A Little Self-Indulgence

By Volodymyr Kish

Another Toronto Ukrainian Festival [September 16-18] has come and gone on Bloor West, and once more I can say I enjoyed myself immensely.  For at least one weekend, I and tens of thousands of other Ukrainians could forget the constant crises and bad news emanating from the ancestral homeland, and indulge in some unabashed revelry arising from the simple joy of being Ukrainian.

For a few days we set aside the plight of Yulia Tymoshenko, the lingering and painful memories of the Holodomor, the continued pillaging of Ukraine by oligarchic usurpers, and the reactionary elements on the Canadian scene that would like you to believe that multiculturalism has been bad for Canada.  Instead, we ate, we sang, we danced, we partied and we celebrated all things Ukrainian.

The Festival is a unique annual opportunity that really demonstrates the strength, talent, diversity and dynamism of the Ukrainian community in Toronto as well as Canada in general.  Even for those of us active in Ukrainian organization life, the sheer magnitude of the Festival is inspiring.  To see hundreds of thousands of people, both Ukrainian and non-Ukrainian, come out each year to take in what the Festival has to offer is truly a moving experience.

It is also one of the few events where all the Ukrainian community demonstrates a genuine sense of unity and solidarity. For a few days, political, ideological, regional, generational and religious differences are set aside, and everyone just gives way to a little self-indulgence in Ukrainian hedonism.

What is particularly impressive is how each year, both the quantity and quality of entertainment seems to just get better and better.  The fact that most of the performers are native Canadians, yet exhibit a level of skill and professionalism that would be hard to match either in Ukraine or anywhere else in the Ukrainian diaspora, is a testament to the on-going strength of Ukrainian culture in Canada.  Superb dancing by the local Barvinok dance group or the Suzirya ensemble from Calgary thrilled the audiences.  Ukrainian song was well-served by such performers as Canadian Idol winner Theresa Sokyrka as well as the Harmonia Trio, all from Montreal.

Bands such as Zubrivka from Toronto, Hrim from New York and especially Tut i Tam from Saskatoon, kept toes tapping throughout the three days of the Festival.  And of course, the main attraction this year was the well know group Mandry from Ukraine. 

Since 1997, they have been one of the top performing groups in Ukraine, with a distinctive sound that is often described as “urban folk rock”.  Their performance on Saturday night wowed an audience that encompassed everyone from toddlers to senior citizens.

Ukrainian food was of course in ample supply, and like most people, I left all thoughts about watching calories behind, setting new records in the amount of patychky, varenyky and kapusta that I consumed.  For the more adventurous, a whole roast pig on a rotisserie provided an interesting alternative, as well as “Ukrainian Burgers” consisting of kovbassa garnished with beets and horseradish.  Copious amounts of Ukrainian beer helped wash all those calories down, and testified to the fact that Ukrainian beer is as good as any in the world.

he only criticism I can make, is that it is obvious that the Festival needs to expand the number and size of the beer tent venues.  The lineups and overcrowding in the one and only tent available needs to be addressed.  Several more such venues need to be set up to properly accommodate the demand for comfortable space to eat, drink, socialize and dance.

The one thing everyone agrees with is that no one can party like Ukrainians can, and this year’s Toronto Ukrainian Festival was no exception.