The connection between Greek and Indigenous Australians is one that has developed over time, having directly and indirectly engaged with one another across various areas, and it is these shared interactions that will be explored in an upcoming symposium.
The symposium, titled “Encounters of Transformation: Intercultural Relations between Greek and Indigenous Australians”, will be held on 7 June (9.30am-4pm) in room 105 of the UNSW Patricia O’Shane building.
It has been organised by the Consulate General of Greece in Sydney and the UNSW School of Humanities & Languages with the collaboration of the Foundation for Hellenic Studies (UNSW) and the Hellenic student group of the university, Hellsoc UNSW.
The event looks to explore the interactions between Greek and Indigenous Australians in a range of areas, such as through literature, visual arts, sociopolitical advocacy movement and the self-representation of Australian First Peoples themselves.
It will be structured in two parts, the first featuring four presentations delivered by Dr Petro Alexiou, Effy Alexakis and Dr Leonard Janiszewski, Daphne Arapakis and Dr Vassilis Adrahtas.
The second part will comprise of two roundtable discussions featuring Greek and Indigenous writers, artists, community leaders and/or activists, as well as others who have engaged in Greek-Indigenous Australian relations.
The Consul General of Greece in Sydney, Ioannis Mallikourtis, told Neos Kosmos of his delight that the Consulate is co-organising the symposium which showcases the connections between the two groups.
“Although geographically and historically far apart, Greece and Indigenous Australia present certain similarities,” he said.
Mallikourtis noted the symposium is an expansion on a lecture in 2023 by Dr Adrahtas titled “Cross-Hatchings between Ancient Greece and Indigenous Australia”, co-hosted by the Consulate General of Greece in Sydney and the Australian Archaeological Institute at Athens.
“That event acted like a seed for the topic to be further explored, in a broader context and time framework, not only by Dr Adrahtas, but also by other scholars, and I am very pleased to witness now the fruits that this dialogue has borne so far,” the Greek diplomat said.
“I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to Dr Adrahtas for taking the initiative to set up this symposium, along with esteemed speakers such as Dr Petro Alexiou, Ms Effy Alexakis, Mr Leonard Janiszewski, and Ms Daphne Arapakis, who -I am certain- will shed new light and provide new perspectives to the topic.”
The Consul General also gave a heartfelt thank you to Christina Tsaou, a young Greek visual artist inspired by Indigenous art, whose artworks will be exhibited during the symposium.
Mallikourtis, in his closing remarks, wished to highlight the following:
“Although the bonds between Greece and Australia are primarily based on the fact that we have been brothers in arms in two World Wars and on Greek migration to the Fifth Continent, we should also explore further domains of mutual interest,” he said.
“In this regard, we should seek to enrich our common ground through new shared stories and innovative approaches to topics of common interest, such as exploring intercultural relations between Greek and Indigenous Australians.”
