The ancient art of weaving is referenced in a few ancient Greek texts and is indicative of the vital role it once played in the ancient world, as part of its economic activity and as a form of artistic expression.
The newest exhibition, Looms of Greece, from the Greek Museum of Adelaide Inc. hopes to renew interest in the art of weaving amongst the broader community. It is the 13th exhibition organised since 2019, when the idea of a museum came to a fruition.
The museum is the brainchild of Chrysoula Melissinaki (President of the Greek Museum of Adelaide), her husband Panagiotis Mavraidis and like-minded members of South Australia’s Greek community.
Chrysoula was born in Athens, Greece and moved to Adelaide, South Australia with her Greek Australian husband in 2011. Together with her husband, past and present committee members, the not-for-profit museum was opened in May 2019, with a series of grants from Multicultural Affairs through the SA Department of the Premier and Cabinet.
Photo copyright: The Greek Herald / Martina Simos.
Photo copyright: The Greek Herald / Martina Simos.Photo copyright: The Greek Herald / Martina Simos.
The museum’s purpose is to promote and preserve the Greek culture in SA, by showcasing an array of traditional artefacts from Greece, such as traditional costumes, coins and musical instruments.
Current committee members include: Sofia Orfanos, Andriana Economou, George Foumakis, Mira Zacharia, Kay Anastassiadis and Helen Kari. The foundation members who were first involved include: Victor Eleftheriou, Spiros Sarris, Anna Zounis, Christos Vlachos and Dimitris Katsambis.
Photo copyright: The Greek Herald / Martina Simos.
‘Looms of Greece’ exhibit
There are two original looms currently on display at the Looms of Greece exhibition. They were hand-made on the Greek island of Crete. The smaller loom was made in the 1920s and the larger one in the 1950s.
Both looms were donated by the Livadiotakis family and were brought to the museum by the family’s friend Stamatis Borakis.
Other items on display include donated items such as woven fabric skirts circa 1920s or 1930s, woven long sleeve shirts from 1910 to 1930, woven bed sheets, blankets and wooden tools used in weaving.
All exhibitions, including Looms of Greece, run for a short period of time as the museum doesn’t have a permanent building.
The current exhibition is housed in a community hall provided by the City of West Torrens and was officially opened by the Mayor of the City of West Torrens, Michael Coxon.
“The visitors who attend the exhibitions have commented that there should be a permanent building for artefacts of Greek history,” Chrysoula told The Greek Herald.
“We have a dedicated vision (of a permanent museum) as a gift for the community and we will work to get a permanent building.”
Chrysoula said the committee is grateful for the support of Mayor Coxon for providing the current building, and past support from other councils.
Photo copyright: The Greek Herald / Martina Simos.
Volunteers and school visits welcomed
As a new organisation, volunteers from all ages and working backgrounds can become involved in research, curation, or setting up exhibitions. Chrysoula’s two teenage sons are also involved in the museum, assisting at opening events and sharing the activities among their peers.
Schools in Adelaide are encouraged to visit the museum as part of their students’ educational journey and this is something the Committee are promoting in the teaching community.
“During past exhibitions, and this new one, we had St George College, Adelaide High School, Cowandilla Primary School and GOCSA Greek classes,” Chrysoula said.
“I have also spoken with the Greek Teachers’ Association, about our activities as a museum, inviting them and their students to visit our exhibitions.”
Exhibition details:
What: Looms of Greece
When: Sunday, February 4 until Sunday, February 25
Open: 11am and 3 pm Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Where: Cowandilla Community Room, 175 Sir Donald Bradman Dr, Hilton
The exciting theatrical comedy ‘Opou Gis & Patris,’ co-produced with the Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM), is arriving direct from Greece for just three performances on March 8th, 9th and 10th at the Clayton Community Centre.
Konstantinos Kalymniou‘s esteemed text, expertly brought to life by the talented duo of Eleni Tsefalas and Stamatis Tzelepis, underlines the resilience of the Greek immigrants, showcasing their ability to adapt, endure and thrive in any circumstance, wherever they may find themselves.
Lawyer and author Konstantinos Kalymnios is the theatrical show’s playwright. Photo: Konstantinos Kalymnios, Facebook.
Comprising four interconnected stories, the play delves into the complex relationship between Greek immigrants and their homeland, as well as their profound yearning to establish roots in their new surroundings. Titled “Hellas, mana tou kaimou”, “Akra tou tafou”, “Pro ton eisodion”, and “Opou Gis & Patris”, these narratives resonate with audiences through a blend of humour and heartfelt emotion.
Opou Gis + Patris” Direct From Greece. Photo: greekcommunity.com.au.
This production aims to illuminate the lives of uprooted Greeks worldwide, addressing the pain of separation, the challenges faced, and the moments of happiness. It serves as a historical examination, drawing parallels between past and present, and embracing the universal aspects of human existence while injecting a healthy dose of laughter.
With a runtime of ninety minutes, the performance unfolds seamlessly, without an intermission, providing an immersive experience enriched with well-known Greek songs.
DETAILS
Directed by: Stamatis Tselepis
Theatrical Adaptation by: Elena Tsefala
Based on a script by: Dean Kalimniou
Cast: Stamatis Tselepis, Elena Tsefala, Antonios Baxevanidis, Jim Koutsoukos & Ada Batsaki.
Stefanos Tsitsipas started his quest for his second straight title in Los Cabos with a forehand, defeating Aleksandar Vukic 6-3, 6-0 to secure his place in the quarter-finals of the Los Cabos Open.
The victory only took 64 minutes for the Greek champion, who won 13 out of 19 points on his second serve (68%), and erased all three break points he faced, while “breaking” Vukic’s serve four times.
Tsitsipas had to erase a double break point in the 1st game of the match, in which he came back from 15-40 to hold his serve. In the 4th game he had break points and he may have initially wasted a triple break point, but he reached the break on his 5th chance and made it 3-1.
He saved one more break point to make it 4-1 and after that there was no turning back for Vukic, world No.72, who couldn’t do much more against Tsitsipas, who found a rhythm and raised the bar a lot.
In the rest of the match after 4-1 the Greek champion lost 5 points from the service line – only 2 in the 2nd set, in which he made 3 consecutive breaks and “cleaned” it very quickly and impressively with 6-0.
Tsitsipas, who remains undefeated in Los Cabos in singles, will play in the quarter-finals with the American Aleksandar Kovacevic.
As with Vukic, it will be his first official meeting with Kovacevic on the tour.
The Chairman of the Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) Peter V’landys has proposed a new plan to encourage NRL stars to move to Papua New Guinea (PNG) in a bid to ‘earn double’ and grant them a tax-free status.
According to The Daily Telegraph, V’landys has pitched the proposal to the Albanese government, claiming it would be part of the governing body’s expansion strategy, which could include an 18th team in the Pacific.
V’landys said that by creating a franchise in Papua New Guinea, players would benefit from tax-free status. Photo: PNG Rugby League Players, Facebook.
“One of the areas I will be approaching the government on is in order to make it attractive to go over there, we are going to ask the government that people be given tax-free status,” V’landys said.
“If you’re going to go over there and work, to encourage you to go to Papua New Guinea, you should earn that money tax-free.”
V’landys claimed his proposal would allow NRL players to have the opportunity to earn more, therefore making PNG an irresistible option for some big names in the NRL.
The NRL aims to push the plans for expansion in either 2026 or 2027 and has revealed that PNG will be the franchise to join the competition.
The Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese. Photo: Brendon Thorne.
Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese, announced that he backed V’landys’ plan to expand the NRL to a 20-team competition last week.
The government further declared to commit $600 million to a team in the Pacific, as part of a ‘soft diplomacy’ strategy into the region.
“I am very supportive of an 18th NRL team in PNG,” Mr Albanese said. “This is a game changer for the relationship with Papua New Guinea.”
V’landys said the expansion to Papua New Guinea will happen in the next “two or three years.”
This motion comes after the former Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs Minister for the previous Morrison Government was accused of failing to attend nomination review committee meetings before the 2022 federal election.
These actions resulted in a delay to preselections in Farrer and North Sydney.
Following the delay caused by Mr Hawke, a federal intervention then took place, which allowed a three-person panel, including Morrison and then-NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet to handpick nine candidates.
The Federal MP, Alex Hawke. Photo: Mick Tsikas/AAP.
The Artarmon branch of the Liberal Party has now put forward the motion to expel Mr Hawke and to reopen a preselection challenge to Paul Fletcher.
Ahead of the NSW Liberal state council on Saturday, Hawke’s faction and moderates are lobbying against the motion, which a senior Liberal described as “a bad idea that won’t die.”
The source said the motion is “going to be close” due to a large block of unaligned votes and possible absences from the state council.
Increased training for Faith Leaders and CALD Communities to better support women and children who experience family, domestic and sexual violence will be funded as part of the Albanese Labor Government’s commitment to ending gender-based violence in one generation.
The National FDSV Training for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Communities and Faith Leaders Program will help address the unique barriers that CALD women and children can face in their communities experiencing gender-based violence and gender inequality.
A march held by The Centre for Women’s Safety and Wellbeing for domestic violence last year. Photo: Centre for Women’s Safety and Wellbeing, Facebook.
A total of $3 million in funding will be made available for the program, with the provider of the training to be chosen through a grant round.
CALD communities and Faith Leaders will gain greater knowledge and understanding of the indicators of family, domestic and sexual violence, as well as intervention and support strategies that will help them to improve awareness and attitudes in their communities and respond to disclosures of abuse.
Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth said this will importantly include referring women and children to appropriate support services.
The Hon Amanda Rishworth. Photo: Ben Searcy.
“Through this new program, we’re taking decisive action – activating faith and CALD community leaders, who can be powerful in effecting change in their communities,” Minister Rishworth said.
“We are aware that there are a number of people in Australia that may feel isolated or are unable to access already existing family, domestic and sexual violence services,” said Minister Rishworth.
Today marks one year since the Albanese Labor Government introduced 10 paid days of family and domestic violence leave for millions of workers. Ending gender based violence in Australia is a long term goal that we all need to work towards. pic.twitter.com/ospdU4rMQL
“By working in partnership with community and faith leaders across Australia, we hope to reach through the barriers in CALD and faith communities and provide the necessary support to those in need.”
Assistant Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence Justine Elliot said women from migrant and refugee backgrounds can often experience higher rates of financial abuse, forced and underage marriage, and coercive control.
Justine Elliot. Photo: Australian Labor Party.
“Faith and community leaders play a key role in championing real change in the community,” Assistant Minister Elliot said.
“This includes challenging the attitudes and behaviours that cause and condone violence against women and children.”
“Through cultural, linguistic, and spiritual connections, faith leaders can help to ensure that vital programs and support are widely accessible within their community.”
The Faith Leaders and CALD Program is part of the Government’s $11.9 million First Action Plan Priorities Fund which targets emerging priorities under the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032.
Assessment of applications for the grant funding is currently underway, with the successful provider/s of the training to work alongside specialist FDSV services, and develop and deliver the training nationally over three years to 2025-26.
If you or someone you know is experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, domestic, family or sexual violence call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, chat online via 1800RESPECT.org.au or text 0458 737 732.
The progress of an urgent cross-government audit aimed at identifying public land for housing development has stalled, leaving the government without a single site approved after nine months.
NSW Lands and Property Minister Steve Kamper has faced criticism for his handling of the situation during Budget Estimates on Tuesday, as he was unable to provide a timeline for when the scheme might progress.
“I can’t give you a date for when a house is going to be built,” Mr Kamper said. “This questioning is just unreasonable.”
The Sydney Morning Herald revealed that the audit, initiated in May by NSW Premier Chris Minns, was designed to alleviate the housing supply crisis.
Premier Chris Minns. Photo: Steve Seiwert.
Despite claims that the audit would be completed within months, officials revealed that out of 4,300 sites reviewed, only 300 progressed to a due diligence stage.
The Lands and Property Minister dodged questions about the audit’s future and its relation to other housing initiatives, further fuelling criticism from the opposition.
The opposition planning spokesman, Scott Farlow labelled the audit “shambles,” highlighting the government’s failure to identify suitable land for development.
“We’re now nine months down the track, and the government has failed to identify a single parcel of land that could be developed for housing,” Mr Farlow said.
In a meeting held in New Delhi between Greece’s PM, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and India’s PM, Narendra Modi, the two countries, Greece and India have vowed to boost their bilateral ties.
Ekathimerini reported that Mitsotakis was the first Greek PM visit to India in 16 years, and upon visiting, he hailed India’s progress in multiple sectors including defence, technology, tourism, security, investments, education, culture, and agriculture.
Mitsotakis said, “In every area our cooperation shows great promise”.
“In Modi I have found a visionary, a principled leader and a true friend,” he added.
The Greek PM further highlighted Greece’s pivotal role as India’s gateway to Europe, citing the potential of the proposed India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).
Οι επενδύσεις αποτελούν σημαντικό στόχο των διμερών μας σχέσεων. Έχουμε ήδη πραγματοποιήσει σημαντικές ελληνικές επενδύσεις στην Ινδία, σε πολλούς τομείς, όπως της παραγωγής τροφίμων, των υποδομών και των logistics. Και, βέβαια, η Ινδία αρχίζει επίσης να επενδύει στην Ελλάδα. pic.twitter.com/bZue3xFl62
Stressing the need for peace in the Middle East, Mitsotakis emphasised stability as crucial for regional prosperity.
“Greece – you just have to look at a map to realize this – is India’s gateway to Europe and through IMEC we see our participation as a very important aspect of this strategic partnership,” he said.
“But in order to achieve this we need peace in the Middle East. Stability is the necessary condition for every project that aims to increase the prosperity of the greater region for the benefit of all countries involved,” he added.
The Greek Prime Minister stated that India has a critical role to play in this endeavour.
“…. We view India as one of the main pillars of stability and security in the broader region of the Indo-Pacific,” Mitsotakis said.
“We consider our country to constitute a pillar of stability in our own region, the Eastern Mediterranean, and it is this mutual commitment to peace that has brought us so close.”
The Indian PM, Modi further underscored the goal of doubling trade transactions between Greece and India by 2030, and said his discussions with Mitsotakis were “extremely satisfactory”.
Both countries have agreed to initiate a new action plan marking the 95th anniversary of their diplomatic ties.
It’s Saturday morning, just one week before the Antipodes Festival on Saturday and Sunday, 24 and 25 February. Dr Nick Dallas is where you would usually find him at this time – at the Greek Centre on Lonsdale Street in Melbourne, where Greek language programs are taking place.
10-year-old Nick would have scoffed at this notion because he hated Greek school as a kid.
“I even wagged class a few times,” confesses the convenor of the Greek Community of Melbourne’s (GCM) education committee.
“Now I take the high moral ground and I keep reminding parents of the benefits of consistency so they can bring their children every week.”
At the Antipodes Festival, the pinnacle of the Greek community’s calendar in Melbourne, Nick will be sharing his story, encouraging others to learn the language and appreciate their heritage.
“Don’t assume everyone is familiar with the offerings of the Greek community. Some people have no idea. I get a buzz meeting these people at the Antipodes Festival and highlighting all the things available to them so that they can keep their heritage alive. That’s what I enjoy most,” he says.
“Greek school has come a long way from when I was a child and is offered in a very professional way here.”
Dr Nick Dallas completed a PhD in Chemistry before moving to a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Middle Eastern studies, and then Business. Photo copyright The Greek Herald / Mary Sinanidis.
Most of his generation found Greek language classes to be “traumatic.” In many cases, ears were pulled and faces slapped thanks to the pedagogical methods of ‘to xylo vgike apo to paradiso’ (the cane came from heaven).
Nick moved around several Greek schools in his childhood neighbourhoods of Windsor and Prahran.
“Forget the classy suburbs we know today; Prahran was a ‘Greek ghetto’ with close to 30,000 Greeks living there. Back then, we weren’t being discriminated against at school. We were the ones doing the discriminating. You were either a ‘wog’ or an ‘apprentice wog’,” he says.
Nick speaks fondly of his youth despite being thrown into prep school straight after arriving from Karditsa, Thessaly, at the age of five in the early 1970s.
“I took to it like a fish to water,” he says, adding that it didn’t take long for him to become the interpreter for his parents.
Fresh off the boat
“I only have fleeting memories of the sea voyage on the Patris. My claim to fame on that voyage is that they closed off the pool after I fell in it,” he laughs.
The rest is a standard migrant story.
“My parents worked various factory jobs and, at some point, my mother worked for Red Tulip in chocolate manufacturing along with the mothers of most of my friends,” he says, admitting that he and his younger brother enjoyed her bringing home chocolates before the factory moved to the outskirts of Melbourne.
Nick is the tall boy and his brother Angelos has his back turned. He lost touch with the friend beside him that he met on the Patris on the way to Australia.
“The old building is now refurbished apartments with much of its history forgotten.”
Nick enjoys history and politics, the reason he completed an arts degree in Middle Eastern studies. It included classical Arabic and Turkish studies that lead to six months in Istanbul, where he stayed at a “minus five-star hotel” off Istiklal Avenue, a district once known to the Greeks as Pera.
“My stay was such an eye-opener, I really do believe that your average Greek doesn’t appreciate the complexities of Turkish society, the rifts and contradictions that exist within it,” he added.
This degree followed his science degree, sandwiched between his PhD in Chemistry and a Business and Economics degree.
“I was always a bit of an all-rounder. So, I kept studying to find myself and serendipitously ended up working for an educational publisher for the last 24 years. In the end, this was the perfect job for me, dealing with books across multiple subject areas,” Nick explains.
At the Greek Centre, it’s more of the same when it comes to the love of learning.
Dr Nick Dallas completed a PhD in Chemistry before moving to a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Middle Eastern studies, and then Business. Photo copyright The Greek Herald / Mary Sinanidis.
“As a board member you need to sit on a committee, but I find that I sometimes get a bit passionate about it,” he says.
Despite his passion for keeping alive his Greek heritage, it took a while for him to decide to run for elections with the GCM.
“When it was first suggested to me, it was a toxic culture with court cases and internal friction. But with the changing of the guard and more second-generation Greeks hopping on board, I became interested. The environment began to shift,” he says.
“If you spend your time doing something voluntarily, you want it to be productive and you want to achieve things.”
Nick helps out Maria Bakalidou carry around some text books. Photo copyright The Greek Herald / Mary Sinanidis.
Pushing a trolley filled to the brim with Giati Ohi, Margarita and Klik is not on the job description of being convenor of the education committee, he jokes.
Nick is not one to limit himself to job descriptions. Unassuming and humble, he received the most votes at the last Community elections.
“I’d like to believe people respect the work I do both behind the scenes and in front of the scenes,” he says.
“So, if you garnered the most votes, why didn’t you become president?” I ask.
“I enjoy the role I already have. Education has been my passion, and something I’m very comfortable doing. Being a president means doing other things that you may or may not like… Also [current president] Bill [Papastergiadis] has been a fantastic president for the community and is the right person for this moment.”
Nick doesn’t like being in the limelight but prefers to lead from behind the scenes. Rather than rub shoulders with pollies on the Antipodes Festival’s stage, he prefers genuine conversations with people visiting the stall of the education centre. Amid chats with parents, he’ll pop over to the authors and academics to talk about the diaspora.
Benefits assessment
Asked about how Greece views the Festival and Melbourne’s Greek community, Nick suggests Greece may not have a true understanding of the different diasporas.
“Maybe Greece and the Greek governments perceive themselves as paternal figures to guide us, the children who have left. At the same time, another problem is that different diasporas don’t communicate enough among themselves and yet we have so much in common and a lot to share,” Nick says.
It is hard to tell whether the Festival can shift Greece’s perception of the diaspora, but it holds value when shifting Australian perceptions.
Nick Dallas holds up the poster of the Antipodes Festival. Photo copyright The Greek Herald / Mary Sinanidis.
“The Festival operates at a loss, its operational costs are anything from $500,000 to a million dollars,” Nick says, pointing to the costs of meeting prerequisites in Work Health and Safety standards and security that amount to over $100,000 alone.
“Despite it being a Festival that needs to be subsidised, it is worth it, due to remarkable less-than-obvious benefits. Board members interact with politicians offering a chance for us to showcase the community, and there are benefits when it comes to applying for grants. It gives our community a much bigger reach thanks to the influential stakeholders who show up at the festival. And 90 stall holders of different businesses and social interests also benefit from participation.”
In March 2023,Minister Kamper announced that NSW Labor would review the state government’s advertising practices to ensure the role of the independent multicultural media is elevated and supported.
During the Budget Estimates hearing in NSW Parliament on Tuesday, 20 February 2024, the Deputy Opposition Whip in the Legislative Council, Wes Fang MLC, questioned Minister Kamper about what stage the proposed review was at.
The Minister replied that the review into multicultural media had been conducted by the Department of Customer Service (DCS), which falls under the control of Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government, Jihad Dib MP.
When pushed on what the outcome of the review was, Minister Kamper was unable to answer and appeared flustered as he palmed the question off to the CEO of Multicultural NSW, Joseph La Posta.
Mr Coure has today called out Mr Kamper for his actions, slamming the Minister for his lack of support and advocacy for independent multicultural media outlets.
“Minister Kamper’s bumbling performance in Budget Estimates yesterday is reminiscent of his attitude towards supporting our vital independent multicultural media outlets,” Mr Coure said in a media release.
“Minister Kamper has broken his promise to independent multicultural media outlets, and worst of all he didn’t even seem to realise it when questioned yesterday on what actually he is doing as their advocate in government.”
NSW Minister for Multiculturalism Steve Kamper MP at Budget Estimates on Tuesday, February 20. Photo: Dominic Lorrimer / The Sydney Morning Herald.
‘Total disregard is shameful’:
In Budget Estimates on Tuesday, Mr La Posta did confirm that Multicultural NSW had been working closely with the DCS “to make sure the voices of our multicultural media agencies is heard and understood.” He thanked independent multicultural media for working with the agency and the NSW Government, and said the review was now complete. A decision is set to be announced by Minister Dib.
Members of Independent Multicultural Media Australia (IMMA), including The Greek Herald, have met with representatives from the DCS over the past 18 months, with no significant progress made. Instead, the NSW government continues to neglect multicultural media and refuses to acknowledge multicultural media outlets as suitable platforms for government messaging.
The Greek Herald spoke to media representatives that participated in the review and found it focused primarily on workflow and the message to DCS of their concerns had become diluted and the narrative lost. This has now left members unsettled that a final decision has been reached by Minister Dib, considering IMMA members did not engage in direct consultations with him.
Mr Coure said Minister Kamper’s “flustered and un-informed responses” on Tuesday revealed “he does not know the outcome of the review he asked to be commissioned.”
“Independent multicultural media outlets provide a crucial link between our state’s diverse communities and government, they are an essential part communicating important messages to those communities in their own language,” Mr Coure said.
“The Minns Labor Government’s total disregard for independent multicultural media is shameful.”
