Australian Communities: Greek Australians
The Greek community in Australia is estimated at 600,000-700,000 (including the second and third generations). 47 per cent of the Greek Australian community lives in Melbourne and 29 per cent in Sydney. Melbourne, Sister City to Thessaloniki in northern Greece, is the third largest "Greek city" in the world and an important overseas centre of Hellenism. (1).
Geography
Modern Greece, with its capital Athens, is the southern most European country and is bordered by Albania, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, Turkey, the Aegean Sea, the Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea. Greece includes over 400 islands of which less than 150 are inhabited. Although famous for its natural beauty, Greece is poor in natural resources and has limited arable land. Its current population is just over ten million.
Brief History
Greece's history stretches back thousands of years. In the 1st millennium BCE, ancient Greek city-states led by Athens made tremendous advances in government, philosophy, and the arts. Greek civilisation has been immensely influential on the language, politics, educational systems, philosophy, art and architecture of the modern world. Ancient Greek civilisation was concentrated on the coastlines of present-day Greece and its islands, as well as the Aegean coast of what is today Turkey.
The area that is now Greece was under the rule of the Ottoman Empire for nearly 400 years. During this time the Greek Orthodox Church helped keep the Greek language and culture alive. Today, about 97 per cent of Greeks belong to the Church. Greece achieved its independence from the Ottomans in 1829. Under the influence of Britain, France and Russia a monarchy was established with a Bavarian prince as king. When he was deposed thirty years later he was replaced with a Danish prince.
Greece entered WWI in 1917 on the side of the Allies. After the war, Greece took part in the Allied occupation of Turkey, where many Greeks still lived. The Greek army attacked the Turkish forces from its base in Smyrna (now Izmir) but were defeated. More than 1.3 million Greek refugees poured into Greece, creating enormous challenges for the Greek economy and society.
Greece was devastated by the Great Depression of the 1930s. There was high unemployment, poverty and social unrest. Greek politics, particularly between the two world wars, involved a struggle for power between monarchists and republicans. Many Greeks emigrated in search of work. The Communist Party became a significant political force at this time.
At the outbreak of WWII Greece remained neutral until Germany's ally Italy, attempted to invade. The Italians were driven out by Greek forces. In 1941 Nazi Germany succeeded in spite of fierce resistance from the Greek Communist, Republican and Royalist groups. This resistance continued throughout the Nazi occupation. The Greek people suffered terrible deprivations as the Nazis appropriated most of their agricultural produce and prevented the fishing fleets from operating. Over 100,000 people died in the ensuing famine. In 1944 Allied and Greek forces combined to drive the Nazis out of Greece. However, differences between political groups escalated, leading to the outbreak of civil war in 1946. The conflict continued until 1949.The civil war left 100,000 dead and caused another economic catastrophe.
In 1952 Greece adopted a new constitution making Greece a parliamentary democracy with the monarch as head of state. Greece joined NATO. In 1967 a military dictatorship took power forcing the king to flee the country. Civil liberties were suspended, political parties were dissolved, special military courts were established and several thousand political opponents were imprisoned or exiled to remote Greek islands. This lasted seven years during which time many more Greeks emigrated in search of political freedom and a better standard of living for their families.
In 1974 democratic elections and a referendum created a parliamentary republic and abolished the monarchy. Greece joined the European Community or EC (which became the EU in 1992) in 1981. In recent years political stability, tourism and returning ex-patriot Greeks have invigorated the economy. 2004 was a very successful year for Greece, winning the Euro football competition and hosting the Olympic Games in their original setting.
Migration to Australia
Although it is reported that there was a Greek aboard the First Fleet, and a sailor, George Pappas, who left his ship, married an Aboriginal woman and settled in Sydney in 1814, the first official record of Greek arrivals is of seven young sailors from Hydra in 1829. They were convicted by a British naval court in Malta for robbing a British ship in the Mediterranean. At the end of their sentence five of the seven were repatriated. The other two stayed, married and died in Australia. One, Andonis Manolis, was childless but the other, Ghikas Boulgaris, was survived by nine children and fifty grandchildren.
The first Greek woman immigrant, Aikaterini Plessos, arrived in Australia in 1835 as the wife of an army officer, Major Crummer, posted to New South Wales. She died in Sydney in 1908, survived by two of her nine children and thirteen grandchildren. Neither the Boulgaris nor the Crummer descendants retained their connections with Greece. Other early arrivals were Greek sailors and refugees from Ottoman rule. The majority spent a short time in Australia before returning to Greece.
More Greeks arrived in Australia in the 19th Century during the gold rush. Some married non-Greeks, mostly Irish women, anglicised their names and stayed in Australia. Others returned to Greece or brought their families out to join them. By 1900 around one thousand Greeks were living in Australia. Towards the end of the 19th century, formal Greek organisations were established in Sydney and Melbourne. The Orthodox Church was the central focus of the community and schools were organised to help preserve the language and culture.
By 1916 the number of Greek settlers in Australia had increased to 2200 with chain migration of families and relatives from various islands; Kythera to New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia, Kastellorizo to Western Australia and later Darwin, and Ithaca and Samos to Victoria. Life was not easy for the new arrivals, most of whom were men. They found work in the food trades, cafes, restaurants, fruit, fish and confectionery shops, and also in other small businesses and the fishing, sugar and lead smeltering industries. Only four were in the professions; a doctor, an engineer and two priests.
Prior to Greece's joining the Allies in WWI in 1917, there were a number of anti-Greek incidents, often instigated by Australian soldiers on leave. These were caused by King Constantine's family connection with the Kaiser of Germany. Greeks and Maltese were refused entry into Australia from 1916 to 1920.
Between the wars many more Greeks came to Australia mostly in the early 20s prompted by the defeat of Greece in Turkey in 1922 and in the late 30s when the Great Depression forced many people off their land to find work. A very high proportion of the Greek settlers continued to be men. About three quarters came from the islands.
After WWII the civil war took its toll on the Greek economy and the government encouraged emigration as a way of solving the problems of poverty and unemployment. Between 1947 and 1982 almost 250 000 Greeks arrived in Australia from mainland Greece, the Greek islands and Greek communities outside Greece. However, migration has now almost stopped and many Greeks are returning to Greece. By the 1991 Census the number of Australians born in Greece was down to about 136 000. Some Greeks returned because they were ageing pensioners returning home to retire, some returned for other social and economic reasons and some alternate between Greece and Australia spending time in each place. Greeks have the highest percentage (97%) of citizenship among Australia's migrant communities.
Greek Communities in Australia
Throughout the period of Greek settlement in Australia the Greek Orthodox Church and the many other community organisations have played an important role in meeting the cultural, settlement and welfare needs of the people. Greek Australians have maintained many of their religious, social and domestic traditions. Easter is especially important with fasting, church services and celebratory food. Christmas, New Year and Epiphany with the Blessing of the Waters ritual are also observed. Patron-saint name days are celebrated even by irregular church-goers. Other community events include wedding ceremonies, baptisms, funerals and other mourning traditions.
Greek Australians have become established members of Australian society with a major influence on the development of Australia's food service, construction, real estate, tourism and wine industries. While maintaining a strong cultural and religious identity they play a prominent part in Australian mainstream society in politics, the arts, tertiary education, business and sport.
Prominent Australians of Greek ancestry include:
■Jason Akamanis, Brisbane Lions Australian Rules Football player
■John Anictomatis AO, Administrator of the Northern Territory
■Prof Manuel Aroney, academic and human rights advocate
■Senator Nick Bolkus, South Australian politician
■Zoe Carrides, actor
■Claudia Carvan, actor
■Mary Coustas, Logie Award winning actor, comedian and writer
■Michael Diamond, Olympic shooter
■Alex Dimitriades, actor
■Nicholas Dontas, Northern Territory Minister for Transport
■Rebekah Elmaloglou, actor
■Nick Giannopoulos, actor, writer, stage, film and television producer
■Professor Mary Kalantzis, academic and author
■Antigone Kefala, author
■Mary Kostakides, broadcaster and television presenter
■Anthony Koutoufides, Carlton Australian Rules captain
■John Lazarou, businessman and philanthropist
■Lex Marinos OAM, actor, director, writer and broadcaster
■George Miller, film director
■Ada Nicodemou, actor
■Paspaley family, pearling industry
Dr George Peponis, former Canterbury Rugby League Player, Chairman of the Bulldogs Rugby League Board
■Mark Philippoussis, tennis player
■Tony Rafty, war artist and cartoonist
■George Souris, Deputy Leader of the New South Wales National Party
■Christos Tsiolkas, author
■Alexander Tzannes, architect
(1) Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Reference
■The Australian People: An Encyclopedia of the Nation, Its People and Their Origins Edited by James Jupp, Cambridge University Press 2001
■Grassby A J & Hill Marji Australians All [series] Greek Australians, Macmillan Education Australia 2000
■Turnbull C & Valiotis C Beyond the Rolling Wave: A Thematic History of Greek Settlement in New South Wales Centre for Community History, University of New South Wales & NSW Heritage Office 2001
■Hellas Media Network
■SBS Community Radio
■The World Factbook
Theme: Cultural diversity and multiculturalism - Culture, language and identity - Migration and refugees
The Greek community in Australia is estimated at 600,000-700,000 (including the second and third generations). 47 per cent of the Greek Australian community lives in Melbourne and 29 per cent in Sydney. Melbourne, Sister City to Thessaloniki in northern Greece, is the third largest "Greek city" in the world and an important overseas centre of Hellenism. (1).
Geography
Modern Greece, with its capital Athens, is the southern most European country and is bordered by Albania, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, Turkey, the Aegean Sea, the Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea. Greece includes over 400 islands of which less than 150 are inhabited. Although famous for its natural beauty, Greece is poor in natural resources and has limited arable land. Its current population is just over ten million.
Brief History
Greece's history stretches back thousands of years. In the 1st millennium BCE, ancient Greek city-states led by Athens made tremendous advances in government, philosophy, and the arts. Greek civilisation has been immensely influential on the language, politics, educational systems, philosophy, art and architecture of the modern world. Ancient Greek civilisation was concentrated on the coastlines of present-day Greece and its islands, as well as the Aegean coast of what is today Turkey.
The area that is now Greece was under the rule of the Ottoman Empire for nearly 400 years. During this time the Greek Orthodox Church helped keep the Greek language and culture alive. Today, about 97 per cent of Greeks belong to the Church. Greece achieved its independence from the Ottomans in 1829. Under the influence of Britain, France and Russia a monarchy was established with a Bavarian prince as king. When he was deposed thirty years later he was replaced with a Danish prince.
Greece entered WWI in 1917 on the side of the Allies. After the war, Greece took part in the Allied occupation of Turkey, where many Greeks still lived. The Greek army attacked the Turkish forces from its base in Smyrna (now Izmir) but were defeated. More than 1.3 million Greek refugees poured into Greece, creating enormous challenges for the Greek economy and society.
Greece was devastated by the Great Depression of the 1930s. There was high unemployment, poverty and social unrest. Greek politics, particularly between the two world wars, involved a struggle for power between monarchists and republicans. Many Greeks emigrated in search of work. The Communist Party became a significant political force at this time.
At the outbreak of WWII Greece remained neutral until Germany's ally Italy, attempted to invade. The Italians were driven out by Greek forces. In 1941 Nazi Germany succeeded in spite of fierce resistance from the Greek Communist, Republican and Royalist groups. This resistance continued throughout the Nazi occupation. The Greek people suffered terrible deprivations as the Nazis appropriated most of their agricultural produce and prevented the fishing fleets from operating. Over 100,000 people died in the ensuing famine. In 1944 Allied and Greek forces combined to drive the Nazis out of Greece. However, differences between political groups escalated, leading to the outbreak of civil war in 1946. The conflict continued until 1949.The civil war left 100,000 dead and caused another economic catastrophe.
In 1952 Greece adopted a new constitution making Greece a parliamentary democracy with the monarch as head of state. Greece joined NATO. In 1967 a military dictatorship took power forcing the king to flee the country. Civil liberties were suspended, political parties were dissolved, special military courts were established and several thousand political opponents were imprisoned or exiled to remote Greek islands. This lasted seven years during which time many more Greeks emigrated in search of political freedom and a better standard of living for their families.
In 1974 democratic elections and a referendum created a parliamentary republic and abolished the monarchy. Greece joined the European Community or EC (which became the EU in 1992) in 1981. In recent years political stability, tourism and returning ex-patriot Greeks have invigorated the economy. 2004 was a very successful year for Greece, winning the Euro football competition and hosting the Olympic Games in their original setting.
Migration to Australia
Although it is reported that there was a Greek aboard the First Fleet, and a sailor, George Pappas, who left his ship, married an Aboriginal woman and settled in Sydney in 1814, the first official record of Greek arrivals is of seven young sailors from Hydra in 1829. They were convicted by a British naval court in Malta for robbing a British ship in the Mediterranean. At the end of their sentence five of the seven were repatriated. The other two stayed, married and died in Australia. One, Andonis Manolis, was childless but the other, Ghikas Boulgaris, was survived by nine children and fifty grandchildren.
The first Greek woman immigrant, Aikaterini Plessos, arrived in Australia in 1835 as the wife of an army officer, Major Crummer, posted to New South Wales. She died in Sydney in 1908, survived by two of her nine children and thirteen grandchildren. Neither the Boulgaris nor the Crummer descendants retained their connections with Greece. Other early arrivals were Greek sailors and refugees from Ottoman rule. The majority spent a short time in Australia before returning to Greece.
More Greeks arrived in Australia in the 19th Century during the gold rush. Some married non-Greeks, mostly Irish women, anglicised their names and stayed in Australia. Others returned to Greece or brought their families out to join them. By 1900 around one thousand Greeks were living in Australia. Towards the end of the 19th century, formal Greek organisations were established in Sydney and Melbourne. The Orthodox Church was the central focus of the community and schools were organised to help preserve the language and culture.
By 1916 the number of Greek settlers in Australia had increased to 2200 with chain migration of families and relatives from various islands; Kythera to New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia, Kastellorizo to Western Australia and later Darwin, and Ithaca and Samos to Victoria. Life was not easy for the new arrivals, most of whom were men. They found work in the food trades, cafes, restaurants, fruit, fish and confectionery shops, and also in other small businesses and the fishing, sugar and lead smeltering industries. Only four were in the professions; a doctor, an engineer and two priests.
Prior to Greece's joining the Allies in WWI in 1917, there were a number of anti-Greek incidents, often instigated by Australian soldiers on leave. These were caused by King Constantine's family connection with the Kaiser of Germany. Greeks and Maltese were refused entry into Australia from 1916 to 1920.
Between the wars many more Greeks came to Australia mostly in the early 20s prompted by the defeat of Greece in Turkey in 1922 and in the late 30s when the Great Depression forced many people off their land to find work. A very high proportion of the Greek settlers continued to be men. About three quarters came from the islands.
After WWII the civil war took its toll on the Greek economy and the government encouraged emigration as a way of solving the problems of poverty and unemployment. Between 1947 and 1982 almost 250 000 Greeks arrived in Australia from mainland Greece, the Greek islands and Greek communities outside Greece. However, migration has now almost stopped and many Greeks are returning to Greece. By the 1991 Census the number of Australians born in Greece was down to about 136 000. Some Greeks returned because they were ageing pensioners returning home to retire, some returned for other social and economic reasons and some alternate between Greece and Australia spending time in each place. Greeks have the highest percentage (97%) of citizenship among Australia's migrant communities.
Greek Communities in Australia
Throughout the period of Greek settlement in Australia the Greek Orthodox Church and the many other community organisations have played an important role in meeting the cultural, settlement and welfare needs of the people. Greek Australians have maintained many of their religious, social and domestic traditions. Easter is especially important with fasting, church services and celebratory food. Christmas, New Year and Epiphany with the Blessing of the Waters ritual are also observed. Patron-saint name days are celebrated even by irregular church-goers. Other community events include wedding ceremonies, baptisms, funerals and other mourning traditions.
Greek Australians have become established members of Australian society with a major influence on the development of Australia's food service, construction, real estate, tourism and wine industries. While maintaining a strong cultural and religious identity they play a prominent part in Australian mainstream society in politics, the arts, tertiary education, business and sport.
Prominent Australians of Greek ancestry include:
■Jason Akamanis, Brisbane Lions Australian Rules Football player
■John Anictomatis AO, Administrator of the Northern Territory
■Prof Manuel Aroney, academic and human rights advocate
■Senator Nick Bolkus, South Australian politician
■Zoe Carrides, actor
■Claudia Carvan, actor
■Mary Coustas, Logie Award winning actor, comedian and writer
■Michael Diamond, Olympic shooter
■Alex Dimitriades, actor
■Nicholas Dontas, Northern Territory Minister for Transport
■Rebekah Elmaloglou, actor
■Nick Giannopoulos, actor, writer, stage, film and television producer
■Professor Mary Kalantzis, academic and author
■Antigone Kefala, author
■Mary Kostakides, broadcaster and television presenter
■Anthony Koutoufides, Carlton Australian Rules captain
■John Lazarou, businessman and philanthropist
■Lex Marinos OAM, actor, director, writer and broadcaster
■George Miller, film director
■Ada Nicodemou, actor
■Paspaley family, pearling industry
Dr George Peponis, former Canterbury Rugby League Player, Chairman of the Bulldogs Rugby League Board
■Mark Philippoussis, tennis player
■Tony Rafty, war artist and cartoonist
■George Souris, Deputy Leader of the New South Wales National Party
■Christos Tsiolkas, author
■Alexander Tzannes, architect
(1) Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Reference
■The Australian People: An Encyclopedia of the Nation, Its People and Their Origins Edited by James Jupp, Cambridge University Press 2001
■Grassby A J & Hill Marji Australians All [series] Greek Australians, Macmillan Education Australia 2000
■Turnbull C & Valiotis C Beyond the Rolling Wave: A Thematic History of Greek Settlement in New South Wales Centre for Community History, University of New South Wales & NSW Heritage Office 2001
■Hellas Media Network
■SBS Community Radio
■The World Factbook
Theme: Cultural diversity and multiculturalism - Culture, language and identity - Migration and refugees
