Jim Abbott, MP

Eli Popoff speaks of the history of the CCUB

By Dale West, News Editor, Castlegar News excerpt of May 3, 2006

Had the sunshine been brought from Grand Forks, as suggested by Doukhobor historian Eli Popoff? Or had the general disposition of the gathering precluded the weather, as suggested by MP Jim Abbott? Whatever benevolence, the stormy skies of Saturday evening evaporated into cloudless, sunny ones for the Sunday afternoon season opening of the Doukhobor Village Museum.

To mark the museum's 35th year, the Vision of Peace Youth Choir sang a time-honoured Doukhobor hymn, 'In Honour of Peace and Freedom', portraying the fundamental Doukhobor principles of toil and peaceful life.

Bringing greetings from the federal government and the Minister of Canadian Heritage, Beverly Oda, Kootenay Columbia MP Abbott noted the importance to Canada and the community of youth such as those in the choir. "I encourage people of all ages to standup, speakup and be part of the mosaic, and don't be intimidated by the things that are going on."

As parliamentary secretary to the heritage minister, Abbott said he was "deeply committed" to seeing that more dollars are available outside of the capital region for Canada's 2,200 museums and museum societies.

"You have done a fantastic job here, almost in spite of the federal government," said Abbott. After the conclusion of speeches by a host of other dignitaries, the museum's major exhibit for the year was unveiled: look at the rise and fall of the Christian Community of Universal Brotherhood. The exhibit focuses on the most successful industries of the Doukhobors; the orchards and jam factories, lumbering, brick factories and the construction of the famous Doukhobor Suspension Bridge.

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An appreciative audience

Skilled model builder Bert Learmont has created a replica of the bridge for the exhibition. Learmont explained how he created the model in similar fashion to the original builders. "When they built the bridge, they couldn't read English, they did it by pictures," said Learmont. Those plans are now illegible. "So I did it by pictures, too."

Constructing the bridge to scale, using similar techniques as when the bridge was constructed, Learmont gained anappreciation of the feat accomplished in 1913.

Another portion ofthe CCUB exhibit examines the story's Alberta connection. British Columbia produced vegetables, fruit and lumber, and shipped them to Saskatchewan in exchange for grain and horses. Because of the distance between the two provinces a commune was established in Alberta in 1915, explained Nick Verigin. Recounting growing up there, Verigin said his family lived in three shacks, but that was okay because they also had a wonderful, large barn - which nothing could rival as a place to play.

Larry Ewashen and his brothers Bob and Alex added playful note to the afternoon's festivities, singing pair of Russian "love" songs - one with a cockroach under a bed.

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Mark Mealing speaks of the local Doukhobor history

While the museum's latest exhibit examines Doukhobor past achievements, one of those who worked hard to create the museum society 35 years ago, Mark Mealing, reminded the opening day crowd that the museum was not only created to mark the material achievements of the past. "It was to be a witness to the spiritual, ethical and social life that made those material achievements possible," said Mealing.

The museum wasn't to be a tomb for the Doukhobor community - it never was, is not now, nor will it ever be, insisted Mealing. "There is faith, integrity, persistence, hope and vision, and those all carry us forward. The museum is here as a silent witness to those qualities."

"We honour the past as an example for the future, a model for the young, a place where we are reminded that these material things are here."

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An exhibit on the CCUB operations in Alberta at
the Museum in Castlegar

Over the last 20 years, Abbott says anything to do with religion, faith or closely held values has been kept completely out of politics.

"I, you, we are complete people," he told Doukhobor VillageMuseum opening day visitors. "When we came to this event and walked through that portal we didn't leave who we are, our values, or our heritage behind, we brought them in with us because they are an intrinsic part of who we are."

Regrettably, Abbott said there has been an attempt at the federal political level to try to make believe that we could park our values and who we are at that portal. "Speaking as individual member of Parliament, I can report to you that there is a real resurgence on the part of many people from many parties starting to realize that we are complete people," said Abbott. "Those of us who want to bring that and speak out about that within the whole political realm, now there is an openness, that quite frankly, I have never seen in this parliament before."

Abbott echoed the comments of House of Commons deputy speaker Bill Blaikie, "It's time we put our faith back in the public domain."