‘BARD OF THE UKRAINE’

All Ukrainian - Canadians honor memory of Shevchenko

HIS MONTH the Ukrainian people in the itself and throughout the in Canada and the American

Ukraine

world, Latin countries, wherever they have settled. commemorate the birth and death of their great poet and fighter for the national rights for all peoples, Taras Shev- chenko (1814-1861).

Just as generations of. Scot- tish immigrants have carried with them the immortal works

of Robert Burns and _ per- petuated his memory in this still young land, so Ukrain- tan immigrants have honored the man whose life and work reflected his passionate love of the people.

His words, “Learn from other folks, but never spurn your own,” served them as a guide during their pioneer years in Canada when they were breaking the prairie soil and building settlements in the wilderness. His name was given to their first circles and institutions.

Today. as a symbol! of their pride and feeling a monument to Shevchenko stands at. Peler- mo, Ontario, the gift of the people of the ‘Ukraine to Ukrainians in Canada, erected by progressive Ukrainian or- ganizations across this coun- try.

$e x $e

Shevchenko lived, created and struggled in a very dif- ferent period of Ukrainian his- tory. Thé Ukrainian nations was enslaved by Russian ezarism and feudal landlords. Himself a serf. Shevchenko overcame great difficulties, even serfdom, suffered im-

A Centennial Calendar Event

SHEVCHENKO CONCERT

Tribute to the Bard of the Ukraine

SUNDAY, MARCH 23 — 8 P.M. INTERNATIONAL CINEMA

765 GRANVILLE

e 200 performers in a colorful program of music,

song and dance

Sponsored by Ukrainian Centennial Committee

prisonment and long exile and made an immeasureable con- tribution to the struggle for a better life and freedom of his own people, a better. and hap- pier life for’ all people.

Shevchenko’s works played a great role in the develop- ment of Ukrainian culture, and he was. in fact the founder of modern- Ukrainian iiterature.

A deep hatred for the enem-

ies of the toiling people, hatred of autocracy and feud- alism, form the main motiva- works. This

hatred Shevchenko poured.out

tion: 08 his

as he fought the enemies of his enslaved people and ex- posed the feudal system. Loving his country and his people, he called for implac- able struggle against oppres- sors, against the entire feudal- bureaucratic system of czar- ist Russia.

A flaming patriot of his fatherland, tireless fighter for the freedom of his people from under the feudal yoke. Shevchenko was an _ inexor- able foe of all oppression of man by man. He fought not only for the freedom of the Ukrainian people—he fought against all national oppres- sion. To him the Russian, Pole, Czech; Tartar, “all wene brothers,

The theme of friendship and unity of Slavic peoples finds its expression in many poems, as does his strong be- lief in the bright future of mankind, which will come only with the brotherly unity

of all peoples, freed from na-.

tional oppression and exploit- ation.

STREET

Shevchenko’s views on the role of poets and poetry were formulated under the influ- ence of the leading Russian literature of his day especially the critical essays of V. G. Belinsky. Together -with the Russian revolutionary demo- crats, Shevchenko fought for an art that was realistic, revo- lutionary and active — an art that would teach the peo- ple to “travel along the right path.” To him the word was a sharp -weapon placed in the service of the people, and his call for the peace and friend- ship of all peoples rings as clearly today as when he made it.

Shevchenko cannot be sepa- rated from the Ukrainians in Canada. He is one of them, for they brought his living memory with them. The rich and varied heritage of his works, his endless productive labors, imbued with the living ideals of struggle against ex- ploitation, for social and na- tional freedom of all people, know no borders.

JOHN CHITRENKY

5 recat This is the memorial statue of Taras Shevchenk® aie

sented by the people of the Ukraine, which now stands i?

park at Palermo, Ontario.

BRITISH COLUMBIA: THE PEOPLE’S STORY

Pacific Tribune will publishil

new series on B.C. history

NEW Centennial series en-

titled British Columbia: The People’s Story will start in our next issue, March 28.

Hal Griffin will trace the story from the earliest days of exploration and settlement through the struggles for re- sponsible government and entry into Confederation to the founding of the trade union movement and the first socialist organizations.

From there other writers will take up the story with articles on the great strike struggles of the first two decades of this century and the issues which gave shape to the modern socialist movement.

This series is a part of the Pacific Tribune’s own Centen- nial contribution, which also includes publication of a special Canada Day issue.

Among articles being pre- pared for’the Canada Day is- sue is one on the Vancouver Post Office sitdown of the un- employed in 1938 — this year is the 20th anniversary of “Bloody Sunday.”

’ The Pacific Tribune hopes to be able to publish a selection

‘of these and other articles in

booklet form this summer to meet, if only in a partial way,

the long-felt need for a people’s history of this prov- ince. The few histories of British Columbia available, most of them now out of print, ignore or distort labor’s long struggle and rich tradi-

‘ limited edition of 1,200 oe

tions, and the only labor ie, tory yet written, Bill Bea nett’s Builders of Britis lumbia, was published

in 1938 and is now unob able.

A popular gathering place for the miners, loggers ye fishermen who formed the working class population of © Vancouver was this maple tree on Carrall Street.

March 21, 1958 — PACIFIC TRIBUNE—PAGE *

(