The Pallaconian Brotherhood of Melbourne and Victoria will be celebrating their 50 year anniversary this year. And to showcase their contribution to Victoria, they are putting on a photo exhibition Recollections – 1961-2011.
An eclectic selection of photographs spanning the 50 year history of the organisation, these snapshots depict the prolific social, cultural and economic contributions made by the Greek Laconian community to a truly multicultural Australia. Through these images, you will see one generation striving to hold on to the familiarity of a life and culture left behind in the mother country, and a new generation proudly embracing the Laconian heritage of its ancestors while acknowledging it’s Greek Australian cultural identity.
Pallaconian Brotherhood of Melbourne and Victoria secretary, Cathy Petroulis, told Neos Kosmos that this exhibition is important to showcase the contribution the brotherhood has made to not only Victoria, but the whole of Australia. A relative newcomer to the organisation, having been there for only eight months, she said it was difficult sourcing pictures for this exhibition.
“I had to rely on private collections. I was fortunate enough to source the original articles that people had kept. Some people are willing to share their photos and some were scared that they would lose them. These will be scanned in and we are hoping to make a database from this end for future generations to have access,” Ms Petroulis said.
“This way people can see the early beginnings and the purpose of the organisation in the 60s. And now in 2011 the organisation seeks not only to be a base and network facility for Greek Australians, as originally the purpose was for Greeks who migrated to Australia.
“Now it’s for future generations of Greek Australians to see where there roots are. To see where our parents and our grandparents socialised, how they networked, what they needed to survive in Australia. Our needs now are so different. We have the internet, we speak two languages. Back then they only spoke Greek and they felt so isolated from their homeland. Now organisations such as ours, through our youth groups and dance groups, we are one of the few organisations that have an active youth group and that’s how we are hoping to keep the organisation going,” she said.
The exhibition will kick off with a free cocktail party on Saturday 25 June at the Laconian House 253 Albert Street, Brunswick. Premier of Victoria Ted Baillieu will be attending along with other prominent Greek Australians within the community. The exhibition will run until 28 July and admission is free.
