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    Strings of Life, Fate & Hope
    Strings of Life, Fate & Hope
    Strings of Life, Fate & Hope
    Ebook165 pages1 hour

    Strings of Life, Fate & Hope

    By Liz Chorney

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    About this ebook

    The making of a string instrument called a Bandura, played a significant role in the documentation of my grandmother's immigration (at the tender age of 14) and her settlement in Canada.

    From my memories as well as those shared with by my uncle, her son, the story begins, taking you the reader on that same journey across the ocean, weaving through past and present life events of my grandmother and me the writer.

    Hopefully, after reading this story, you too will be inspired to document your ancestral stories as well, to leave as a legacy for future generations. For, we must always remember the gifts our multicultural ancestor's left us, in their assimilation to the new world.

    Reviews

    Book Review Iryna Konstantiuk

    "Excellent work, an unforgettable story! The story as told, is a refreshing presentation of a pioneer immigrantÕs adaptation and survival in Canada. This historical account of events, reminds one of where we've come from, and what it means to belong to this nation. It is a must read for every Canadian, particularly each successive generation of youth. I would recommend that this book be part of mandatory reading within our Canadian school curriculum!"

    Iryna Konstantiuk, M.A. Instructor, Department of German & Slavic Studies, Faculty of Arts, University of Manitoba

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTrafford Publishing
    Release dateAug 1, 2005
    ISBN9781412236362
    Strings of Life, Fate & Hope
    Author

    Liz Chorney

    I live in the province of Manitoba, Canada. The province my ancestors chose to find that "better life". I have property within the rural farming community where my Ukrainian grandparents originally laid claim to a surveyor's land spike. Living in the country, I've experienced first hand, the length of time it takes to chop just one wind fallen tree and therefore have a true appreciation as to how hard my pioneer ancestors worked to clear land for a cultivated field. Wishing to pass on to my children, more than a fragment of my rich Ukrainian culture, I started to construct a traditional Ukrainian instrument called a Bandura. Little did I know at the time, that my interest in my roots would lead me in the direction of creating a spoken word story, encapsulating the life of my Baba or Grandmother, accompanied by the strings of this instrument. Those who heard the story invariably encouraged me to document this narrative so as to reach a far wider audience. Converting this spoken word story into a manuscript was the furthest from my mind, until I personally experienced a life-changing event. In the year 2000, I finally had the opportunity to realize my life long dream and journey to the land that my ancestors had left behind one hundred years ago. The impoverishment, that motivated my ancestors to seek a life elsewhere; was evident in both urban and rural areas that I had visited. In my travels, I was moved by the site of children begging, for none other than bread! Returning home, these images of poverty and hunger remained fixed in my memory, which ultimately led to the writing of Strings of Life, Fate & Hope All net profits will be directed to the one hundred thousand orphans of Ukraine!

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      Book preview

      Strings of Life, Fate & Hope - Liz Chorney

      © Copyright 2005 Liz Chorney.

      All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written prior permission of the author.

      ISBN: 978-1-4120-5911-4 (sc)

      ISBN: 978-1-4122-3636-2 (e)

      Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

      Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and

      such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

      Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

      Trafford rev. 11/09/2022

      15707.png www.trafford.com

      North America & international

      toll-free: 844-688-6899 (USA & Canada)

      fax: 812 355 4082

      Strings of Life,

      Fate & Hope

      16491.png

      Written by:

      LIZ CHORNEY

      Nee (Smolinski)

      Introduction

      This story follows the life of an early pioneer immigrant who is called to North America in the year1900. More specifically, it is a chronicle of my Baba’s or my Grandmother’s life, and the driving force that brought sustenance, direction, and hope, in the most trying times. May you who read this story reflect upon the life of your own ancestors and rediscover the mark that those before us left behind as their legacy, celebrating life along and life’s uncertainties, while building families, communities, and a nation!

      In the years prior to 1900, Canadian agents were milling about Europe promoting the beauty of Canada’s vistas and the splendid future that awaited those who would relocate to a new country! These agents were also promising free homesteads. Free homesteads to anyone wishing to undertake the adventure of breaking land into arable fields made ripe for sowing! Prime emigrants for entrance consideration are; young families, strong able-bodied men, as well as adventurous women! More specifically unattached single women, those willing to function in the role of someone’s domestic help or spouse, as, in Canada, there are countless men longing for the companionship of a female helper or mate!

      My Baba, determinedly sought that brighter future in a new country when she repeatedly heard, ‘a beckoning reassuring voice’. Thus, at the tender age of fourteen, she left behind her family, her home, and her childhood acquaintances in a Selo, or small village; named Pidkamin, near the town of Brody, in the Oblast (region) of Lviv; at which time in history belonged to the principality or ruling state of Austria!

      On her arrival to Halifax, Canada, she mustered the energy to board a train and make her way to the province of Manitoba. In the city of Winnipeg, she fortunately connected to friends from her village. These acquaintances were instrumental in securing her first job placement in the field of her proficiency, documented by immigration as that of a domestic helper!

      After two long years of tending to other people’s needs, my Baba was ready for a new adventure. A governmental ‘promised free homestead’ to any immigrant, definitely sounded intriguing when presented by a proposing future spouse. Geared up to forge a life as a self-reliant pioneer homesteader, she heads off to a newly established rural community called Ladywood, located in the recently formed Municipality of Brokenhead, Manitoba, Canada.

      As a typical pioneer on that ‘promised free homestead,’ my Baba was, without a doubt, predestined to a lifetime of endless struggle and labour! Periodically, alone on the 160 acres of inhospitable surroundings, she would work hard to make a life for her offspring to survive.

      But; the most remarkable fact is, that at no time did the taxing work, to convert swamp, dense forest, and stone into a ready field; give my Baba reason to lose hope on that legislated ‘Gratis Land Site,’ located east of the Prime Meridian, on the northeast quarter of Section 22, Township14 and Range 7. At this location, the better life she sought for herself and her progeny was with time, to unfold.

      Note To The Reader

      Within the story are a number of Ukrainian words or phrases. (Bold type) These inserts will be followed in turn, by a close literal translation in the English language text. These Ukrainian phrases or words are phonetically pronounced using the English alphabetic sounds rather than the Cyrillic alphabetic sounds; therefore, the exact or refined pronunciation may somewhat fall short in the correct and polished pronunciation!

      A key to aid you in the pronunciation of all-Ukrainian words!

      A or a - as in far

      E or e - as in get

      EE or ee - as in feet

      Y or y - as ‘y’ in symbol,

             if Y or y are followed by a vowel

             then pronounce with vowel sound,

             as given below!

      YE or ye - as in yes

      YEE or yee - as the yea in yeast

      YU or yu - as yu in yule

      YA or ya - as in YALTA

      O or o - as in or

      U or u - as in duplicate

      KH or kh - as the "ch" in Bach

                     or Scottish loch

      ZH or zh - as the "s" in vision

      TS or ts - as in Patsy

      SH or sh - as in shot

      SHCH or shch - as fresh cheese

      Other bold type inserts are songs minus the musical score.

      Secondary

      Key to Pronunciation

      A or a - as in far

      E or e - as in get

      EE or ee - as in feet

      Y or y – as ‘y’ in symbol,

             if Y or y are followed by a vowel

             then pronounce with vowel sound,

             as given below!

      YE or ye – as in yes

      YEE or yee - as the yea in yeast

      YU or yu - as yu in yule

      YA or ya - as in YALTA

      O or o - as in or

      U or u - as in duplicate

      KH or kh - as the "ch" in Bach

                     or Scottish loch

      ZH or zh - as the "s" in vision

      TS or ts - as in Patsy

      SH or sh - as in shot

      SHCH or shch - as fresh cheese

      Acknowledgements

      This testimonial of appreciation to the life of my grandmother was mostly based on factual information provided by my dear Uncle Stanley Smolinski, to whom I am most grateful. Also, many Thanks to my Ukrainian friends who encouraged me so immensely while I strived to re-learn the Ukrainian language as an adult, and who, so willingly helped me with some of the translations for this story! More so, I will always be indebted to my family, friends, and many new acquaintances that so amiably took an active part as my mentors, to all a big Thank-You!

      Lastly, had my life been as challenging as that of my early ancestors, or had I not the opportunity to receive a reasonable education, the means to afford a computer as well as the resources to invest in electronic publishing; this story would have more than likely gone undocumented and definitely unpublished.

      LIZ

      A Voice That Called

      Periodically, it is good to take the time to pay tribute to those who listened to that inner guiding

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