History

The first women's circles in Canada began to be created under the Ukrainian Riflemen's Communities (USG) back in 1930. On March 23, 1933, at the UNO meeting in Edmonton, it was decided to transform the “Women's Section of the USG” into the Olga Besarab Women's Society at the UNO. This day is considered the founding day of our organization. The first Executive Committee was elected at the meeting, with Sofia Romaniuk as its chairwoman. In 1934, at the first all-Canadian meeting of Women's Societies, it was decided to unite into one independent organization under the name “Organization of Ukrainian Women of Canada (OUK) named after Olga Besarab” with branches across Canada. The first National Executive Committee was also elected there. The OUK is a full-fledged part of the Ukrainian National Union (UNO). 

At that time, there was no home of their own, mostly women gathered in the private homes of their members. At that time, it was decided to hold the first performance of the Society “Mother’s Day”. Later, an amateur group was also created, which showed many theatrical performances. In 1934, the “Women’s Society” adopted the name “Olga Bessarab Department of the Ukrainian Women’s Union in Canada”, which was already common for the entire Organization. In the same year, the first Holiday – Evening was held, which was later held every year. The members also held “St. Nicholas Day”, at which children received sweets and gifts.

The organizational activities of the Edmonton Branch of the UAC were quite lively in 1938. Every week, educational parties were held in the house, at which some members read something aloud while others embroidered or knitted woolen things. Other members were also trained in embroidery, lacemaking, and other needlework.

      In 1939, all national holidays were held and entertainment was arranged for the students of the “Native School”. A mixed choir, consisting of members of all Fraternal Organizations, including members of the OUK, often took part in various cultural events. This choir gained a good reputation in Edmonton and performed many times on the local radio station. The Department’s constant activities during the war years were also supplemented by work for the “Ukrainian Golden Cross”, cooperation with the “Canadian Red Cross” and sending packages to Ukrainian soldiers in the Canadian army overseas.

      In 1947, the Riflemen's Community, the UNO, and the UAC built their own “Ukrainian National House” on 98th Street, the current UNO House. The Edmonton UAC branch was represented at almost all National Conferences and Provincial Conventions of the UNO and Fraternal Organizations. In 1952, the 20th anniversary of the UNO was celebrated. The women of the UAC put a lot of work into preparing a large Jubilee Banquet.

From the very beginning of its existence, the OUK Department took care of the sick, visiting them in hospitals and private homes. And this year it also took on the responsibility of caring for twelve Ukrainian tuberculosis patients in Germany. Most of the income from organizational enterprises and cultural events continued to go to pay for the “Ukrainian National House”. 

     In 1953, an exhibition of Ukrainian folk art was organized, and participation was taken in the Provincial Congress of the Ukrainian National Union and Fraternal Organizations, which was again held this year in Edmonton. The UUC took on the preparation of the banquet and, together with the local Branch of the Ukrainian Women of Canada Committee, arranged a reception for the bandura band, which had come to Edmonton to perform. In March 1953, the UUC Branch organized an “Evening in Memory of Lesya Ukrainka” on stage. The performances staged: “The Sinner”, the first act of “Forest Song”, “Seven Strings” and “Orgy” greatly raised the fame of the UUC in Edmonton.

In 1954, together with the MUN Department, “Obzhynki” and national holidays were held with the participation of students of the “Native School” under the leadership of teacher Sofia Klymkovych. A youth department of the OUK was also organized, which included young members and Slavka Gladun was elected as its head. The board of the senior department tried to cooperate with the younger ones, inviting them to all cultural events.

In 1959, the Women's Choir of the Ukrainian Academy of Music was organized under the direction of Prof. Stepan Grokh. In February, the Heroine Festival was held with a select artistic program.

        In March 1961, a concert was held to mark the 100th anniversary of Taras Shevchenko's death. The children of the "Native School" under the leadership of the Head of the OUK Branch and teacher Sofia Klymkovych filled the majority of the program. The OUK Branch provided financial assistance for the construction of a monument to Taras Shevchenko in Winnipeg. Also, every year, solemn meetings were held in honor of the Heroines with a concert.

With joint efforts, all debts for the house were paid and the branch began to pay for the work in the kitchen. The junior branch of the OUK also ceased to exist, some young members transferred to the OUK branch and since then there has been one strengthened OUK branch.

In 1968, the first show of the clothing collection "Ukrainian in the Past" was held at the UNO home. The exhibition was received with enthusiasm and the Ukrainian and English-speaking press were unanimous in giving favorable reviews of this exhibition. Subsequently, this exhibition was presented in the following cities: Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Regina, Sudbury, Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Los Angeles. This exhibition was also presented in three provincial museums: the Museum of Man and Nature in Winnipeg, the Mendel Art Gallery in Saskatchewan, and the MacMillan Planetarium at the Vancouver Museum.

       In the 1970s, members sent aid to earthquake victims in Yugoslavia. In 1976, the UWC, together with the League of Ukrainian Catholic Women of Canada (LUWC) and the Union of Ukrainian Women of Canada (SUK), under the leadership of the Ukrainian Catholic Brotherhood (BUK), established the Ukrainian Pavilion at the Heritage Days Festival. Members of all Fraternal Organizations also participated in the preparation for the Heritage Days. In 1977, for the first time in Edmonton’s history, an exhibition of women’s creative work of words and brushwork was held. Women writers, journalists, and painters were invited to the exhibition. In 1978, the first sale of traditional Ukrainian dishes was organized in the Ukrainian Village during “Ukrainian Day.” In 1979, the Head of the Department, Lyuba Kuts, organized two courses in embroidery and teaching how to cut and sew Hutsul kyptars. The “Fair” was an unforgettable event in Edmonton.       

In the late 80s, there was a large wave of emigration from Poland and many women joined the OUK. In 1992, the Ukrainian children's theater-studio "Dzherelo" was founded, the founders of which were: Oleksandra Tsybulska, Slava Yopik and Irena Prystash. The first director of the theater-studio was the actress of the M. Zankovetska Theater Yaryna Zavadska, then Olga Myts took over these duties. Alla Semenko has held this position for more than 18 years. The OUK regularly organized heroines' holidays, fairs, exhibitions. Every year the OUK holds Easter exhibitions with a concert and the sale of self-baked Paska and Babok. The exhibitions exhibited exhibits from the collections of the OUK, UNO and private collections. In the following years, such exhibitions were organized as: What is the Ukrainian House Rich in, Easter Baskets, Petrykivka Paintings, where signatures were collected for the inclusion of Petrykivka Paintings in the UNESCO List. The following exhibitions were also held: The Magical World of Icons, Exhibition to the 200th Anniversary of the Birth of T. Shevchenko, Treasures of Ukrainian Carving, Photos from the Archives, There is No Future Without the Past, Embroidery in the Life of Ukrainians, Ukraine on Ancient Maps, and the Easter Easter Eggs Exhibition. On the initiative and under the leadership of Tamara Vorotilenko, an archive of the OUK, UNO, and sister organizations was created, as well as a collection of artifacts (handmade embroidered shirts, towels, carpets, ceramics, wood carvings, etc.) and the largest collection of Easter Easter eggs in Edmonton. OUK, UNO together with Fraternal Organizations organized excursion trips for members of their organizations to various cities in the province of Alberta (Banff, Jasper, Stepper). In 2014, the artistic director of the theater-studio "Dzherelo" Alla Semenko created the Ukrainian youth ensemble "Ruta" mainly from former members of the theater-studio "Dzherelo".

     The organizational work in the UAC was initiated by ideological Ukrainian women who sought in it an image of their distant Motherland and tried to find a way to keep their families with the Ukrainian people, in particular to preserve the Ukrainian soul of their children. The UAC Edmonton branch cooperated very well with other national women's organizations, and first of all with the "Committee of Ukrainian Women of Canada", which was manifested in various cultural and social events intended for the entire Ukrainian community of Edmonton. In its cultural activities, the UAC branch first started with simple and easy things, aiming to unite the public and its sympathies. But more and more women tried to raise the level of that activity, interweaving serious and more detailed reports into it. 

Looking back on the path traveled, we can say that the members of the UAC Department in Edmonton have done a tremendous amount of work in the areas of: cultural and educational, propaganda, charity and upbringing. A lot of work has been invested in the upbringing of the younger generation. The department took care of the “Native School” and a kindergarten. May this sacrificial work of Ukrainian women in the organic system of the UNO and Fraternal Organizations for the good of the organization, Ukrainian society and the Ukrainian people not be forgotten.