We’ve Concluded Our Assembly: The Saskatchewan Doukhobors

In 1899 over 7,500 Doukhobors first settled in what would become the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. They were refugees fleeing persecution in Russia for their religious beliefs, including their pacifist principles and refusal to serve in the Tsar’s army. 120 years later there still exists a Doukhobor community in Saskatchewan, and through their voices this documentary film tells the story of how the Saskatchewan Doukhobor community has evolved since arriving in Canada. This 90-minute film contains interviews with 30 members of the Saskatchewan Doukhobor community, archival footage and photographs, and incorporates a recording of a Doukhobor prayer service along with their unique a cappella style of choral singing.

This film is part of the not-for-profit Saskatchewan Doukhobor Living Book Project that was launched in 2016 by Ryan Androsoff and Ashleigh Androsoff, descendants of the original group of Doukhobors that immigrated to Canada in 1899. The mission of the project is to preserve the oral history and spiritual traditions of the Saskatchewan Doukhobor community for future generations. You can learn more about the project at: https://doukhoborlivingbook.ca