A new exhibit at the Saskatoon Western Development Museum is showing off the history and traditions of the Doukhobor culture that came to Canada as refugees 120 years ago.
Ryan Androsoff helped create the exhibit, taking advantage of his own Doukhobor ancestry, using sound and images to bring awareness to one of Saskatchewan’s oldest settler groups.
“The Doukhobor are a cultural and religious group; their origins are from Russia,” said Androsoff. “Their beliefs at the time put them in conflict with the state and Russia, and the persecution made them have to come to Canada.”
The exhibit is called the Living Book Project, and is a collaborative design by Androsoff and the University of Saskatchewan that aims to highlight the history and traditions of the group’s culture. The project took three years to create, and features artifacts, pictures and a virtual choir.
“It’s always been very important to me in terms of my values to think about the suffering and the persecution my ancestors went through and what they gave up in many ways to be able to give us a better life here in Canada,” said Androsoff.
The exhibit is on display at Saskatoon’s Western Development Museum until October 20.
With files from CTV’s Alessandra Carneiro
