A Courageous Stand: More Than Just Wearing a Vyshyvanka

Photo Credit: Wikipedia and Ted Talk video

I wanted to share an early draft of an article I’m writing about a troubling recent incident in the Canadian Parliament, which was brought to light by Ukrainian leader Lesya Voroniuk in her recent Facebook post (Voroniuk, 2024).

Ms. Voroniuk, the brave founder of World Vyshyvanka Day and a vocal advocate for preserving Ukrainian cultural heritage (Civil Voices Museum, n.d.; TEDx Talks, 2018), was set to speak to Parliament about her work celebrating Ukrainian culture and the importance of standing with Ukraine. However, her appearance was abruptly canceled by MP Yvan Baker over concerns that she might wear a vyshyvanka (traditional embroidered shirt) honoring controversial Ukrainian historical figure Stepan Bandera.

Ironically, just days before, Mr. Baker had proudly posted photos of himself and other MPs wearing vyshyvankas in Parliament in solidarity with Ukraine (Baker, 2024). While acting out of an abundance of caution to avoid Russian propaganda is understandable, silencing an important Ukrainian voice like Ms. Voroniuk’s over her choice of shirt has the opposite of the intended effect. It allows Russia to control the narrative and undermines free and open dialogue about complex issues in Ukrainian history, such as Bandera’s complicated legacy and his relationship with the Jewish community (Yuzych, 2023).

The article explores the life of Stepan Bandera, a Ukrainian nationalist leader who fought for independence, but whose legacy has been weaponized by russian disinformation to smear Ukrainians as Nazis. It argues that truly supporting Ukraine means having the courage to sometimes grapple with difficult history, not shy away from it. And that MPs and leaders like Mr. Baker must be willing to learn and listen, even if the topics are uncomfortable.

I hope Mr. Baker and other Canadian officials take this as an opportunity to thoughtfully engage with Ukrainian activists like Ms. Voroniuk and diaspora groups, not shut them out for fear of controversy. I would love to see leaders like Chrystia Freeland help educate her colleagues on the nuances of Ukrainian history, the importance of open discussion on sensitive topics, and the recognition of female leadership.

Ukraine’s culture is under attack, and now more than ever, supporting vyshyvanka is a powerful statement. But solidarity must go beyond donning the shirt to standing with Ukrainians even when the conversations get tough. I hope the Ukrainian Embassy in Canada and Ukrainian Canadian Congress can continue to work to build relationships and raise awareness among Canadian parliamentarians on these critical issues.

This is just a draft and a starting point for the important dialogue we need to be having. I welcome everyone’s ideas and feedback, and I hope Mr. Baker and others will join the conversation. Ukraine needs our unflinching support and courage now more than ever.

Slava Ukraini!

A Courageous Stand: More Than Just Wearing a Vyshyvanka

In the fight for Ukraine’s freedom and independence, every measure of support from the international community matters. From the provision of military aid and humanitarian assistance, to sanctions against russia and the welcoming of Ukrainian refugees, to symbolic acts of solidarity like wearing the traditional Ukrainian embroidered shirt known as the vyshyvanka – all these actions send a powerful message that Ukraine does not stand alone against russian aggression.

That’s why it was deeply concerning to learn that Evan Baker, a Member of Parliament in Canada, recently refused to allow Lesya Voroniuk, a prominent Ukrainian leader and organizer of World Vyshyvanka Day, to speak before the Canadian Parliament. His reason? Apparently Mr. Baker was fearful that Ms. Voroniuk would wear a vyshyvanka honouring Stepan Bandera, a Ukrainian nationalist leader who fought for an independent Ukraine in the early-mid 20th century.

To provide some historical context, Stepan Bandera was a polarizing figure who has been both revered as a freedom fighter by many Ukrainians and reviled as a Nazi collaborator by Soviet and Russian propaganda as well as some in the West. The truth is complex – while Bandera did align himself with Nazi Germany for a period in hopes of gaining independence for Ukraine, he was also imprisoned in a concentration camp for refusing to rescind the 1941 declaration of Ukrainian statehood. The Germans saw him as a threat to their aims. Two of his brothers perished in Auschwitz. Later, Bandera was assassinated by a KGB agent in 1959.

In today’s Ukraine, Bandera has increasingly become a symbol of the uncompromising struggle for a Ukraine free from foreign domination. Streets have been renamed after him, and there have been initiatives to honour him as a Hero of Ukraine. At the same time, russian propaganda routinely weaponizes his image, dubbing any Ukrainians who resist them as “Banderites” and “Nazis.” It’s a cynical strategy aimed at delegitimizing Ukraine’s right to self-determination.

Which brings us back to the unfortunate decision by MP Baker to disinvite Ms. Voroniuk from speaking in Parliament. On one hand, it’s understandable that he would want to avoid any potential controversy or fodder for russian disinformation around Bandera. There are still many, especially in the West, who only know the Soviet portrayal of him as a fascist and anti-Semite. Undoubtedly, Baker felt wearing a Bandera-themed shirt could possibly detract from or undermine Voroniuk’s important message.

However, by preemptively banning her from Parliament over this, Baker has unwittingly allowed fear of russian propaganda narratives to limit freedom of expression and dictate what is “acceptable” for a Ukrainian leader and activist to wear when representing her nation and culture. It signals a timidity to confront and pick apart the false narratives and historical distortions that russia exploits to smear Ukraine and those who fight for its right to exist. Intention aside, it hands putin a small victory.

There is bitter irony in the fact that Baker and other Canadian MPs were proudly photographed wearing vyshyvankas in Parliament in a show of solidarity with Ukraine, while Ms. Voroniuk, an actual Ukrainian female leader under direct threat from Russia’s war, was denied a platform over the hypothetical vyshyvanka she might choose to wear. A vyshyvanka that honours a man many Ukrainians see as a fighter against their oppressors and occupiers.

The embroidered shirts and dresses, with their colourful threads and intricate folk designs, are more than just pretty garments – they are symbols of Ukrainian identity, resilience and defiance in the face of those who seek to subsume and erase them. Vyshyvanka Day itself was launched by Voroniuk as an ingenious way for Ukrainians all over the world to visibly demonstrate pride in who they are, unite the global Ukrainian community, and raise awareness of Ukraine’s distinctive culture. It has become a beautiful annual tradition.

So yes, wearing a vyshyvanka in support is wonderful and welcome. But solidarity must go deeper than donning a shirt one day a year. It requires resolve and courage to stand beside Ukraine and Ukrainians even when it means grappling with difficult, painful history. It means having uncomfortable conversations and pushing back against russian distortions and manipulated narratives designed to splinter support for Ukraine’s cause.

As Ms. Voroniuk herself said in response to the Parliamentary snub, shortfalls in cultural awareness are one thing, but it is unacceptable for Ukrainians to “cancel” other Ukrainians and prevent their voice based on russian propaganda. Now is not the time to be spooked by the mention of Bandera or avoid the topic for fear of controversy. Ukraine’s very survival depends on firm, unflinching solidarity.

The path forward is more open discussion and education, not less. More understanding of the traumatic and complicated Soviet past that still overshadows Ukraine, not policing which versions of history can be commemorated on a shirt. Parliamentarians and policymakers who back Ukraine will need to find the bravery and nuance to navigate these issues, not run from them at first blush.

Supporters must match the courage Ukrainians are showing in the battlefields and bombarded cities of their homeland. They risk their lives every day to defend the dream of a democratic, independent Ukraine that can freely debate and grapple with its history and identity on its terms, not russia’s. A Ukraine where embroidered shirts are not just cultural kitsch to be trotted out for performances, but living testaments to the deep roots and defiant endurance of the nation.

To truly stand with Ukraine, we must be willing to learn, listen and sometimes tolerate viewpoints or historical interpretations we might disagree with or find unpalatable. We must be prudent and thoughtful in our approach, but unafraid. Ready to call out and debunk russian slander, not unintentionally bolster it. Because ceding to Moscow the power to define Ukrainian heroes and dictate the parameters of acceptable discourse is a slippery slope that leads nowhere good.

So let us wear our vyshyvankas with the bravery and boldness they represent. Let them be a reminder to go beyond surface-level support into true, unflagging solidarity. Ukraine’s struggle is existential – it requires committed allies who will stay the course even when the road gets rocky. As the Ukrainian proverb goes, “The truth is brightet than the sun.” (Правда світліша за сонце) Ukrainians need us to help ensure it keeps shining through.

Initial Bibliography:

Baker, Y. (2024). Yvan Baker. In Wikipedia. Retrieved May 22, 2024, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yvan_Baker

Baker, Y. [Yvan Baker MP]. (2024, May 18). [Status update]. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=835074431770495&set=a.285244196753524

Civil Voices Museum. (n.d.). Lesia Voroniuk: “Cultural values cannot be restored. These things are lost forever”. Retrieved May 22, 2024, from https://civilvoicesmuseum.org/en/stories/lesya-voronyuk-kulturnye-cennosti-ne-vosstanavlivayutsya-eto-veshi-poteryannye-navsegda

Stepan Bandera. (2023). In Wikipedia. Retrieved May 22, 2024, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stepan_Bandera

TEDx Talks. (2018, August 17). National Idea. What Does It Mean? | Lesia Voroniuk | TEDxChernivtsi [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Yen9edbG8U

Voroniuk, L. (2023, May 21). [Status Update]. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/lesiavoroniuk/posts/pfbid02Ak7Qvn3rPmt4Ep6K8bjz21Vw6L4ibJuqKhgnj7xCCLTt6nX3o9HWtuhDg6YKFLql

Yuzych, Y. (2023, January 20). Bandera i yevrei [Bandera and the Jews]. Istorychna Pravda. https://www.istpravda.com.ua/articles/2023/01/20/162307/