The key to maintaining ‘Greekness’ may be through more emphasis on Greek culture, in addition to the language, says mother, Maria Rerakis.
Rerakis’s two children, Parissa and George are part of a nine student Greek band at Brunswick Secondary College, which celebrated Greek Independence Day through a concert on March 24.
The inaugural school Greek night was set up like a Greek tavern and featured a performance, Odyssey by Andeas Litras, and music from the band.
Most notably, most of the band members are not of Greek-background, and neither is the music teacher who initiated the event, Wayne Simmons.
“Music a big door for making Greek culture accessible to both Greeks and non-Greeks,” says Rerakis.
“When people see what the Greek culture has to offer, whether it’s music, history or art, it becomes a means of embracing what Greece is.”
“It is a gateway for learning the Greek language, especially for our singers who have had to learn the Greek words of the songs,” adds teacher Wayne Simmons.
Rerakis went on to say that her son George developed an interest in the Greek language through his love of Cretan music, despite giving up Greek school years earlier.
Simmons, a member of a Greek band himself has previously taught Greek music at Alphington Grammar School, as well as introduced a Greek band at Banksia Secondary College.