Greeks in New Zealand
Encyclopedia
There is a community
of about 4,500 people of Greek
descent in New Zealand
.
Greek New Zealanders
(Greek: Ελληνοζηλανδοί, Ellinozilandi) have a heavy concentration in Wellington
, and to a lesser extent Christchurch
and Auckland
. Smaller communities of Greeks reside in Palmerston North
, Wanganui
, Dunedin
, Hamilton and Napier
.
Many Greek New Zealanders maintain their Greek identity through the observation of Greek customs and traditions, and their adherence to their Greek Orthodox (Christian
) faith, whilst also assimilating into New Zealand society.
of Aetolia-Acarnania
, the Ionian Sea
islands of Ithaca
and Kephalonia, and from the island of Lesbos which is located in the northeastern Aegean Sea
. Smaller numbers have come from Macedonia
, Epirus
, Attica
, the Peloponnese
, Crete
, Romania
and Cyprus
. Chain migration
has been popular.
, Laconia
which is situated in the southeastern part of the Peloponnese
peninsula. He arrived in New Zealand in 1798 aboard a Dutch-flagged merchant ship which later sank in Dunedin. He died in Dunedin in 1840 - the year the Treaty of Waitangi
was signed.
In 1832 Captain Economou arrived in New Zealand on a Dutch or British ship. He stayed in New Zealand and married a Maori woman. He assisted his father-in law at the Treaty of Waitangi.
Seaman Nicolas Demetriou Mangos from Syros
arrived in New Zealand in 1844. He was 17 years old, and jumped ship because his Dutch captain was reportedly cruel. He was sheltered by an Irish family, and later he married their daughter.
The earliest Greek presence recorded in the New Zealand Census was in 1874 when forty men and one woman were reported.
Nikolas Fernandos (or Mantzaris) from the island of Ithaca is considered the first known immigrant to New Zealand. Between 1890 and 1914 Greek immigrants established themselves as fishermen, street hawkers, confectioners and restaurateurs in Wellington, Auckland and Dunedin. Relatives of these early immigrants were encouraged to join them in New Zealand, setting up chain migration from poverty-stricken towns and villages. By 1936 there were 82 Greece born people living in Wellington with other immigrants residing in New Plymouth
, Feilding, Palmerston North
, Dannevirke
, Napier
, Hastings
, Ashburton
, Temuka
, Timaru
, Waimate
and Oamaru
.
and the Greek Civil War
, fought from 1946 to 1949. New Zealand, a member of the International Refugee Organization,assisted 1026 ethnic Greeks from Romania to settle in NZ in 1951. The displaced persons arrived in Wellington in May, August and December 1951 on the MV GOYA, from Piraeus, Greece. Although most arrivals were placed in jobs in Wellington, some were sent around the country to work in hydroelectric construction and heavy industry where there was a shortage of labour.
John Vakidis' acclaimed New Zealand play 'Tzigane', explores the Greek-Romanian refugee experience of emigrating and living in New Zealand.
, Australia
, Canada and Germany
. Amongst those immigrating to New Zealand during this period were 267 young women who arrived between 1962 and 1964 through a New Zealand government scheme to provide domestic staff for hospitals, schools and hotels. The New Zealand Greek community's population peaked in the mid 1960s, with an estimated 5000 - 6000 Greeks, including New Zealand-born descendants.
following the Turkish invasion of Cyprus
in 1974. Greek Cypriots have their own community hall and community association but are full and active members of the Greek Community.
, providing they can prove a parent or grandparent was born as a national of Greece.
, Wellington. It is estimated that 65 percent of all Greek New Zealanders live there. The inner-city suburb
of Mount Victoria
developed a distinct Greek character after World War II as Greek immigrants clustered together for community support. Today the eastern suburb of Miramar
is the city's main Greek enclave, with significant numbers also residing in Hataitai
and Seatoun
. The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese and the Embassy of Greece are both located in Wellington.
Smaller communities exist in Christchurch, Auckland and Napier/Hastings. Greek Orthodox churches exist in all these centres.
Many Greek New Zealanders enjoy the riches of two cultures - maintaining Greek cultural customs whist integrating into the Kiwi
way of life.
It has been estimated that that about 50 percent of marriages of Greek persons are now mixed. It is common for the wedding
to take place in the Greek Orthodox Church with the non-Greek non-Christian partner becoming baptised
before the marriage.
shops. Zisis Blades' book Wellington's Hellenic Mile: The Greek Shops of Twentieth Century Wellington documents the many Greek shops of 20th century Wellington. Today many Greeks are tertiary educated - professionals, public servants, tradespeople and business owners.
. Until the 1940s when a church was built in Wellington, the all important sacraments of baptism and marriage could only be performed when a priest visited from Australia. In 1970, New Zealand became a separate diocese with its own archbishop. The distinctive Byzantine
-syle domed Greek Orthodox Church - The Annunciation of the Virgin Mary
on Hania Street (formerly Lloyd Street) in Mount Victoria
, Wellington was consecrated
in 1970 by Metropolitan
Dionysios Psiachas (dec), the first Archbishop of the Holy Metropolis of New Zealand. The current Metropolitan of New Zealand, Bishop Erithron Amfilochios Tsoukos was elected in 2005 and elevated the church on Hania Street to cathedral
status. The Holy Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of New Zealand oversees ten churches in New Zealand including the Holy Archangels Monastery which was built in 2009, east of Levin
.
Today the largest and most active organisation is the Greek Orthodox Community of Wellington and Suburbs. The incorporated society, established in 1945, is governed by an elected executive which manages the Greek Community Centre on Hania Street in Mount Victoria, Wellington. The Community Centre consists of The Greek Orthodox Cathedral - The Annunciation of the Virgin Mary, the Parthenon Building which houses a functions hall and classrooms, and an adjacent apartment building with meeting rooms. Other cities and regions have active community associations as well, namely, Christchurch
, Auckland
, the Hutt Valley and Palmerston North
.
Greek organisations representing different regional or national sub-groups have helped sustain the culture. In Wellington there are a number of associations whose membership is based on regional origin: namely Macedonia, Crete, Ithaca, Lesbos and Alto-akarnania.
The Hellenic New Zealand Congress was formed in 1994 with the aim to foster better understanding, goodwill and friendly relations between the Hellenic communities and all New Zealanders through the support and promotion of Greek culture, traditions, history, and language. Membership is welcomed from all Greeks and New Zealanders.
ability amongst Greek New Zealanders found that more than half of the community claimed a high level of ability for understanding and speaking Greek with the order of proficiency being: understanding, speaking, reading, writing. There was a decreasing proficiency across each succeeding generation across the four language skills. The study also found a higher level of proficiency for those who visited Greece, attended church or attended Greek language school. The study concluded that exposure to the Greek language seems to be the key to language maintenance in the Greek community of New Zealand.
The Greek Orthodox Community of Wellington has been providing Greek language
lessons for children for over 50 years, and more recently for teenagers and adults. The Greek Government generously provides a qualified teacher from Greece, who teaches alongside local Greek people at the Greek community school. Many Greek New Zealanders have installed cable television in their homes, with which they can receive Greek-language news and entertainment channels, in this way strengthening their Greek language skills.
. Non-Greek New Zealanders enjoy partaking and have come to appreciate the Greek culture through Greek Community organised cultural and fundraising events including:
A Greek New Zealand band has been operating in various guises for the last thirty years. Based in Wellington it has performed at various functions throughout the country. The Greek Band released an album in 1985 and Mythos in 1987. Most recently the Children of Aphrodite has performed at various functions.
In 1996 singer Christina Daglas founded To Fos, a Greek music ensemble which, for the next ten years, performed and recorded with an eclectic mix of some of New Zealand’s finest musicians. In 2001 Daglas released Christina Daglas: Folk Songs of Greece
. This CD was very well received both in New Zealand and internationally and led to an invitation to sing at the Nanning International Folk Festival in China and the Beijing International Music Festival. Daglas currently is a member of Greek Nights an ensemble that performs authentic Greek music and dance at various venues in Auckland.
John Psathas
is one of a few New Zealand composers who have made a mark on the international scene, particularly in Europe and North America. He is widely considered one of the three most important living composers of the Greek Diaspora. Psathas' music has been commissioned and performed by many musicians and orchestras around the world including Michael Brecker
, Dame Evelyn Glennie
, Michael Houstoun
, Joshua Redman
, The New Zealand String Quartet
, Federico Mondelci, the New Zealand Trio, Pedro Carneiro
, the Takacs Quartet
, the Netherlands Blazers Ensemble, the Halle Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic, the Melbourne Symphony, the BBC Scottish Symphony, the Auckland Philharmonia, the Vector Wellington Orchestra, and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra
. Psathas composed the ceremonial music for the 2004 Olympic Games.
for example once could only be purchased from pharmacies. Today Greek meals continue to feature strongly in many Greek households. In the early 1990s the Greek Orthodox Community of Wellington published a collection of Greek recipes contributed by members of the Greek community. New Zealanders have the opportunity to sample Greek cuisine at Greek restaurants, at Greek functions such as weddings, baptisms and dances, at the annual Greek Food Festival hosted by the Greek Orthodox Community of Wellington and increasingly from supermarkets which now stock a wide range of imported and locally produced Greek products. New Zealand Greeks have established the popular Greek food brands Zany Zeus, which manufactures organic milk and award-winning boutique cheese, Elysian Foods which produces taramosalata
and tzatziki
, and Giannis Pita Products which manufactures pita bread and pit bread chips. Although there are only a few restaurants specialising in Greek food currently operating in New Zealand, many Mediterranean restaurants include Greek dishes on their menu. Greek restaurants include Moyses in Wellington; The Santorini Greek Ouzeri and Kostas Taverna in Christchurch and Zorba Greek Restaurant in Auckland.
.
In the run-up to the 2004 Athens Olympics a number of successful cultural events were organized, with a substantial contribution from the Greek community. A number of Greek New Zealanders travelled to Greece to work as volunteers during the Games. Greek New Zealander John Psathas
composed the music that was played at the Opening and Closing Ceremonies
.
In 2009 the Greek community in New Zealand was represented at the Oceania
Pan Hellenic Games in Melbourne
by a small team of athletes. About 600 athletes of Greek descent from all over Australia and New Zealand competed in a range of sports.
738 HzM, hosted by volunteers from the Greek community.
With the advent of the Internet
and satellite television, Greek New Zealanders can enjoy a plethora of information and entertainment from the luxury of their homes. ERT World, the international service run by ERT, Greece's public broadcaster and the privately owned Antenna are broadcast in New Zealand.
sees a special relationship with New Zealand
stemming from World War II
when New Zealand forces fought alongside the Greeks on mainland Greece and on Crete
. New Zealand troops fought alongside Greek, Australian and British soldiers to protect Crete from invasion. Of the 7,000 New Zealand soldiers who fought in the 10-day battle, 671 died.
Since 1984, Wellington, the capital city
of New Zealand, has maintained a sister city relationship with Hania on Crete. The street in Wellington on which the Greek Orthodox Cathedral sits is named 'Hania' in recognition of this special bond between the two cities. An olive tree
has been planted in the grounds of Civic Square
, in Wellington, to commemorate the relationship.
The Battle of Crete
is commemorated every year on Crete and in New Zealand. A Greek-New Zealand Memorial that commemorates the bond of friendship between the two countries was dedicated in 1995 and is situated on the Cambridge and Kent Terrace reserve in Wellington and within short walking distance of the Greek Orthodox Cathedral. This memorial was built with the help of the Greek-New Zealand Memorial Association – a group made up of representatives from the Greek and New Zealand Governments, New Zealand Returned and Services' Association
(NZRSA), Wellington City Council, and the Greek community. Various stones set into the memorial's wall commemorate places and people (including Victoria Cross
recipients Clive Hulme, Jack Hinton
, Keith Elliott
, and Bernard Freyberg) associated with the campaigns in Greece and Crete. In 1999 General Ioannis Veryvakis, the chief of the Hellenic Armed Forces, accompanied by twenty members of the Greek presidential ceremonial guard
visited New Zealand to commemorate the 51st anniversary of the Battle of Crete.
Over the years a considerable number of Greek New Zealanders have emigrated to Australia
or back to Greece. A bilateral Social Security Agreement between New Zealand and Greece came into force on 1 April 1994. The Agreement allows persons covered to receive their full New Zealand Superannuation
while they are resident in Greece.
Signatures are pending on a Working Holiday Scheme Agreement between Greece and New Zealand, a reciprocal arrangement that would allow people aged 18 to 30 years, who are not accompanied by children, to spend up to 12 months on holiday in the host country.
The New Zealand Embassy in Greece was closed in 1991 as part of a reallocating of New Zealand's resources in Europe
. The New Zealand Ambassador in Rome is accredited to Greece, and there is an Honorary Consul-General in Athens
. As a result of the closure of the New Zealand Embassy in Athens, New Zealanders living in Greece set up the Hellenic New Zealand Association in 1995 and has been active in Greece since then. New Zealand Greeks are referred to as Griwis.
. On 8 May 1996 the Hon. Annette King
, Member of Parliament for Miramar, moved, "That the New Zealand House of Representatives reaffirms its total support for the sovereignty
and territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus as the only legitimate authority on the island." The motion was agreed to.
. On 24 May 2007 the New Zealand Parliament agreed to a motion urging the British Government to return the Parthenon Marbles to Greece. Moved by Hon. Marian Hobbs
, Labour
Member of Parliament for Wellington Central, the motion requested that "the House joins its voice to that of other countries throughout the world and urges the British Government to support the return of the Parthenon Marbles to Greece, stressing the need for the collections of marbles in different locations to be reunited so that the world can see them in their original context in relation to the Temple of Parthenon
, as an act of respect to one of the most significant monuments of western heritage." New Zealand joined a growing number of countries and international organisations also calling for their return.
O.B.E. (Officer of the British Empire)
O.N.Z.M. (Officer of the New Zealand Order Of Merit)
M.N.Z.M. (Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit)
Q.S.M. (Queen's Service Medal)
Q.S.O. (Queen's Service Order)
Community
The term community has two distinct meanings:*a group of interacting people, possibly living in close proximity, and often refers to a group that shares some common values, and is attributed with social cohesion within a shared geographical location, generally in social units larger than a household...
of about 4,500 people of Greek
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
descent in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
Greek New Zealanders
New Zealanders
New Zealanders, colloquially known as Kiwis, are citizens of New Zealand. New Zealand is a multiethnic society, and home to people of many different national origins...
(Greek: Ελληνοζηλανδοί, Ellinozilandi) have a heavy concentration in Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, and to a lesser extent Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
and Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
. Smaller communities of Greeks reside in Palmerston North
Palmerston North
Palmerston North is the main city of the Manawatu-Wanganui region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is an inland city with a population of and is the country's seventh largest city and eighth largest urban area. Palmerston North is located in the eastern Manawatu Plains near the north bank...
, Wanganui
Wanganui
Whanganui , also spelled Wanganui, is an urban area and district on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is part of the Manawatu-Wanganui region....
, Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
, Hamilton and Napier
Napier, New Zealand
Napier is a New Zealand city with a seaport, located in Hawke's Bay on the eastern coast of the North Island. The population of Napier is about About 18 kilometres south of Napier is the inland city of Hastings. These two neighboring cities are often called "The Twin Cities" or "The Bay Cities"...
.
Many Greek New Zealanders maintain their Greek identity through the observation of Greek customs and traditions, and their adherence to their Greek Orthodox (Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
) faith, whilst also assimilating into New Zealand society.
Migration
The vast majority of the Greeks immigrating to New Zealand came from the western prefecturePrefecture
A prefecture is an administrative jurisdiction or subdivision in any of various countries and within some international church structures, and in antiquity a Roman district governed by an appointed prefect.-Antiquity:...
of Aetolia-Acarnania
Aetolia-Acarnania
Aetolia-Acarnania is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of West Greece. It is located in the western part of Greece; the regional unit is a combination of the geographic regions Aetolia and Acarnania. Its capital is Missolonghi for historical reasons, with its biggest...
, the Ionian Sea
Ionian Sea
The Ionian Sea , is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, south of the Adriatic Sea. It is bounded by southern Italy including Calabria, Sicily and the Salento peninsula to the west, southern Albania to the north, and a large number of Greek islands, including Corfu, Zante, Kephalonia, Ithaka, and...
islands of Ithaca
Ithaca
Ithaca or Ithaka is an island located in the Ionian Sea, in Greece, with an area of and a little more than three thousand inhabitants. It is also a separate regional unit of the Ionian Islands region, and the only municipality of the regional unit. It lies off the northeast coast of Kefalonia and...
and Kephalonia, and from the island of Lesbos which is located in the northeastern Aegean Sea
Aegean Sea
The Aegean Sea[p] is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea located between the southern Balkan and Anatolian peninsulas, i.e., between the mainlands of Greece and Turkey. In the north, it is connected to the Marmara Sea and Black Sea by the Dardanelles and Bosporus...
. Smaller numbers have come from Macedonia
Macedonia (Greece)
Macedonia is a geographical and historical region of Greece in Southern Europe. Macedonia is the largest and second most populous Greek region...
, Epirus
Epirus
The name Epirus, from the Greek "Ήπειρος" meaning continent may refer to:-Geographical:* Epirus - a historical and geographical region of the southwestern Balkans, straddling modern Greece and Albania...
, Attica
Attica
Attica is a historical region of Greece, containing Athens, the current capital of Greece. The historical region is centered on the Attic peninsula, which projects into the Aegean Sea...
, the Peloponnese
Peloponnese
The Peloponnese, Peloponnesos or Peloponnesus , is a large peninsula , located in a region of southern Greece, forming the part of the country south of the Gulf of Corinth...
, Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
and Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
. Chain migration
Chain migration
Chain migration has multiple meanings. It refers to the social process by which immigrants from a particular town follow others from that town to a particular city or neighborhood, whether in an immigrant receiving country or in a new, usually urban, location in the home country...
has been popular.
The first Greek immigrants
It is believed that the first Greek in New Zealand was a Mr Constas, an officer in the merchant navy from SpartaSparta
Sparta or Lacedaemon, was a prominent city-state in ancient Greece, situated on the banks of the River Eurotas in Laconia, in south-eastern Peloponnese. It emerged as a political entity around the 10th century BC, when the invading Dorians subjugated the local, non-Dorian population. From c...
, Laconia
Laconia
Laconia , also known as Lacedaemonia, is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Peloponnese. It is situated in the southeastern part of the Peloponnese peninsula. Its administrative capital is Sparti...
which is situated in the southeastern part of the Peloponnese
Peloponnese
The Peloponnese, Peloponnesos or Peloponnesus , is a large peninsula , located in a region of southern Greece, forming the part of the country south of the Gulf of Corinth...
peninsula. He arrived in New Zealand in 1798 aboard a Dutch-flagged merchant ship which later sank in Dunedin. He died in Dunedin in 1840 - the year the Treaty of Waitangi
Treaty of Waitangi
The Treaty of Waitangi is a treaty first signed on 6 February 1840 by representatives of the British Crown and various Māori chiefs from the North Island of New Zealand....
was signed.
In 1832 Captain Economou arrived in New Zealand on a Dutch or British ship. He stayed in New Zealand and married a Maori woman. He assisted his father-in law at the Treaty of Waitangi.
Seaman Nicolas Demetriou Mangos from Syros
Syros
Syros , or Siros or Syra is a Greek island in the Cyclades, in the Aegean Sea. It is located south-east of Athens. The area of the island is . The largest towns are Ermoupoli, Ano Syros, and Vari. Ermoupoli is the capital of the island and the Cyclades...
arrived in New Zealand in 1844. He was 17 years old, and jumped ship because his Dutch captain was reportedly cruel. He was sheltered by an Irish family, and later he married their daughter.
The earliest Greek presence recorded in the New Zealand Census was in 1874 when forty men and one woman were reported.
Nikolas Fernandos (or Mantzaris) from the island of Ithaca is considered the first known immigrant to New Zealand. Between 1890 and 1914 Greek immigrants established themselves as fishermen, street hawkers, confectioners and restaurateurs in Wellington, Auckland and Dunedin. Relatives of these early immigrants were encouraged to join them in New Zealand, setting up chain migration from poverty-stricken towns and villages. By 1936 there were 82 Greece born people living in Wellington with other immigrants residing in New Plymouth
New Plymouth
New Plymouth is the major city of the Taranaki Region on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is named after Plymouth, Devon, England, from where the first English settlers migrated....
, Feilding, Palmerston North
Palmerston North
Palmerston North is the main city of the Manawatu-Wanganui region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is an inland city with a population of and is the country's seventh largest city and eighth largest urban area. Palmerston North is located in the eastern Manawatu Plains near the north bank...
, Dannevirke
Dannevirke
Dannevirke , is a rural service town in the Manawatu-Wanganui Region of the North Island, New Zealand. It is the major town of the administrative Tararua District, the easternmost of the districts in which the Regional Council has responsibilities...
, Napier
Napier, New Zealand
Napier is a New Zealand city with a seaport, located in Hawke's Bay on the eastern coast of the North Island. The population of Napier is about About 18 kilometres south of Napier is the inland city of Hastings. These two neighboring cities are often called "The Twin Cities" or "The Bay Cities"...
, Hastings
Hastings, New Zealand
The city of Hastings is a major urban settlement in the Hawke's Bay region of the North Island of New Zealand, and it is the largest settlement by population in Hawke's Bay. Hastings city is the administrative centre of the Hastings District...
, Ashburton
Ashburton, New Zealand
Ashburton is a town and district in the Canterbury Region on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It is the third-largest centre in Canterbury, after Christchurch and Timaru. The area around Ashburton is frequently referred to as Mid Canterbury, which is also the name of the...
, Temuka
Temuka
Temuka is a town on New Zealand's Canterbury Plains, 15 kilometres north of Timaru and 142 km south of Christchurch. It is located at the centre of a rich sheep and dairy farming region, for which it is a service town.-History:...
, Timaru
Timaru
TimaruUrban AreaPopulation:27,200Extent:Former Timaru City CouncilTerritorial AuthorityName:Timaru District CouncilPopulation:42,867 Land area:2,736.54 km² Mayor:Janie AnnearWebsite:...
, Waimate
Waimate
WaimateUrban AreaPopulation:2,835 Extent:Territorial AuthorityName:Waimate District CouncilPopulation:7,206 Land area:3,582.19 km² Mayor:John ColesWebsite:...
and Oamaru
Oamaru
Oamaru , the largest town in North Otago, in the South Island of New Zealand, is the main town in the Waitaki District. It is 80 kilometres south of Timaru and 120 kilometres north of Dunedin, on the Pacific coast, and State Highway 1 and the railway Main South Line connects it to both...
.
War refugees
Greeks immigrated to New Zealand for a better life following World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and the Greek Civil War
Greek Civil War
The Greek Civil War was fought from 1946 to 1949 between the Greek governmental army, backed by the United Kingdom and United States, and the Democratic Army of Greece , the military branch of the Greek Communist Party , backed by Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Albania...
, fought from 1946 to 1949. New Zealand, a member of the International Refugee Organization,assisted 1026 ethnic Greeks from Romania to settle in NZ in 1951. The displaced persons arrived in Wellington in May, August and December 1951 on the MV GOYA, from Piraeus, Greece. Although most arrivals were placed in jobs in Wellington, some were sent around the country to work in hydroelectric construction and heavy industry where there was a shortage of labour.
John Vakidis' acclaimed New Zealand play 'Tzigane', explores the Greek-Romanian refugee experience of emigrating and living in New Zealand.
The "Golden Age"
A big influx of Greek immigration took place in the 1950s and 1960s due to political and economic problems in Greece. Up to a million Greeks emigrated from Greece during this period, mainly to the United States of AmericaGreek American
Greek Americans are Americans of Greek descent also described as Hellenic descent. According to the 2007 U.S. Census Bureau estimation, there were 1,380,088 people of Greek ancestry in the United States, while the State Department mentions that around 3,000,000 Americans claim to be of Greek descent...
, Australia
Greek Australian
Greeks are the seventh-largest ethnic group in Australia, after those declaring their ancestry simply as "Australian". In the 2006 census, 365,147 persons declared having Greek ancestry, either alone or in conjunction with another ethnicity....
, Canada and Germany
Greeks in Germany
The Greeks in Germany form a significant community with a population of 294,891 people according to the Federal Statistical Office of Germany, on December 31, 2007.-History:The first Greeks came during the time of the Roman Empire to Central Europe....
. Amongst those immigrating to New Zealand during this period were 267 young women who arrived between 1962 and 1964 through a New Zealand government scheme to provide domestic staff for hospitals, schools and hotels. The New Zealand Greek community's population peaked in the mid 1960s, with an estimated 5000 - 6000 Greeks, including New Zealand-born descendants.
Greek Cypriots
Most Greek Cypriots arrived in the late 1930s and after WWII between 1948 and 1960. Some Greek refugees arrived from Greek CyprusCyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
following the Turkish invasion of Cyprus
Turkish invasion of Cyprus
The Turkish invasion of Cyprus, launched on 20 July 1974, was a Turkish military invasion in response to a Greek military junta backed coup in Cyprus...
in 1974. Greek Cypriots have their own community hall and community association but are full and active members of the Greek Community.
Recent arrivals
Just under 100 Greeks have been granted New Zealand residency in the last 15 years.Dual citizenship
A number of Greek New Zealanders hold both New Zealand and Greek (European) passports. Greek citizenship is acquired by birth by all persons born in Greece, and all persons born with at least one parent who is a registered Greek citizen. Any person who is ethnically Greek born outside Greece may become a Greek citizen through naturalizationNaturalization
Naturalization is the acquisition of citizenship and nationality by somebody who was not a citizen of that country at the time of birth....
, providing they can prove a parent or grandparent was born as a national of Greece.
Greek communities
The largest concentration of Greek people reside in the country's capital cityCapital City
Capital City was a television show produced by Euston Films which focused on the lives of investment bankers in London living and working on the corporate trading floor for the fictional international bank Shane-Longman....
, Wellington. It is estimated that 65 percent of all Greek New Zealanders live there. The inner-city suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of Mount Victoria
Mount Victoria, Wellington
Mount Victoria, locally abbreviated to Mt. Vic, is a prominent hill to the east of the centre of Wellington, New Zealand, and its associated suburb. To the south of it is a spur, Mount Albert, and the two are linked by a ridge....
developed a distinct Greek character after World War II as Greek immigrants clustered together for community support. Today the eastern suburb of Miramar
Miramar, New Zealand
Miramar is a suburb of Wellington, New Zealand, south-east of the city centre. It is on the Miramar Peninsula, directly east of the isthmus of Rongotai, the site of Wellington International Airport.-History:...
is the city's main Greek enclave, with significant numbers also residing in Hataitai
Hataitai
Hataitai is an inner-city suburb of Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, 3.5 kilometres southeast of the city centre. The suburb extends over the southeastern flank of Mount Victoria and down a valley between the Town Belt and a ridge along the shoreline of Evans Bay...
and Seatoun
Seatoun
Seatoun is an eastern suburb of Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand. It is on the east coast of the Miramar Peninsula, close to the entrance to Wellington Harbour , some seven kilometres southeast of the CBD...
. The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese and the Embassy of Greece are both located in Wellington.
Smaller communities exist in Christchurch, Auckland and Napier/Hastings. Greek Orthodox churches exist in all these centres.
Many Greek New Zealanders enjoy the riches of two cultures - maintaining Greek cultural customs whist integrating into the Kiwi
Kiwi
Kiwi are flightless birds endemic to New Zealand, in the genus Apteryx and family Apterygidae.At around the size of a domestic chicken, kiwi are by far the smallest living ratites and lay the largest egg in relation to their body size of any species of bird in the world...
way of life.
It has been estimated that that about 50 percent of marriages of Greek persons are now mixed. It is common for the wedding
Marriage in the Eastern Orthodox Church
-Introduction:The Sacrament or, more properly, Sacred Mystery of Marriage does not unite a man and a woman. Rather, it is the Church's recognition of a union that God has already begun to work in their lives. As long as the union remains within the reality of this world, it will be subject to sin,...
to take place in the Greek Orthodox Church with the non-Greek non-Christian partner becoming baptised
Immersion baptism
Immersion baptism is a method of baptism that is distinguished from baptism by affusion and by aspersion , sometimes without specifying whether the immersion is total or partial, but very commonly with the indication that the person baptized is immersed completely...
before the marriage.
Employment
Many Greek immigrants established food businesses such as restaurants, grill-rooms and fish 'n' chipsFish 'N' Chips
Fish 'N' Chips is the Forth studio album released by Pub Rock band Eddie and the Hot Rods. It is produced and mixed by Al Kooper, Engineered by Bob Edwards and assistant Stuart Henderson and mastered by Mike Reese...
shops. Zisis Blades' book Wellington's Hellenic Mile: The Greek Shops of Twentieth Century Wellington documents the many Greek shops of 20th century Wellington. Today many Greeks are tertiary educated - professionals, public servants, tradespeople and business owners.
The Greek Orthodox Church
The Greek Orthodox faith plays a central part in the cultural life of many Greek New Zealanders. From 1924 New Zealand was part of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia and New ZealandGreek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia and New Zealand
The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia and New Zealand was an Archdiocese of the Greek Orthodox Church in Australia and New Zealand, part of the Eastern Orthodox religion. It was a jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople...
. Until the 1940s when a church was built in Wellington, the all important sacraments of baptism and marriage could only be performed when a priest visited from Australia. In 1970, New Zealand became a separate diocese with its own archbishop. The distinctive Byzantine
Byzantine architecture
Byzantine architecture is the architecture of the Byzantine Empire. The empire gradually emerged as a distinct artistic and cultural entity from what is today referred to as the Roman Empire after AD 330, when the Roman Emperor Constantine moved the capital of the Roman Empire east from Rome to...
-syle domed Greek Orthodox Church - The Annunciation of the Virgin Mary
Annunciation
The Annunciation, also referred to as the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary or Annunciation of the Lord, is the Christian celebration of the announcement by the angel Gabriel to Virgin Mary, that she would conceive and become the mother of Jesus the Son of God. Gabriel told Mary to name her...
on Hania Street (formerly Lloyd Street) in Mount Victoria
Mount Victoria, Wellington
Mount Victoria, locally abbreviated to Mt. Vic, is a prominent hill to the east of the centre of Wellington, New Zealand, and its associated suburb. To the south of it is a spur, Mount Albert, and the two are linked by a ridge....
, Wellington was consecrated
Consecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups...
in 1970 by Metropolitan
Metropolitan bishop
In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis; that is, the chief city of a historical Roman province, ecclesiastical province, or regional capital.Before the establishment of...
Dionysios Psiachas (dec), the first Archbishop of the Holy Metropolis of New Zealand. The current Metropolitan of New Zealand, Bishop Erithron Amfilochios Tsoukos was elected in 2005 and elevated the church on Hania Street to cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
status. The Holy Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of New Zealand oversees ten churches in New Zealand including the Holy Archangels Monastery which was built in 2009, east of Levin
Levin, New Zealand
Levin is a town in the Manawatu-Wanganui region of New Zealand, and is the largest town in the Horowhenua district. It is 90 kilometres north of Wellington, 50 kilometres south of Palmerston North, and two kilometres to the east of Lake Horowhenua....
.
Greek organisations
The Panhellenic Club on Wakefield Street in Wellingtom was the first Greek club, established in 1927.Today the largest and most active organisation is the Greek Orthodox Community of Wellington and Suburbs. The incorporated society, established in 1945, is governed by an elected executive which manages the Greek Community Centre on Hania Street in Mount Victoria, Wellington. The Community Centre consists of The Greek Orthodox Cathedral - The Annunciation of the Virgin Mary, the Parthenon Building which houses a functions hall and classrooms, and an adjacent apartment building with meeting rooms. Other cities and regions have active community associations as well, namely, Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, the Hutt Valley and Palmerston North
Palmerston North
Palmerston North is the main city of the Manawatu-Wanganui region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is an inland city with a population of and is the country's seventh largest city and eighth largest urban area. Palmerston North is located in the eastern Manawatu Plains near the north bank...
.
Greek organisations representing different regional or national sub-groups have helped sustain the culture. In Wellington there are a number of associations whose membership is based on regional origin: namely Macedonia, Crete, Ithaca, Lesbos and Alto-akarnania.
The Hellenic New Zealand Congress was formed in 1994 with the aim to foster better understanding, goodwill and friendly relations between the Hellenic communities and all New Zealanders through the support and promotion of Greek culture, traditions, history, and language. Membership is welcomed from all Greeks and New Zealanders.
Greek language
A 1990 study by Maria Verivaki of Greek languageGreek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
ability amongst Greek New Zealanders found that more than half of the community claimed a high level of ability for understanding and speaking Greek with the order of proficiency being: understanding, speaking, reading, writing. There was a decreasing proficiency across each succeeding generation across the four language skills. The study also found a higher level of proficiency for those who visited Greece, attended church or attended Greek language school. The study concluded that exposure to the Greek language seems to be the key to language maintenance in the Greek community of New Zealand.
The Greek Orthodox Community of Wellington has been providing Greek language
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
lessons for children for over 50 years, and more recently for teenagers and adults. The Greek Government generously provides a qualified teacher from Greece, who teaches alongside local Greek people at the Greek community school. Many Greek New Zealanders have installed cable television in their homes, with which they can receive Greek-language news and entertainment channels, in this way strengthening their Greek language skills.
Cultural activities
The different Greek communities, associations, clubs and families enjoy socialising by engaging in social activities that include Greek food and musicMusic of Greece
The music of Greece is as diverse and celebrated as its history. Greek music separates into two parts: Greek traditional music and Byzantine music, with more eastern sounds...
. Non-Greek New Zealanders enjoy partaking and have come to appreciate the Greek culture through Greek Community organised cultural and fundraising events including:
- the commemoration of Greek National daysGreek War of IndependenceThe Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution was a successful war of independence waged by the Greek revolutionaries between...
on 25 March and 28 October, and the Battle of Crete in May; - the annual Greek Food Festival in Wellington;
- art exhibitions by Greek New Zealand artists;
- dance performances;
- concerts by local Greek musicians and visiting Greek musicians: George DalarasGeorge DalarasGeorge Dalaras , also possibly spelled as Yorgos or Giorgos Dalaras, is a Greek singer. He is of international fame and has recently been selected as a Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Refugee Agency. He was born in Nea Kokinia, Piraeus. His father was Loukas Daralas, a singer of rebetiko.-Early...
, GlykeriaGlykeriaGlykeria is a Greek singer active in Greece and Cyprus, while also gaining fame in Israel, France, Turkey and England. Her career has spanned over 30 years and is marked by several multi-platinum releases...
(2000), Nana MouskouriNana MouskouriNana Mouskouri , born Ioánna Moúschouri on October 13, 1934, in Chania, Crete, Greece, is a Greek singer who has sold about 300 million records worldwide in a career spanning over five decades, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. She was known as Nána to her friends and...
(Farewell Tour, 2005).
A Greek New Zealand band has been operating in various guises for the last thirty years. Based in Wellington it has performed at various functions throughout the country. The Greek Band released an album in 1985 and Mythos in 1987. Most recently the Children of Aphrodite has performed at various functions.
In 1996 singer Christina Daglas founded To Fos, a Greek music ensemble which, for the next ten years, performed and recorded with an eclectic mix of some of New Zealand’s finest musicians. In 2001 Daglas released Christina Daglas: Folk Songs of Greece
Greek folk music
Greek folk music includes a variety of Greek styles played by ethnic Greeks in Greece, Cyprus, Australia, the United States and elsewhere. Apart from the common music found all-around Greece, there are distinct types of folk music, sometimes related to the history or simply the taste of the...
. This CD was very well received both in New Zealand and internationally and led to an invitation to sing at the Nanning International Folk Festival in China and the Beijing International Music Festival. Daglas currently is a member of Greek Nights an ensemble that performs authentic Greek music and dance at various venues in Auckland.
John Psathas
John Psathas
John Psathas is a New Zealand composer, son of Greek immigrant parents.He has works in the repertoire of such high profile musicians as Evelyn Glennie, Michael Houstoun, Michael Brecker and the New Juilliard Ensemble, and is one of New Zealand's most frequently performed composers...
is one of a few New Zealand composers who have made a mark on the international scene, particularly in Europe and North America. He is widely considered one of the three most important living composers of the Greek Diaspora. Psathas' music has been commissioned and performed by many musicians and orchestras around the world including Michael Brecker
Michael Brecker
Michael Leonard Brecker was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Acknowledged as "a quiet, gentle musician widely regarded as the most influential tenor saxophonist since John Coltrane," he has been awarded 15 Grammy Awards as both performer and composer and was inducted into Down Beat Jazz...
, Dame Evelyn Glennie
Evelyn Glennie
Dame Evelyn Elizabeth Ann Glennie, DBE is a Scottish virtuoso percussionist. She was the first full-time solo percussionist in 20th-century western society.-Early life:Glennie was born and raised in Aberdeenshire...
, Michael Houstoun
Michael Houstoun
Michael Houstoun is a concert pianist from New Zealand.Born and educated in Timaru, Houstoun studied piano under Sister Mary Eulalie and Maurice Till in Dunedin and Christchurch...
, Joshua Redman
Joshua Redman
Joshua Redman is an American jazz saxophonist and composer who records for Nonesuch Records. He won the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition in 1991.-Biography:...
, The New Zealand String Quartet
New Zealand String Quartet
The New Zealand String Quartet is New Zealand’s only full time string quartet. The current formation of musicians consisting of Helene Pohl , Douglas Beilman , Gillian Ansell and Rolf Gjelsten was established in 1994.The Quartet performs more than eighty concerts a year in New Zealand and...
, Federico Mondelci, the New Zealand Trio, Pedro Carneiro
Pedro Carneiro
Pedro Carneiro is a Portuguese solo classical percussionist, marimba player, and composer. Pedro Carneiro is one of the very few percussion players to have made an international career as a soloist, and has established himself as one of the world's foremost solo percussionists, performing regularly...
, the Takacs Quartet
Takács Quartet
The Takács Quartet is a string quartet, founded in Hungary, and now based in Boulder, Colorado, United States.- History :In 1975, four students at the Music Academy in Budapest, Gabor Takács-Nagy , Károly Schranz , Gabor Ormai , and András Fejér formed The Takács Quartet...
, the Netherlands Blazers Ensemble, the Halle Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic, the Melbourne Symphony, the BBC Scottish Symphony, the Auckland Philharmonia, the Vector Wellington Orchestra, and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra
New Zealand Symphony Orchestra
The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra is the national orchestra of New Zealand. It is a crown entity owned by the Government of New Zealand, with 90 full-time players....
. Psathas composed the ceremonial music for the 2004 Olympic Games.
Cuisine
Early Greek immigrants continued to prepare Greek meals despite the lack of staple Greek ingredients in New Zealand. Olive oilOlive oil
Olive oil is an oil obtained from the olive , a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin. It is commonly used in cooking, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and soaps and as a fuel for traditional oil lamps...
for example once could only be purchased from pharmacies. Today Greek meals continue to feature strongly in many Greek households. In the early 1990s the Greek Orthodox Community of Wellington published a collection of Greek recipes contributed by members of the Greek community. New Zealanders have the opportunity to sample Greek cuisine at Greek restaurants, at Greek functions such as weddings, baptisms and dances, at the annual Greek Food Festival hosted by the Greek Orthodox Community of Wellington and increasingly from supermarkets which now stock a wide range of imported and locally produced Greek products. New Zealand Greeks have established the popular Greek food brands Zany Zeus, which manufactures organic milk and award-winning boutique cheese, Elysian Foods which produces taramosalata
Taramosalata
Taramosalata is a Greek and Turkish meze. It is traditionally made from taramas, the salted and cured roe of the cod or the carp, though blends based on other forms of fish roe, particularly cod, have become more common. The roe is mixed with either bread crumbs or mashed potato, and lemon juice,...
and tzatziki
Tzatziki
Tzatziki, tzadziki, or tsatsiki is a Greek meze or appetizer, also used as a sauce for souvlaki and gyros. Tzatziki is made of strained yoghurt mixed with cucumbers, garlic, salt, usually olive oil, pepper, sometimes lemon juice, and parsley. Tzatziki is always served cold...
, and Giannis Pita Products which manufactures pita bread and pit bread chips. Although there are only a few restaurants specialising in Greek food currently operating in New Zealand, many Mediterranean restaurants include Greek dishes on their menu. Greek restaurants include Moyses in Wellington; The Santorini Greek Ouzeri and Kostas Taverna in Christchurch and Zorba Greek Restaurant in Auckland.
Sport
A lack of recreational opportunities for Greek youth led Greek Orthodox priest Father Ilias Economou to establish the Olympic football club (formerly called the Christian Youth Football Club) in 1958. Today Wellington Olympic AFC fields an array of senior and junior teams. In 2009 the club's premier team won the Chatham CupChatham Cup
The Chatham Cup, currently known as the ASB Chatham Cup for sponsorship purposes, is New Zealand's premier knockout tournament in men's football...
.
In the run-up to the 2004 Athens Olympics a number of successful cultural events were organized, with a substantial contribution from the Greek community. A number of Greek New Zealanders travelled to Greece to work as volunteers during the Games. Greek New Zealander John Psathas
John Psathas
John Psathas is a New Zealand composer, son of Greek immigrant parents.He has works in the repertoire of such high profile musicians as Evelyn Glennie, Michael Houstoun, Michael Brecker and the New Juilliard Ensemble, and is one of New Zealand's most frequently performed composers...
composed the music that was played at the Opening and Closing Ceremonies
Olympic Games ceremony
Olympic Games ceremonies were an integral part of the Ancient Olympic Games. Some of the elements of the modern ceremonies harken back to the Ancient Games from which the Modern Olympics draw their ancestry. An example of this is the prominence of Greece in both the opening and closing ceremonies...
.
In 2009 the Greek community in New Zealand was represented at the Oceania
Oceania
Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...
Pan Hellenic Games in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
by a small team of athletes. About 600 athletes of Greek descent from all over Australia and New Zealand competed in a range of sports.
Media
For many years Greeks have had to rely on newspapers and magazines sent by family in Greece/Australia or purchased when on holiday in Greece for Greek news or entertainment. The Wellington Greek community has enjoyed different locally-produced non-commercial community newsletters, newspapers and magazines for news from Greece or of Greek relevance, and music and news on the weekly Greek Community, Hellenic Youth and Cypriot radio broadcasts on Wellington Access RadioAssociation of Community Access Broadcasters
The Association of Community Access Broadcasters , is a group of twelve New Zealand community radio stations. The stations, which were established between 1981 and 2000 and have received government funding since 1989, broadcast community programming and provide facilities, training and on-air time...
738 HzM, hosted by volunteers from the Greek community.
With the advent of the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
and satellite television, Greek New Zealanders can enjoy a plethora of information and entertainment from the luxury of their homes. ERT World, the international service run by ERT, Greece's public broadcaster and the privately owned Antenna are broadcast in New Zealand.
Greece - New Zealand relations
GreeceGreece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
sees a special relationship with New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
stemming from World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
when New Zealand forces fought alongside the Greeks on mainland Greece and on Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
. New Zealand troops fought alongside Greek, Australian and British soldiers to protect Crete from invasion. Of the 7,000 New Zealand soldiers who fought in the 10-day battle, 671 died.
Since 1984, Wellington, the capital city
Capital City
Capital City was a television show produced by Euston Films which focused on the lives of investment bankers in London living and working on the corporate trading floor for the fictional international bank Shane-Longman....
of New Zealand, has maintained a sister city relationship with Hania on Crete. The street in Wellington on which the Greek Orthodox Cathedral sits is named 'Hania' in recognition of this special bond between the two cities. An olive tree
Olive Tree
The Olive Tree was a denomination used for several successive centre-left Italian political coalitions from 1995 to 2007.The historical leader and ideologue of these coalitions was Romano Prodi, Professor of Economics and former leftist Christian Democrat, who invented the name and the symbol of...
has been planted in the grounds of Civic Square
Civic Square, Wellington
Civic Square is an open public area at the centre of Wellington, New Zealand. It marks the boundary between the financial district to the north and the entertainment district to the south.- Textures and materials :...
, in Wellington, to commemorate the relationship.
The Battle of Crete
Battle of Crete
The Battle of Crete was a battle during World War II on the Greek island of Crete. It began on the morning of 20 May 1941, when Nazi Germany launched an airborne invasion of Crete under the code-name Unternehmen Merkur...
is commemorated every year on Crete and in New Zealand. A Greek-New Zealand Memorial that commemorates the bond of friendship between the two countries was dedicated in 1995 and is situated on the Cambridge and Kent Terrace reserve in Wellington and within short walking distance of the Greek Orthodox Cathedral. This memorial was built with the help of the Greek-New Zealand Memorial Association – a group made up of representatives from the Greek and New Zealand Governments, New Zealand Returned and Services' Association
Royal New Zealand Returned and Services' Association
The Royal New Zealand Returned and Services' Association, often referred to as the Returned Services' Association but best known simply as the RSA, is one of the largest voluntary welfare organisations in New Zealand and one of the oldest ex-service organisations in the world.Wounded soldiers...
(NZRSA), Wellington City Council, and the Greek community. Various stones set into the memorial's wall commemorate places and people (including Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
recipients Clive Hulme, Jack Hinton
Jack Hinton
John Daniel 'Jack' Hinton VC was a New Zealander, a World War II soldier in 2NZEF who was awarded the Victoria Cross for leading an assault in Greece in 1941. The Victoria Cross, is the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and...
, Keith Elliott
Keith Elliott
Keith Elliott VC was a soldier in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, and recipient of the Victoria Cross, during the Second World War.-Biography:Elliott was born in Apiti, New Zealand...
, and Bernard Freyberg) associated with the campaigns in Greece and Crete. In 1999 General Ioannis Veryvakis, the chief of the Hellenic Armed Forces, accompanied by twenty members of the Greek presidential ceremonial guard
Evzones
The Evzones, or Evzoni, is the name of several historical elite light infantry and mountain units of the Greek Army. Today, it refers to the members of the Proedriki Froura , an elite ceremonial unit that guards the Greek Tomb of the Unknown Soldier , the Hellenic Parliament and the Presidential...
visited New Zealand to commemorate the 51st anniversary of the Battle of Crete.
Over the years a considerable number of Greek New Zealanders have emigrated to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
or back to Greece. A bilateral Social Security Agreement between New Zealand and Greece came into force on 1 April 1994. The Agreement allows persons covered to receive their full New Zealand Superannuation
New Zealand Superannuation Fund
The New Zealand Superannuation Fund is a sovereign wealth fund in New Zealand. New Zealand currently provides universal superannuation for people over 65 years of age and the purpose of the Fund is to partially pre-fund the future cost of the New Zealand Superannuation pension, which is expected to...
while they are resident in Greece.
Signatures are pending on a Working Holiday Scheme Agreement between Greece and New Zealand, a reciprocal arrangement that would allow people aged 18 to 30 years, who are not accompanied by children, to spend up to 12 months on holiday in the host country.
Diplomatic representation
The Greeks of New Zealand for years had been served by a Consulate-General. This was an honorary role for many years. In 1999 Greece upgraded its representation in Wellington to an Embassy. There is a Greek Honorary Consul in Auckland.The New Zealand Embassy in Greece was closed in 1991 as part of a reallocating of New Zealand's resources in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. The New Zealand Ambassador in Rome is accredited to Greece, and there is an Honorary Consul-General in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
. As a result of the closure of the New Zealand Embassy in Athens, New Zealanders living in Greece set up the Hellenic New Zealand Association in 1995 and has been active in Greece since then. New Zealand Greeks are referred to as Griwis.
Greek ministerial visits to New Zealand
Greek New Zealanders have proudly welcomed a number of high-level minesterial visitors to New Zealand over the last 20 years:- Kostas Karamanlis, Prime MinisterPrime ministerA prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
, Dora Bakoyianni, Foreign MinisterForeign ministerA Minister of Foreign Affairs, or foreign minister, is a cabinet minister who helps form the foreign policy of a sovereign state. The foreign minister is often regarded as the most senior ministerial position below that of the head of government . It is often granted to the deputy prime minister in...
and Theodoros Kassimis, Deputy Foreign Minister, May 2007 - Constantinos Stephanopoulos, PresidentPresidentA president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
, June 2002 - Ioannis Anthopoulos, Under-secretary of National Economy and Minister for External Trade, March 1995
- Byron Polydoras, Secretary of StateSecretary of StateSecretary of State or State Secretary is a commonly used title for a senior or mid-level post in governments around the world. The role varies between countries, and in some cases there are multiple Secretaries of State in the Government....
, 1993
Political voice
Cyprus
The Cyprus Community was established in 1947 with the idea of helping Cypriot people to keep their identity and culture, and at the same time promote good relations between Cypriots and New Zealanders. The Cyprian Community of New Zealand has a political voice, demonstrating against continued occupation of northern Cyprus by TurkeyTurkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. On 8 May 1996 the Hon. Annette King
Annette King
Annette Faye King is a New Zealand politician. She is the current Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the New Zealand. She was a Cabinet Minister in the Fifth Labour Government of New Zealand.-Early life:...
, Member of Parliament for Miramar, moved, "That the New Zealand House of Representatives reaffirms its total support for the sovereignty
Sovereignty
Sovereignty is the quality of having supreme, independent authority over a geographic area, such as a territory. It can be found in a power to rule and make law that rests on a political fact for which no purely legal explanation can be provided...
and territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus as the only legitimate authority on the island." The motion was agreed to.
Macedonia
The Greek community in New Zealand joined the world-wide opposition to the post-1991 constitutional name of Greece's northern neighbour, citing historical and territorial concerns resulting from the ambiguity between it and the adjacent Greek region of Macedonia.Parthenon Marbles
The New Zealand Parthenon Marbles Committee was formed in 2000, as part of a world-wide campaign to seek support for the return of the Parthenon Marbles which were removed by Lord Elgin from Greece in the early 19th century. The 100+ pieces are housed at the British MuseumBritish Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
. On 24 May 2007 the New Zealand Parliament agreed to a motion urging the British Government to return the Parthenon Marbles to Greece. Moved by Hon. Marian Hobbs
Marian Hobbs
Marian Leslie Hobbs , a New Zealand politician, was a Labour Member of Parliament from 1996 to 2008. She was initially a list MP and then represented the Wellington Central electorate...
, Labour
New Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
Member of Parliament for Wellington Central, the motion requested that "the House joins its voice to that of other countries throughout the world and urges the British Government to support the return of the Parthenon Marbles to Greece, stressing the need for the collections of marbles in different locations to be reunited so that the world can see them in their original context in relation to the Temple of Parthenon
Parthenon
The Parthenon is a temple on the Athenian Acropolis, Greece, dedicated to the Greek goddess Athena, whom the people of Athens considered their virgin patron. Its construction began in 447 BC when the Athenian Empire was at the height of its power. It was completed in 438 BC, although...
, as an act of respect to one of the most significant monuments of western heritage." New Zealand joined a growing number of countries and international organisations also calling for their return.
The Arts
- Costa BotesCosta BotesCosta Botes is a New Zealand writer, director and cinematographer.-Movie-making career:Botes is best known in New Zealand for Forgotten Silver , a documentary he co-wrote and co-directed with Peter Jackson...
- writer, director and cinematographer - Ray ColumbusRay ColumbusRay Columbus is a New Zealand solo singer and entertainer who has had a career spanning six decades. He was lead singer of Ray Columbus & the Invaders who had a hit with She's A Mod in the 1960s. Since then he has been a solo singer and television host.-Links:* *...
- singer, songwriter and entertainer. Columbus' great grandfather was Greek. - Christina Daglas - singer
- Konstantin Dimopoulos - sculptor, creator of Pacific Grass, the kinetic sculptureKinetic artKinetic art is art that contains moving parts or depends on motion for its effect. The moving parts are generally powered by wind, a motor or the observer. Kinetic art encompasses a wide variety of overlapping techniques and styles.-Kinetic sculpture:...
on Cobham Drive adjacent to Wellington Airport - George Kladis - musician, The Bleeders
- Vana Manasiadis - writer
- Manos Nathan - clay artist
- John Papas - artist
- George Photiadis - musician (bouzouki)
- John PsathasJohn PsathasJohn Psathas is a New Zealand composer, son of Greek immigrant parents.He has works in the repertoire of such high profile musicians as Evelyn Glennie, Michael Houstoun, Michael Brecker and the New Juilliard Ensemble, and is one of New Zealand's most frequently performed composers...
- composer, Professor - School of Music, Humanities and Social Sciences, Victoria University of WellingtonVictoria University of WellingtonVictoria University of Wellington was established in 1897 by Act of Parliament, and was a former constituent college of the University of New Zealand. It is particularly well known for its programmes in law, the humanities, and some scientific disciplines, but offers a broad range of other courses... - John Vakidis - playwright
- Spiro ZavosSpiro ZavosSpiro Zavos is an Australasian historian, philosopher, journalist and writer...
- historian, writer and journalist
Business
- Nicolas Calavrias ONZM- Made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2011 for Services to Business. CEO of Steel & Tube Holdings a listed company on the NZ Stock exchange 1991 - 2009 and a Director of the New Zealand Business Roundtable.
- Elisabeth FindlayElisabeth FindlayElisabeth Findlay, better known as Liz Findlay, is a New Zealand fashion designer. She co-founded the fashion house Zambesi with her husband, Neville Findlay, in 1979. She is the daughter of Greek–Ukrainian immigrants and is the sister of Margarita Robertson, the designer at fashion label Nom...
- fashion designer, Zambesi - George Geris - medal-winning Marlborough wine-maker for Villa Maria EstatesVilla Maria EstatesVilla Maria Estate is a New Zealand wine company. It has vineyards in Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Marlborough and Auckland Villa Maria was founded in 1961 by George Fistonich who, through his dedication to quality, has lead Villa Maria to claim the title of New Zealand’s Most Awarded...
- Steve Gianoutsos - founder and managing director, Mojo Coffee
- Konstantina Moutos - fashion designer, two-time Supreme Award winner (1985 and 1986) - Benson and Hedges Fashion Design Awards
- Margarita Robertson - fashion designer, Nom*D
- Terry SerepisosTerry SerepisosTerry Serepisos is a bankrupt Wellington-based property developer and former owner of A-League association football club Wellington Phoenix. In 2010 he was the host in the New Zealand incarnation of the hit TV series The Apprentice.-Biography:...
-Failed property developer, former owner of Wellington Phoenix Football ClubWellington Phoenix FCWellington Phoenix Football Club is a professional association football club based in Wellington, New Zealand. The club competes in the Football Federation of Australia A-League. Ricki Herbert has been the coach since the club's inception to the A-League in July 2007. The current club captain is...
and host of The Apprentice New Zealand On 26 September 2011 he was declared bankrupt at the Wellington High Court - Vangelis VitalisVangelis Vitalis-Career:The following information has been provided, updated and maintained on behalf of the Greek-New Zealand Community and Hellenes Abroad.-Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, Paris, France:...
- diplomat and trade negotiator; New Zealand Ambassador to the European Union and NATO
Sport
- Kosta Barbarouses - footballer
- Leo BertosLeo BertosLeonida Christos "Leo" Bertos is a New Zealand association football player who plays as an attacking midfielder or right winger for New Zealand-based A-League team Wellington Phoenix and has represented the New Zealand national football team.-Early life:Bertos was born in Wellington, to a Greek...
- footballer - Dennis Katsanos - sports presenter, SKY SportSKY Sport (New Zealand)Sky Sport is a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by New Zealand's satellite pay-TV company, Sky Network Television. Sky Sport 1 was launched in 1990...
and Prime TV
New Zealand honours
The New Zealand Royal Honours system is the system of orders, decorations and medals which are awarded to recognise achievements of, or service by, New Zealanders or others in connection with New Zealand.O.B.E. (Officer of the British Empire)
- Ray ColumbusRay ColumbusRay Columbus is a New Zealand solo singer and entertainer who has had a career spanning six decades. He was lead singer of Ray Columbus & the Invaders who had a hit with She's A Mod in the 1960s. Since then he has been a solo singer and television host.-Links:* *...
, of Christchurch. Honoured in 1974 for services to the music industry.
O.N.Z.M. (Officer of the New Zealand Order Of Merit)
- Nicolas Calavrias, of Wellington. Honoured in 2011 for services to business.
- Elisabeth FindlayElisabeth FindlayElisabeth Findlay, better known as Liz Findlay, is a New Zealand fashion designer. She co-founded the fashion house Zambesi with her husband, Neville Findlay, in 1979. She is the daughter of Greek–Ukrainian immigrants and is the sister of Margarita Robertson, the designer at fashion label Nom...
, of Auckland. Honoured in 2008 for services to business and fashion. - Ioannis John PsathasJohn PsathasJohn Psathas is a New Zealand composer, son of Greek immigrant parents.He has works in the repertoire of such high profile musicians as Evelyn Glennie, Michael Houstoun, Michael Brecker and the New Juilliard Ensemble, and is one of New Zealand's most frequently performed composers...
, of Wellington. Honoured in 2005 for services to music.
M.N.Z.M. (Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit)
- Tony Christodoulou, of NicosiaNicosiaNicosia from , known locally as Lefkosia , is the capital and largest city in Cyprus, as well as its main business center. Nicosia is the only divided capital in the world, with the southern and the northern portions divided by a Green Line...
, Cyprus. Honoured in 2007 for services to New Zealand – Cyprus relations. - Panaghis (Peter) Mikelatos (dec.), of Wellington. Honoured in 2003 for services to the Greek community.
- Constantine (Costa) Cotsilinis, of Athens, Greece. Honoured in 1998 for services to New Zealand interests in Greece.
Q.S.M. (Queen's Service Medal)
- Zisis (Bruce) Avangelos Blades (dec.), of Wellington. Honoured in 2004 for community service.
- His Eminence Metropolitan Dionysios Psiachas (dec.), of Wellington. Honoured in 1995 for community service.
- Dennis Dionysios Soulis, of Wellington. Honoured in 1995 for community service.
Q.S.O. (Queen's Service Order)
- Stella Bares, of Wellington. Honoured in 2010 for services to the Greek community.
Documentary film
- Cawthorn, Richard, View from Olympus, 2010. Portrait of Wellington composer John Psathas. The film follows Psathas as he embarks on a series of new projects, both at home and abroad.
- Irwin, John, In Rich Regard, Wild Sweet Productions Ltd, 1990. A documentary on the relations between New Zealand and Crete, forged on the battlefields of World War II. The documentary features New Zealand veterans returning to Crete and reuniting with their old Cretan friends.
- The Migrating Kitchen Charitable Trust, The Migrating Kitchen, 2007. A DVD showcasing cuisine and personal stories from the Greek, Burmese, Chinese, Russian, Samoan and Somali communities of New Zealand.
- Yiannoutsos, Vicky, Visible Passage, Pinflicks, 1987. A personal and poignant documentary film in which elderly women from the Greek Island of KastosKastosKastos is a Greek island and a former community east of the island of Lefkada, Ionian Islands, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Lefkada, of which it is a municipal unit. Until the mid-1970s, the island was administered under the Kefalonia prefecture...
recall past memories, including their resettlement in Wellington and their gradual acceptance into New Zealand society.
Music
- Daglas, Christina, Christina Daglas: Folk Songs of Greece, Manu Music, 2001.
- The Greek Band, The Greek Band, 1985.
- Mythos, With the Memory, 1988.
- Nederlands Blazers Ensemble (music by John Psathas), Zeibekiko, 2009. A Greek musical celebration covering 2500 years of Greek music, Zeibekiko includes music from the ByzantineByzantineByzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
era, Taximia, traditional and popular repertoire as well as new music. Psathas has composed new works and arranged some music fragments which survived from classical antiquity. - Psathas, John, View from Olympus: Double Concerto for percussion, piano and orchestra, 2002.
- Psathas, John, The New Zeimbekiko, 2011.
Non-fiction
- Blades, Zisis Bruce, Wellington's Hellenic mile: The Greek shops of 20th century Wellington: Z. B. Blades, 2005.
- Fragiadakis, Georgios. The Greeks in New Zealand. Wellington: Greek Orthodox Community, 1990. (This work is mainly in Greek, but there is some English text.)
- Grace, PatriciaPatricia GracePatricia Frances Grace, DCNZM, QSO, is a notable Māori writer of novels, short stories, and children's books....
, Ned and Katina, Penguin Group, 2009. The true story of Ned Nathan, a wounded Maori BattalionMaori BattalionThe 28th Battalion, more commonly known as the Māori Battalion, was an infantry battalion of the New Zealand Army that served during the Second World War. It was formed following pressure on the Labour government by some Māori MPs and Māori organisations throughout the country wanting a full Māori...
soldier, who meets and falls in love with a Cretan woman, Katina. - Verivaki, Maria and Petris, John. Stories of Greek journeys. Wellington: Petone Settlers’ Museum, 1991.
- Verivaki, Maria. Language maintenance and shift in the Greek community of Wellington, New Zealand. Unpublished MA Thesis, Victoria University of WellingtonVictoria University of WellingtonVictoria University of Wellington was established in 1897 by Act of Parliament, and was a former constituent college of the University of New Zealand. It is particularly well known for its programmes in law, the humanities, and some scientific disciplines, but offers a broad range of other courses...
, 1990. - Viatos, Mercina, Argus, Koula & Kondos, Melpi, Favourite Greek recipes 2nd ed., Greek Orthodox Community of Wellington & Suburbs, 1994.
Poetry
- Manasiadis, Vana, Ithaca Island Bay Leaves: a Mythistorima, Seraph Press, 2009. Part family exploration, part personal narrative, this debut poetry collection weaves the mythic into the everyday and draws on the author's Greek heritage.
See also
- GreeksGreeksThe Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
- New ZealandersNew ZealandersNew Zealanders, colloquially known as Kiwis, are citizens of New Zealand. New Zealand is a multiethnic society, and home to people of many different national origins...
- GreeceGreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
- New ZealandNew ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
- Greek diasporaGreek diasporaThe Greek diaspora, also known as Hellenic Diaspora or Diaspora of Hellenism, is a term used to refer to the communities of Greek people living outside the traditional Greek homelands, but more commonly in southeast Europe and Asia Minor...
- Greece-New Zealand relationsGreece-New Zealand relations-History:Stemming from World War II, New Zealand forces fought alongside the Greeks in continental Greece and Crete since then, Greece has claimed a special relationship with New Zealand. An under-equipped force made-up of largely New Zealand, Australian, British and Greek troops fought to protect...
- Wellington Olympic AFC
External links
- Greek community in Wellington
- Faith, food and football - Wellington's Greek community (television news item, 2010)
- Greek immigrants of Wellington (television news item, 1966)
- List of Greek organisations in New Zealand
- Bilateral relations between Greece and New Zealand
- Wellington Greek band Mythos (music video, 1988)
- Wellington Greek band Mythos (music video, 1988)
- Wellington's The Greek Band (music video, 1985)