UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
Ukrainians in Australia: An Eyewitness Account
Description:
CIUS Seminar Audio Part 1 and 2.
The second Institute seminar, “Ukrainians in Australia: An Eyewitness Account," was presented by Dr. Celestin Suchowersky, formerly of the University library, on 2 October. In February 1979 Dr. Suchowersky visited the major Ukrainian centres in Australia: Sydney, Melbourne, the port of Adelaide and Canberra, Australia's capital. He met with representatives of Ukrainian religious, civic, cultural, economic and political organizations.
The Ukrainian Catholic church in Australia is well organized and has a number of accomplishments to its credit; the Ukrainian Orthodox church is somewhat weaker, being divided into three jurisdictions and representing a smaller number of faithful. Ukrainian community life is led by the SUOK, which might be compared to the Ukrainian Canadian Committee of Canada, although there are some differences. Every city has its own narodnl domy where all can gather; simultaneously there exist domy for specific church and civic groups such as SUM and Plast. The development of credit unions has been impressive, especially in Sydney and Melbourne. Political parties from "the old country" languish because of internal dissension. The speaker felt that Ukrainian students in Australia, as a whole, participate more actively in Ukrainian community life and speak more and better Ukrainian than do their Canadian counterparts. The speaker was most favourably impressed by the Tovarystvo universytetskykh graduantiv (Association of University Graduates) of Sydney and the surrounding area. The Tovarystvo invited Dr. Suchowersky to address its members on the cultural and academic achievements of Ukrainians in Canada and on the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies in particular. The older generation of Ukrainian Australians is troubled by a complex of questions familiar to Canadians concerning assimilation and the retention of a Ukrainian identity among the youth.
Found in CIUS Newsletter Vol 4 Issue 1 (Winter 1979)
The second Institute seminar, “Ukrainians in Australia: An Eyewitness Account," was presented by Dr. Celestin Suchowersky, formerly of the University library, on 2 October. In February 1979 Dr. Suchowersky visited the major Ukrainian centres in Australia: Sydney, Melbourne, the port of Adelaide and Canberra, Australia's capital. He met with representatives of Ukrainian religious, civic, cultural, economic and political organizations.
The Ukrainian Catholic church in Australia is well organized and has a number of accomplishments to its credit; the Ukrainian Orthodox church is somewhat weaker, being divided into three jurisdictions and representing a smaller number of faithful. Ukrainian community life is led by the SUOK, which might be compared to the Ukrainian Canadian Committee of Canada, although there are some differences. Every city has its own narodnl domy where all can gather; simultaneously there exist domy for specific church and civic groups such as SUM and Plast. The development of credit unions has been impressive, especially in Sydney and Melbourne. Political parties from "the old country" languish because of internal dissension. The speaker felt that Ukrainian students in Australia, as a whole, participate more actively in Ukrainian community life and speak more and better Ukrainian than do their Canadian counterparts. The speaker was most favourably impressed by the Tovarystvo universytetskykh graduantiv (Association of University Graduates) of Sydney and the surrounding area. The Tovarystvo invited Dr. Suchowersky to address its members on the cultural and academic achievements of Ukrainians in Canada and on the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies in particular. The older generation of Ukrainian Australians is troubled by a complex of questions familiar to Canadians concerning assimilation and the retention of a Ukrainian identity among the youth.
Found in CIUS Newsletter Vol 4 Issue 1 (Winter 1979)
Author:
CIUS
Publisher:
CIUS
Date:
October 2, 1979
Contributor:
Celestin Suchowersky
Language:
English, Ukrainian
Original Format:
Magnetic tape, audio cassette
Files
Collection
Citation
CIUS, “Ukrainians in Australia: An Eyewitness Account,” CIUS-Archives, accessed April 18, 2024, https://cius-archives.ca/items/show/2003.
