The University of Manitoba campuses are located on original lands of Anishinaabeg, Cree, Ojibwe-Cree, Dakota, and Dene peoples, and on the National Homeland of the Red River Métis. More
The mission of the Archives of the Ukrainian Canadian Experience is the identification, acquisition, preservation, and interpretation of the Ukrainian Canadian community’s records. These individual collections will complement the efforts of other local and national institutions in preserving the Ukrainian culture in Canada.
The University of Manitoba has had a long tradition and relationship with the Ukrainian community in Manitoba. In 1949, the Department of Slavic Studies was established. This subsequently led to the creation of a separate Slavic Collection within the Elizabeth Dafoe Library. The Ukrainian portion of the collection forms a significant segment of the overall collection. In 1964, St. Andrew’s College, the theological seminary for the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church in Canada, moved to its current building on the University of Manitoba Fort Garry Campus. Since 1981, the college has been the home of the Centre for Ukrainian Canadian Studies, offering courses in language, literature, history, geography, and folklore.
The Archives of the Ukrainian Canadian Experience enriches the Slavic Collection, one that is renowned and familiar to the community. The University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections also houses many rare Ukrainian and other Slavic language books and manuscripts in its Rare Book Room. Most of the collection was acquired by the founder of the university’s Slavic Studies program, Dr. Jaroslav B. Rudnyckyj. The Archives of the Ukrainian Canadian Experience, and the Slavic books and manuscripts held in the Rare Book Room, support courses and research in the Department of German & Slavic Studies, and the Centre for Ukrainian Canadian Studies.
Examples of some of the archival collections that comprise the Archives of the Ukrainian Canadian Experience include: the Alpha Omega Alumnae fonds; the Alexander Baran fonds; the Michael Ewanchuk fonds; the Oleh Gerus fonds; the Stella Hryniuk fonds; the Klymkiw Family fonds; the Irena Knysh fonds; the J. Nicholas Mandziuk fonds; the Myroslav Shkandrij fonds; the Mary Wawrykow fonds;and the William Wsiaki fonds. For more information about the Ukrainian archival collections held in the Archives & Special Collections, please visit the Archives of the Ukrainian Canadian Experience's website.
Location:
U of M Archives & Special Collections
330 Elizabeth Dafoe Library
Czas (the Times), is the oldest Polish language newspaper weekly in Canada. It was established in Winnipeg in 1914, -- and first published by a local Canadian firm owned and operated by the famous local Czech immigrant, Franciszek Dojacek. From its beginnings, Czas ensured that its Polish roots and content remained intact, as it was closely connected with members of the Polish Gymnastic Association Sokol. It was through Sokol’s perseverance and guidance that facilitated the creation of the newspaper. For nearly a century it has remained an invaluable resource of information to the Polish community in Canada – informing new immigrants of local and international events, and assisting them with the new challenges and adjustments they face in their new country. Through the years Czas has provided a nonpartisan link between Polish-Canadians, and Polish communities beyond Canada’s borders -- allowing for the free dissemination of information about their ancestral home.
In the Fall of 2003 the executive board of Czas – Polish Press Ltd., agreed to find a permanent home for their collection of bound newspaper issues covering the period of 1915-2003. The Board approached the U of M Archives & Special Collections to house this unique and historical collection of Polish-Canadiana. On January 2004 the executive board of Czas officially transferred the Czas newspaper collection from Czas – Polish Press Ltd., to the University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections.
Location of the Collection: The original bound Czas newspaper collection is found in the Rare Book Room of the U of M Archives & Special Collections. Those issues from 2004 onwards are located in the Elizabeth Dafoe Library's Slavic Collection.