Historical society apologizes to Semá:th First Nation
“The draining of [Sumas Lake] and our settlement on your ancestral lands was devastating and demoralizing and disrespectful.” That was part of an apology offered to Semá:th First Nation Chief Dalton Silver and his people by Richard Thiessen, president of the Mennonite Historical Society of B.C. The statement was part of a July 24 event…
MoM 100: Using technology to bring Mennonite history to life
It’s impossible today to see what the former Mennonite homes, schools, churches and villages in Ukraine looked like in the past—back when they were full of family, farm and business life. But by using modern technology, Brent Wiebe is giving it a good try. Wiebe, a member of the Mennonite Historical Society of Alberta, is…
MoM 100: Tour like a pilgrimage for young adult
For Emily Friesen, the Memories of Migration: Russlaender 100 Tour was like a pilgrimage. “As I travelled on the tour, I kept thinking about what it meant for our ancestors to make this journey,” said Friesen, 28, a textile artist from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. She had read about her great-grandfather’s travels from the Soviet Union to…
MoM 100: Jews and Mennonites in the Soviet Union 100 years ago
One thing participants in the Memories of Migration: Russlaender 100 Tour have been reminded during the trip is that the experiences facing their ancestors in the Soviet Union were not unique. Other groups also faced hardship and crisis there at the same time. This was a point underscored by Jonathan Dekel-Chen of The Hebrew University…
MoM 100: Sängerfest in Winnipeg celebrates migration
“Tonight, we give thanks for those who made the journey.” That’s what master of ceremonies Eric Friesen said at the start of the July 15 sängerfest in Winnipeg about those Mennonites who came to Canada from the Soviet Union—including his own ancestors. “And how better to express that thanks than to celebrate with singing?” he…
