The Story of Kalyna
Country
Ecomuseum preserves the
heritage of
By
Jars Balan
Situated north and east of
The idea to create an
ecomuseum in East Central Alberta was suggested in the late 1980s by the
then-director of the Alberta Historic Sites and Archives Service, Dr. Frits
Pannekoek. When the date marking the 100th anniversary of the 1891 arrival of
the first Ukrainian immigrants to
Support was obtained from
Ukrainian community leaders. Next, the Historic Sites Service asked the
Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies (CIUS) to work with the provincial
government in establishing an ecomuseum to commemorate the Ukrainian Canadian
Centennial. Director Bohdan Krawchenko embraced the initiative and committed
CIUS funds toward a development strategy. Bill Tracy, of Alberta Historic
Sites, was appointed to oversee its preparation. I was hired in 1991 to work on
the project. I held meetings with volunteer associations, municipal bodies,
historical and museum societies, chambers of commerce, service groups and town
councils to explain the principles of ecomuseum organization.
In researching, I learned
that Poles, Romanians, Germans, and Jews also immigrated to the bloc settlement
from villages inside the borders of contemporary
A plan was drafted and the
ecomuseum’s borders were drawn, basically defined by the territory of the
pre-1920 Ukrainian bloc settlement. Also, a non-profit society to oversee the
implementation of the strategy was formed and,
in 1992, a volunteer organization that would operate the ecomuseum was
formally established.
I proposed that the
ecomuseum be called “Kalyna Country” in recognition of the Ukrainian character
of East Central Alberta and the fact that the highbush cranberry was a commonly
found plant in the region. It is a symbol that tied together many of the
ecomuseum’s proposed themes.
To be successful, the
ecomuseum needed a multifocal approach and multicultural philosophy to reflect
the rich history, cultural diversity and natural beauty of the region. For instance, the
In the interpretive
strategy, we identified six themes: the characteristic geography of the North
Saskatchewan River Basin; the natural environment, regional plants and
wildlife; Aboriginal history, culture, and contemporary Native life; the period
of European exploration and the fur trade; early agricultural settlement, the
arrival of missionaries, and the mass influx of pioneer homesteaders, most
notably from Eastern Europe; and the
evolution of East Central Alberta communities from the World Wars to the
present.
In June 1992, the Kalyna
Country Ecomuseum Trust Society was founded. Community activists were elected
to serve as its Board of Directors. I stayed on as the volunteer executive
director and continue in this role as I am convinced of the ecomuseum’s
potential to contribute to the preservation of the area's
unique heritage.
The Kalyna Country Ecomuseum
Trust Society’s primary task is to lead the process by which the heritage
resources of rural East Central Alberta are preserved, presented, and promoted
for the enjoyment and the enrichment of the inhabitants and tourists. To this
end, the ecomuseum engages in research, conservation, restoration and educational
activities that improve the quality of life for Kalyna Country residents and
that contribute to the economy of the region.
The Ukrainian Canadian
Centennial Commission and the Shevchenko Foundation in
Since the ecomuseum was
dependent on volunteers, growth was incremental, but a solid foundation was
laid. The association’s core membership
represented a coalition of interests: bird watchers and history buffs, economic
development specialists, and municipal officials, all recognized that by
working together on Kalyna Country they could more effectively pursue both
their shared and separate goals.
Efforts were made to
educate locals about the interpretive and conservation strategy and to
popularize the name, “Kalyna Country.” Articles were published in newspapers,
public presentations made, and displays mounted at events. Then, in the early
1990s, the Kalyna Board of Directors developed a Regional Tourism Action Plan
and a Tourism Marketing Plan with input from local stakeholders. The plan’s
basic thrust and strategy are still used to advertise Kalyna Country.
In the spring of 1994,
Kalyna Country mounted its first promotional booth at the Edmonton Home and
Garden Show. In 1995, it produced a glossy, four-colour brochure, followed by a
second pamphlet, “The Versatile Kalyna,” which describes the central role
played by the high-bush cranberry, or Guelder rose, in the history, culture,
and ecology of East Central Alberta.
When the government of
In 1997, the DMO oversaw
the publication of the first Kalyna Country Visitor’s and Events Guide, a
12-page tabloid. 10,000 copies were printed for local distribution. By 2000,
the guide had become a 96-page periodical issued in 30,000 copies that reached
an audience ranging well beyond the
The scope of the Kalyna
Country Trust Society’s work has also expanded in tandem with the Kalyna
Country DMO’s development. The Trust
continues to initiate and oversee interpretive projects, while commissioning
research and providing support to historical and cultural groups. Since 1995,
it has hosted a summer festival at the
Recently, it has focused on
helping to preserve the more than 100 Eastern Rite churches and religious
landmarks found within the ecomuseum. Kalyna Country hopes to make these
architectural and historical sites as well known to world travellers as the
Spanish Missions in the American Southwest, thereby providing encouragement and
practical assistance toward their upkeep.
Kalyna Country’s
institutional patrons, members and volunteers can reflect proudly on the
strides made. The Trust Society and the DMO have evolved into vibrant
organizations that work in a complementary way for the welfare of the entire countryside
north and east of
For more information about
Kalyna Country, visit www.kalynacountry.com