BLAINE LAKE — The Doukhobor Dugout House located south of Blaine Lake will officially open for the season July 4 and continue to offer tours at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. every Saturday in July.
The 2015 theme, There is a Difference, vividly explains the differences between the “rational” Doukhobors and the “fanatical” Sons of Freedom.
Brenda Cheveldayoff, site owner, continues to create significant themes at the historical site to further educate the general public on her ancestors. She also expresses her appreciation to the many individuals who assist her to realize the historical significance of the area.
The theme definitively addresses the obvious differences between the two sets of Doukhobors, which over the years has caused confusion with the public. The phrase “toil and peaceful life” is central to the way most Doukhobors think and live. Spiritual practices include living by example and working hard. They were an ethnic group considered to be a part of spiritual Christianity. Their pacifist beliefs and avoidance of government interference to live their communal life did create some challenges in both Saskatchewan and British Columbia.
The Sons of Freedom were considered by some the most radical of the Doukhobor immigrants. They held public protests and demonstrations that may have led to the destruction of personal and public property.
The historical site will create live period costume re-enactments of both groups, providing an educational experience, which has always been one of Cheveldayoff’s goals with the site.
Guests visiting the Doukhobor Dugout House site will be greeted by volunteers in period costume, embracing the visual aspect and capturing the culture. Visitors are guided down the path to the fresh flowing spring where volunteer Donna Choppe demonstrates the skill of hand-washing clothes with lye soap.
The tour of the actual dugout house site shows the relevance of the site and displays the artifacts found during the archeological excavation.
Visitors are guided back up the bank to participate in the plough-pulling event. Twelve people volunteer to demonstrate pulling while one person mans the plough.
“It is important to share these ancestral events with other cultures,” explains Cheveldayoff. “It adds clarity by providing an opportunity for questions to be answered and the livelihood of our culture to be explained.”
One of the biggest misconceptions of the plough-pulling event is that the women were forced to pull the plough as a means of punishment. This is not true but rather the women devised the system to assist in clearing land for gardens and crops while the men were away earning money. Women would often spend their time working the land while singing a cappella songs of praise. It was a difficult time but yet a time of peace and an opportunity to embrace their creator.
The tour concludes at the building identified as the Prayer Home where a volunteer shares the significance of being a Doukhobor.
Visitors can browse through the Quonset, where numerous artifacts and memorabilia are displayed, and where refreshments and traditional homemade bread served with butter or jam can be enjoyed.
The site is open only on Saturdays during the month of July. A nominal admission fee is applicable to individuals over 12 years of age. For more information on the Doukhobor Dugout House and its tours, please visit www.doukhobordugouthouse.com
