'In our blood': Story behind Ukrainian language brought to life by local play
A group of local theatre artists staged a play in Churchill Square on Sunday to show how Ukrainian culture has been under Russian assault for centuries.
Inna Ivchnko, a Ukrainian theatre program director, told CTV News Edmonton that artists wanted to highlight the current Russian invasion of Ukraine and connect it to the greater history of conflict between the two states.
"Our rally today is here to represent how for the last 400 years Russians destroyed our language, our culture, bans all Ukrainian performances, Ukrainian poetry, Ukrainian culture for more than four centuries," Ivchnko said.
The event also collected donations to support the fight in Ukraine and cultural groups in Edmonton.
"Ukrainian culture and language is in our blood, our DNA," she added. "We want to show (it) to everyone."
The short play was put together and brought to life by local artists to show how despite the best efforts of Russia starting in 1627, the Ukrainian language and culture survived.Local Ukrainian artists act out a play showing the history of the Ukrainian language and culture on Sunday, May 22, 2022 (CTV News Edmonton/Dave Mitchell).
"We will show how it survived because of the intelligentsia and patriots who was fighting to be able to speak, who was fighting to be able to print books," Ivchnko said. "Like 200 years ago, Russia banned our (Ukrainian) names. Can you imagine? Banning names?
"They are saying we don't exist," she added. "They (the Russians) say they made Ukraine, but it's not true."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
WHO likely to issue wider alert on contaminated cough syrup
The World Health Organization is likely to issue a wider warning about contaminated Johnson and Johnson-made children's cough syrup found in Nigeria last week, it said in an email.
WATCH Video shows dramatic police takedown of carjacking suspects chased through parking lot north of Toronto
Police have released video footage of a dramatic takedown of a group of teens wanted in connection with an attempted carjacking in Markham earlier this month.
Canada, G7 urge 'all parties' to de-escalate in growing Mideast conflict
Canada called for 'all parties' to de-escalate rising tensions in the Mideast following an apparent Israeli drone attack against Iran overnight.
'It was all my savings': Ontario woman loses $15K to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
Families to receive Canada Child Benefit payment on Friday
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.
After COVID, WHO defines disease spread 'through air'
The World Health Organization and around 500 experts have agreed for the first time on what it means for a disease to spread through the air, in a bid to avoid the confusion early in the COVID-19 pandemic that some scientists have said cost lives.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.