Interview with Anne Myszok 1.1

Interview with Anne Myszok 1.1

coal miners

emigration

oral histories

rural life

child mortality

child rearing

infant care

rural life

coal mining

boarding houses

house chores

work at home

dating (courtship)

wedding dances

wedding dresses

wedding music

wedding receptions

marriage age

right to strike

farm life

houses

oral histories

private ownership

Other people in the room: Pauline Lysak (reference) and Pauline's friend

2003-03-14

audio

2003-091-025

Kuranicheva, Anna

Myszok, Anne

5.4 Interview with Anne Myszok 1.1 2003-091-025 34:24 U2 Local Cultures Myszok, Anne Kuranicheva, Anna mp3 2003-091-025.mp3 0 http://206.12.88.230:8080/lcp/2003/2003-091-025.mp3 Other audio Ukrainian 0 Biographical information and arrival to Canada What is your name? How old are you? When and where were you born? When did your family come to Canada? Anna is 94 years old, she was born in Ukraine, Ternopil oblast, Chortkiv rayon. Her father came to Canada in 1910. He did not want to go back to Ukraine (because he disliked Poles). He was a miner in Drumheller. Anna and her mother arrived in Canada on December 24, 1921. Her father already had a house in Drumheller. Poles coal miners ; emigration ; oral histories ; rural life 53.533333, -113.5 17 Interview location: Edmonton, Alberta 51.41472, -112.63384 17 Drumheller, Alberta 207 Anna's mother and siblings Who else lived with you when you were growing up? Anna's mother got pregnant and had a son ('in one year after she arrived'). Her three older children died (in Ukraine) because the family could not afford a doctor. Anna was the fourth child. Anna's younger brother was the only child in the family born in Canada. Anna lived in Drumheller for 25 years. mumps child mortality ; child rearing ; infant care ; rural life 53.533333, -113.5 17 Interview location: Edmonton, Alberta 51.41472, -112.63384 17 Drumheller, Alberta 306 Father's occupation. House in Drumheller. What was your father's occupation? Anna's father was a coal-miner. Anne tells about their hard life and explain what a 'domestic coal' is. Miners often went on strike. They had a house of 4 rooms, no bathroom though. domestic coal coal miners ; coal mining 53.533333, -113.5 17 Interview location: Edmonton, Alberta 51.41472, -112.63384 17 Drumheller, Alberta 458 Marriage and Anna's occupation - 1 How old were you when you got married? Anna got married at 16. Her husband did not want her to be employed, instead, he wanted her to run a boarding house and cook for four miners. boarding houses ; coal miners ; house chores ; work at home 53.533333, -113.5 17 Interview location: Edmonton, Alberta 51.41472, -112.63384 17 Drumheller, Alberta 553 Anne's husband. Courtship. Where was your spouse born? What is his name? How did you meet? What was his occipation? Anna's husband was Dmytro Boian from Ivano-Frankivsk. They met at the organization of workers. There were concerts and celebrations. In Canada, he was a miner, he worked at the same company for 30 years. dating (courtship) 53.533333, -113.5 17 Interview location: Edmonton, Alberta Drumheller 17 Drumheller, Alberta 649 Anna's wedding Describe your wedding. What were preparations for the wedding? Describe your wedding dress. Desribe ceremony at the church. Did you have a wedding tree? (no) Was there a gathering to make a wreath? (no) Describe the reception. How were people invited to the wedding? Where was it held? Was there a photographer? Were there musicians? What type of instruments were played? What were the dances? Was there singing? What kinds of food and drinks were offered? Was there a wedding bread? Wedding cake? What kinds of gifts were there? Anna complains that she got married too young. Wedding gifts. About Catholic and Ukrainian church. She had a white dress. No wedding tree. No wreath. Ukrainian food. Cake (not a wedding bread). Had a photographer. Ukrainian music. They did not sing. They danced. Anna recalls being a bridesmaid in Ukraine. wedding dances ; wedding dresses ; wedding music ; wedding receptions 53.533333, -113.5 17 Interview location: Edmonton, Alberta 51.41472, -112.63384 17 Drumheller, Alberta 1053 Marriage age Did your parents approve your marriage? Anna is talking about her parents' disapproval of her marriage because she was too young and her husband was 13 years older. Her husband did not have relatives in Canada. marriage age 53.533333, -113.5 17 Interview location: Edmonton, Alberta 1127 Miner’s strikes Miners went on strike every year, they demanded to raise a salary. Miners were working underground for 2 dollars a day. Later on, a union in America was launched and Canadian miners joined it. They got wage growth. coal miners ; right to strike 53.533333, -113.5 17 Interview location: Edmonton, Alberta 51.41472, -112.63384 17 Drumheller 1291 Marriage and Anna's occupation - 2 Where did you live after getting married? Anna's husband rented a house (?). He wanted her to cook for other miners. She had a hard time and gradually learned cooking with the support of her neighbours: 'I would better go to work then hurt like this.' boarding houses ; house chores 53.533333, -113.5 17 Interview location: Edmonton, Alberta 51.41472, -112.63384 17 Drumheller, Alberta 1424 Ownership in Ukraine and Canada Did you have land in Ukraine? Ownership of farmland and house in Canada Problems with English at school Anna's Father had three pieces of the field in Ukraine. They brought pillows and a feather bed to Canada. Anna's brother disliked farm life and moved to live with her in a city. She tells about his complications with English at school. Anna's brother English ; language ; war farm life ; houses ; oral histories ; private ownership 53.533333, -113.5 17 Interview location: Edmonton, Alberta 51.41472, -112.63384 17 Drumheller, Alberta Other people in the room: Pauline Lysak (reference) and Pauline's friend No transcript. No interview agreement signed ; however, she gave her verbal permission to use the information. audio 0