Yianni Skoulakis has many talents. He’s a proud Cretan, laouto player and a Leading Aircraftman for the Royal Australian Airforce (RAAF).
It’s for these reasons The Greek Herald asked Yianni to perform Cretan music live on our Facebook page on Saturday, August 21 and he definitely didn’t disappoint.
With such a glowing and positive response from our readers, we just had to find out more about this Leading Aircraftman and in his open and humble way, Yianni was more than happy to share where his passion for the laouto and the RAAF comes from.
His grandfather and the laouto:
Originally from Hobart in Tasmania, Yianni was immersed in the Cretan culture from a very young age and always wanted to learn how to play the laouto like his grandfather.
“My pappou Yianni, who died before I was born, he bought a laouto in Crete in 1951 [and brought it to Australia with him]. I never knew how to play it, but we had it because it was the only thing we had of him,” Yianni tells The Greek Herald exclusively.
Yianni’s pappou in 1951.
“This laouto was beautiful. We still have it. It’s nearly 100 years old. It’s got whalebone inscriptions on it. It’s a masterpiece.
“But I grew up all my life hearing Kritika and I’d always see it in the case there at our house and I was always thinking, ‘I would like to learn it’.”
Yianni learnt how to play the guitar first at 11 years old and then two years later, when he was 13, he visited Crete with his family and had ten laouto lessons from Harilaos Vlastakis.
“I learnt ten songs with him, just real basic stuff and he was shocked at how quickly I was picking it up… and I fell in love with it. After the tenth lesson, my mum and dad bought me the laouto that I was playing on,” Yianni explains.
Yianni playing his pappou’s laouto.
“Then we came back down to Tassie and I started playing my pappou Yianni’s one as well. Everything else was pretty much self-taught.”
Since then, Yianni has never looked back. He plays the laouto at home at least two hours every day and can also be seen performing at events hosted by the Cretan Association of Sydney and NSW.
“I’m very passionate. I get very emotional when I play and I think of it like a tribute to my grandfather who I never got to meet,” Yianni says passionately.
“I like entertaining people, especially the oldies, because I play the very traditional stuff from the 30s, 40s, 50s… and I love seeing them get emotional and think of their childhood.”
Joining the RAAF:
When Yianni isn’t entertaining people with his laouto playing, he’s also busy working as an avionics technician with the No. 37 Squadron. He says another family memory ultimately led him to join the RAAF in 2018.
Leading Aircraftman Yianni Skoulakis. Photo by- Corporal David Said.
“It started when I was eight years old. My dad bought a 1949 Cadillac and I remember he had a book on the history of Cadillacs and it talked about that car he had… and said the wings for the fins at the rear of the car were inspired off a World War II aircraft, which was the Lockheed P-38 Lightning,” Yianni explains.
“I was obsessed with that plane and then I got really into World War II and all the other aircraft and innovations and all that, and that led up to me wanting the military life. That was probably around Year 10.”
Yianni says he did initially get ‘a bit of pushback from my family because they always think worst case scenario,’ but that didn’t stop him. He ended up doing a gap year in the navy, before transferring over to the RAAF.
“I’d say it’s the closest to a family I can get while being away from the family. That’s why I like it. The routine too because I’m a very routine kind-of person,” Yianni says.
“To me, there’s no better feeling serving. It’s like giving back. The Australians helped during WWII and now that we migrated to Australia, well my grandparents… it’s like a thank you, you could say.”
Chris Sperou, 82, is an adrenaline junkie and has been flying aeroplanes as a stunt pilot for more than 60 years.
His first flight was just as risky as his next.
“Basically, I was self-taught,” he grins to ABC News.
”The instructor would say ‘go out and do some revision and come back’.”
“I’d go out and put the aeroplane through its paces, so all the advanced [aerobatics] was self-taught”.
Mr Sperou said he wants to continue flying for as long as he can (Photo: ABC News)
Sperou’s love for aviation began in Ceduna in South Australia’s south and took him on an international stage.
Sperou has represented Australia in international aerobatic championships several times, along with winning a swag of awards locally, and competed at the World Aerobatic Championships six times.
“I’ve flown in a formation of three aeroplanes, and we won the Australian title seven times and I’ve been the Australian champion 13 times in solo aerobatics,” he said.
Mr Sperou and his long-time flying buddy, Warren Stewart, 83, say they have no intention of slowing down anytime soon.
“People ask me that, they say because of your age how do you keep going? Buggered if I know,” Mr Stewart told ABC News.
But Mr Sperou knows that time will come one day.
“When I’ve got to start thinking about it while I’m up there doing it, [it’s time to] give it away,” he said.
“Until then, he’s happy to keep turning his life upside down.”
Last season’s top scorer in the Dutch league cited the Greek-Australian’s presence as the main reason for signing with the Celts.
It was one of this transfer season’s most talked-about rumor and now it has finally come to pass. Giorgos Giakoumakis, the former AEK and OFI Crete player, has agreed terms with Celtic Football Club and after a highly successful season with Eredivisie side VVV-Venlo, will be moving to Glasgow on a five-year-deal.
Speaking to Celtic TV, Giakoumakis made special note of coach Ange Postecoglou, pointing out that it was his attacking-minded playstyle that eventually made him choose the Bhoys over a number of other interesting offers he was given: “It was one of the main reasons that I wanted to sign for this beautiful club, because the style of play is something that really suits me.”
🇬🇷 𝕆𝕦𝕣 𝟙𝟘𝕥𝕙 𝕤𝕦𝕞𝕞𝕖𝕣 𝕤𝕚𝕘𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘 📝
Giorgos Giakoumakis has joined #CelticFC on a five-year deal, subject to international clearance! 💪#WelcomeGiakoumakis 🍀
The 26-year-old also spoke about one of his former colleagues who also had the opportunity to play for Celtic, leaving quite a lasting impression on the fans, Giorgos Samaras: “During this time, I was watching a lot of his games (for the club.) We also worked together in Greece. He is now the president of the beautiful club from which I came from, OFI Crete, I played there two years ago. So we really know each other and we keep in touch. I’ve heard many great things from him, which is why I’m looking forward to playing for Celtic. He told me this is a big club with crazy fans and the atmosphere (at the Celtic Park) is amazing. The only target for every game is to win.”
Giakoumakis capitalized on last year’s excellent season in the Netherlands, which saw him score 26 goals in 30 games, taking the title for best goal scorer. Besides Postecoglou, he will also meet fellow Greek and former AEK teammate Vasilis Barkas at his new club.
He says life was very tough for Afghan nationals who had to leave their families behind to flee the Taliban.
“The trauma will be very raw,” he told SBS on Monday.
“The Australian people can wrap their arms around these people, let them know that we want them to be here, that we’re glad that they’re here, that we’re going to care for them and take care of them.”
Mr. Aristotle has been appointed co-chair of the new Advisory Panel on Australia’s Resettlement of Afghan Nationals.
The man tasked with coordinating the nation's humanitarian intake – of 3,000 Afghans fleeing the Taliban – has described their level of need as extreme. Paris Aristotle has told SBS World News he wants Australians to open their arms to the new arrivals. @pablovinalespic.twitter.com/lCeynqqt8v
Australia’s evacuation efforts in Afghanistan ended late last week with an official withdrawal from its military operation in the country.
4100 people were evacuated in the nine-day rescue mission but Aristotle says some of the more vulnerable Afghans were having their desperation to flee exploited.
“People are offering to fill out applications for $8000 and they would guarantee a Visa,” he says.
“In one case I heard $15,000. It doesn’t cost anything like that,” he said.
The Australian government has committed 3000 places out of its existing humanitarian visa program to resettle Afghan refugees after the Taliban takeover.
Greece’s public order and tourism ministers were replaced and a civil protection ministry was created on Tuesday.
The Presidential palace, in Athens, Greece, Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis)
Public Order Minister Michalis Chrysochoidis was replaced by Takis Theodorikakos, a political analyst and former interior minister.
Health Minister Vassilis Kikilias replaced Harry Theoharis as Tourism Minister.
Athanasios Plevris is the new health minister.
A new civil protection ministry was also to be headed by the retired admiral and former defense minister Evangelos Apostolakis before his withdrawal hours before he was due to be sworn in.
Apostolakis pulled out after the political opposition accused him of being disloyal.
The prime minister’s office confirmed plans to look for his replacement.
Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou, right, and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis speak as they attend a swearing-in ceremony of newly appointed ministers at the Presidential palace, in Athens, Greece, Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis)
The reshuffle comes less than two weeks before Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is due to outline his 2022 economic policy in a keynote speech in Thessaloniki.
It follows the creation of a natural disaster recovery committee mid-last month and Mitsotakis’ public apology for delays and breakdown in the official response to the summer wildfires in July.
NSW Premier, Gladys Berejiklian, announced on Friday her roadmap for the staggered return to face-to-face learning across Greater Sydney from October 25.
This plan will see Kindergarten and Year 1 return to school from October 25, Year 2, Year 6 and Year 11 from November 1 and the remainder of the school population from November 8. The Higher School Certificate exams will also be delayed until November.
But according to the NSW Teachers Federation President, Angelo Gavrielatos, the implementation of this plan is conditional on “two critical health factors”: a double dose vaccination rate of 70-80 percent of the eligible population, and that cases in impacted areas be 50 or less per 100,000 people.
Mr Gavrielatos says whilst he acknowledges this science, there still needs to be a more targeted application of health advice across the education sector.
Angelo Gavrielatos says vaccination is one pre-condition to the return to school plan.
“We have said, since the beginning of this pandemic and certainly since the second Delta wave, that we respect the science. What we seek is a consistent application of health advice and restrictions in all settings across impacted communities, including our schools,” Mr Gavrielatos tells The Greek Herald.
“We certainly hope that the caseload declines dramatically. We certainly hope that the vaccination rates and the double dose vaccination rates continue to grow. We certainly want our students to return to face-to-face teaching however when it’s safe to do so when those conditions, as announced by the Premier, are met.”
‘It’s extremely distressing’:
Anna*, who is a Sydney teacher and mum-of-two, echoes Mr Gavrielatos’ sentiments and says she’s ‘very nervous’ about sending her daughter back to Kindergarten because of the high number of local COVID-19 cases in the state.
“I see none of the numbers coming down… so it’s quite concerning to see the numbers of COVID cases rising, whilst our kids are being forced back unvaccinated and the teachers have been rushed back,” Anna says.
Add to this Anna’s personal experience with COVID-19 after her husband contracted the virus last year and it’s clear this intensifies her hesitation when it comes to Gladys Berejiklian’s return to school plan.
Anna is worried about sending her daughter back to school.
“My daughter had only been in school for four weeks before lockdown so socially, she’s definitely in a bit of limbo and it would be very important for her to be able to get back in a classroom,” Anna says.
“But I’m also very nervous because my husband actually had COVID last year and so I know what’s involved when it comes into the house and it’s extremely distressing.
“The mental toll was enormous, the physical toll of having to clean the house and keep him in quarantine away from the kids and all while suspecting that I had COVID myself, was enormous. So I actually don’t know what we will decide to do.”
‘They will have some sort of protection’:
A poll published by The Greek Herald on Facebook asking what people thought about the plan for schools to return from October 25 saw many others voicing their concerns and even approval.
“Yes [students should return],” writes one reader. “We need some sort of normality back for sanity, even if it is for five weeks.”
NSW Education Minister, Sarah Mitchell, also described the plan on Friday as a “safe and sensible approach.”
“We know that the best teaching and learning happens in the classroom, but we also know it’s really important for the social and emotional wellbeing of our students to be with their friends and back with their teachers,” Mitchell said.
For Angela Boyacioglu, she’s ‘skeptical’ about the return to school plan but doesn’t completely rule it out. Her 11-year-old son, Chris, and 12-year-old daughter, Vanessa, are in Year 5 and Year 7 respectively at schools in Liverpool, which is one of the 12 Local Government Area’s (LGA) of concern across Greater Sydney.
She says she’s not as concerned about Chris returning to school because in her opinion, younger kids are “basically going from home to school” and there’s less of a chance of COVID-19 spreading.
Angela Boyacioglu. Photo: Andriana Simos.
“I really think it affects Vanessa more than Chris because she can’t get motivated. Both of their return dates will be November 8 so it’s a fair distance away and theoretically, they’re only going back for about four weeks and I don’t think that’s enough time for them to play catch up on work they’ve actually missed,” Ms Boyacioglu tells The Greek Herald.
“But I must say that their schools have been a great support system. I get a phone call [from the school] every Monday just to see how we are, how we are travelling mentally… so they’ve been really great.
“We’ve also been made aware that all teachers will have to wear masks, and all high school students will have to wear masks [when schools return], which is some sort of protection.”
Mandatory vaccinations for school teachers:
Besides these mandatory masks, the NSW Government’s return to school plan is also dependent on mandatory vaccinations for school staff.
Anna says this pre-condition was stressful for her as a teacher because she struggled to find a vaccination appointment due to confusing government information and the fact that she was only eligible for Pfizer “a few days ago.”
“When it was announced on Friday that schools were going back I thought, ‘I’m going to have to go back to school and I’m unvaccinated.’ It was very nerve-wracking,” Anna says.
Vaccinations have been made mandatory for teachers in NSW.
Although Anna has since received her first dose of Pfizer, the President of the NSW Teachers Federation says she isn’t the only teacher who has found it difficult to get access to vaccines.
Still, Mr Gavrielatos encourages them to keep persisting with the NSW Government’s vaccine rollout because ‘vaccination is key.’
“We recognise and acknowledge the science that vaccines and vaccinations are very important and are a key component in us getting out of this pandemic and we will continue to encourage teachers to be vaccinated and we will continue calling on the government to make sure they address issues of access to vaccination,” Mr Gavrielatos said.
At last count, a survey of 50,000 Department of Education staff found 70 per cent had received their first dose of the vaccination and 40 per cent were fully vaccinated.
The ‘Knockouts’ round on The Voice Australia came to an end on Monday night and singing superstar, Rita Ora, took only two of her five team members through to the semi-finals of the singing competition.
Among those two into the semi-finals were Mateja Sardelis and her girl band, G-Nat!on, as well as 16-year-old Sian Fuller.
Sardelis, 16, Isla Ward, 17, Taylah Silvestri, 18, Emma Caporaso, 18, Alessia Musolino, 17 and Rylee Vormelker, 17, had the audience on their feet after their showstopping rendition of ‘Bye Bye Bye’ by boyband, NSYNC.
We won't be saying Bye Bye Bye to G-Nation anytime soon after they brought the fire to the stage once again! 🔥 #TheVoiceAUpic.twitter.com/IkjzU4HDpy
“In Australia, we haven’t had a girl group in such a long time. To come out with girl power is extreme so what a performance, I must say. Well done,” fellow judge, Jessica Mauboy, said after the girl band’s singing.
Rita agreed and sent them straight through to the semi-final instead of making them wait for the other singers on her team to perform before making her final decision.
‘I have so much respect for you’:
Halimah Kyrgios, the sister of tennis sensation Nick Kyrgios, was one of two sent home by Rita despite a powerful rendition of This is Me from The Greatest Showman.
“I have so much respect for you, so much admiration for you in so many different ways,” Rita said after Halimah’s performance.
“Your voice is so strong and so persistent. I’m thinking in my mind, ‘What can I give you, now that you’ve had this amazing moment? How can I coach you to potentially winning this show?’
“Because I know as a musical director watching at home, I will give you a lead role in a heartbeat. But that’s honestly where I see your future and I feel like your career’s just taking off. And with that in mind, I’m going to have to let you go.”
Halimah thanked Rita for her coaching and said she learnt so much from The Voice about who she wanted to be as an artist.
“There’s always the MT [musical theatre] girl, right? But who am I? so that’s something I’m still striving to,” she concluded.
A Hells Angels club house in Melbourne’s north has been raided again as the search continues for Adelaide man, Kerry Giakoumis, who police suspect has been murdered.
A search warrant was carried out on the Hells Angels Outlaw Motor Cycle Gang (OMCG) club house in Thomastown on Monday, but police did not find Giakoumis’ body.
According to Victoria Police, the search of the Lipton Drive club house followed new information they were given in their investigation into Mr Giakoumis’ disappearance.
Giakoumis in a taxi in Melbourne prior to his disappearance.
Police divers search a river near Melbourne for remains of Giakoumis. Picture: Victoria Police.
The club house was the last place Giakoumis, 29, was seen alive in the early hours of June 20 last year.
A major police taskforce, including specialist homicide, missing persons and OMCG detectives, has been assembled to investigate what happened that night.
Police believe it is likely a dispute occurred on 10 June 2020, which may be connected to members or associates of the Hells Angels OMCG.
Anyone with information on the case can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit crimestoppersvic.com.au.
It is with no doubt that engineers play an essential role in supporting humanity.
However, for some professionals like Spyros Schismenos, engineers need to build for humanity first and use the engineering profession to affect positive change for marginalised communities around the world.
Born and raised n Agrinion, Greece, Spyros started globetrotting as soon as he finished his studies.
“I travelled abroad to ‘see’ the world. During my travels I saw the beauty of many wonderful places and cultures, but also the devastation of natural disasters and humanitarian crises,” he tells The Greek Herald.
Lecture in Humanitarian Engineering – International Hellenic University, Drama Campus, Greece
“This was when I first felt the obligation to use my skills to help people and build a better world. I decided to focus on disaster management, so I became a researcher at the National Yunlin University of Science and Technology in Taiwan.”
After that Spyro went to Los Angeles, California where he created his own company under the name “My Safety Approved” in order contribute to humanitarian, developmental and environmental initiatives.
“In 2019, I came to Australia to pursue my PhD in Humanitarian Engineering and I’ve been here ever since,” Spyro says as he explains what Humanitarian Engineering is about and how he finds purpose in solving problems in complex, often life-threatening situations, while significantly enhancing lives.
Spyros with a colleague from the faculty of National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, Taiwan
TGH: As a Research Assistant and PhD Fellow at School of Social Sciences at Western Sydney University you are currently working on Humanitarian Engineering projects with and for communities across the world. What is Humanitarian Engineeringall about?
Humanitarian Engineering involves the design, building, and use of machines and structures to assist communities at risk. It addresses the challenge whereby other engineers might focus exclusively on the ’hardware’ and fail to effectively support communities and their priority needs.
TGH: Where does your passion for Humanitarian Engineering stem from?
It stems from a sense of duty to improve people’s quality of life by understanding their needs through active listening and collaboration, and to create and implement sustainable engineering solutions.
TGH: At the moment you are working on a project in collaboration with communities in Nepal and Drama, north-eastern Greece. Can you give us some more information about this project?
My team consists of professionals from the Humanitarian and Development Research Initiative (HADRI) at Western Sydney University in Australia, International Hellenic University and their UNESCO Chair in Greece, and Kathmandu University in Nepal. We collaborate with Aggitis, Drama in Greece and Dhuskun in Nepal.
Though seemingly different, these communities share many similarities. For example, they both face floods which can damage properties and farms. They also experience power failures which can cause problems in evacuation or worse, sometimes result in fatalities.
In order to support these communities, I have developed a prototype called HYDRA (Hydropower for Disaster Resilience Applications). HYDRA is a small hydropower system combined with flood warnings. It can power some ‘everyday’ energy needs, such as public lights, a school or a small hospital.
In case of floods, its sirens warn people to evacuate, while the produced energy is directed to emergency lights and routes. This can help to save lives, particularly the elderly and people with reduced mobility.
Community flood evacuation drill in Chiayi City, Taiwan (SWAN Research Center, YunTech)
TGH:Does COVID-19, the natural disasters we see around the world and conflict affect your sector? If so in what way?
Absolutely. Humanitarian and developmental workers are always on the move, because unfortunately, disasters are always happening. For example, we now have the huge humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, the megafires in Greece, and the severe floods in Germany and China. The pandemic worsens things because it limits transportation of resources and human engagement.
Personally, COVID-19 has only slightly delayed my progress. That is because I’ve had great success engaging with communities remotely. I could do most of my work online, while our local partners in Aggitis and Dhuskun helped me with the necessary on-site activities.
TGH: Do governments invest enough in disaster preparedness and recovery?
In 2015, the United Nations endorsed two very important initiatives, the Sustainable Development Goals, and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. Since then, governments have invested substantial funds in disaster management.
Now, you may ask me “and is it working?” Perhaps not as much as we wanted it to.
The impacts of climate change are a lot more concerning than we expected and thus, further action needs to be taken. Of course, this is not solely the governments’ responsibility. As individuals, we also need to develop environmental awareness and learn how to become more resilient at the local level.
Teaching communities how to develop low-tech, DIY flood water level gauges in Taiwan, Swan Research Center, Yuntech
TGH: You have lived in various countries around the world. Which one was your favourite and why?
Each country I have lived is unique and changed the way I see the world and the people in it. Even though I don’t currently live in Greece, my home country is always in my heart and mind, and I get very emotional when I go back to visit my family.
As for Australia, this is my home away from home. My supervisors, colleagues and friends give me all the support I need to keep going. I’ve also felt the love and care from some of the Greek-Australians in Sydney who are very supportive and interested in my research and personal wellbeing.
TGH: What have you gained from your interaction with people of the various different communities?
Meeting new people of different cultures and communities is the best experience one can gain in life. You learn to respect others, listen and think. It has truly made me who I am today.
With Christos Stylianides (Former European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management), and Dr Garry Stevens (Western Sydney University), Kavala, Greece
TGH: What is a favourite Greek value you always apply in your work?
If I had to choose only one, that would be justice because it encompasses many other values such as respect for diversity and equity. My work in low-income countries is a form of resource equity and justice. This value is very important for me, not only for my work but for the way I live my life as well.
TGH: What does the future look like for you?
After my PhD graduation, which is soon, I will continue working in Humanitarian Engineering and improving HYDRA. I should mention that HYDRA is gaining increasing traction in other communities in Guatemala, Brazil, South Korea, with possible collaboration opportunities.
In Australia, it has received two awards, the 2019 Amplify AMP Ignite Finalist Award and the 2019 Western Sydney University Dean’s Award (Research Training Program Scholarship).
AMP Amplify Ignite Awards 2019, Sydney, Australia
TGH: What do you advise those thinking about taking their skills in engineering into the humanitarian world?
Disasters will always occur, and people should do their best to protect the most vulnerable populations. Humanitarian Engineering is a ‘game changer’ in the field because it links both disaster management and sustainable development.
You don’t have to be highly skilled or trained to employ humanitarian values in your work and become a humanitarian engineer. All you need to do is listen and learn how to collaborate with those you want to help.
