Regina sisters embrace Ukrainian dancing at Mosaic and Japanese language at home

This story is part of a series from CBC Saskatchewan featuring four stories from the 15 pavilions that are part of Mosaic 2025. For more, visit our Mosaic home page.

When audience members watch the Ukrainian dancers at this year's Mosaic festival, they may be forgiven for assuming that the dancers all speak just English or Ukrainian.

But Kiko and Maya Malnyk have the heritages they've inherited from both their parents — learning Ukrainian folk dances from their father's side and speaking Japanese with their Japanese-born mother.

"I sometimes think that maybe I'm a little bit special …because not a lot of people are just part Japanese and part Ukrainian," 11-year-old Kiko said.

That's something their mother said she tries to get her two daughters to understand and appreciate.

"I just keep telling them that they're lucky. They're just lucky that they have so many opportunities to learn," said Izumi Kanayama, adding they get to grow up in Canada and try things like Ukrainian dancing, but also get regular opportunities to visit her own home country of Japan. 

The girls' father, Chris Malnyk, has also seen how diverse the Ukrainian dancers are, bringing together people who don't necessarily have Ukrainian ethnicity or background.

"There's quite a few people from Japan who are involved in it, at least three families," said Malnyk, adding that he could hear Japanese spoken at rehearsals at times.

"It's really kind of unique and not what I would have expected going to a Ukrainian dance school. It's been multi-ethnic." 

A blending of cultures

Kanayama was born and raised in Japan before coming to Canada in 1995 to learn English and staying on to study economics. It was at the University of Regina that she met her husband through mutual friends.

She exclusively speaks Japanese with her daughters so that they can communicate with their Japanese grandparents and extended family. 

"When they were little, I was just speaking to them in Japanese only. So we didn't do much writing or read that much, but then they just picked it up," Kanayama said.

In addition to their Ukrainian dancing, both girls attend Japanese language classes on Saturdays, and even sit to eat meals at a kotatsu, the traditional low table.

"We usually eat traditional Japanese food," said Kiko. "I really like it."

Both parents feel that their children are fortunate to be able to see and embrace both sides of their cultural heritage. Kanayama said she wants her children to see it gives them opportunities other people may not have, and will help them become kind and productive humans.

"I'm just hoping that exploring a different culture will bring richness to their lives."