Send message to Author

Paper short abstract

In my presentation, I examine the transfer of archival collections in Edmonton, Canada, from the Ukrainian Canadian Archives and Museum of Alberta to the Bohdan Medwidsky Ukrainian Folklore Archives, and how UCAMA’s rich historical holdings reshape BMUFA’s mission, narrative, and accessibility.

Paper long abstract

My presentation is about the history of two Ukrainian Canadian archival institutions in Edmonton, Canada: the Bohdan Medwidsky Ukrainian Folklore Archives (BMUFA) and the Ukrainian Canadian Archives and Museum of Alberta (UCAMA). In 2020, UCAMA closed and donated its extensive archival collection to BMUFA. I will explore how the incorporation of these collections reshaped BMUFA’s narrative, mission, and accessibility.

The UCAMA was founded as a non-profit institution dedicated to preserving the culture and history of the first Ukrainian settlers in Alberta. Its founders, Hryhory and Stephania Yopyk, understood “culture” in a broad sense. As a result, they collected personal belongings, clothing from Ukrainian families, artworks, documents, newspapers, magazines, books—essentially anything that could be considered part of Ukrainian heritage. A particular emphasis was placed on historical memory, especially on materials related to World War I.

In contrast, BMUFA, founded at the University of Alberta, was built on academic principles. Its focus lies in documenting, preserving, and interpreting Ukrainian and Ukrainian Canadian folklore across Canada, prioritizing personal stories, migration experiences, and oral traditions.

The transfer of UCAMA’s collections introduced a rich local historical narrative into BMUFA’s primarily folklore-focused framework. This integration broadened and complicated BMUFA’s original narrative, prompting a re-examination of its mission and leading to significant changes in strategies of accessibility.

This case contributes to broader discussions on the transformation of archival narratives and the ethics of cultural and historical memory, showing how shifting institutional contexts redefine what is preserved, how it is described, and how it is remembered.