The Friends in Unity Ladies Group graces the 2007 opening with traditional Doukhobor singing

With a new year beginning for the Doukhobor Discovery Centre, formerly known as the Doukhobor Village Museum, Jayme Hadikin, who is Doukhobor, said the museum is the perfect way to preserve that culture.

Hadikin, who spoke on behalf of West Kootenay-Boundary MLA Katrine Conroy, was among several speakers on Sunday afternoon commemorating the opening of the Doukhobor Discovery Centre. Hadikin spoke about how she knows that the Doukhobor culture and heritage is important and explained why she began studying it.

"When I was at Selkirk College I took a year to study my heritage and figure out ways to preserve it for the future. Unfortunately, the way our society is going, we're slowly all becoming one of the same," Hadikin explained." Cultures are slowly getting forgotten. I don't know a lot about my culture, but I'm trying to learn and I think this museum, this beautiful museum that is looking better and better each year, is the perfect way to preserve our culture and make sure that it's here forever."

Alex Atamanenko, NDP MP for the B.C. Southern Interior, said the museum isn't just a place with artifacts or to look at the past, but something more. "It's a testimony to the people that have managed to come to this country after facing many hardships and establish themselves here and show the rest of Canada what is able to be accomplished," he said. "I wish the museum the very best this year."

City of Castlegar mayor Lawrence Chernoff feels the Doukhobor Discovery Centre is great. "You have to identify the culture of the community," he said, following the ceremony. "How do you bring culture forth? Not everybody knows about it. If you have something unique, you have to play on it. "If you're proud of your heritage, your proud of your community," he added. Chernoff loves the Doukhobor Discovery Centre and feels it represents the community properly.

Dr. Galina Alexeeva presented a spirited discourse on musems and Leo Tolstoy. She is Head of Academic Studies at the Leo Tolstoy Museum in Tula, and concluded that the Doukhobor Discovery Centre is a professional museum on a very high level.

Larry Ewashen, curator for Doukhobor Discovery Centre, likes that the museum doesn't become static. "Each year there are new additions," he said. "A lot of museums don't. Big thing is change. I think it has the air of tranquility and captures the Doukhobor sense of harmony." The newest addition to the museum is the audio visual exhibit which has rare images representing pivotal points in Doukhobor history, Ewashen noted. The Doukhobor Discovery Centre's curator said every year attendance improves as they usually get 1,000 visitors a month from over 70 destinations. "I'd like to have more every year," Ewashen said.

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Curator Larry Ewashen hosts as MC

Fred Makortoff speaks on behalf of the Council of Doukhobors in Canada

Mayor Lawrence Chernoff

Steve Malloff speaks about life in the village - his recollections of a simpler, better time

Friend of the DDC, Mike O'Connor

Doukhobor artist / painter Florence Chernoff Lynburner displays and discusses the origins of her paintings

Snacks were brought by the ladies at the Village Bistro - enjoyed by all!