Russian Community

Russian Community in Hamilton | General Information about Russia

Russian Community in Hamilton

Population in Hamilton:

Around 1000 people.
History of immigration:

Hamilton's Russian community originally comes from Russia, Ukraine, Baltic Republics, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Central Asia.Immigration to Canada started more than 100 years ago.
Major Languages:

English, Russian, Ukrainian and Hebrew.
Religions:

Orthodox, Muslim, Buddhism, Catholic Jewish.

Common Foods

Borsch (red beet soup)
Fried Potatoes
Salo (bacon fat)
Salat Olivie (salad)
Special Beans, empanada, tamal

Traditional Clothing

Women's clothing

Sarafan, yubka (long skirt).
Men's clothing

Rubaha (long sleeve shirt), shtani, sapogi (boots)
Children's clothing

Children's clothing is the same as that of the adults.

Art and Culture

Major Sports activites

Soccer, football, hockey and tennis
Art Festivals

Gold mask, Triumph and Nika are the major Art Festivals. Russian Arts and cultural Organizations and activities are Russian cultural Fond and UNESKO.
Theatre

The most popular theatre in Russia is the Bolshoi Theatre.
Music

Folk, Rock, Dance, Rap. There are also "chastushki" - joke songs in a familiar standard melody. DDT, Mashina Vremeni, Zemfira, Tatu, Akvarium, A-Studio, Bravo, Alsy.
Dance:

Folk dance, ballroom modern, ballet, jazz.
Visual Arts:

Paintings, Kramskoi, Icons, Rublev, Vastnetsov, Serov, Vereshagin, Vrubbel, Alexander Shilov(contemporary)
Music

DDT, Mashina Vremeni, Zemfira, Tatu, Akvarium, A-Studio, Bravo, Alsy
Musical Instruments:

The names of the most common Instruments are gitara, balalaika, gusli, garmoshka, volinka and dudka. The instruments are made of strings and drums. .

Instrument historical background

Gitara - The Russian accoustic guitar (gitara) typically has 7 strings. It is by far the most popular instrument in Russia, and every Russian party usually involves playing guitars and singing songs. Balalaika — The most common solo instrument is the prima, tuned E-E-A (the two lower strings being tuned to the same pitch).The piccolo, prima, and secunda balalaikas are ideally strung with gut (or, today, usually nylon) strings on the lower pegs and a wire string on the top peg.

An important part of balalaika technique is the use of the left thumb to fret notes on the bottom string, particularly on the prima, where it is used to form chords. The index finger is used to sound notes on the prima, while a plectrum is used on the larger sizes. One can play the prima with a plectrum, but it is considered rather heterodox to do so. Due to the gigantic size of the contrabass' strings, it is not uncommon for the plectrum to be made of a leather shoe or boot heel. The contrabass balalaika rests on the ground on a wooden or metal pin drilled into one of its corners.

Russian Garmoshka - Harmonica is one of the most popular (after guitar) instruments in Russia between common country folks, the easiest instrument to learn, play and carry around.

The layout of the right-hand buttons is such that the diatonic scale is played by alternating rows top to bottom. A few useful accidentals are often included at the top of the keyboard. The two outer rows of the left-hand are in a bass-chord arrangement, with a combination of major and minor chords that fit in with the major and relative harmonic minor key of the instrument. The innermost row of buttons are double-bass notes for the entire diatonic scale. Tula accordions are named for the city of Tula, where the first ones were built. This instrument is widespread throughout Russia and the former Soviet Union .

Literature

Alexander Pushkin, Lermantov, Dostoevski, Tolstoi, Solzenitsin.
Major Films

Tarkovsky, Mihalkov, Kolotozov
Museums

Tretyakovskaya gallery, Ermitazh, Tsarskoe selo, Pushkin Museum
Popular visual arts

painting and photography
Visual Artists

Guennadi Kalinine, Painter.
Musicians

Irina Arecheva, Irina Egorova, Katya Shelekhova
Success Stories

The president of Hamilton's Russian community was nominated as the Woman of the Year for 2006

The Russian community in Hamilton

Ethnic businesses in Hamilton

Elena's Travel - travel agency, Russian grocery stores.
Major occupations of the community's members

Travel, Gas stations, Shops, professional occupations ( electricians, Engineering, Computer professionals).
Community Organizations / Associations(s)

Rosinka Dance, Elena's Travel, Russian community org. " Nash dom". This organisation supports and helps newcomers to adapt in the community.
Person in charge: Mikhail Kovalko, Elena Krahotin

Organization Address: 124 Thoroughbred BLVD Ancaster

Website: www.elena'stravel.com

Phone: (905) 540-1113

General Information about Russia

Location:

East Europe, Northern Asia (the area west of the Urals is considered part of Europe), bordering the Arctic Ocean, between Europe and the North Pacific Ocean .
Climate:

ranges from steppes in the south through humid continental in much of European Russia; subarctic in Siberia to tundra climate in the polar north; winters vary from cool along Black Sea coast to frigid in Siberia; summers vary from warm in the steppes to cool along Arctic coast.
Capital City:

Moscow
Holidays:

Week saint, July 20, May 1, Nov 11, December 7, 24.
Celebrations:

March 8 - International Women's Day, May 9 - Victory day, celebrating WW2 veterans, Dates for Christmas celebrations vary January 1st - New Year
Major Languages:

English, Russian, Ukrainian and Hebrew.
National Symbols:

Double headed eagle, flag: white, blue, red horizontal bands
National anthem:

The Hymn of the Russian Federation (Russian: Gosudarstvenny Gimn Rossiyskoy Federatsii)listen