Frazis George & Poulos Angelica ΟΑΜ

Θεσμικά όργανα του Ελληνισμού στη Βόρεια Επικράτεια Αυστραλίας: Η περίπτωση του Ελληνικού Μακεδονικού Συλλόγου 

Abstract

Η Βόρεια Επικράτεια της Αυστραλίας από τις αρχές του 20ου αιώνα υπήρξε πόλος έλξης πολλών Ελλήνων μεταναστών από διάφορα μέρη της Ελλάδας, όπως Καστελλόριζο, Μασχονήσι, Κύπρο, Πελοπόννησο, Επτάνησα, Κάλυμνο, Ρόδο, Στερεά Ελλάδα, Μακεδονία κ.α. Η ροή μεταναστών συνεχίστηκε και στις τέσσερις μεταναστευτικές περιόδους, αρχίζοντας από τα τέλη του 19^ου και τις αρχές του 20^ου αι. (Frazis et al., 2019: 8). Ωστόσο τα μαζικά μεταναστευτικά ρεύματα Ελλήνων παρατηρούνται τη δεκαετία του 1950 και αυτές που ακολούθησαν του 1960 και του 1970. Στις δεκαετίες αυτές παρατηρείται και η θεσμική οργάνωση του Ελληνισμού στο Ντάργουιν με την ίδρυση της Ελληνικής Ορθόδοξης Κοινότητας και του Ιερού Ναού του Αγίου Νικολάου το 1953 (Yiannakis, 2019 in Frazis et al., 2019).

Η παρούσα έρευνα έχει ως αντικείμενο τον Ελληνικό Μακεδονικό Σύλλογο Βόρειας Αυστραλίας και βασίζεται σε πρωτότυπα κείμενα από το αρχείο του Συλλόγου, στην αλληλογραφία με υπηρεσίες ελληνικές και αυστραλιανές, σε συνεντεύξεις και στον τύπο της Βόρειας Επικράτειας. Στόχος της παρούσας έρευνας αποτελεί η χαρτογράφηση του Ελληνικού Μακεδονικού Συλλόγου της Βόρειας Αυστραλίας από της ιδρύσεώς του έως το 2020. Ακολουθούμε τα βήματά του από το έτος ίδρυσής του το 1976, τους λόγους ίδρυσής του, την έντονη προβολή της ελληνικής ταυτότητας μέσω των πρωτοπόρων πρωτοβουλιών που ανέλαβε όσον αφορά την ενίσχυση της γλώσσας, του πολιτισμού, καθώς και της συμβολής του στο πολυπολιτισμικό γίγνεσθαι της Αυστραλίας.

Λέξεις κλειδιά: καταστατικό, Ελληνικός Μακεδονικός Σύλλογος

Μεθοδολογία έρευνας

Η έρευνά μας στηρίζεται αφενός στα αρχεία του Ελληνικού Μακεδονικού Συλλόγου και ειδικότερα στο καταστατικό ίδρυσης του Συλλόγου, στις ετήσιες αναφορές του προέδρου, στα πρακτικά των συνεδριάσεων, σε συνεντεύξεις προέδρων και άλλων μελών του Συλλόγου και αφετέρου στον τοπικό τύπο.

Bibliography

Carment, D., Frazis, G., Yiannakis, J., Kanarakis, G., Kourti-Kazoulli, V., Oikonomakou, M., Papantonakis, G. (2019). Perspectives on the Hellenic Diaspora/ Συγχρονικές και διαχρονικές όψεις της ελληνικής διασποράς I. Australia: Charles Darwin University Press.

Christie, M. (1985). From the Islands: A history of the Greek settlement in the Top End of Australia 1914-1984. MA Thesis Unpublished, Darwin. NT: Charles Darwin University.

Frazis, G., Yiannakis, J., Oikonomakou, M., Papantonakis, G., Chistidis Y., and Gavra E. (2021). Perspectives on the Hellenic Diaspora/ Συγχρονικές και διαχρονικές όψεις της ελληνικής διασποράς II. Australia: Charles Darwin University Press.

International Directory of 1927 (1927). Adelaide: International Publishers Limited. S.A.

Gilchrist, H. (1992). Australians and Greeks, Volume I: The Early Years. New South Wales: Halstead Press.

Gilchrist, H. (1997). Australians and Greeks, Volume II: The Middle Years. New South Wales: Halstead Press.

Kanarakis, G. (1991²), Greek Voices in Australia: A Tradition of Prose, Poetry and Drama, Australian National University Press.

Oikonomakou M., Frazis, G. & A. Evangelinou-Yiannakis. (2022). Greek language learning in Australia’s Northern Territory: Building learning communities and cultural identity. Issues in Educational Research, 32(1), 315-332. http://www.iier.org.au/iier32/oikonomakou.pdf

Biography

Associate Professor Frazis George graduated from the Philosophy Department of the University of Athens in 1981 with a BA (Hons). In 1987 he completed a Graduate Diploma in Education from the University of Adelaide and in 1995 he completed a Master of Arts at Flinders University in Adelaide. In 1999 he completed a PhD at Flinders University dealing with the literature of Pandelis Prevelakis. He currently teaches Modern Greek language and Greek literature at Charles Darwin University where he specialises in literary studies, Modern Greek literature, immigration of Greeks to Australia and their oral history. His main project currently is the collection and publication of stories of Hellenes in the Northern Territory. He is also developing online teaching courses of Hellenic language and culture through the use of new technologies, and the creation of computer-based programs for the teaching of language in all forms through distance education. Professor Frazis is the coordinator of CDU’s Greek In Country Study Program and each year, since 2007, he accompanies students to Greece for an intensive three-week study course. He is the principal editor of 3 volumes of the series Perspectives on the Hellenic Diaspora (2019, 2021, 2024).

Angelica Poulos OAM, for many years is a strong advocate of Greek Language and Culture in NT. She has been for many years involved, as volunteer, in many institutions, community groups (i.e. Hellenic Macedonian Association, Greek Community) and associations promoting Greek Language and culture in all levels of Education. Being herself a true Australian citizen, and at the same time a true Greek, she has served towards a multicultural and multilingual society in Australia promoting languages and culture, focusing on the understanding between all ethnic groups and in general, the cohesion of the Australian society. She has written many reports to all NT Ministers of Education promoting the teaching of Languages in the public sector and the close collaboration of all levels of Education. All Ministers of Education and all members of Parliament are aware of Angelica’s passion for languages and the need of quality teachers in teaching languages in NT schools.

As staff of the Greek Consulate, she promoted cultural events and made language programs available to public schools, both primary and secondary sectors. In collaboration with the Advisors of Education of the Greek Government she played a significant role within the public schools and NT Government for two decades. For many years Angelica’s role was the placement of Greek Seconded teachers to NT schools. Due to her efforts and requests in Darwin there were 6 seconded teachers by the Greek Government.

Her main goal was to create a pathway of languages from Primary, to secondary and finally to tertiary level. In 2004 she was a member of the founding committee of the introduction of Greek Language at Charles Darwin University and it was her idea and vision the establishment of the Guardians of Greek Language and Culture, one of the most successful projects of Charles Darwin Foundation. Due to her efforts the Greek Guardians collected around $750.000 and established one of the best Hellenic Programs in Australian Universities.

Since 2004, she is supporting Hellenic Studies at CDU by organising fundraising events, by coordinating the Greek in Country Programs from 2007-2017, by promoting the program in many community events, by being strong advocate of the program to any politician, Greek or Australian is visiting Darwin. Her passion is Greek Language and Culture and she was one of the first supporters of the program in both, financially but also as enrolled herself as a student in the Diploma of Languages.

Angelica is a CDU Foundation member and serves voluntarily CDU in many projects by organising fundraising events. She is a team player and has supported not only Greek Language but also other languages and other areas in the University.

Acknowledging her contribution, Charles Darwin University awarded her the award “Companion of the University” and in 2024 the Honorary Doctor of Philosophy; she continues supporting the University in any project she is asked for.