Ukrainian settlers.
The event was hosted by John Chomiak, a grandson of Motivi and Salomea, and his wife of 58 years, Cathie, who have resided on the homestead since 2004. Shortly after 2 pm a special ribbon cutting ceremony was held beside the 120-year-old log structure to commemorate and pay tribute to the couple and their nine children who once inhabited the log home.
John pointed out that the homestead house is the last building on the homestead site. He explained that, “The plan is to save the south and west walls since the rotting is at a minimal; the interior wall which initially was the west outside wall, I plan to do my best to maintain it standing and build a canopy to protect it from the elements. In a way it will become a shrine. Many of the saved logs will be relocated to redo the Chomiak Pioneer Garden.”
The house will be dismantled in stages. John said he was thinking of another way he could capture and retain the spirit of his grandparents who laboured to put up the house and came up with the idea of cutting up some of the logs into two-inch strips to give to guests when they plan to gather again next summer at the homestead.
John said the happiness he saw on the faces of guests of meeting each other again or for the very first time at the event was gratifying and many expressed their gratitude to him and Cathie for initiating and hosting the event.
“I loved watching them get reacquainted. It was very gratifying for me to see the connection that started back in 1901.” John added that some of the descendants who couldn’t attend Saturday’s event, returned the following day to visit with them.
According to family history, “In 1901, Motivi and Salomea, along with their three-year-old daughter Eva and infant Fred left the village of Klekotiv in Ukraine and arrived in Canada by ship via Hamburg. In Halifax, following processing by immigration officials, they travelled by train to Strathcona and then to their homestead, where it remains to this day.”
The log house was built in two phases. Logs in the eastern end were prepared by hand, (axe) in 1903. In the next phase, between 1908 and 1910, most of the logs were prepared by a machine/mill. It was likely during the second phase a lean-to was attached to the west end.
“Based on John’s recollections as a young boy, this lean-to was the kitchen. A large stone still exists from the southwest corner of the kitchen on which the portion of the building rested and is now painted red. The initial phase housed the family of four: Motivi and Salomea, Eva and Fred, then soon to be born John and Ann. Soon after came the arrival of Mary in 1910, Sophie in 1912, Steve in 1913 and Nellie in 1916.”
A new log house was built on the northside of the current house years later. In 1921, the family relocated to the new home. To the best of John’s research, the thatched roof was replaced by boards and shingles as it exists today.
John spent many a day at his grandparents’ farm. John said his grandparents were already quite elderly and starting to take life a bit easier when he was young, and fondly recalls sitting between the two of them during buggy rides.
John said Motivi assisted in the building of Borshiw Catholic Church and Moscow Hall. In the cemetery beside church, a special shrine is dedicated to Motivi and Salomea and their descendants. A time capsule was buried beside their grave in 2001 and will be reopened in 2026 to add more information and sealed again until the summer of 2051 when it will be reopened as that will officially mark 150 years.
Their lives, legacy and pioneering spirit continue to live on as their descendants are farming well over 10,000 acres, with the land spreading out across several counties in the region. John, now 83 years of age and Cathie, 79 years of age, have seen many changes on the farmstead over the years and are hoping their three children and two grandchildren will continue to honour Motivi and Salomea; their life, their love and their dedication to family, faith and farming.
