Your Community

Ukrainian Community

Your President & Secretary

President: Mr. Myron Sameluk Secretary:Dr. Linda Sydor Petkovic

Your Address

P.O. Box 7102 , Geelong West, 3218

Community Hall or Meeting Place Address

57 Pakington St , Geelong West & 240 Cox Road, Lovely Banks.

Your Phone/Fax/Email

linda.petkovic@bigpond.com

How long has your community been operating?

The Geelong Branch of the Association of Ukrainians in Victoria was formed in 1952.

How many members does your community have?

Around 400 families.

What is the first language of your community?

Ukrainian

When did members of your community first start arriving in Australia. Was there a period of peak immigration?

(Provide a brief history).

The first permanent Ukrainian settler came to Australia in the early 1920’s, but the first World War 2 migrants arrived in Western Australia aboard the ship SS General Stewart in February 1948.

In April of the same year, the first post-war Ukrainian settlers arrived in Victoria aboard “General Black”. According to the 1954 census, there were 17,239 Ukrainians in Australia. The 2001 census has that figure as 10,722.

Other historical dates:

1952 – Geelong branch of the Ukrainian Youth Association formed.

1953 – Establishment of “Lion” Soccer Club (see photo of players following).

1955 – Opening of Ukrainian School

1956 – Formation of Ukrainian Women’s Association

1959 – Establishment of Ukrainian Scouting Group

1966 – Consecration of Ukrainian Autocephalic Orthodox Church

1971 – Blessing of Ukrainian Autocephalic Orthodox Church

1991 – Formation of Ukrainian Senior Citizens’ Club

What National Days, religious days or special events does your community celebrate?

24 August – Ukrainian Independence Day

7 January – Christmas according to Julian calendar

Easter, Pentecost (50 days after Easter)

13 January – New Year’s Eve

19 January – Epiphany (Baptism of Christ)

19 December – St Nicholas

Briefly describe your national dress - including any items of special significance.

Each region of Ukraine has its typical dress. The embroidered blouse for women and shirt for men is typical to all regions, but it is the style of embroidery that identifies each region.

Briefly describe your community’s arts – including music/dance/song or artworks.

Ukrainians love to sing and dance. On Christmas Eve they sing Christmas carols. For Easter, Ukrainians decorate eggs or “pysanky”. This is a very old tradition whose beginnings reach back to antiquity. The ornamentation is geometric motifs, endless lines, stylised flowers and crosses. A specialised instrument is used to write the design with jot wax. The eggs are then dipped into dyes which have a symbolic meaning of their own. Red symbolises the sun, life and joy. Yellow stands for wealth and fertility. Green is the colour of spring and plant life.

Ukrainians have a passion for embroidery, wood crafts, porcelain and ceramics, and hand-woven kilims.

Ukrainian minstrels play the “bandura”, a 60 stringed musical instrument played like a harp. Typically, the minstrels called “kobzari” had to be blind.

Briefly describe your community’s traditional food & drinks - including foods and drinks you would avoid (if any)

Christmas Eve (6 January) is celebrated with a 12 course meal, each course dedicated to one of Christ’s Apostles. The Christmas Eve supper consists of “kutia” – wheat hearts mixed with poppy seeds and honey, “borsch” – beet soup with “vushka” (boiled dumplings filled with chopped mushrooms and onions), fish, “varenyky” (boiled dumplings filled with cabbage, potato and prunes) and “holubtsi” (stuffed cabbage rolls). This meal is meatless and ends with “uzvar” (stewed fruits).

Ukrainian traditional specialities are: varenyky, borsch, holubtsi, pliatsky (potato pancakes).