Landmark memoir by Manoly Lupul is launched at University of Alberta (04/09/06)

Landmark memoir by Manoly Lupul is launched at University of Alberta

by Andrij Makuch

EDMONTON - The historic Rutherford House on the University of Alberta campus was the atmospheric setting of a book launch for Dr. Manoly Lupul's "The Politics of Multiculturalism: A Ukrainian-Canadian Memoir." The event took place in conjunction with the "Cossack Cowboys: The Ukrainian Experience in Alberta" conference, sponsored jointly by the Ukrainian Canadian Programme at the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, the Canadian Centre for Ukrainian Culture and Ethnography, and the Ukrainian Pioneers' Association of Alberta.

More than 60 scholars, graduate students and members of the general public took part in the Alberta gathering on November 17-19, 2005, that comprised lectures, book launches and video screenings - all of which were dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Canada's westernmost prairies province.

Dr. Lupul was the founding director of CIUS, serving from 1976 to 1986, and a key figure in promoting multiculturalism as a state policy in Canada. He also spearheaded the introduction of English-Ukrainian and other non-French bilingual programs in schools across the prairie provinces. His memoir, which was written in retirement over the span of several years, was issued by CIUS Press in November 2005.

The launch on November 18, 2005, was attended by approximately 65 people - a significant number of whom were mentioned in the book, adding an element of excited anticipation to the proceedings. The formal part of the evening began with the introduction of Dr. Lupul by Zenon Kohut, the present director of the CIUS. Dr. Kohut described Dr. Lupul as being "at the forefront" of the efforts to change Canada from a bicultural to a multicultural society and noted that the memoir offered "unrivalled first-person insight into the aspirations that gave rise to Canada's policy of multiculturalism and the interplay of forces that shaped and blunted its development."

Taking over the podium in the Rutherford House Library, Dr. Lupul started by addressing the question of why he wrote his memoir. The answer, in short, was "for the record." The 1970s, observed the author, were a special time, particularly for Ukrainian Canadians who were seeking "to take ethnicity out of the closet and into the public realm" - in effect, "to make it a normal phenomenon."

He next dealt with what the book is not, explaining that it is not an autobiography. He added that he had tried to balance an account of his involvement with multiculturalism with his professional activities and his personal life. In respect to the latter, he focused in particular on matters that had some bearing on his sense of Ukrainian Canadian identity and his approach to the politics of cultural pluralism, such as "growing up bicultural" in east central Alberta and the impact of a sabbatical leave in Eastern Europe.

The author then discussed in detail what the book was about, giving sketches of the themes and issues explored in the memoir. He concluded his presentation by reading a passage from the end of the book answering the question "Was all the political involvement worth it?"

The partisan crowd applauded the author warmly, and several longtime friends could be heard describing the talk and reading as being "vintage Lupul." A long queue quickly formed to purchase the volume, with some turning to the index even before checking out the table of contents. A second line then formed as people waited to have the author autograph his memoirs for them. Animated conversations continued over wine and hors d'oeuvres in the historic home, an especially appropriate venue for the celebration as Dr. Lupul had also been involved in saving the house from being demolished by the university.

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