The devastation Ukraine is going through is impacting many Canadians and others all over the world. Former Valley resident, Wendy van der Walt, is deeply impacted by the attack against Ukraine, for her grandparents originally came to Canada from there. “My father was a first-generation Canadian,” said van der Walt.
“His parents fled from Ukraine a few years before he was born, in the early 1930s. My father was his parent’s only child. His father died suddenly when he was very young and his mother lived far from us in Hamilton, Ont.. I understood, as a child, that my father and his mother were estranged but didn’t understand why.
“I would question my father about our Ukrainian heritage, to which he would invariably reply, with finality, ‘We are Canadian.’ All he would share was that his family had suffered greatly, were met with prejudice during the immigration process, had their name changed and never looked back.” Despite van der Walt not knowing a lot about her family history growing up, her father did immerse her in Ukrainian culture. She has many memories of spending time with him dining on Ukrainian food or taking in the language.
“The only part of his heritage that he quietly shared with me was the food,” said van der Walt. “Living in Winnipeg, he would take me out alone to different Ukrainian restaurants, quite often, and to Folklorama each year. During those special times, he would open up, share Ukrainian phrases, anecdotes and of course his love of the food with me. Like his own father, he died suddenly, very young. I wish more than anything I’d had a chance to sit with him and learn more about my family history.”
Although van der Walt has never travelled to Ukraine, it’s been on her list of places to go. Watching the horrific bombing and attacks that Ukraine has endured has been heartwrenching for her. “I was scrolling Apple News on my phone when I saw the many distressing news items about the Russian invasion and violence upon Ukraine,” said van der Walt. “I was horrified, frightened and so incredibly sad for the people of Ukraine, as well as the righteous and brave Russian people protesting the invasion.” Regardless of not knowing her family’s history very well, van der Walt feels she still has family in Ukraine today. Not knowing who they are or what they’re going through, has been on her mind a lot lately.
“I assume I do have family in Ukraine, sadly, I have no way of knowing who they are or where they live, as all of my immediate relatives have passed,” said van der Walt. “With the name change, they left absolutely no trail.
Lately, I’ve thought often about these unknown relatives and asked myself, are they afraid? Have they left their homes? Are their children and grandchildren safe?” While the turmoil has continued in Ukraine, van der Walt found inspiration in the tragedy to help give herself and others hope for the country and peoples’ future.“ When I woke up on the morning of Friday, Feb. 24, which was the second day of the invasion, I picked up my phone to check the news and was overwhelmed with emotion,” said van der Walt. “The news article that really knocked me down was a video clip of the older Ukrainian woman verbally berating a Russian Soldier.
I’m thinking that by today almost everyone must have seen this now-viral video. “The woman approaches a group of Russian soldiers and begins to ask questions. She angrily shamed, swore at them, and called them occupants and fascists. Then she tried to give them sunflower seeds, the national flower of Ukraine, and told them to ‘Take these seeds and put them in your pockets, so at least sunflowers will grow when you all lie down here.’ She was so immensely brave to fiercely defend her home and democracy; it was absolutely inspiring. “I felt compelled to head to my shop here in Brandon and make a quilt to hang in the window showing my support for the brave people of Ukraine and their Canadian relatives loving and praying for them from afar,” said van der Walk. “My staff and I worked through the day on the sunflower Ukrainian Flag-themed quilt, and completed it in time to take it as a banner to the peaceful demonstration of support here at Brandon City Hall that evening.” The quilt not only resembles hope for Ukraine, but also has some special sentiments that van der Walt hoped to share when she created it. The quilt is not for sale but will stand as a constant reminder and symbol of hope for the people of Ukraine. “A detail of the quilt that is special to me is the fabric I used for the heart in the Center of the appliquéd sunflower,” said van der Walt. “I put out a request that day through some Brandon quilt ladies for a small piece of floral Ukrainian ‘Baba’ or ‘Kokum’ scarf fabric. I wanted it to represent how, in my opinion, women are at the center or heart of a people, as well as the most impacted by war and conflict. Brandon quilt ladies delivered, finding me a piece of fabric that had travelled over 50 years ago from Ukraine to Canada, to be sewn into a baby skirt for a new Ukrainian Canadian baby girl. “The quilt is still hanging in the shop window, and will stay there until this atrocity is over and freedom for Ukraine prevails.”
