With poems, songs, traditional dances and speeches about the religious and historical significance of March 25th students of Adelaide’s St George College have joined the commemorative events for the bicentennial of the Greek Revolution.
On Thursday, March 25th in a special celebration held at the College’s Junior Campus Hall the students had the opportunity to acknowledge Greek Independence Day and honour the commitment of those who fought for the country’s freedom.
Photo: Supplied/St George College
Present were Father Diogenis Patsouris and the Principal of St George College, Peter Karamoshos, who gave speeches about the importance of the Greek Revolution in the continuation of the Christian faith and the preservation of the Greek language and culture.
Father Patsouris conveyed warm regards from Bishop Silouan of Sinope and Archbishop Makarios and congratulated the students, the Principal and the staff for their efforts.
“You should be proud you are Greek and you also are Christian Orthodox. This is the ultimate honour for someone who is born in Adelaide’s Greek community,” said Father Patsouris.
Photo: Supplied/St George College
The school’s Principal, Mr Karamoshos talked about the importance of speaking a second language at home and referred to his own experience as a Greek Australian.
“Never underestimate the value of a second language. I grew up in a tiny place with very few Greeks and all my friends are Aussies. I grew up as an Aussie. I wish my parents were hard on me to maintain my Greek,” Mr Karamoshos said.
Photo: Supplied/St George College
“Greeks at the time [in 1453] made sure they maintained their culture, their religion and values and those parents passed them on to their children and their children to their grandchildren and this happened for nearly 400 years. This was a massive commitment, “he said and encouraged the children to keep the Greek spark alive.
Earlier on the same day, St George College Captain, James Sotiropoulos and Vice-Captain Desi Karahalios participated in a dawn service and flag raising ceremony hosted by the City of West Torrens and on Sunday March 21st, a number of students attended the Doxology at Saint George Greek Orthodox Church Thebarton followed by the Trisagion Memorial Service at the War memorial in North Terrace.
The Greek community in the Melbourne suburb of Oakleigh have been treated to a number of special events to mark the bicentenary of the Greek Revolution this year.
Here’s our list of what went down over the last week:
Light display as a tribute to Orthodoxy and Hellenism:
The Greek Orthodox Community of Oakleigh & District, the Parish of Saints Anargiri, Oakleigh Grammar and Saints Anargiri Language Centre paid tribute to the Greek Revolution on the 200th Anniversary of its proclamation and the Annunciation, by illuminating the Church with respect and honour.
Parish of Saint Anargiri in East Melbourne is lit to mark the bicentenary. Photo supplied.
In line with many wonderful Hellenic tributes worldwide, the concept to this initiative was planted by Mark Robertson, Principal of Oakleigh Grammar, at the Shrine’s footsteps during the Independence Day wreath laying commemoration.
Members of the Board worked frantically over a 72-hour period to depict the story, paying respect and honouring Orthodoxy and Hellenism. Our Community warmly welcomed the Hellenic and Orthodox faithful of Melbourne and provided them with the opportunity to drive by and observe with pride and respect our blue and white flag and heroes from the revolution.
Prominent members of the Greek community attended the light display. Photos supplied.
The lighting effect commenced with Father George Adamakis and chanters, chanting the Akathyst Hymn and the National Anthems, leaving the massive crowd, comprising both young and old, mesmerised with unseen memories.
The Board wish to relay their deepest respect and gratitude to Melbourne’s Hellenic population for their attendance and support of this event of unison, and in particular His Grace Bishop Ezekiel of Dervis, the Greek Consulate of Melbourne, Emmanuel Kakavelakis, the President of the Melbourne Central Greek Community, Bill Papastergiadis and Tony Tsourdalakis, the Chair of the 200 Celebratory Committee.
‘The Evzones Collection by Nick Bourdaniotis’ launches at Oakleigh Grammar:
The light display also marked the commencement of The Evzones Collection, a photographic exhibition hosted by Oakleigh Grammar, in conjunction with the 2021 Victorian Bicentenary Committee and the Organisational Council for Greek National Day.
The exhibition showcases 28 beautifully selected photos of the Greek Presidential Guard, the Evzones, taken by Nick Bourdaniotis.
The Evzones Exhibition at Oakleigh Grammar. Photo supplied.
The opening night on Friday, March 26, at Oakleigh Grammar Convention Center, was attended by over 50 special guests and dignitaries, including Bishop Ezekiel of Dervis from the Melbourne District, Father George Adamakis, Oakleigh Grammar Principal, Mark Robertson, President of the Oakleigh Grammar Board, Chris Damatopoulos, Chairman of 2021 Victorian Committee, Tony Tsourdalakis, Consul General of Greece in Melbourne, Emmanuel Kakavelakis, and photographer, Nick Bourdaniotis.
The photo exhibition. Photo supplied.
Guests were greeted on arrival to the event by senior college students from Oakleigh Grammar. Two Year 7 students, Dimitra Ballis and Elena Logan, from the school also gave a rousing performance of the Greek and Australian National Anthems.
This was followed by speeches from Bishop Ezekiel, who spoke of “the power of the image of the evzone,” and the Consul General of Greece in Melbourne, Emmanuel Kakavelakis, who gave a history of the uniform of the Evzones.
Students from Oakleigh Grammar with their Principal, Mark Robertson. Photo supplied.
In his speech, Mr Bourdaniotis thanked Oakleigh Grammar for hosting the photo exhibition, as well as Mr Tsourdalakis for helping bring the exhibition to Melbourne, and Natasha Spanos, Acting Head of LOTE from Oakleigh Grammer, for her tireless work coordinating and putting the exhibition at Oakleigh together.
From there, a number of exhibition prints were donated. Mr Tsourdalakis donated a print of the 2018 visit of the Evzones to Oakleigh Grammar to the school, and also donated a print from the 2018 visit of the Evzones to St Eustathios Church in South Melbourne to the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Melbourne District.
Exhibition prints were donated on the night. Photo supplied.
Mr Bourdaniotis himself kindly donated one of his exhibition prints to be silently auctioned throughout the exhibition, with all money raised to be donated to Agapi Care Inc.
Chief Executive Officer at AGAPI Care Inc., Mrs Mary Gakopoulos, as well as members of the board, were in attendance on the opening night and thanked Mr Bourdaniotis, Chris Damatopoulos and Mark Robertson for choosed Agapi Care Inc for the silent auction.
The exhibition will remain open at Oakleigh Grammar Convention Center until Sunday, April 4.
Greek Australian, Stacey Koniaras, returned to the dating scene after her divorce and there was nothing pleasant about her experience.
“I was told, ‘I wish you misery and ill health for your life and your family’. You name it and I’ve been called it,” the 47-year-old nail artist told ABC News.
For the Warrnambool mother, it was a rude introduction to the world of online dating after coming out of a long-term relationship four years ago. What struck her wasn’t the remarks themselves but the disproportionate reactions to polite rebuffs.
“[One date’s] reaction was extreme [and over] the top,” she told the media outlet.
“I would block him and then he would start up another messenger account — calling me, calling my friends.”
Stacey Koniaras has been the victim of ‘rejection violence.’ Photo: ABC News/Patrick Stone.
Ms Koniaras was forced to get a restraining order to get him to stop.
“It was quite stressful.”
While Ms Koniaras is now in a relationship after meeting someone “the old-fashioned way,” she’s speaking out in the hope it can help change attitudes.
“I just find it really sad that women are still treated the way we are,” she said.
Academic Lily Thacker, an adjunct professor at the US-based Eastern Kentucky University, coined the term “rejection violence” to describe the phenomenon.
‘Rejection violence’ is becoming more common on online dating sites such as Bumble and Twitter.
She documented physically violent reactions to rejection globally that ranged from women being stabbed and shot to gang raped just for saying no.
“But the most common form of rejection violence is verbal abuse,” she added.
Figures show just how common this verbal and text-based abuse has become.
A 2020 study by the US-based Pew Research Centre found nearly half of all women aged between 35 and 49 who used online dating, had someone continue contact after they said they weren’t interested — nearly double the rate among men.
More than a third of women had been called an offensive name.
How to deal with troubling behaviour:
Ms Thacker said tackling these toxic behaviours meant looking at depictions of masculinity in mass media and at home.
“Men don’t just wake up one morning and have that idea in their head, it gets put there, and then it gets reinforced,” she said.
“The standard set for men in so many cultures is so unbelievably unobtainable.”
Since the joint investigation by triple j Hack and Four Corners, a number of policy changes at Tinder and its rival dating app, Bumble, have also been made.
In a statement, Tinder Australia told the ABC it had added a number of safety features over the past year including the introduction of safety-focused photo verification technology in Australia.
It also added a feature asking users if a particular message bothered them, the company said.
In a statement, Bumble said it also had a number of features in the app that allowed users to hide, block and report users who violated its terms.
It also used a mix of artificial intelligence and moderators to verify photos and identities as well as crack down on unsolicited nude images, it said.
A Bankstown mother-of-three, who posed as a buyer for Airpods on Facebook Marketplace, has admitted to her role in luring Ross Houllis to his death in February last year, according to The Daily Telegraph.
Loubna Kawtharani, 28, faced Campbelltown Local Court on Friday where she pleaded guilty to a charge of accessory before the fact to an offence of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
A police fact sheet has revealed the role Kawtharani played in luring 28-year-old, Ross Houllis, to a Wakeley carpark in Sydney’s west before he was fatally beaten to death on February 14, 2020.
The revenge-plot came as Kawtharani and her co-accused, Sami Hamdach and Abdul Karaali, found Mr Houllis had been selling fake Apple Airpods on Facebook Marketplace with his brother.
Stefanos Tsitsipas has overcome a mid-match hiccup against Kei Nishikori to advance to the Miami Open round of 16.
Greek second seed Tsitsipas dominated the first and third sets in a 6-3 3-6 6-1 victory over the resurgent Nishikori, who is climbing his way back up the rankings in his comeback from a long layoff through injury.
Tsitsipas broke early to build a 3-0 lead and didn’t take his foot off the gas as he dropped only four points behind his serve during the set.
Nikolaos Chalikiopoulos Mantzaros was a Greek-Italian classical composer who left behind a plethora of compositions and an irrepressible mark on Greece’s musical history.
He was a well-respected and prominent dilettante of Western music in the 19th century, who famously composed the national anthem of Greece and Cyprus.
The Greek Herald takes a look back at his life.
Early Life and Creative Works:
Nikolaos Halikiopoulos Mantzaros was born on 26 October 1795 in Corfu, Greece, to a wealthy, aristocratic family.
Nikolaos began writing and composing in 1815 and composed the first preserved Greek opera, Don Crepuscolo (1815). He went on to study at the famous music school of San Sebastian in Naples, Italy, under Italian composer Niccolo Zingarelli. Nikolaos would develop his eccentricities and an interest in Romantic idealism here over the next four years. Mantzaros later abandoned romanticism in the 1840s to explore the “sublime.”
The first revolt of Greece’s War of Independence would kick off a few years later and mark a transformation for Greece’s music scene. Greek musicians living in western Europe, including Mantzaros, returned home to help usher in numerous Western orchestras, choirs and musical societies. Greece’s musical scene was flourishing by the middle of the 19th century.
Some of Mantzaros’ notable works include setting music to the poems of Dionysios Solomos in the collection 16 Arie Greche (1830) and composing sacred music for the Catholic Rite around the 1820-1830s in Te Deum (1830).
Mantzaros later began teaching music in 1827, free-of-charge, before going on to form Greece’s first musical institution, the Philharmonic Society of Corfu, on 12 September 1840.
Mantzaros was the artistic director of the Society from 1841 to 1872. Among his students was well-known composer and guitarist Spyridon Xyndas.
Mantzaros was a man of firsts. He composed the first Greek opera, Don Crepuscolo (1815); the first ethnic musical collection of research, Popular cantatas of Corfu; and the first Greek piano repertoire, Sinfonia (1820). He also co-composed the first known Greek works for string quartet, Partimenti (1850); wrote the first music analysis essay, Rapporto (1851); and wrote the first music educational textbooks in Greece.
In his time, Mantzaros wrote 24 symphonies, five liturgies, pieces for piano, marches, waltzes, and songs, ranging from sacred to symphonic, opera to lyrical, and instrumental to vocal.
Legacy:
Nikolaos Mantzaros died on the 12 April 1872, in Corfu, Greece.
Nikolaos’ legacy birthed an entire generation of Greek and Italian poets, composers, and translators that shaped the music of the Ionian Islands.
The Nikolaos Museum of Music in Corfu, Greece, honours this legacy.
A new lighting system was unveiled at the Panathenaic Stadium, also known as the Kallimarmaro, in a ceremony on Monday evening.
A new lighting system was unveiled at the Panathenaic Stadium on Monday.
The low-key event, adjusted to the pandemic era, was attended by President Katerina Sakellaropoulou, International Olympic Committee President, Thomas Bach, Culture Minister, Lina Mendoni and Athens Mayor, Kostas Bakoyannis.
The new lighting system, comprising of over 3,600 LED bulbs, will highlight the marble used to construct the stadium, home of the first modern Olympic Games in 1896.
The new lighting is set to reduce light pollution by over 70 percent.
Officials said the new lighting will reduce light pollution by over 70 percent and slash by half the stadium’s energy requirements.
The EU is to give Greece funding to build five new refugee camps on the Aegean islands.
The EU Home Affairs Commissioner, Ylva Johansson, visited Lesvos and Samos on Monday to announce that the EU would provide 250 million euros of funding for five new structures on the islands of Lesvos, Samos, Chios, Kos and Leros.
A large crowd of demonstrators gathered outside the town hall on the waterfront in Mytilene, the capital of Lesvos, to protest against her visit.
Some wrapped themselves in Greek flags and others held signs calling for European solidarity. One sign read: “No to European Guantánamos. Shame on you, Europe.” Another said: “No structures on the island, Europe take responsibility.”
Local residents holding Greek flags protest during the visit of the EU Commissioner, Ylva Johansson, at Mytilene port, on the eastern Aegean island of Lesvos, Greece, Monday, March 29, 2021. Photo: AP Photo/Panagiotis Balaskas.
Kostas Moutzouris, the northern Aegean’s regional governor, told the Guardian he had cancelled his meeting with Johansson during her visit. “We don’t want the money for new camps – we want it for what we suffered all these years but not to build new camps,” he said.
At a joint press conference with the Greek Immigration Minister, Notis Mitarachi, Ms Johansson said it was of “utmost importance” that people were not in the “temporary” camp built in the wake of the Moria fire for another winter. An agreement for 155 million euros for the construction of camps on Lesvos and Chios had just been signed, she said.
She said there should be “quick and fair” asylum processes, and that the EU was calling on Turkey to resume accepting migrants from Greece.
EU Commissioner, Ylva Johansson, left, listens to an asylum seeker at a refugee camp in the port of Vathy on the eastern Aegean island of Samos, Greece, Monday, March 29, 2021. Photo: AP Photo/Michael Svarnias.
“Even if you are not eligible [to stay in Greece] you are a human being – you have rights and dignity and should be treated accordingly,” she said.
Mitarachi said the new centres on Samos, Kos and Leros would be ready within the three months and would offer “dignified” living conditions, but entry and exit would be controlled, with fencing around the camps.
“For those that believe we are creating a new Moria, it will be shown in practice that you are wrong,” he said.
Johansson urges Greece to investigate reports of asylum-seeker pushbacks:
During her joint press conference with Mitarachi, Ms Johansson also said Greece “can do more” to investigate reports it has pushed asylum-seekers back to Turkey.
The United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, has said it has received a growing number of reports in recent months suggesting asylum-seekers may have been pushed back to Turkey at sea or immediately after reaching Greek soil, or left adrift at sea.
Joint press conference with the Greek Immigration Minister, Notis Mitarachi, and EU Commissioner, Ylva Johansson. Photo: Reuters / Elias Marcou.
Greek officials have always rejected the reports.
“I am very concerned about the UNHCR report and there are some specific cases that I really think need to be looked into closer… I think the Greek authorities can do more when it comes to investigating these alleged pushbacks,” Ms Johansson said.
Mitarachi responded and said Greece adhered to European and international law.
“We strongly deny that the Greek coast guard has ever been involved in pushbacks,” he said, adding that independent investigations, including by the Greek judiciary and by the EU’s border agency Frontex, had not found violations.
Greece and other frontline states including Italy, Spain, Cyprus and Malta have called repeatedly for a more coordinated migration policy from the EU and more help from other EU countries in handling migrant arrivals.
Christina Bacchiella describes herself as a third generation Greek-Italian Australian “who is helplessly in love with Greek music, art, language and humour.” This love goes straight into several creative projects she’s worked on, including being the founder of Sydney Greek Jam and the co-founder of Greek Fringe.
But that’s not all she’s known for.
More recently, Christina has also been recognised for her work in Indigenous education in engineering as the Community and Engagement Co-ordinator at The University of Sydney’s Indigenous Australian Engineering School (IAES). This is a role she’s incredibly proud of and something she says inspires her to delve deeper into her own Greek-Italian roots.
To find out more about this (and more), we spoke exclusively to the 33-year-old and here’s what she had to say…
Christina Bachiella.
What does your role in Indigenous education involve?
In my specific faculty role of Community Engagement Coordinator, I project manage the university’s Indigenous Australian Engineering School (IAES) in collaboration with Engineering Aid Australia. It’s a role I love as I get to see Indigenous students in Years 10 to 12 get real-life experience in engineering through the IAES education program.
During the IAES, Indigenous students from across Australia live on campus for six days to get a real taste of university life. The students are accompanied by “house parents” from engineering backgrounds, who have been through the IAES. They also get access to prominent STEM academics at the university and visit engineering companies such as Sydney Metro.
The whole program creates an exciting environment for Indigenous students to learn how engineering can improve our communities, to meet engineering role models, and gain insights into the opportunities engineering can deliver as a career.
In addition to these schools, I also run other initiatives to ensure equal opportunity for prospective students and promote diversity among the student population at the University.
As a woman, how does it feel to be working in the field of Indigenous education?
Women are motivators for change within communities. Grandmothers and Aunties in Indigenous communities are often the strong ones instigating social change, furthering culture and nurturing youth. A lot of people that work in areas of social justice are women. I have had positive experiences working in this field with both men and women who are champions for change. It’s been extremely rewarding to see the increased number of young Indigenous students coming through the program and taking up tertiary study in engineering.
Christina works in Indigenous education.
Do you find your Greek-Italian heritage helps you connect with Indigenous students more?
Having been raised in the context of different cultures, I feel I am more aware and have great respect for cultural differences. My instinct for social justice acknowledges that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders have lost contact with aspects of their culture. The richness of Indigenous culture has prompted younger generations to reengage with their culture and this has also inspired me to delve further into my roots.
Tell us about Sydney Greek Jam and Greek Fringe. How did you become involved in them?
I have been lucky enough to be able to travel to Greece frequently. Live music is omnipresent over there, in bars, taverns, venues and on the streets. I also missed the acoustic nature in which people enjoy music in Greece. Intimate and unplugged – the best! These experiences and my longing for them are what prompted me to start Sydney Greek Jam, to try to recreate the atmosphere that I crave.
The Greek Fringe recently came into being as I felt there was a lack of contemporary and alternative Greek music and art among the diaspora. The connections made through the jam and my involvement in the Rebetiko Festival, equipped me with the experience and drive to start Greek Fringe – a portal to contemporary Greek culture from around the globe.
Christina is also involved in the creative industry.
Co-founder Con Kalamaras and I are extremely touched by how well the initiative has been received. This project is funded by the Hellenic Museum in Melbourne and has attracted media partners in New York, UK and Greece thereby, creating a global community who appreciate Greek music and art.
Collaborations with people around the world has meant greater exposure for the artists that we feature and has allowed our audience to learn more about the hidden talents that exist in and out of Greece.
Does being a Greek woman influence your work in the creative arts industry?
I would say that my cultural roots are what drove me to get involved in the creative industry in the first place. I am so passionate about the evolution of the musical traditions of Greece that I felt a strong urge to share this with the world. And so, Sydney Greek Jam and Greek Fringe came into being!
Christina with her dad.
How would you encourage other women to get involved in Indigenous education and music?
It’s about gaining a deeper understanding of the barriers Indigenous communities face and addressing issues in a genuine spirit of collaboration.
As for music, I’ve observed at our jams that there is a great imbalance of male to female instrumentalists. Yes, we have many female singers, but very few girls come along with an instrument. It would be great to see more chicks with picks!
I would encourage people who want to learn music to have no fear, grab an instrument, find a mentor and dive in! Don’t let age, shame or gender stop you. Our jams embrace people who have the will to learn. Everyone is welcome from novice to professionals. Keep an eye on Sydney Greek Jam FB page to participate.
