Katimavik - a visit to the Doukhobor Discovery Centre...
(December 10, 2006)
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Katimavik

The Doukhobor Discovery Centre was the scene of a local culture and heritage information session for the ten Katimavik participants of Castlegar, also joined by ten newly arrived members from the Trail area.

The session was conducted by Larry Ewashen, Curator of the Centre and aided by Dr. Galina Alekseeva, Head of Academic Research of the State Museum of Leo Tolstoy.

Harry Killough, Board member and local historian, filled in with local history as well.

The session took place in the Audio Visual Building which currently houses the exhibit on the Christian Community of Universal Brotherhood and its history in the Canadian west from 1908 to 1937.

  

Larry Ewashen briefs the Katimavik guests on a short history of the Doukhobors.

   

Board member and local historian Harry Killough speaks on Castlegar.
  
The participants, from BC to Nova Scotia, were curious and anxious to learn about the local history where they will be actively engaged for the next three months.
  

Dr. Galina Alekseeva, Head of Academic Research of the State Museum of Leo Tolstoy speaks of the Doukhobor-Tolstoy connection.


Here each Katimavik visiting member introduces themself with a few words on their origin
and reasons for joining the venture.

Katimavik is an Inuit word which means ‘meeting place’. This is a federal program which sponsors students to travel and live in different areas of Canada in the interests of education and broadening horizons.

This year, Castlegar, Trail and Nelson are fortunate to have ten such student visitors each, aged 17 to 21, originating from Vancouver to Nova Scotia.

Part of the orientation of culture involves the students being billeted with host families. In Castlegar, the emphasis is on Doukhobor culture and heritage. We hope that we will find families who will billet one student for one of the following periods: Jan 19th to February 2nd, March 22nd to April 6th, and July 6th to July 20th. This is a wonderful opportunity to expose these young people to the Doukhobor concepts of Toil and Peaceful Life.

Host families will be reimbursed $10 daily for 14 days. Throughout this billeting period, the students will continue to work 9 to 5 Monday to Friday. One prerequisite is that they will have a separate bedroom.

If you or someone you know is interested in being a host family, contact Committee Member Larry Ewashen at 365-5327 or Alex O’Rourke at 365-6359 for further information.

After selection the host families will be invited to a 'meet and greet' at the Katimavik house prior to billeting.


Katimavik - a visit to the Doukhobor Discovery Centre...
(December 10, 2006)
Back to News