Lit candles and readings of first-hand accounts commemorated the victims of Holodomor last week.
The Chapel Gallery hosted Holodomor Genocide Memorial Day last Wednesday, in partnership with the Battlefords Ukrainian Canadian Cultural Council, and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress Saskatchewan Provincial Council.
Presenters included Paul Kardynal, Living Sky School Division Superintendent of Learning Jim Shevchuk, and event organizer and teacher Rhea Good.
Good said this year’s event was different than last year’s as she included some school-based activities. Earlier in the week, students performed tasks including filling bottles with grain.
The bottles represent an account of survivor Maria Soroka.
According to Shevchuk, her grandfather hid the bottle of grain hoping to retrieve it during the winter to save his family from starvation during the winter of 1933. The bottle was found in 2012.
As part of a teaching experience in two elementary school classrooms, Good gave presentations and Mayor Ryan Bater came to visit.
“Those teachers were really amazed and very happy to see how well the students connected with the story of Holodomor, and what they were able to take away from it, even at that young age,” Good said.
Both Good and Shevchuk said that previously, the Holodomor wasn’t widely taught.
“I think that there were just a handful of resources out there, maybe teachers who had particular interest might include it in the social studies unit,” Good said, adding Canada recognizing the famine as an act of genocide has increased awareness.
Good said the Holodomor has been added to Voices Into Action, an online educational resource providing students with information regarding human rights and prejudice.
