The Shakotkos - Part 2

Shakotkos

In the Village of Slo-oot resides many other Surnames, there were already many inhabitants known as Shakotkos, on one street there were nearly all Shakotkos.  Ukrainian names ending with KO means Son of such man whose name was so and so, like in English Peterson, Johnson, Wilson etc. It is hard to say now what the name of a man was, from whose name originated the name of Shakotko but it seems that from the unknown time to us now, Shakotko descendants sprang from one stock or source, and lived side by side together. Some of them still relatives to us, the others intermarry between themselves. Nowadays of course they are scattered all over Ukraine and Russia, but there are still many in the Village.

As in our Village there were already inhabitants with the same names. So nearly everyone had another name. Some names were given by Villagers to someone who had some kind of event or by his character or deed or words he said, or by the name of his ancestors and they were mostly the names given, than original name.

For example: Our name given epithet was Youdenko from the name of my Great Grandfather. There were two brothers, one is Jude the other is Hoorin, so though their original name is Shakotko, the descendants of Jude were called Youdenki, and the descendants of Hoorin- Hoorinovichi. So for the Villagers we were known as Youdenki, as I said before my Great Grandfather Jude and my Grandfather was Efim, and my father Stepan Efimovich. They were descendants of the Ukrainian Cossacks and so we are too. On my father’s house on the outside wall facing street, was nailed a metal plate, with his name and that he is a Cossack, and there was of a picture of pail indicating, what he should look (pg.5) like in the count of fire in the Village, also in father’s passport was written Stepan Efimovich Shakotko, Cossack and in my school certificate written that I am the son of a Cossack. So if we want it or not we are descendants of Ukraine Cossacks.

 Shakotko – Glyenko

Youdenki – Lakeyenki

These names are closely interwoven together by marriages. As my mother was from the Ilyenko house, and my sister was given in Marriage to Ilyenko’s house too. The Villagers name for ilyenkos was Lakeyenko from Luckey meaning a foot man. Well for a time being this will be enough for inhabitants and the Village Slo-oot  (Slout) which is my birthplace.

My Birth, Baptism and Name.

I was born on the 17^th of September (on the 4^th of September by the Julian calendar) in the year of 1897 to a pious Greek-Orthodox family by the name Stepan Efimovich  and  Ksenia Fedorovka Shakotko. I was the youngest in the family as there were three brothers and a sister older than myself. The spread between oldest and youngest was 17 years. The oldest one is Ivan then Paul, Eli and sister Eofrosinia.

By the custom of the Greek-Orthodox church, which was a state church in Russia as a babe I was taken to a priest to be named and christened/ baptized. The Orthodox Church has many names of the saints on everyday in their Calendar. So there was a name of Zacharias one day ahead and on the 6^th of September (or new cal. 19^th of Sept.) was a holiday called Miracle of Archangel Michael. So the priest said, choose the name either Zacharias or Michael. 

As my Uncle, mothers brother Michael Fedorovich Ilyenko, was present there too, as my Godfather, so they all said let it be Michael. Since then I am known by that name Michael Stepanovich Shakotko.

My Childhood

At the time of my birth, my oldest brother Ivan (born Sept. 1880) was already trained in tailor’s trade and has gone Kiev capitol of Ukraine , 300 Kilometers and established himself there as a tailor. In Kiev there were believers by the name of Baptists but commonly were called as Stundists. On their church services Ivan was converted and was baptized on confessing his faith on the Lord Jesus as his Saviour.

My first childhood recollection of him, when he came to visit us in Slout and brought me a present of two railway box cars filled with candy and to my sister two small pails, also filled with candy. Many a days I played with those cars but later it was stolen from me by neighbor kids.

Also at that time he bought us a large new bible, Second edition apocrypha books just printed by Synod of Orthodox church in Kiev in 1899. That bible our family started to read, though did not understand it all, but all the same people started to call us Stundists.

Brother Ivan and his wife depart to Canada

In the year 1902 brother Ivan became acquainted with a lady by the name of Katerina Bohdashefksy. In the month of July of same year they were united in marriage. In 1903 brother Ivan his wife and mother in-law and her children left Russia for Canada. They first lived in Winnipeg Manitoba then Borden, Saskatchewan and at Canora Lake at the time of our arrival to Canada. So Brother Ivan was in Canada since 1903m while I came with parents in 1910.

My recollection goes yet to one incident when my brother Paul and Eli, were going to a bush for wood and they took me with them, when I was 2^1/2 years old.  They told me to stay on the wagon while they went to search for dry wood. Well while I was laying on the wagon I was looking at clouds in the sky and then a big bird flew over me, and I think I got scared, and got up from the wagon and was playing around the wagon until I got farther and farther away from wagon until I got lost in the woods, wandering around, I vividly recollect now, that I was sitting and sobbing holding my right foot with my hand and beating the ground with my heel.  Luckily there was a dog with us, so when my  brother did not find me by the wagon or around , and seeing there is no dog either, so they called the dog, which ran to their voice and then the dog led them to me and this the lost one was found. And when they were asking me I told them that something big flew over me with hands legs and head and I got scared. Brothers often, was taking me with them whenever they were going to work at the field.

After my brother Paul was conscripted for 3 years of military service in 1903, so then many times Dad was taking me with him to the field. So I saw sowing fall rye seeds in the fall or other grain in the spring, scattering it by hand and afterwards harvesting it. Many times slept overnight in the fields at the wagon, in the count of rain under the wagon. Also many times brother Eli was taking me with him whenever he was going to work on the field, and when mother gives lunch consisting of rye bread and chunk of pork, salted. Sometimes was taking raw potatoes and was baking it in hot ashes of wood fire. He was very fond of pork (he liked pork much) so he cuts for me very small and thin slice saying, is it enough for you Misha? (Misha or Mishka, my pet name) I of course always said yes it is enough, though I wanted more. Due to my shy and meek character, I never could demand or stand for my rights, and this was my weak side through the whole of my life.

In winter time of course play time for children. Playing with snow balls sleighing downhill or snow hill and as only few children had wooden sleighs, so they make themselves sleighs from the chunk of ice. They go to the lake which in the center of Village. Cut big chunk of ice, then make it round and smooth at bottom, at top make a hollow for the seat, and at side make hole to tie string, and ice sled is ready. This was my profession too, and here we go down hill street to the lake and the end always landing at the widow’s house door which was the last of the Street by the Lake and as a widow’s house wasn’t fenced in front like the others.

As there were lots of minnows in the Lake so in the winter children were fishing for them. So I did too. First you have to cut off long hole in ice about 1 foot by 3 foot and then on one side you make small opening right to the water, then cover it for the night and early in the morning I go with a pail and net and here you have about half full pail of Minnows, which were fried by mother for breakfast.



Michael's School Certificate 1908



My elementary education started in the fall of 1905 in the two roomed Village school. One room consisted of two classes, one; beginners and other second year pupils and fourth year pupils has to qualify for an examination and it is thus far the Village schooling lasted. And it was only in winter months, not the whole year round, and consisted of reading, writing, history, arithmetic some geography and Religious instruction by Priest on appointed days. My schooling lasted only three winters 1905-6, 1906-7, and 1907-8. As in one Winter I was promoted from second to third class. On finishing my Village schooling, I got my certificate and honorary list for very good progress and excellent conduct. Higher education was inaccessible for the poor at that time.