Painting eggs at Easter is a tradition for many Canadians, but not all immigrants may be familiar with the Ukrainian custom.
The Newcomer Welcome Centre and the Moose Jaw Multicultural Council (MJMC) attempted to change that, however, by hosting an Easter egg colouring evening on April 25. Plastic eggs were used to ensure there was no mess to clean up if they broke.
This activity was part of the Newcomer Welcome Centre’s friendship program, which is held on the last Thursday of every month. Since starting last year, the program has hosted hikes, scavenger hunts, paint nights, pumpkin carving, and video game evenings.
“We’ve noticed that newcomers sometimes find it hard to make connections and friendships with established Canadians in the community,” explained Tyler Bastedo, community connections co-ordinator with the MJMC.
It can be intimidating for some immigrants to meet new people, especially if their English is poor or they aren’t confident in their skills, he continued. This is why the centre designed the friendship program to be welcoming so newcomers could meet new people, attempt new things and learn English.
The number of participants varies from month to month, with some evenings seeing five immigrants attend and other nights seeing 30 people participate. Bastedo pointed out it all depends upon what is happening that evening or even how the weather is.
Goitom Goitom and his brother Mussie were the youngest of the 20 participants colouring Easter egg. Still in elementary school, the Sudanese siblings have been in Canada for six years.
The older Goitom said the family finds Moose Jaw to be a “really nice place.” This was the brothers’ first time attending an activity at the centre.
“My mom forced us to (come) because we were at home all day watching TV and playing video games,” Goitom said, as he coloured his egg red. However, he thought it was a fun experience.
Colombian-born newcomer John Alvarez immigrated to Moose Jaw one year ago. He originally didn’t know anyone, since all he did was go from work to home to work to home. However, he now knows more people since he has attended several activities at the centre.
This was his Alvarez’s first time painting an Easter egg.
“It’s easy. I excited,” he said.
India-born Usha Sharma has lived in Moose Jaw for more than 49 years. She left India in 1966 at age 24 and moved to England, before coming to Canada in 1969. Three of her four children were born in The Friendly City.
Sharma, 77, was familiar with colouring Easter eggs, since she had done it with her children when they were younger. She joked that she was colouring eggs at the centre since “when in Rome, do as the Romans do.”
“I know this Ukrainian tradition. I’ve been in their houses and seen it,” she chuckled. “It’s an art.”
Sharma believes volunteering is important. This is why she has helped at the MJMC since it formed in 1974. She has used her experiences in Moose Jaw to help new immigrants understand how life works here.
“In our culture, for volunteering, you earn your destiny. For the exchange of money, you earn your living,” she added. “So everybody should do volunteer work.”
