Raisa Žuk-Hryškievič

{{Short description|Belarusian cultural figure and politician (1919–2009)}}

Raisa Žuk-Hryškievič ({{Langx|be|Раі́са Жук-Грышке́віч}}, née Žukoŭskaja; 22 October 1919 – 2 April 2009) was a prominent figure of the Belarusian diaspora.

{{Infobox person

| name = Raisa Žuk-Hryškievič

| image =

| caption = At home in Canada, 2001

| native_name = Раіса Жук-Грышкевіч

| native_name_lang = Be

| birth_date = 22 October 1919

| birth_place = Pružany (now Brest Region of Belarus)

| death_date = 2 April 2009

| death_place = Barrie, Canada

| resting_place = Belarusian Cemetery in East Brunswick, New Jersey, USA

| spouse = Vincent Žuk-Hryškievič

}}

Early life

File:Dom Rajisy Žuk-Hryškiewič u Pružanie2.Jpeg, Belarus, where Raisa Žuk-Hryškievič was born|left|192x192px]]

Žuk-Hryškievič was born on 22 October 1919 in Pružany (then Brest district within the Civil Administration of the Eastern Lands, a temporary Polish administrative region existing in 1919–20; now Brest Region of Belarus).

She finished a Polish primary school and Adam Mickiewicz gymnasium in her native Pružany before enrolling in the Belarusian Gymnasium in Vilna. In 1939 she embarked on a teaching career.

File:Wypuskniki gimnazii perad maturaj.jpg

In 1949 Žuk-Hryškievič settled in the Canada. In 1953 she married Vincent Žuk-Hryškievič, a deputy chair of the Rada of the Belarusian Democratic Republic,Раіса Жук-Грышкевіч Вінцэнт Жук-Грышкевіч. «Новы час» (21 чэрвеня 2009). and in 1954 graduated from the University of Toronto with a degree in dental surgery.

Public life in the Belarusian diaspora

Apart from a successful dental practice, Žuk-Hryškievič became an active participant in Belarusian public life in Canada.{{Cite web|title=Івонка Сурвілла памяці Раісы Жук-Грышкевіч|url=https://nn.by/index.php/?c=ar&i=25333|access-date=2021-04-07|website=Наша Ніва| date=9 April 2009 |language=be}}{{Cite news|title=Вянок памяці. Раіса Жук-Грышкевіч|url=https://www.svaboda.org/a/1601620.html|access-date=2021-04-07|website=Радыё Свабода|date=4 April 2009 |language=be|last1=Дашчынскі |first1=Алесь }} She was one of the founders of the {{Interlanguage link|Belarusian Canadian Alliance|lt=Belarusian Canadian Alliance|be-tarask|Згуртаваньне беларусаў Канады|be|Згуртаванне беларусаў Канады}}. For many years she led the {{Interlanguage link|Coordination Council of Belarusians in Canada|lt=Coordination Council of Belarusians in Canada|be-tarask|Каардынацыйны камітэт беларусаў Канады|be|Каардынацыйны камітэт беларусаў Канады}} and published its newsletter Kamunikat ({{Langx|be|Камунікат}}).

Between 1965 and 1975 she headed the Union of Belarusian Women in Canada ({{Langx|be|Задзіночаньне беларускіх жанчын Канады}}), was the secretary and treasurer of the {{Interlanguage link|Belarusan Institute of Arts and Sciences|lt=Belarusan Institute of Arts and Sciences|be-tarask|Беларускі інстытут навукі і мастацтва (выдавецтва)|be|Беларускі інстытут навукі і мастацтва}} in Canada and a member of the {{Interlanguage link|International Association of Scholars in Belarusian Studies|lt=International Association of Scholars in Belarusian Studies|be-tarask|Міжнародная асацыяцыя беларусістаў|be|Міжнародная асацыяцыя беларусістаў}}.

In 1973 as a representative of the Belarusian community Žuk-Hryškievič was invited by the Canadian government to join the Canadian Consultative Council on Multiculturalism.

In 1978 she became a member of the Rada of the Belarusian Democratic Republic and in 1997 a member of the Rada's Executive Council.{{Cite web|title=Раіса Жук-Грышкевіч – Рада Беларускай Народнай Рэспублікі|date=4 March 2016 |url=https://www.radabnr.org/rajisa-zuk-hryskievic/|access-date=2021-04-07|language=be}}

Belarusian Cross and Memorial at the Martyrs' Shrine

File:Belarusian Cross and Memorial at the Martyrs' Shrine.jpg. Midland, Ontario, Canada]]

File:Belarusian Cross and Nadson..jpg is praying near the Cross. 1996.]]

In 1988 Žuk-Hryškievič and her husband were instrumental in the erection of a memorial cross at the Martyrs' Shrine in Midland, Ontario. The cross was installed in commemoration of the first millennium of Christianity in Belarus and shortly followed by an adjacent monument dedicated to victims of the Communist terror in Belarus.{{Cite web|title=Паломніцтва да Беларускага Крыжа|url=https://zbsb.org/news/abroad/4996/?sphrase_id=580964|access-date=2021-04-07|website=zbsb.org|language=be}}

The cross and monument were sanctified by Mgr Alexander Nadson, Apostolic Visitor for Belarusian Catholics abroad.

The cross is used as a place of pilgrimage by the Belarusian community in Canada.{{Cite web|title=Беларусы Канады зладзілі традыцйную вандроўку да Беларускага Памятнага Крыжа ў Мідландзе|url=https://zbsb.org/news/abroad/belarusy-kanady-zladzili-tradytsynuyu-vandro-ku-da-belaruskaga-pamyatnaga-kryzha-midlandze/?sphrase_id=580964|access-date=2021-04-07|website=zbsb.org|language=be}}

Death and resting place

Žuk-Hryškievič died on 2 April 2009 and was buried next to Vincent Žuk-Hryškievič in the {{Interlanguage link|Belarusian Cemetery in East Brunswick|lt=Belarusian Cemetery in East Brunswick|be|Беларускія могілкі (Іст-Брансуік)|be-tarask|Беларускія могілкі ў Іст-Брансўіку}}, New Jersey, USA.File:Vincent Zhuk-Hryshkevich grave in East Brunswick, New Jersey, USA.jpg and his wife Raisa Žuk-Hryškievič in Belarusian Saint Mary of Žyrovičy Cemetery in New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA.|179x179px]]

= Archives =

There is a Raisa Zuk-Hryskievic fonds at Library and Archives Canada.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Raisa Zuk-Hryskievic fonds description at Library and Archives Canada|url=http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.redirect?app=fonandcol&id=102702&lang=eng|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=November 10, 2022|website=}} The archival reference number is R4894.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Finding Aid of Raisa Zuk-Hryskievic fonds|url=http://data2.archives.ca/pdf/pdf002/p000003233.pdf|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=November 10, 2022|website=}}

Raisa Žuk-Hryškievič

Early life

Public life in the Belarusian diaspora

Belarusian Cross and Memorial at the Martyrs' Shrine

Death and resting place

See also

= Archives =

References

Further reading