The Story of Plast – Major Exhibition at Oseredok

Winnipeg – Oseredok Ukrainian Cultural and Educational Centre and Plast Ukrainian Youth Association of Manitoba came together to celebrate the centenary of Plast with two exhibitions and a public lecture.

The main attraction іs the exhibition The Story of Plast: 100 Years of the Ukrainian Scouting Movement (Zhyttia v Plasti: 100 rokiv ukurains’koho plastovoho rukhu) that portrays a unique narrative of an organization that was founded in the homeland in Western Ukraine, was banned there by Polish authorities, survived clandestinely through turbulent times, was successfully “exported” abroad, and finally “imported” back to the homeland.

The exhibition traces the origins of the scouting movement and introduces the three founders of Plast – Oleksander Tysovsky, Ivan Chmola and Petro Franko. It puts forward the scouting/Plast values of duty to God, country and to others, and how these values resonated with Ukrainian youth in 1914-1921 in the struggle for Ukraine’s independence, and later during World War II in the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists and the Ukrainian Insurgent Army. It pays homage to Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky and his particular patronage of Plast. It places the dissolution of Plast in 1930 within the context of repression against all Ukrainians sanctioned and undertaken by the Polish State. It highlights the clandestine survival of the organization through the 1930s and the turbulent years of World War II. It describes the foresight of the Plast leadership to initiate the revival of Plast in 1945 in the Displaced Persons Camps of occupied post-war Germany, as well as the strategic move to appoint official animators charged with facilitating the founding of Plast in countries of resettlement. The exhibition continues with the story of Plast in the diaspora and its integration into Ukrainian community life across the globe. It focuses attention on national and international Plast jamborees and the role they played in fostering not only friendship and brotherhood, but also the affirmation of Ukrainian identity and Plast values. Finally, the exhibition touches upon bringing the Plast movement back to Ukraine and the success of its rebirth in the homeland.

The Story of Plast is illustrated with images from the Central State Historical Archives of Ukraine (Lviv), the State Committee on Archives of Ukraine (Archives of Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast), Plast National Scouting Organization of Ukraine (Plast Museum and Archives), as well as artefacts from Plast Ukrainian Scouting Organization USA, Plast Ukrainian Youth Association of Manitoba, the collections of Oseredok, and gifts from private individuals.

Among items of interest in the exhibition are the first edition of O. Tysovsky’s Zhyttia v Plasti (1921, Life in Plast) a book analogous to Baden-Powell’s Scouting for Boys, a photo of the first Eagle or King’s scouts (het’mans’ki plastuny skoby) Bohdan Makarushka and Roman Stepan Zubyk (1921), plastuny caring for the graves of Sich Riflemen on Makivka with Ivan Chmola (1925), poster for the first Ukrainian Scout Jamboree outside Ukraine in Mittenwald, Bavaria in 1947 on the occasion of the 35^th anniversary of Plast, banner headline about the dissolution of Plast by Polish authorities in Novyi Chas (Stanyslaviv/Ivano-Frankivsk, 1930), articles on court proceedings against individual plastuny in Dilo (Lviv) and Ukrainian News (Edmonton), and numerous badges and memorabilia.

Complementing The Story of Plast is an exhibition of artwork created by the youngest members of Plast in Winnipeg. Guided by art teacher Mariyka Derkach, the children were challenged to create an image of what they associated with Plast. The resulting works in acrylic are vibrant in colour and composition. They depict scenes of favourite symbols, activities and ceremonies from campfires to the raising of the national flags. The artwork is the children’s centennial gift to Plast.

Affiliated with the exhibitions was a special presentation on November 18, 2012 about Plast in Canada in the 1930s by Radomir Bilash, senior historian at the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village near Edmonton. Mr. Bilash provided interesting insight into the level of awareness about Plast among Ukrainians in Canada, citing Ukrainian Canadian newspaper sources on the subject. He traced the interest of various parties, such as Bishop Nykyta Budka, Ukrainian National Federation, United Hetman Organization and the Sich movement, among others, in establishing Plast in Canada either as an independent organization or as an adjunct of their particular group. In the end, groups calling themselves Plast or plastuny were established in Ukrainian Catholic parishes. Soon, they were integrated into the Boys Scouts of Canada network, even though they continued using the word plastun/scout interchangeably. Images of these groups and write-ups about Plast in Ukrainian News (Edmonton) appear in the exhibition.

The exhibitions and related programming were funded in part by Manitoba’s Ministry of Culture, Heritage and Tourism through the Ethnocultural Community Support Program. The exhibitions were officially opened on October 21, 2012 by Prof. Jaroslav Rozumnyj and continue until January 27, 2013. These projects came to fruition with the special assistance of the Winnipeg contingent of the Plast group Hrebli – Oksana Shulakewych, Chrystyna Hnatiw, and Marta Hnatiw. The Story of Plast: 100 Years of the Ukrainian Scouting Movement was curated by Sophia Kachor, Executive Director of Oseredok (coincidentally, also member of Hrebli); and Bohdana Bashuk of Oseredok provided the graphic design for the exhibition panels.

PHOTOS

1 – Plast beyond Ukrainian lands (before World War II)

2 – General view of exhibition gallery

3 – Radomir Bilash speaking on Plast in Canada in the 1930s

4 – General view of exhibition gallery

Credit: Oseredok