The brightly colored embroidery catches my eye first – intricate threads of red, blue, and yellow winding their way across crisp white fabric. Standing outside Charlottetown’s Murphy Community Centre last Thursday, I watched as Ukrainians and Islanders alike gathered, many wearing traditional vyshyvanka shirts despite the spring chill in the air.
“These patterns tell our story,” explains Nataliia Haiduchyk, adjusting the sleeve of her own vyshyvanka. “Each region has different symbols. Mine is from western Ukraine – see how the flowers connect? It means family bonds that cannot be broken.”
For the third year running, Prince Edward Island’s Ukrainian community marked Vyshyvanka Day with public celebrations honoring their cultural heritage. The embroidered shirts, worn for centuries during special occasions, have taken on deeper significance since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.
When I arrived at the community center, the aroma of traditional foods already filled the air. Nearly 100 people had gathered, some recent arrivals to Canada, others descended from Ukrainians who immigrated generations ago. Children raced between displays of traditional crafts while adults exchanged news from home.
“Before the war, this was just a nice tradition,” says Oleksandra Bezruchko, who fled Kyiv with her two children in 2022 and now lives in Charlottetown. “Now wearing vyshyvanka is also an act of resistance. It says, ‘Our culture survives despite everything.'”
The annual celebration, held on the third Thursday of May, has grown as PEI’s Ukrainian population has increased. According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, approximately 1,200 Ukrainians have arrived in Prince Edward Island since March 2022 through various immigration streams, including the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel program.
Vyshyvanka Day originated in Ukraine in 2006 when students at Chernivtsi National University organized a campus event encouraging people to wear the traditional shirts. The tradition spread throughout Ukraine and then globally as the Ukrainian diaspora embraced it. It now serves as a visible reminder of Ukrainian identity and heritage.
At the Charlottetown gathering, local seamstress Maria Korol displayed contemporary clothing incorporating traditional embroidery patterns. Her work bridges generations – using ancient symbols in modern designs.
“Each pattern element has meaning,” Korol tells me, pointing to geometric shapes on a blouse. “The diamonds represent fertility and the continuation of family. The crosses are protection symbols. When refugees arrive wearing these patterns, they bring generations of cultural knowledge with them.”
The Island’s Ukrainian Canadian Congress chapter president, Anastasia Khomenko, explained how the event helps newcomers find community while educating Islanders about Ukrainian culture.
“Many Islanders come because they’re curious, then they stay because they feel welcome,” says Khomenko. “This cultural connection helps our newcomers feel less isolated during a traumatic time.”
PEI’s local government has shown consistent support for the Ukrainian community. Premier Dennis King attended the celebration, noting that the province benefits from the skills and cultural contributions of Ukrainian newcomers.
“The strength these families show, rebuilding their lives here while worrying about loved ones back home – it’s remarkable,” King said during brief remarks. “Their resilience enriches our island community.”
For children at the event, the celebration offered moments of normalcy and joy. Ten-year-old Danylo, who arrived with his mother last year, proudly showed me the embroidery he had learned in a community workshop.
“In Ukraine, mostly grandmothers did this,” he explained in careful English. “Now I’m learning because it helps me remember my grandmother who stayed behind.”
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recognized Ukrainian embroidery as an intangible cultural heritage in 2023, acknowledging its significance as a living tradition. The vyshyvanka represents not just decorative art but a complex symbolic language passed through generations.
As evening approached, traditional musicians took up their instruments. The bandura (a Ukrainian string instrument) player began a haunting melody that quieted the room. For a moment, the community seemed to collectively hold its breath, connected by music to a homeland many fear they may never see again.
Iryna Pastukh, a language teacher who helps newcomers adjust to life on PEI, summed up the day’s significance: “Culture is what survives when everything else is destroyed. Buildings can be rebuilt, but traditions must be continually practiced or they disappear. That’s why today matters.”
As I prepared to leave, an elderly woman pressed a small embroidered handkerchief into my palm. “For remembering,” she said simply. The red and black cross-stitch pattern felt both delicate and enduring – much like the community that created it.
In Charlottetown’s growing Ukrainian community, Vyshyvanka Day represents both a celebration of heritage and a testament to survival. As the tradition takes root on Prince Edward Island, it demonstrates how cultural practices provide continuity and comfort during times of profound disruption, connecting newcomers to both their past and their new home.
