UNCLE SHTIF TABACHNIUK
UNCLE SHTIF TABACHNIUK
Embedded Files
Date Unknown
Novyn 1914
Comic 1 - Panel 4Uncle's Book
Comic 9 - Panel 20Uncle's Book
UNCLE SHTIF TABACHNIUK
The seed of Maydanyk’s creation was all in a name. While exploring the source of the Tabachniuk narratives, I found that the most popular Uncle Shtif Tabachniuk origin story is over 100 years old. On numerous occasions[1], Maydanyk made it clear that the character, Uncle Shtif Tabachniuk, developed out of a school exercise that dates to 1912-14, when he was a student at the Ruthenian Training School, in Brandon, MB (D7). He explains that when he and fellow students were hired to read letters from the homeland, they came across an envelope written in a hybrid of languages – German, Ukrainian, and Polish. It read: ‘Asobity sofort antwort до nadawca Штифан Табачнюк’ [Asobity sofort antwort (German) до nadawca (Polish) Штифан Табачнюк (Ukrainian)] – which can be loosely translated as ‘Please - reply immediately - to the sender - Shtyfan Tabachniuk’. The students found it amusing. Their teacher, Peter Karmenski, explained that it was probably written by someone who had not long ago shed ‘the Kaizer’s clothing’ and probably wanted to come to Canada. In other words, possibly written by a Ukrainian who had been living under Austro-Hungarian rule (now Polish soil) and was looking to find a suitor in Canada; it would explain the various languages. Subsequently, the letter gave the students the idea to pen their own ‘letters’ in a similar, linguistically hybrid style, and they competed to see who could write the funniest one. Maydanyk enjoyed the exercise. Inspired by Shtyfan Tabachniuk’s letter, he adopted the pseudonym ‘Uncle Shtif Tabachniuk’ and created faux correspondence between Uncle Shtif and his wife, Yavdokha. Maydanyk then sent the made-up letters, together with three drawings of Uncle Shtif, to Новини [Novyny/The News] – a Ukrainian language newspaper in Edmonton, AB. Finally, the submission was printed in the yearly almanac Ілустрований Калиндар Новин – 1915 [The Illustrated News Almanac Novyn– 1915] – and thus a cartoon character was born (Maydanyk 1915, 1958; Cheladyn 2018).
However, there is much more to the story for several reasons. First, when considering - the noun вуйко’ [vuiko/uncle], the first name “Shtif,” and last name “Tabachniuk”, I realized that Maydanyk might have also been attracted to the name because of an awareness of the deeper symbolic meanings behind the nomenclature. As noted by Anna Pavlowsky:
“His name reveals a great deal about him. “Vuiko” means “uncle,” but it is also applied to a ne’er-do-well who is not respectable enough to be addressed as “Mister.” “Shtif” is a mispronounced version of “Steve” - symbolic of the probably illiterate immigrant’s attempt to unsuccessfully adopt an “English” name, [and] “Tabachniuk” immediately identifies him as Ukrainian.” (56)
In addition, the first name, ‘Stephan’ or ‘Steve’, is a Christian name connected to St. Stephan, one of the Christian martyrs who was stoned to death. As an iconographer, Maydanyk would have known the history of St. Stephan and that he was the patron saint of bricklayers and stonemasons. In that light, it was not usual to find that, in the earliest Uncle Shtif narratives, Maydanyk depicted the character as a bricklayer (1918, 24-29). Also, according to the “Acts of the Apostles,” the deacon Stephen was accused of blasphemy for denouncing Jewish authorities; therefore, a suitable name for Maydanyk’s cartoon character who went on to occasionally display an irreverent attitude towards his Jewish neighbours (Comic #19, 54-55).
Several of the comics present yet another perspective on the name. While the last name “Tabachniuk”, with and ‘iuk’ ending, sounds Eastern European, the “Tabach’ is a reference to the word “tobacco.” In North America, Ukrainian immigrants were occasionally referred to as “chew-tabacs” – referencing the habit of chewing tobacco rather than smoking cigarettes[2]. Maydanyk applied the name in Comic #30, Вуйко Штіф послом [Uncle Shtif – Member of Parliament], where Uncle Shtif refers to fellow immigrants as ‘chew-tabacs’ (77).
Yet another consideration predates Uncle Sthif Tabachniuk’s first appearance on the pages of Novyn in 1915. While digging deeper into Maydanyk’s various publications, I found an earlier reference to his lesser-known literary character, closely resembling Uncle Shtif. Before Brandon, an almost identical Shtif appeared in the play “Manigrula,” written by Maydanyk in 1911, during his first few months in Canada[3]. The lead character in the play was named “Shtif Perih” – where ‘perih’ is a dialectic word for dumpling (also known as ‘perogies’ or ‘varenyky’). Shtif Perih was a simpleton who recently immigrated to Winnipeg from Western Ukraine. Pavlowsky notes that Perih was “a carbon copy of Vuiko Shtif Tabachniuk;” his physical appearance and demeanour remarkably match that of Uncle Shtif, as do the antics and dialogue (57). Although not confirmed anywhere, both characters share the same first name, were penned by the same author, use almost identical phrases, and express similar attitudes and convictions (87-93). I, therefore, postulate that Maydanyk’s earlier character, Shtif Perih, was the first iteration of the character Uncle Shtif Tabachniuk who later appeared in Novyn and went on to become a legend in his time.
Further to the first two examples, as I listened to the interview by Michael Ewanchuk, I felt that Maydanyk also alluded to yet a third, even earlier source of inspiration. Maydanyk remarked that when he first arrived in Winnipeg, he called on Myroslav Stechishin, editor of Robichi narod (D3). The office was just a few blocks from the CPR train station. During their visit, Stechishin opened a letter containing a donation towards the newspaper – it was from a ‘Mr. Shtif Tabachniuk.’ Maydanyk remarked, “We had a little discussion about names, but this one I remembered.” The name ‘Shtif Tabachniuk’ had registered in Maydanyk’s mind before writing the play and attending the Ruthenian Training School in Brandon.
It is also apropos that the Greek interpretation of “Stephan” means ‘wreath’ or ‘crown’, and by extension ‘honoured’, ‘renowned’, or ‘famous’ – thereby, undeniably a name suited to this character ‘Uncle Shtif Tabachniuk” and a worthy source of inspiration for Maydanyk’s comics.
[1] Maydanyk first published the Uncle Shtif origin story in the forward to his 1958 publication Вуйка Ш. Табачнюк і 20 інші нові короткі оповідання [Uncle S. Tabachniuk and 20 other new short stories]. He then reiterated the same story in all his interviews.
[2] The term “chewtabac” was slang for “chewing tobacco”, which was commonly used by those who were financially stressed during the Depression of the 1930s when rolled cigarettes were priced at a premium.[3] The script was first published in 1911, in the Winnipeg based, Ukrainian language newspaper “Канадійський Фармер” [Kanadijs’ki Farmer/ Canadian Farmer]. It was later reprinted later in 1915 as a small booklet (Marunchak). A third edited version was also printed in 1926.
[2] The term “chewtabac” was slang for “chewing tobacco”, which was commonly used by those who were financially stressed during the Depression of the 1930s when rolled cigarettes were priced at a premium.[3] The script was first published in 1911, in the Winnipeg based, Ukrainian language newspaper “Канадійський Фармер” [Kanadijs’ki Farmer/ Canadian Farmer]. It was later reprinted later in 1915 as a small booklet (Marunchak). A third edited version was also printed in 1926.
Before he created Uncle’s Book, Maydanyk’s visual interpretation of Uncle Shtif was still very naïve, meaning that each version differed slightly from one almanac to the next, sometimes from one frame to the next. In some cases, Uncle looked ‘cartoonish” (1914), and in other instances, he looked more realistic (1918). However, although the visual portrayal of his characters remained unrefined, by the time Maydanyk was illustrating Uncle’s Book, he was standardizing the look of each character and relying on the repetition of unique features and props associated with each role. For example, Uncle Shtif, his wife Yavdokha, and their son Nick are easily recognizable from one panel to the next by their clothing and physical features. Uncle Shtif is always wearing labourer’s coveralls with a bib in front and two straps over the shoulders, each attached with a large button. The exception is on special occasions when he wears a black suit such as to a wedding (Comic #28 72-73) and for an appearance at the stock exchange (Comic #9, 33-34). Small physical details were also more consistent. For example, Uncle’s hair is short dark, and unkempt, and he has a bushy, dark moustache under his large, bulbous nose. Uncle’s head is rarely covered, but when it is, he wears a dark cap with a brim in front.
Yavdokha is portrayed as a voluptuous, warm, friendly woman recognizable by her straight bobbed hair, and plain white dress or skirt that stops at the knees. Occasionally, a horizontal stripe is added to each sleeve of her blouse. Maydanyk drew their son Nick as a young boy of about ten years old with slim features and fuzzy light-coloured hair. He always wears a white, long-sleeved t-shirt and black pants.
Representation of the Tabachniuk house and furniture is also consistent from one instance to the next. Only props, such as a single table and a chair, set the scene. The simplistic and sparse environment helps to visually define the family’s social status as poor immigrants living frugally with minimal possessions. Although there are no other regular characters other than Uncle Shtif, Yavdokha and Nic, character consistency continues within each narrative. For example, in Comic #29 (74-75), “Вуйко Штіф вчить адвоката розуму” [Uncle Shtif Teaches the Lawyer a Lesson] the lawyer is characterized uniformly throughout the story; as is Yavdokhia’s neighbour, Місец Дзяниха [Mrs. John’s wife] in Comic # 16 - І то як би не Явдоха [If it Wasn’t for Yavdokha] (48-49).
On occasion, Maydanyk also personified his characters based on people he knew or public figures. The practice is most evident in Comic #11 Вуцім Тиліґeнція [As if He’s Intelligent] (38-39). I could identify several characters. The caricature in the fourth panel resembles William Swystun - a prominent Ukrainian Canadian lawyer and expert on international Soviet legal matters. The newspaper editor in the sixth panel looks like Myroslav Stechishin, the editor of Robochi Narod [Working People][1]; Maydanyk crossed paths with him many times. Another example can be found in Comic #2 Велекодний притрафунок [A Comedic Easter Tale]. The homeowner of a wealthy estate strongly resembles John Braken (Premier of Manitoba from 1922-1943).
Maydanyk also relied on stereotypical physical features to define ethnic identity. As noted by D.P. Royal in Multicultural Comics: From Zap to Blue Beetle, “stereotypes are an unavoidable necessity of comic art” (Aldama, xi). Writers, illustrators, and readers are all dealing with a common memory of experience; therefore, posture, gestures, and physical features become part of the visual language (Eisner 2008, 103-14). For Maydanyk, this included slanted eyes for characters of Asian descent and black-faced characters to indicate those with black or brown skin (Maydanyk 1930a, 4-5). Maydanyk also used clothing to define social status; upper-class characters often wore monocles, top hats, waistcoats (34), and labourers dressed in coveralls (24). These visual distinctions emphasized the socio-cultural community from which the characters came.
There is, however, one notable lack of visual detail that I found interesting about Maydanyk’s comics. He rarely incorporated Ukrainian cultural imagery into the panels. I initially found this odd because Maydanyk expressed pride in his Ukrainian heritage by adding embroidery or nationalistic symbolism to his religious paintings[2]. However, his motivation to omit the ethnic details from his comics became apparent in the interview with Ewanchuk. Maydanyk stated that in his comics, he consciously chose to depict cultural neutrality among Ukrainians - reflecting the process of assimilation that was occurring in the community at that time (Ewanchuk 1976).
I also feel that the continuity of characters and setting indicates that Maydanyk likely created all the illustrations within a condensed period. From my own experience, I find that illustrations produced in a short window tend to have a cohesive look about them. It is an observation supported by remarks made in the Lozowchuk interview where Maydanyk noted that he created “Uncles Book” quickly in the latter part of 1929 (00:20:45-00:20:55). This would also confirm that Maydanyk produced all new material specifically for the comic book.
[1] Robichi narod was a newspaper that was supported by Ukrainians active in the Socialist Party of Canada. The print house was located in the Ukrainian Labour Temple on the corner of Pritchard and McGregor in Winnipeg. The editor, Myroslav Stechishin, was one of the first people Maydanyk visited upon arrival in Winnipeg in 1911.
[2] Examples of icons in which Maydanyk added embroidered details include: the shirt of Jesus and blouse of Mother Mary found on the iconostas in St. Michael’s UCC, Olha, MB; and he added Ukrainian embroidery motifs framing the traditional Holy images on the walls of St. John the Baptist UCC, Dolyny, MB (Kowcz-Baran 191).
[2] Examples of icons in which Maydanyk added embroidered details include: the shirt of Jesus and blouse of Mother Mary found on the iconostas in St. Michael’s UCC, Olha, MB; and he added Ukrainian embroidery motifs framing the traditional Holy images on the walls of St. John the Baptist UCC, Dolyny, MB (Kowcz-Baran 191).
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