Laughing Waters Road , the book was launched at Montsalvat in Eltham. On Saturday, January 30, 2016, Nillumbik Council launched this book. The weather was cool; just as well, considering over 500 people attended this very pleasant event where food and drink were plentiful. The Australian Government and Nillumbik Shire Council funded the book and it was designed by Wayne Rankin of North Warrandyte. The dedication page is to our very own Ranger Campbell Beardsell OAM of Parks Vic who taught Jane to be “passionate about the environment of this special place” (p260). FOWSP members Val Polley, Linda Rogan and Ken Crook contributed to the content and photos. David Wandin, Wurundjeri Elder, gave a Welcome to Country and officially launched the book after the Mayor of Nillumbik, Cr Hattam, made introductions. Jane Woollard followed with a brief outline of how she came to write the book (her very first) and read out loud the last paragraph which focuses on reconciliation and shared culture. Jane declared in her preface that the book “has been formed by attending to the connection between rivulets of memories, creeks of hearsay, rivers of tales, the meanders of local legend and the deep, still pools of the archive.” Very poetic! - Lynda Gilbert Newsletter; Friends of Warrandyte State Park March 2016, Volume 34 Number 2 Laughing Waters Road , the book was launched at Montsalvat in Eltham ON SATURDAY 30 JANUARY Nillumbik Council launched this book. The weather was cool; just as well, considering over 500 people attended this very pleasant event where food and drink were plentiful. The Australian Government and Nillumbik Shire Council funded the book and it was designed by Wayne Rankin of North Warrandyte. The dedication page is to our very own Ranger Campbell Beardsell OAM of Parks Vic who taught Jane to be “passionate about the environment of this special place” (p260). FOWSP members Val Polley, Linda Rogan and Ken Crook contributed to the content and photos. David Wandin, Wurundjeri Elder, gave a Welcome to Country and officially launched the book after the Mayor of Nillumbik, Cr Hattam, made introductions. Jane Woollard followed with a brief outline of how she came to write the book (her very first) and read out loud the last paragraph which focuses on reconciliation and shared culture. Jane declared in her preface that the book “has been formed by attending to the connection between rivulets of memories, creeks of hearsay, rivers of tales, the meanders of local legend and the deep, still pools of the archive.” Very poetic! - Lynda Gilbert Newsletter; Friends of Warrandyte State Park March 2016, Volume 34 Number 2 https://fowsp.org.au/docs/News_2016/34_02_March.pdffay bridge collection, 2016-01-30, book launch, bronnie hattam, jane woollard, laughing waters road, montsalvat, sigmund jorgensen, harry gilham, maurice hurry

The children were members of the Ithacan and Kastellorizian dance groups which performed at many functions in the 1990s. Olga Black photographed with the group was their dance teacher.The teaching of Greek dance to second and third generations of Australian born children of Greek background is one way of ensuring that the culture will be passed on. Together with Ithacans, the Kastellorizian community is one of the oldest Greek communities in Melbourne. A coloured photograph of a large group of children and dressed in Greek national costumes. There is one adult with the group. The names of the participants are written on the back of the photograph.

The lady is Regina Mavrokefalos, mother of Constantine Mavrokefalos (Black) and paternal grandmother of Nina (Regina) and Olga Black, both well known in Melbourne's Greek community for their contributions to Greek language and culture. Constantine first emigrated to Australia in 1902, returning to Greece circa 1912-13 to serve his home country in the Balkan Wars. He met and married his Efstathia (Toula) Raftopoulos on Ithaca in 1914 and returned to Australia with his wife. Constantine had trained as an accountant, but his qualifications were not recognised in Australia. Changing his surname to the Anglicised "Black", he started off working in his older brother Dionysios's cafés before going into business on his own. In 1917 he opened the Paris Residential Café at 54-56 Swanston Street, which offered both dining and accommodation. The business saw some years of success, but did not survive the Great Depression. Constantine died in 1944.A sepia photograph of a photograph of a lady sitting in the garden of a small house which is in the background.

The two little girls are Regina (Nina) and Marguerita (Rita) Black, daughters of Constantine and Toula Mavrokefalou (Black). They had three other siblings - John, Elly and Olga. Their parents were early immigrants to Australia and in the 1910s Constantine opened the Paris Residential Cafe at 54-56 Swantson Street, Melbourne. Nina was passionate about fostering Greek culture and language within the Ithacan, Greek and wider Australian community in Melbourne and was very active in a variety of Greek community activities, including the performing arts and education.Photograph of a black and white photo of two little girls. The older girls is standing next to a decorative column on which her younger sister is sitting.

The portrait photograph is of Nina (Regina) Black (Mavrokefalos). Nina is the first born of Constantine and Efstathia (Toula) Mavrokefalou. Her father was a founding member of the Society and her mother was President of the first Greek women's committee established in Melbourne in 1917, the Greek Women's Organisation. Nina was well known for her contribution to Greek community life. Nina was a member of Ladies' Auxiliary of the IPS in the 1950s and held the position of treasurer. Nina was also a member of AHEPA and the first president of the Daughters of Penelope. She taught Greek at the Greek Community school as well as to non-Greeks at the Council of Adult Education. Nina also performed in Greek theatrical productions and taught Greek dance to Greeks and non-Greeks. In 1985 Nina Black received the Hellenic Distinction Award for her contribution to Greek language and cultural pursuits in Australia and during the Bicentennial celebrations (1988) she was honoured by the Australian Government for achievements in the wider Australian community. A studio photograph of a head and shoulders profile of a young lady. She is wearing a cameo brooch at her neck. culture

A photograph of the original members of the Daughters of Penelope, a chapter of AHEPA formed in the 1950s. Pictured bBack L- R: Dorothy Lucas, Royal Stratou, Maria Mangos, Sia Athanis, Poppy Sikiotis. Front L-R: Anna Stratou, Margaret Marmaras, Nina Black, Katina Canis, Olive Coligas AHEPA is Greek organisation that encourages the retention of Greek language and culture. It is the largest Hellenic Association in the world with chapters in the United States, Canada, Greece, Cyprus, Australia and New Zealand. It was established in 1922 by Greek Americans to protect Hellenes from prejudice and discrimination. AHEPA was founded in Australia in 1934.A black and white photograph of ten ladies dressed in formal evening attire standing in a room.

The picture is of a Greek dance group, possible organised by the Olympic Club. Nina Black pictured in the middle row was an Australian born Ithacan who was very active in a variety of Greek community activities, including the performing arts and education. She was passionate about fostering Greek culture and language within the Ithacan, Greek and wider Australian community in Melbourne. She went on to establish her Greek dancing classes which were popular with both the Greek and broader Australian community. Her Greek dance group performed Greek dances at many social functions and dressed in traditional Greek costumes, the performances added colour to the events and were widely appreciated. Pictured, back row L-R: . . ? . ., Olympia Cecil, . . ? . . , ...... Green. Middle row L-R: ...... Green, . . . ? . . . , Michael Black, Nina Black, Marguerita Black. Front row L-R: Spiro Polites, Eleni Vrachna, Effie Cecil, Ellie Black, Harry NicholadesThe teaching of Greek dancing to the children of Greek immigrants ensured the maintenance of Greek cultural traditions in their adopted country. A black and white photograph of ten ladies and three men dressed in Greek national costume and posing on a staircase.

Nina Black , standing at the back in the middle of the group, taught Greek dancing to many young Australian-born Ithacans. She also taught Greek language and English to adult migrants. Nina worked tirelessly with migrant community in the post mass migration period. Learning traditional Greek dancing has been one way that Ithacans who settled here were able to maintain their culture. Traditional Greek dancing is always popular at Ithacan social events. A black and white photograph of six ladies and four men dressed in Greek national costume.

The group pictured are young Ithacan girls who were taught by Olga Black and they are wearing the traditional Ithacan dress. The group performed at various IPS events including the annual ball, Christmas parties. Both Olga and her sister Nina, taught Greek dancing to many people over the years, both Greek and non Greek. Many young Australian born people of Ithacan descent develop a greater appreciation and awareness of the Greek and Ithacan culture through learning traditional dances.A coloured photograph of a dancing group dressed in a Greek costumes. In the group there are five older girls and a younger girl as well as one boy.

The photograph is of students at Melbourne's first Greek Community school, established for the Australian-born children of Greek immigrants. They are pictured with four of their teachers, one of whom is Nina Black (Mavrokefalos) seated in the second row, fourth from the left. The other teacher is Rita Black seated 4th from the right in the same row. Sitting on the floor are Vicki Raftopoulos 2nd left and Olga Andrews on the far right of the row. Greek parents were very keen for their children born in Australia to be able to speak their language and to understand Greek culture and heritage. It is documented that there were attempts to establish a school as early as 1901 and later in 1923. However, it was not until 1929 that an after school hours Greek school was properly established. Up until 1957 the Greek community schools were the sole providers of Greek language classes. It was not until the late 1960s and the mid-1970s that modern Greek was introduced to Victorian government schools. A mounted black and white photograph mounted on grey board featuring twenty eight boys and girls and four adults, seated and standing in four rows on a stage with a backdrop behind them.

The Greek Orthodox Community with the support of the Ithacan Community in Melbourne established a Greek Language School in the early 1930s. The teaching of the Greek language to the Australian born children of Greek parents ensured that the language and culture was maintained within the Greek community. A sepia photograph mounted on grey board of the children and teachers at the Greek language school. The people are standing and seated in five rows in front of a stage.

The three Lucas (Lekatsas) siblings, Peter, Nina and Andrew are photographed wearing Greek traditional costumes. The boys are wearing the uniform of the Greek Evzone soldiers, and the girl the traditional dress. They are children of Gerasimos and Kaliope (nee Zavistanos) Lekatsas.Children often wore national costumes at special Greek national day events which were usually organised by the Greek Community in conjunction with the Greek language schools. Most children of Greek background attended Greek school after hours to learn Greek language, history and culture. The national day events were an important way for Australian born children of Greek background to develop a deeper understanding of Greek history and an appreciation of their cultural heritage.A black and white studio photograph of a girl and two boys dressed in traditional Greek costumes. The girl is seated on a chair and the two boys are standing on either side of her.

Kalypso Sofianos nee Raftopoulos is pictured in the middle. The other women are not identified. The group were photographed in Ithaca, in the village of Kioni, possibly taken shortly before Kalypso emigrated to Australia in 1936.Young people migrating from their homeland to a foreign county and unknown culture left behind family and close friends.A scanned black and white photograph of three women sitting on a stone wall with a stone cottage visible on the RHS of the picture and mountains in the background. A portion of the original photograph was torn on the LHS.

The leaflet encouraging members to re-elect Ithacan Konstantinos Raftopoulos (Ravinos) to the committee of the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne and Victoria, describing him as a proven and experienced committee member. The Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne was established in 1897 by some of the first Greek residents of Melbourne, including a number of Ithacans. It is the oldest Greek organisation in Australia and the second oldest Greek organisation of the diaspora after the Greek Community of Alexandria-Egypt. It has supported the Greeks who had settled in Melbourne and established many programs such as a Greek Language School and dance classes which has helped maintain Greek culture amongst Australians of Greek descent. A photograph of a leaflet for a candidate seeking election onto the committee of the Greek Community in Melbourne.

The dance group performed at a function which took place at Wilson Hall at the Melbourne University Campus in 1961. The ladies are from L-R: Nina Black, June Megalos, Olga Black, Katherine Black, Stella Stevens and Effie Megalos.The maintenance of Greek culture within Melbourne's Greek community has been assisted by the teaching of traditional music and folk dancing to the Australian born generations at the Greek schools and dance classes. Greek dance is still an integral part of any Greek celebration.A black and white photograph of six women standing in front of a screen. They are dressed in traditional Greek costumes.

Vasiliki Raftopoulosi is pictured crocheting a very fine border in a traditional design. Vasiliki was the mother of Efstathia (Toula) Mavrokefalos (Black) and the grandmother of Nina and Olga Black, both well known in Melbourne's Greek community for their contribution to Greek language and culture. Vasiliki and her family left Ithaca for Romania when Toula was only six months old. As a child while growing up in the Romanian village of Brila, Toula also learned sewing and developed her skills making lace and embroidering items for her trousseau. Some of the linen she embroidered had been woven from flax on Ithaca by her own grandmother. On a visit to Ithaca Toula happened to be on the island at the very time that Constantine arrived, fresh from the war. Like many Ithacans Constantine had returned to Greece from Australia for the Balkan wars. Within three weeks they were married, and when Constantine returned to Melbourne in 1914 his new bride came with him. Many Greek women were skilled in the making of fine lace and crochet articles which they used and displayed in their homes. Finely stitched and woven linen items were an essential part of a young woman's dowry when she married.A black and white photograph in an oval frame of a lady crocheting a lace band.

non-fictionFor some, home is not simply a matter of place. Gillian Bouras comes and goes between London, where she spends long periods, and the village in the Peloponnese to which she migrated nearly twenty years ago. Unable to settle in either England or Greece, her life is one of perpetual journey, of constant goodbyes and starting again. Even in Australia, where she was born and raised, she feels like an outsider. This journal deals with the complexity of finding your place in the world. Insightful and always engaging, Bouras explores the divide that exists between cultures, between the past and the present, between those who shut the world out and those who too readily let it in.bouras gillian - 1945 - diaries, australian - diaries, women immigrants, social life and customs, cultural assimilation, greek australians, biography & autobiography, psychology, social science, customs & traditions, emigration & immigration, personal memoirs