Ozeroff Village - HISTORIC OVERVIEW OF SITE

BIBLIOGRAPHY SITE CONTENTS LOCATION MAP MEASURED DRAWINGS TEACHER'S CORNER ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION DESIGN TEAM HOME		By the late 19th century, several groups of people had already settled in British Columbia. Many came in search of a prosperous life in the fur trade, gold rush, and railway. These included the British and Chinese who built communities, businesses, and towns. In 1908, another group of people immigrated to the lands of B.C., in the Grand Forks area (Alice and Jim Granville. Grand Forks, The First 100 Years in the Shadow of Observation. p. 163). #C_01434 British Columbia Archives However, unlike the Chinese and British, they were looking for a place where they could live in peace, after many years of religious persecution in Europe. These people were the Doukhobors, the largest number of immigrants to come to Canada as one group. Nearly 7800 settled in Canada in 1899 ( The Doukhobors in Canada.). The history of the Doukhobors is profound, as their origins trace back to the schism within the Russian Orthodox Church in 1652 (Frances Mark Mealing. Doukhobor Life: A Survey of Doukhobor Religion, History, and Folklikfe. p. 5). As a result of this conflict, several sects were formed claiming different doctrines and practices (Frances Mark Mealing. Doukhobor Life: A Survey of Doukhobor Religion, History, and Folklikfe. p. 5). In 1785, the Bishop of Ekaterinoslav, Ambrosia named these groups of people the Doukhobortsi, the Spirit Wrestlers (Frances Mark Mealing. Doukhobor Life: A Survey of Doukhobor Religion, History, and Folklikfe. p. 5). Doukhoborism can be best described as a way of life that is rooted in its religion. From generation to generation, their history and beliefs are passed down in the expression of psalms and hymns (Frances Mark Mealing. Doukhobor Life: A Survey of Doukhobor Religion, History, and Folklikfe. p. 3). The sound of the voice further conveys their belief and message in speeches, sermons, stories, and legends (Frances Mark Mealing. Doukhobor Life: A Survey of Doukhobor Religion, History, and Folklikfe. p. 11). In addition, text and documents are used in prayer. Their religious practices helped build their community and way life, as the Doukhobors developed many unique cultural customs and traditions in a communal setting. The beginnings of the long history and heritage of the Doukhobors start in Russia and continues in Canada. During their life in Russia, the Doukhobors were suppose to act as a buffer against the Tartar and Armenian raiders. However, because they decided to reject warfare and violence in 1895, they experienced severe oppression under the Czarist State (The Doukhobors in Canada.). Local authorities enforced harsh punishment against the Doukhobors and exiled them to the villages of the Tartars (Frances Mark Mealing. Doukhobor Life: A Survey of Doukhobor Religion, History, and Folklife. p. 16). Because of the harsh punishments, the Doukhobors received worldwide attention, especially through Leo Tolstoy and the American and British Quakers (Frances Mark Mealing. Doukhobor Life: A Survey of Doukhobor Religion, History, and Folklife. p. 16). With their help, the Doukhobors were able to emigrate to Canada, to start a new life. Their new life in Canada was forefronted by their leader, Peter V. Gospodnie Verigin. Peter Verigin was the successor of the original leader of the Doukhobors, Lukeria Kalmakova, after her death in 1886 (Frances Mark Mealing. Doukhobor Life: A Survey of Doukhobor Religion, History, and Folklife. p. 4). During the years of oppression in Russia, Peter Verigin was exiled to Siberia and put in jail. There he read the writings of Tolstoy and wrote letters of policy and doctrines to his followers (Frances Mark Mealing. Doukhobor Life: A Survey of Doukhobor Religion, History, and Folklikfe. p. 14). His writings helped reaffirm the Doukhobor's beliefs in 1895 and were used as the basis of their life in Canada. #B_03945 British Columbia Archives Before the Doukhobors emigrated to Canada, they made two requests of the Canadian government. The first was to be exempted from military services and the second, being able to live in communal life in a village-like environment. The government agreed to, only on the basis that each male under the age of 18 would apply for an individual homestead (Steve Lapshinoff. Documentary Report on Doukhobor Lands in British Columbia. p. 3). The Doukhobors promised; however, upon their arrival in Saskatchewan they refused stating it was against their religious practices to swear to the oath of allegiance (Frances Mark Mealing. Doukhobor Life: A Survey of Doukhobor Religion, History, and Folklikfe. p. 20). Because of this, the government confiscated two-thirds of their reserves in 1907 (Steve Lapshinoff. Documentary Report on Doukhobor Lands in British Columbia. p. 3). During this conflict with the government, only some members of the Doukhobors decided to give up communal life and build homes of their own. The other members were led under the direction of Peter Verigin to find land elsewhere. Initially the Doukhobors were introduced to British Columbia through Claude Laing Fisher (Steve Lapshinoff. Documentary Report on Doukhobor Lands in British Columbia. p. 3). At the time, Fisher owned land in Waterloo and B.C. As an invitation to visit B.C., Fisher prepared an illustrated brochure and gave it to Verigin (Steve Lapshinoff. Documentary Report on Doukhobor Lands in British Columbia. p. 3). In 1908, Verigin and members of the community traveled to B.C. and purchased the land for $150,000 (Steve Lapshinoff. Documentary Report on Doukhobor Lands in British Columbia. p. 4). In March of the following year, the first group of people moved and began building. Shortly after, the rest of the community followed to build their future in B.C., in the area that is now Grand Forks.

Last updated 31 August 1998. This digital collection was produced under contract to the Canada's Digital Collections Program, Industry Canada. Produced by Canada's Digital Collections Team. Content provided by BC Heritage Trust and Heritage Branch, Province of British Columbia.