From Odesa to Oshawa: The journey of a Ukrainian tattoo artist
Neil Gonsalves on Maskym Fedorenko, who fled his war-torn country with his family
Written by Neil Gonsalves | Originally published on July 29th, 2023 | for Metroland Media Group | Durham Division | You can view the original article here.
Picture: Maskym Fedorenko taken at Headrush Tattoo at 215 Dundas Street East, Whitby, ON, Canada - Taken by N. Gonsalves
“I stood 100 metres from the border crossing; that was my home, but I knew I could never go back.”
He waited with bated breath for his son to make the crossing safely. The moments passed slowly and a flurry of thoughts flashed through his mind.
Maskym was born in the small village of Old Shompoly, not far from Odesa in Ukraine. The son of a grocer would find himself in downtown Whitby after the Russian invasion.
One day, while standing in front of a class, when asked to introduce himself and share his goals, he found himself giving voice to an inner dream that he had never vocalized previously: “I’m Maskym Fedorenko, and I want to be a tattoo artist.”
I met Max, as he refers to himself now, at Headrush Tattoos at 215 Dundas St. E. in downtown Whitby. Over the duration of my three-hour sitting, Max and I chatted about his life in Ukraine, the war that made home unsafe and the journey that ultimately brought him to Durham Region.
Max and his family were granted a visa for Canada as part of the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) measures, implemented following the Russian invasion. The CUAET allows Ukrainian nationals to stay in Canada for up to three years. Along with his wife, Veronica, and son, Roman, Max now lives in Oshawa and works in Whitby.
When Russia invaded Ukraine, Max was out of the country working in Germany. His passion for art and tattoos took him to Bavaria, where he worked with experienced tattoo artists to hone his craft and master his trade. His son was with family back home in Ukraine when the invasion began; Max knew he had to get his son to safety.
The story about the fears he experienced at the Ukrainian border waiting for his son was one of many he shared with me over our three hours together. I saw in him a sense of loss for his home in Ukraine, but also hope for a new life in Durham. The fact that Canada has the largest Ukrainian diaspora in the world helps with community integration and transition, but starting over is always a challenge.
They have been in Canada for three months now, trying to start their life over. Veronica teaches dance in Toronto and their son is adjusting to life in Ontario — Max meanwhile is sharing his talent and working hard to build his reputation with the Durham community. When I asked what he liked best about his job, he replied, “I get happy by being able to transform my client’s ideas into reality and watch them smile.”
He drew the tattoo freehand, directly on my arm — a lost art, uncommon nowadays — many tattoo shops primarily use a stencil and merely trace over. Max proceeded to do some of the best work I’ve ever had — but more than his artistic talent, I appreciated the conversation with this young man. I smiled as I listened to his story, witnessed his creativity and found commonality with a fellow traveller.
These little conversations I have with people around town only serve to reinforce the beauty of diversity in our region. Our postal codes make us neighbours, but our common humanity transforms us into a community.
One more reason that makes Durham Region a great place to live, work, play, and do business.
Bio: Neil Gonsalves is an Indian-born Canadian immigrant who grew up in Dubai, U.A.E., and moved to Canada in 1995. He is a college professor, a TEDx speaker and a recreational dog trainer. Neil has been a Durham resident for almost 30 years and is a passionate advocate of immigrant integration.
