By Martina Simos
If a picture is worth a thousand words, three photos prompted historian Nick Seindanis to pen the history of the early Greeks of Port Pirie.
The idea of a book started from three unidentified photographs from the 1920s or 1930s, which had been circulating among the Castellorizian community in Adelaide, South Australia for 20 years.
Somehow, a copy ended up into Nick’s possession and it became a two-year passion to record and document the lives of families who had lived and still live in Port Pirie.
Coincidentally, at the same time Nick was trying to solve the mystery of the photograph, his adult children, 27-year-old twins Apollo and Erini, were visiting their father. They suggested using social media and setting up a community page for people to join. Initially the 68-year-old Port Pirie resident wasn’t enthusiastic about the idea but with the twin’s help, the ‘History of the Port Pirie Greek Community’ page was launched on Facebook.
“I had three really old photos – that go back to 1933 and one a bit earlier – and some people had a go at identifying the people so my children suggested the social media idea,” Nick told The Greek Herald.
“I posted the photo and within two days, 200 people from all over the world had joined.”
The Facebook page now has 700 members and is continuing to grow.
“We’ve had people post a photo asking who the bridesmaid is and I’ve posted it on Facebook and within two hours people will respond. It’s been really powerful tool,” he said.
Nick, who had worked in Human Resources at the Port Pirie smelter, has spent nearly two years compiling a 500-page book on the Greek community of Port Pirie, with the help of his sister Koula, the local community and ex-residents who were living interstate or overseas.
“I have a psychology and history degree and never used it,” he said.
“But I always had an interest in history and I’ve grown up in Port Pirie, so I know a lot about the Greek community.”
When the community’s centenary was coming up two years ago, Nick’s partner suggested doing something to celebrate the occasion. His great-grandfather had migrated to Port Pirie in 1924 and in 1955, his father jumped ship at Port Pirie.
“Just for a mark of respect, I thought I would do something, and it got bigger and bigger,” he said.
“The book took a full 18 months and we have just edited the final version after almost two years.”
The book titled History of Greeks in Port Pirie: Celebrating 100 Plus Years, has already pre-sold 400 copies. Other topics Nick writes about includes: the 1916 Secret Census of Pirie Greeks, school records dating to the 1890s, the Spanish flu, the 1926 Royal Commission into lead poisoning, cemetery records, soccer teams and Greek school photographs.
Nick, who volunteered his time, is feeling quietly proud of the book but acknowledges it would not have been possible without the support of sponsors, donors, the Port Pirie council and many others.
“I’m pretty proud. There are 150 personal stories written in the second half of the book that will make people cry,’’ he said.
“These are people who lived in Asia Minor in 1918, who were shot at by Turks, but survived and ended up in Port Pirie via Castellorizo.
“My whole family is connected with Port Pirie and I wanted to preserve that – you won’t be able to find that information.”
One lesser-known fact Nick writes about in the book mentions why King Constantine, who was the ruling monarch in Greece in 1916, was holding back about going to war against the Germans because of being related to the Kaiser in Germany. This resulted in the relevant authorities undertaking a secret Census of Greeks in Australia.
‘We support his tireless work’:
Over the weekend, The Greek Museum of Adelaide Inc launched a display featuring the Greeks of Port Pirie for their latest exhibition.
On display are very old unseen photos, early photos of the Port Pirie smelter featuring the type of work the early migrants did, a copy of the secret Census and the original 1924 Greek Constitution.
The VIPs who attended included Federal Member for Adelaide, Steve Georganas, Independent Member for Stuart, Geoff Brock; the Mayor of West Torrens, Michael Coxon; and City of West Torrens Councillor George Demetriou, who grew up in Port Pirie.
Historian Nick attended with family members including Fotis (Fred) Seindanis, the President of the Greek Community of Port Pirie, secretary and his sister Koula Korniotakis, and his son Apollo Seindanis. Richard Law, who is the descendant of the first Greek resident of Port Pirie, and Miltiadis Dimitrios Bidzanis, also attended the exhibition. Miltiadis’ ancestor arrived in Port Adelaide in 1861 and became the second recorded Greek in SA, then moved to Port Pirie in 1873.
Sofia Orfanos, Secretary at the Greek Museum of Adelaide Inc, said the museum committee was keen to support the ‘tireless work of author Nick Seindanis,” once they heard that the Port Pirie Greek Community was celebrating their centenary.
“The Greek Museum not only engages with collecting and exhibiting artefacts but also in presenting aspects of Greek-Adelaidean social history, Sofia said.
“The Museum believes that Greek Australians are well placed to collect, archive, collate, exhibit and preserve and disseminate their own Social History(s) before it’s done for them.”
Exhibition details:
- What: Centenary of Greek Community in Port Pirie (1924-2024)
- Open: 11am and 3 pm Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays until March 31.
- Where: Cowandilla Community Room, 175 Sir Donald Bradman Dr, Hilton
- Cost: Free admission
To register interest in the book, join the History of the Port Pirie Greek Community Facebook group or send an email on piriegreekhistory@gmail.com
