HEPA NSW Inc marked International Women’s Day with a special event honouring 190 years of Hellenic women’s contributions to Australia.
AHEPA NSW Inc President Jim Papanagiotou welcomed attendees before keynote speaker Effy Alexakis, a historian and photographer, took the audience on a journey through history.
Drawing from her extensive archive, Alexakis reflected on the lives of Greek migrant women—grandmothers, mothers, aunts, widows, professionals, and volunteers—who played a vital role in shaping Australia’s Hellenic community.
“In the cases of 19th and 20th-century Hellene women, we often know little beyond their names,” Alexakis noted.
“For the past 40 years, we have recorded interviews with women of different generations. A key question remains: why was Hellenic identity and language lost among the early Australian-born Hellenes?”
Dr Panayiotis Diamadis, serving as MC, spoke in Greek about Aikaterini Plessos Crummer, the first recorded Hellene woman in Australia. Her journey from Epiros to Mesolonghi, her marriage on the island of Kalamos, and eventual migration to Sydney reflected the adventure, joy, and hardship shared by thousands of Greek women who followed.
The event, organised by AHEPA NSW Inc’s Chapter Antigone, was attended by distinguished guests, including Trade Commissioner Chrysa Prokopaki of the Consulate-General and SBS Greek Program producer Themis Kallos. Representatives from various community organisations also participated.
Chapter Antigone President Jenny Kaporis closed the event with heartfelt thanks to organisers and attendees, celebrating a successful tribute to the enduring legacy of Australian Hellenic women.
