Ukrainian Canadian

Rob Ford’s mouth has landed him in trouble again. This time, the mayor likened five political rivals on council to dictator Joseph Stalin.

Speaking on the John Oakley show, Ford told the AM640 host that certain councillors are “two-steps left of Joe Stalin.”

…

When asked his thoughts on being compared to a man who killed twice as many people as Adolf Hitler, Matlow shook his head and said: “Nah. I’ll leave it.”

Read the rest of the article

Another day in the life of Toronto’s right-wing mayor Rob Ford, who’s gone on similar tirades against the homeless, homosexuals, cyclists and Asians.

What was also disappointing to read were the newspaper’s descriptions of the Soviet Union and Joseph Stalin’s crimes that were rife with errors:

Stalin ruled Russia’s Soviet Union for a quarter of a century. His push for rapid industrialization, state-run agriculture, and political ruthlessness lead to the deaths of millions. Under Stalin, thousands of his political enemies were executed and millions were sent to forced labour camps.

Toronto Star

The USSR is not Russia, but was rather made up of 15 Soviet Republics during its reign of terror:

Historians believe millions of Russians were executed or starved to death under the Russian dictator’s rule.

The Globe and Mail

Millions of non-Russians in the Soviet Union were murdered under Stalin as well. A notable example of course being the 7-10 million Ukrainians during the Holodomor in 1932-33.

The right-leaning media outlets in Toronto like the Toronto Sun and Newstalk 1010 didn’t even bother to provide any background to who Joseph Stalin was, presumably because of their special relationship with the mayor. Sadly, comparing trivial politics to the dictatorship has been occurring more and more recently.

Yordan (Epiphany) – January 19th

The final day of the Christmas season and one of the greatest feasts of the Eastern Church (celebrated since the second century) is Epiphany or Yordan. It commemorates the baptism of Christ in the river Jordan by St. John the Baptist when God appeared in the three Persons. As Jesus was standing in the water, the Holy Ghost in the appearance of a dove was seen above Him, while the voice of God the Father was heard to say, "This is my beloved Son in Whom l am well pleased!"

On this day, it is the custom to bless water— a river, a lake, or the sea. or now in modern churches, a vessel of water — in a great ceremony including a procession with the carrying of banners and the cross. In Ukraine and sometimes in communities in the U.S. and Canada where Ukrainians had settled, this blessing of water was held outside at a local body of water such as a river or lake. The men of the community would build a large cross of ice blocks near where the water was blessed and dyed it red with beet kvas (a fermented beet juice). The incensing of the water by the priest signifies the descent of the Holy Ghost to Christ during His baptism. During the ceremony, three special candles are immersed in the water; this is to remind us that through Christ’s baptism our sins are destroyed and forgiven. After the ceremony, the people take some of the blessed holy water to keep in their homes during the coming year.

After the meal on Epiphany Eve, the Christmas tree would be taken down and the didukh would have been carried out and burned in the orchard or pasture.

 

The Blessing of the Home

It is the custom on Epiphany after the blessing of the water or in the days following this feast, for the priest to visit his parishioners to their home with holy water. In some areas, such as when distances visiting all the homes difficult, the father of the family may be the omwho blesses the home.

The home is tidied and prepared in advance for this visit, for it would not be right to not have the home in order. When the priest comes, he is accompanied by one of the family the oldest or the youngest through the house. While he sprinkles the rooms with Holy \X/art-r blessed on Yorclan, the priest prays that the home is kept a place of love and security for the family that lives there and that the family he protected from evil of body and soul and be given abundantly of Godk goodness health, hope, and happiness, courage and confidence, awareness and assurance of His lasting Rove and presence.

This ceremony of the blessing of the home signifies the new beginning of both the new year and of baptism when the soul is cleansed.

 

The Feast of St. ]ohn the Baptist – January 20th

This feast is another synaxis, or day commemorating one associated with the feast of the previous day, as St. ]ohn the Baptist was present when Christ was at the river Jordan. On this day, the kolach which was on the table throughout the days between Christmas Eve and Yordan was taken out at daylight by the father and fed to the cattle to "last them until the new bread."

Thus ends the holy clays of the Christmas season. Following this time, there is a new period of marriages, up until the beginning ofLent and the greatest holy day of all, Easter.

Taken from ‘Ukrainian Christmas – Traditions, Folk Customs, and Recipes’ by Mary Ann Woloch Vaughn

A few quick videos to share from some Greater Toronto Areas Malanka. The first is a countdown to new years from the Plast Malanka in Toronto:

You can check out some photos from the CYM Malanka in Mississauga here.

These two videos were sent to me from Ania Jacyniak as well:

Planning on attending Ukrainian New Years Eve a.k.a. Malanka? Here’s an extensive list of events happening around the world:

Malanka- A Ukrainian New Year’s Celebration

Sunday, December 4 at 5:30pm

AUUC Ukrainian Hall in Strathcona, 805 E. Pender St., Vancouver, BC

MALANKA

Saturday, January 28, 2012 at 4:30pm

Lethbridge Senior Citizens Organization in Lethbridge, Alberta

Malanka 2012

Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 6:30pm

Crystal Grand Banquet Hall & Conference Centre in Mississauga, Ontario, 2110 Dundas Street East

Ukrainian New Year ( Malanka)

Saturday, January 28, 2012 at 5:30pm

Five Mile Hall, Alberta

NIGHT B4 MALANKA 2012

Friday, January 13, 2012 at 9:00pm

The Rockpile Nightclub, 5555 DUNDAS ST. WEST, Etobicoke, Ontario M9B 6C1

Malanka

Saturday, January 14, 2012 at 6:00pm

St. Luke’s Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Warners, New York, 3290 Warners Rd

MALANKA 2012

Saturday, January 28, 2012 at 8:30pm

St. George Academy in New York, New York, 215 EAST 6TH STREET

MALANKA @ AaSTORIA

Friday, January 13, 2012 at 7:30pm

AaSTORIA UKRAINIAN RESTAURANT, England

Malanka — Julian New Year

Saturday, January 14, 2012 at 6:00pm

St Demetrius Ukrainian Community Center Banquet Facility in Carteret, New Jersey, 691 Roosevelt Ave.

Coventry Malanka 2012

Friday, January 13, 2012 at 8:00pm

103 Leicester Causeway, Coventry Ukrainian Social Club., England

MELBOURNE MALANKA 2012

Saturday, January 14, 2012 at 5:30pm

Melrose Reception in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, Corner of Melrose and Carrick Drive Tullamarine

The Malanka Tour Bus

Friday, January 13, 2012 at 6:00pm

Midlands/Bradford M1, England

2011 Whippany Malanka

Saturday, January 14, 2012 at 7:00pm

Ukrainian American Cultural Center of New Jersey in Whippany, New Jersey, 60 North Jefferson Road, USA

Susydka hosts Malanka

Saturday, January 14, 2012 at 6:00pm

Vita Hall in Vita MB

New Britain Malanka

Saturday, January 28, 2012 at 9:00pm

St. George Hall – New Britain, Connecticut

Malanka in the Mountains

Friday, January 13, 2012 at 5:30pm

Jasper Park Lodge in Jasper, Alberta

USC KARPATY Malanka 2012

Saturday, January 14, 2012 at 7:30pm

Crystal Grand Banquet Hall & Conference Centre in Mississauga, Ontario

CYM MALANKA 2012

Saturday, January 14, 2012 at 5:00pm

Ukrainian Youth Unity Complex (Cym) in Edmonton, Alberta, 9615-153 Avenue

Elite Malanka 2012

Saturday, January 28, 2012 at 6:00pm

Oakville, ON – SVCC

Toronto Plast – Пласт Malanka

Saturday, January 14, 2012 at 6:00pm

Liberty Grand Entertainment Complex in Toronto, Ontario

Malanka! (Ukrainian New Years)

Saturday, January 14, 2012 at 6:30pm

Royal Canadian Legion Innisfail 5208 49 Street Innisfail

Ottawa MALANKA 2012

Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 6:00pm

Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral Hall , 1000 Byron Avenue, Ottawa, ON

S.A. Ukraina & DESNA Malanka 2012

Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 5:30pm

Renaissance by the Creek in Toronto, Ontario, 3045 Southcreek Rd.

Boston Ukrainian New Year’s Dinner and Dance – Malanka 2012

Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 8:00pm

The Lantana in Randolph, Massachusetts, 43 Scanlon Drive

Slavic New Year Gala / Malanka

Saturday, January 14, 2012 at 8:00pm

John J Sulllivan’s, 557 Wakelee Ave, Ansonia, Connecticut

МАЛАНКА В КРЕНИЦИ-ЗДРОЮ

Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 8:00pm

Karczma Regionalna, Czarny Potok 26a, Krynica Zdrój, Nowy Sacz, Poland

GEELONG MALANKA 2012 @ THE UKRANIAN HALL

Friday, January 13, 2012 at 7:30pm

THE UKRANIAN HALL, Geelong West, Australia

Plast Winnipeg Malanka – Пластова Маланка

Friday, January 13, 2012 at 6:30pm

Fort Garry Hotel in Winnipeg, Manitoba, 222 Broadway Avenue

Malanka (ie Ukrainian New Years!!!) (Not on new years…)

Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 5:30pm

Ukrainian Cultural Center , 805 East Pender, Vancouver, BC

Plast Calgary Malanka 2012

Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 5:30pm

Calgary Petroleum Club – 319 5th Ave SW

Malanka- A Ukrainian New Year’s Celebration

Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 5:30pm

Ukrainian Cultural Centre, 805 E. Pender St., Vancouver, British Columbia

CYM/PLAST MALANKA 2012

Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 5:30pm

3270 Beaubien E

Boston Ukrainian New Year’s Dinner and Dance – MALANKA 2012

Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 8:00pm

The Lantana in Randolph, Massachusetts, 43 Scanlon Drive

Suzirya Ukrainian Dance Theatre’s “Spirit of Malanka”

Friday, January 20, 2012 at 5:30pm

Thorncliffe Greenview Community Assoc in Calgary, Alberta

Thornhill Malanka: St. Volodymyr the Great Ukrainian Catholic Church (15 Church Lane) Saturday January 14, $35 – call 905-889-0187

Missing your event? Please leave the details in a comment.

A little late but here are some photos and video’s from last Sunday’s Ukrainian choir and dancers performing at the Toronto Christmas Market: