Uncle Steve

By Volodymyr Kish

Regular readers of this column are undoubtedly familiar with my cousin Hryts from Pidkamin with whom I regularly engage in dialogue on all things Ukrainian. He tends to have a unique perspective on things that, though unorthodox or eccentric at times, is always illuminating about the nature of the Ukrainian character.

I should note that I am not the first contributor to a Ukrainian Canadian newspaper to use an unconventional relative to poke satirical fun at Ukrainian foibles and behaviours.  Back in the 1920s, a talented Ukrainian artist, cartoonist and humorist by the name of Jacob Maydanyk created an irreverent and hard-drinking but engaging cartoon character by the name of Stefan Tabachnyk, better known as Vuyko Shteef (Uncle Steve).  Shteef leaves his little impoverished village in Western Ukraine to earn some money and hopefully return as a rich man.  In a regular series of cartoons that ran in the Kanadiyski Farmar, then the highest circulation Ukrainian newspaper in Canada, Maydanyk poked fun at the peasant habits and prejudices that the First Wave immigrants brought with them to Canada and the sometimes humorous and sometimes painful consequences that arose when these clashed with the prejudices and conventions of Canadian society.

The cartoons were very popular and were published in a book collection in 1931 that sold some 10,000 copies.  The book was republished again in 1974 by Ukrainian Canadian Historical Publications.

Jacob Maydanyk was born in the village of Syvdovi in Western Ukraine in 1891 where he received his first training in art.  He also spent some time studying textile ornamentation in Krakow before immigrating to Canada in 1911.  He spent a year in teacher training at Brandon College in Manitoba before moving to Winnipeg where he opened and operated the Providence Church Goods Store for over sixty years.  He set up a little studio at the store where he engaged not only in cartooning, but also became well known for his religious paintings and iconography.  He died in 1984 at the age of 93.

In 1983, well-known Ukrainian Canadian film-maker Halia Kuchmij, produced a wonderful National Film Board documentary on Maydanyk’s life titled Laughter in My Soul.  Jacob Maydanyk would undoubtedly make my list of Ukrainian Canadian “National Treasures”.

PHOTO

Vuyko Shteef working on a track gang