Site #08: Slavanka Cemetery
The Slavanka Cemetery is a hallowed ground that marks the heart of what was once one of the most prominent Doukhobor settlements in the district. Unlike many other village sites that have been entirely reclaimed by the prairie, Slavanka’s legacy is preserved by the families who continue to farm this land, maintaining a direct lineage to the original 1899 pioneers who first turned this sod.
The Naming of Slavanka
The village was named to honor the ancestral village of Slavanka in the Elisabethpol Governorate of the Caucasus (present-day Azerbaijan). According to the Doukhobor Genealogy Website, the name is derived from the Russian root slava, meaning “glory” or “fame.” The choice to replicate home village names in Saskatchewan was a deliberate act of cultural preservation, ensuring that while the landscape was new, the community identity remained rooted in their shared history.
Old vs. New Slavanka
Slavanka’s history is defined by its expansion. As documented in the local history volume Bridging the Years: Era of Blaine Lake and District 1790-1980, the original village site proved so successful that a “New Slavanka” was established nearby to accommodate the growing population. At its peak, the combined village area featured dozens of houses, a communal blacksmith shop, and shared granaries.
The site where the cemetery stands today was centrally located to serve both settlements, becoming a permanent anchor even after the communal village system was dissolved by the federal government’s land policy changes in 1907.
The Cemetery Building and Religious Motifs
A unique feature of this site is the cemetery building, which serves as a communal space for reflection and prayer. While the exterior reflects the functional architecture of the region, the interior is a vibrant sanctuary of cultural expression. As noted in local heritage surveys, the building is decorated with traditional Doukhobor religious motifs featuring intricate floral patterns and symbolic life-cycle imagery. This interior artistry provides a rare, preserved glimpse into the aesthetic and spiritual world of the Slavanka pioneers.
Reflection on the Slavanka district and its history.
A Living Heritage
For the descendants who still work the surrounding quarters, the land is more than just a place of production; it is a family archive. The Information Services Corporation (ISC) land title records for the Slavanka district show a remarkable continuity of ownership, with many parcels remaining in the same family names for over 120 years.
As noted in the Saskatchewan Register of Heritage Assets, cemeteries like Slavanka are “silent witnesses” to the Doukhobor philosophy of Toil and Peaceful Life, where the physical labor of the farm and the spiritual rest of the cemetery are inextricably linked.