Myrna Kostash Unravels In Winnipeg

Reviewed by Robert Klymasz

There’s no denying that All of Baba’s Children by Myrna Kostash occupies an important, iconic niche in the history of Ukrainian Canadian letters. Not surprisingly, a full house of some 100 people – academics, students, University of Manitoba alumni, and the general public – crowded into the lecture room on March 22 to see and hear the one whose daring albeit personal perspective on  the Ukrainian Canadian experience first surfaced as a book thirty years ago.  Since then, of course, Kostash has produced many other publications – all of them searching and many of them strongly opinionated. These are the hallmarks of her writings.  [To this reviewer, she brings to mind Winnipeg’s Maara Haas who is best known for her imaginative comic novel in verse, The Street Where I Live.]

At the invitation of the University of Manitoba’s Centre for Ukrainian Canadian Studies, Kostash came t o deliver this year’s Tarnawecky Distinguished Lecture.  This lecture series was endowed by Professor Michael and Dr. Iraida Tarnawecky, former professors of the University of Manitoba.  The lecture bore a somewhat provocative title, How I lost my hyphen and found my groove, and traced the myriad of twists and turns that marked her transformation from a born-again-Ukrainian-Canadian to a cosmopolitan writer of creative non-fiction. 

Kostash, who has also written for Macleans, Saturday Night, Chatelaine, and The Globe and Mail, in this lecture traced her four decades as a Canadian writer beginning in journalism and arriving at a style known as “creative non-fiction.” She explored issues from ethnicity, multiculturalism and feminism of the seventies, towards contemporary and complex postmodern trends in defining Canada today.  In recent years, this journey has apparently become a pilgrimage with strong religious overtones (her current work-in-progress is entitled My St. Demetrius: Memoirs of Byzantium).  Although Kostash offered no clues regarding the substance of this latest foray, one can’t help but admire her guts as she tackles this bottomless sea of fact and fiction.

 A vigorous question session followed the presentation.  Tough questions were answered by Kostash masterfully, honestly and generously.  The afternoon was brought to a close by Dr. Denis Hlynka, Centre for Ukrainian Canadian Studies, University of Manitoba.  An excited buzz continued long after the reception.

Fresh, engaging, and often juicy as well, this lecture was truly a rich cultural experience with no disappointments and an ideal platform to examine who we are as Canadians over the last four decades from a unique perspective.  The Centre is most certainly indebted to the following individuals and organizations for their support and participation:  Noted western Canadian poet and University of Manitoba English professor Dr. Dennis Cooley (he introduced the speaker), Dr. Orest Cap (the able master of ceremonies), St. Andrew’s College (for providing the venue) and the Ukrainian Professional and Business Club of Winnipeg, Inc. (co-sponsors).         

Dr.  Robert B. Klymasz, Ph.D. is Curator Emeritus, Canadian Museum of Civilization (Gatineau, Quebec), and currently lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba.