The launch of Dean Kalimniou’s bilingual children’s book “Soumela and the Magic Kemenche” took place on Sunday, 29 May at the Panarcadian Association “O Kolokotronis”.
Among the attendees were former Victorian Health Minister Jenny Mikakos, Channel 31 director Sakis Zafeiropoulos, Pronia President Kris Pavilidis, Alphington Grammar principal Dr. Vivian Nikos and a number of teachers, students and children for whom a special table was organised with activities and interactive resources based on the book. Panagiotis Stamatopoulos was master of ceremonies.
In his greeting, Bishop Evmenios, referring to the author’s long-term literary and cultural contribution within the community pointed out that the church is always seeking alternative means in which to pass on its religious and national heritage to the next generation in a relevant and novel way. It was for this reason that the book was chosen to be published by St Andrews Greek Orthodox press.
In turn, Consul General of Greece in Melbourne, Emmanuel Kakavelakis, reproached but also congratulated the author for choosing the inauspicious date of May 29, for the launch, this being the anniversary of the Fall of Constantinople, thus focusing the public’s attention on those events, either tragic or joyful that unite Greeks and determine their historical discourse. He then referred to experiences in his particular homeland, which the book reminded him of and moved him.
In his own greeting, the president of the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne, Bill Papastergiadis, referred to the extent to which “Soumela and the Magic Kemenche” has been embraced by the teachers of the GOCMV’s Greek language schools, who have developed teaching material from it, expressing also his esteem for the presenter of the book, Ms Panagiota Stavridou, who has served as a teacher in GOCMV language schools, as well as for the author himself.
Panagiota Stavridou then invited the audience to immerse themselves in the physical but also emotional world of the protagonist of the book, little Soumela, decoding the symbolism contained in the text. Her moving exposition was interspersed with traditional music on the Pontian lyra by the youthful Kostas Kostidis, while former students of the presenter, Jana Horn and Helene Kalimniou, as well as Rena Frangioudaki, read excerpts from the text.
“This is book for Pontians but also for all Greeks,” Panagiota Stavridou stated. “Suitable for children but also for adults. Written in Greek, but also in English. A historical tale that fills a large gap in the literature, not only of Pontians, but of all Hellenism. A book/study that touches on the crime of the Genocide of the Greek Christians of Pontus, a matter so difficult to deal with, that even we adults can hardly speak of it. It deals with these matters in an appropriate and sensitive way, without inflicting pain, but instead, protecting children’s souls and conveying a positive message for the future.” She concluded with a reference to the Nobel Prize-winning Portuguese writer “José Saramago: “We are the memories we possess; without memories we would not know who we are.”
Thanking the organisers of the presentation, and expressing gratitude to Archbishop Makarios, editor in chief of St Andrews Greek Orthodox Press for publishing the work and Stephanos Eleftheriadis, the illustrator, author Dean Kalimniou stressed that importance of engaging with the youth and organising events that will ensure their integration with the broader community, referring to how he was able to draw on years of engaging and sharing stories, memories and resources with community groups and individuals, when writing the book.
The presentation closed with Dean Kalimniou the traditional lament for the Fall of Constantinople in Pontian, accompanied on the lyre by Kostas Kostidis.