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On October 29, 1924, the life of Doukhobor leader, Peter V. Verigin (Lordly) came to a sudden halt when dynamite was placed under his seat in a rail coach. Eight others in the coach died. Although an intensive investigation was launched, the death of this respected man remains unsolved, making this one of Canada's most intriguing mysteries.

The Doukhobors, a pacifist sect in Russia, destroyed their weapons in 1895. As a result of this action, they were whipped and driven from their villages. Many were sent to Siberia. Their plight came to the attention of writer-humanitarian Lev Tolstoy. Along with the Society of Friends (Quakers), and other sympathizers, Tolstoy came to the aid of the Doukhobors, contributing the proceeds of his novel 'Resurrection' toward their emigration to Canada in 1899. The Doukhobors settled on the Canadian prairie, and eventually in the Kootenay-Boundary area of British Columbia, where they lived communally until the late 1930s.

Today, most Doukhobors live in Western Canada, with many practicing their pacifist beliefs and adhering to Peter 'Lordly' Verigin's slogan ..."Toil and Peaceful Life"

Vi Plotnikoff is a Castlegar writer, storyteller and creative writing instructor. She has written 'Head Cook at Weddings and Funerals' (Polestar Publishers) a book of short stories based on her Doukhobor roots. This book is often part of literature curriculum at various Canadian and U.S. universities. Vi also lectures to Women's Studies classes on the topic of `Doukhobor Women'. Vi wrote two chapters on the Doukhobors for the book `Castlegar ... A Confluence' published by the Castlegar Heritage Society and the City of Castlegar in 2001.

Vi first performed `The Mysterious Death of A Doukhobor Leader' at the Procter Storytelling Festival in 2000. With the assistance of the Columbia Kootenay Cultural Alliance she took the story on tour within the Columbia Basin. In 2001, Vi received a further award toward the production of this CD. She wishes to acknowledge the Columbia Kootenay Cultural Alliance of the Columbia Basin Trust for their support of this project.

Story is Written and Performed by Vi (Makaeff) Plotnikoff Produced by Vi (Makaeff) Plotnikoff.

Life is Worth Living

Life is worth living while we are singing
Here fortune and gladness continually flow
Love never-ending flows like a streamlet
And brotherly friendship blossoming grows

Refrain:
Singing, singing in the evening
Singing in the day
We sing while at work and
We sing on our way


Excerpt from a popular
Doukhobor folk song written by Ignace P. Makaeff.
(Translated by Eli A. Popoff.)

This CD is dedicated to the memory of my parents, Ignace Peter Makaeff and Annie (Kootnekoff) Makaeff, who always believed that 'Life is Worth Living'.
And to the memory of Peter (Lordly) Verigin.

Vi Plotnikoff

Excerpts from the story "The Mysterious Death of a Doukhobor Leader".

Oksinya speaks..."Mama was sewing my wedding clothes and I had already embroidered my wedding
platok, for I'd been working on it since I was fourteen years old. But the best part of all, Docha, was that the following Sunday, Petyushka was going to bless our marriage in front of all the people at the big sobranye. But it was not to be..."

Narrator speaks..." The conductor and the trainman left Coach 1586 and entered the baggage
car.They had taken three steps inside the baggage car when the conductor turned to the trainman and said, 'Joe, about that passenger from Paulson...' when a mighty blast interrupted him."

Oksinya talks about that early morning of October 29th, 1924. "...we heard the shouts and the
cries, and we knew something terrible had happened. We threw our coats on over our nightclothes and ran down the stairs, some of us barefoot. When we reached the courtyard, we heard the terrible news.
'PETYUSHKA IS DEAD!" Our leader died in a train explosion in the mountains this very morning.' Some wept. Others wailed. And some fell to their knees and prayed..."

Narrator speaks..."As (the train) pulled out of the Grand Forks Railway Station and began
climbing high above Christina Lake toward the scene of the explosion, the sound of mournful chanting could be heard from the train. It was the chanting of a funeral psalom."

Recorded at "The Edge Studio", Edgewood, BC Recording Production by John Salustro and Arron Haggart. Engineered by Arron Haggart

CD duplication and printing by "Artemuse studio", Rossland, BC Design, Layout and Printing by "Kootenay Biznet", Castlegar, BC Peter Verigin Photo: Family Collection

Artist Photo: Nei Vandergaag
Song `Life is Worth Living' written by lgnace P. Makaeff Performed by Doukhobor Centennial Expo '67 Choir Psalmi sung by Kootenay Psalmists

Produced with assistance from the Columbia Kootenay Cultural Alliance of the Columbia Basin Trust.

Contact for Sales and Bookings: Vi Plotnikoff at 256-365-1471 splotnikoff@netidea.com
Or write to:
3012 Fourth Ave.,
Castlegar, BC
V1N 2S6