Balwin School students dressed as Malanka mummers
On Novemeber 27 the Kule Folklore Centre hosted 21 students from Balwin School in Edmonton. They were participating in the annual, one week U School program at the University of Alberta.
Malanka was the theme for their introduction to Folklore studies. Larisa Sembaliuk Cheladyn welcomed the students to the Bohdan Medwidsky Ukrainian Folklore Archives. Everyone then watched a short video on 'Malanka in Bukovyna" and learned about the many Ukrainian folk traditions associated with this exciting New Year's Eve celebration. Students then had an opportunity to make their own masks and dress up in authentic Ukrainian clothing to become 'Malanka Mummers". The visit ended with an imprompu Kolomeyka in the middle of the Archives!
Thank you to the supervising teacher, Ksenia Fedyna, and all the parent and UAlberta volunters who helped make this memorable visit so successful.