Chicago museum hosts Cultural Connections program (04/15/01)

Chicago museum hosts Cultural Connections program

by Orest A. Hrynewych

CHICAGO - The Ukrainian National Museum of Chicago (UNM) on March 10 hosted a program of Cultural Connections, a series of seven programs sponsored by the Field Museum of Chicago with ethnic and cultural centers throughout the Chicago area. This was the second time the UNM participated in this annual event.

The Cultural Connections program provides a unique way for the public to learn about the rich cultural diversity of Chicago. The program explores the reasons for cultural differences and uncovers the connection between different segments of the city's population. The event, which takes place in ethnic museums and in cultural centers, exposes participants to different cultures through artifacts, presentations, participant-observation and ethnic foods.

The Ukrainian National Museum in Chicago is uniquely fortunate in being able to rely on the resources of the Ukrainian American community in hosting the event. The Ukrainian Cultural Center provided the traditional Ukrainian food; the event committee, composed of Orest Hrynewych, Kalyna Drohomyrecky, Irene Jarymowych, Daria Hankewych and Irene Antonovych, organized and executed the event. A screening was arranged of a video made by Michael Hoff Production about the Ukrainian community in Chicago. Titled "Ties That Bind," this video is a part of a series on communities in America aired on the Civilization Digital Discovery Channel this year.

The event was a resounding success, attracting 58 participants. The audience was composed of teachers, students and individuals interested in learning about the Ukrainian immigration in Chicago.

There were 13 UNM staff and support personnel who engaged the guests in dialogue during the meal. Jaroslaw Hankewych, president of the Ukrainian National Museum, opened the program and introduced Rosa Cabrera of the Field Museum who explained the purpose of the program

Dr. Myron Kuropas, presented a summary of the four waves of the immigrants to the Chicago area. He explained that over 10,000 Ukrainians live in and around the 28-square-block area of the Ukrainian Village. This central area has been the focus of Ukrainian life since the first immigration began in the 1880s and ended in 1914 at the start of World War I. The second wave of immigrants came after the first world war and the third wave after World War II. Dr. Kuropas also explained the present reality of the fourth wave of immigrants who started to arrive in large numbers after the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991. He described the problems associated with their integration into the existing Ukrainian community and the challenges they face.

The presentation was enlivened by the bandura music of Myroslava Kuka, a fourth-wave immigrant who had been in the United States only two weeks. A video of the photo montage of the four waves of Chicago's Ukrainian immigrants was provided by Ms. Antonovych from her exhibit and book "Generations: A Documentary of Ukrainians in Chicago."

During the event, Channel 21, the local ethnic network, videotaped the session for a broadcast later that month.

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