Yaremko “Home with
Heritage” at
By Halia Sluzar
The long awaited
new exhibit at the Ukrainian Museum of Canada, Ontario Branch in
Upon entering the museum, one enters
As one enters further, there is a display
featuring a small burled maple table and two matching chairs, all standing on a
tiny Persian rug. On the table are two place settings of china set on cross-
stitch embroidered place-mats and serviettes as well as two silver
candlesticks. A framed photograph depicts the same scene in actual life.
In front of the aforementioned portrait is a
chair presented to John Yaremko by the Ontario Provincial Parliament and a
miniature table upon which is a photo of Mary Yaremko wearing a bright pink
cape, looking up at this same portrait, her black gloved hand raised toward it.
On the chair is the actual pink cape, the long black gloves and black evening
bag.
In the museum, there are wall showcases, one each
on the north and south walls. The case on the north wall features a long white
embroidered sorochka which belonged to Mary Yaremko’s maternal
grandmother as well as a group of very old family photos including the wedding
photos of the Materyns, Mary Yaremko’s parents. On the south wall, the case
holds a sorochka belonging to John. Yaremko’s maternal grandmother and
family photos. John Yaremko had nine siblings.
The various showcases outline John Yaremko’s
career in provincial parliament. One vertical showcase has a beautiful Icon
with attached lamp. In this same showcase there are eight black bibles on which
Mr. Yaremko was sworn in for his various positions in Cabinet. The last four
bibles are in the Ukrainian language. John Yaremko served in the Parliament of
Ontario for twenty-four years from 1951 -1974, and held many provincial
government cabinet posts such as:
Minister without Portfolio, Minister of
Transport, Secretary and Registrar, Provincial Secretary and Minister of
Citizenship, Minister of Public Welfare, Minister of Social and Family
Services, and Solicitor General.
One of the two horizontal showcases displays the
numerous medals received by John Yaremko. Some of these are from Ukrainian
organizations and others are from Hungarian groups. The Ukrainian World
Congress presented John Yaremko in 1989 with its highest award - the St.
Volodymyr Medal. There are many medals from Hungarians showing their gratitude
and esteem for John Yaremko for all his help when he facilitated their
immigration to
On display are paintings by the well known
Ukrainian sculptor Archipenko, a reproduction of one of his sculpted figures, a
print of an icon by William Kurelek and a glass painting by Yaroslava.
Unfortunately, Mary Yaremko did not live to see
this exhibit because she passed away on March 28, 2005. However, a spry John
Yaremko is still interested in everything all around him. He visited the
exhibit before the opening and was very pleased with what he saw. We pray that
he will be with us for many more years so that he can continue to tell us the
many stories he loves to recount about his life and times and all the people he
has known.
H , John Yaremko!
Rose and William Sametz and John Tron are
acknowledged for their most important role played in creating the exhibit. With
heartfelt thanks, they made it possible for members of the exhibit committee to
have constant access to the Yaremko home to select the necessary artifacts that
were brought into the Museum for the exhibit. Without their assistance, “At
Home with Heritage” could not have been organized and taken place. Also,
gratitude is expressed to Lida Smilka for being the exhibit’s language
consultant.
Great thanks are extended to all the people who
helped in every way to make the “Opening” successful and they are: Claudia
Mykytiuk, Lesia Haley, Olia Polisczscuk, Anisia Borowyk, Adele Kereliuk and
Steve Yonka. Bless you all!