Historical information

Donkeys were a standard form of transport and a beast of burden for Ithacans as the island is very mountainous. Stepped tracks designed for donkeys to ascend the mountains can be still be located. The donkey in the photo, 'Rousso' was owned by Achileas Benias and was used to transport the olives and produce form their farming plot. Photographed from L-R back are: Freda Lucas (nee Benia) holding Jenny Kyriakakis, Con and Demetri Vlass on the donkey, Georgos Sombola, Angeliki Lekatsa (Spiliatsos), and Annie Vlass. In the front are Georgia Benia, Michali Kavadeas, unknown.

Significance

Annie Vlass together with her husband Stathi Vlass and children Demetri and Con spent 6-9 months in Greece in 1952 at the Vlassopoulos (Kopela) family home in Lahos whilst in Ithaca. Although not common prior to the 1960s, some Ithacans, who had settled in Australia prior to the post war era, did travel back to their homeland to visit family and to introduce spouses and children to their place of birth. Today many of Ithacan heritage travel to the island, particularly during the northern summer, to reconnect with their family roots.

Physical description

A sepia photograph of eleven people, eight children and three adults standing in a cleared wooded area around a donkey. Two of the children are on the back of the donkey.