Around & about British Columbia
By Dimitrios & Katerina Angelatos
“Pharos”
21 years of education
The February lecture sponsored by “Pharos” took place on Monday, Feb. 26 at the upper hall of the Hellenic Community Centre in Vancouver. Guest speakers for the evening were Drs. Caroline and hector Williams and Dr. Harry Edinger,
all professors at UBC’s Department of Classics, Near Eastern and Religious Studies. The topic was “Ancient bears, horses and dogs in Greek art and literature”.
Dr. Edinger spoke on his research on bears in ancient Greek life. One of the earliest references to bears is in the Homeric hymn to Aphrodite. It is evident that bearskins were put to domestic use and that bear fat was used for medicinal
purposes. Ancient art also depicts the hunting of bears and the use of them in entertainment. Bear claws and teeth, used as amulets, were found in ancient burial sites. Achilles also mentions the eating of bear meat.
Dr. Caroline Williams’s topic was horses. The use of horses goes back to at least 2000 BC. By 1500 BC, horses were commonly used by princes to drive their chariots. By the 9th and 8th centuries BC, there were many
references to horses on the tombs of the wealthy. By the 7th century BC, riding the horses became a more common occurrence. Horses were ridden without saddle or stirrups. Cavalries came into being with the soldier providing his own
horse and weapons. A manual on horsemanship written in the 4th century shows that much about caring and training of horses has changed little to this day.
Dr. Hector Williams’s topic of choice was dogs. He said there are at least 30 known dog burials, some of them going back to the Bronze Age. Dog burials were found recently at Stymphalos and the Agora in Athens. Early references show
dogs as scavengers but they came to be trained as working dogs, mainly as hunters and herders. Literature and art depict dogs being used to hunt boars, lions and hares as far back as 1400 BC. Homer writes about Odysseus coming home disguised as
a beggar and yet after 20 years his old dog recognizes him. As early as the 4th century, manuals were written on the training of dogs.
The next “Pharos” lecture is set for March 26. The last lecture of the season will be at the end of April. Lectures will then resume in the autumn. The lectures which “Pharos”, the Canadian Hellenic Society has provided for the
past 21 years are all very informative and give all Greeks a chance to learn more about their own heritage. While the lectures are always well attended, it is sad to note that the Greeks do not come out in large numbers. Other people seem to be
more interested in learning more about the Greek culture than the Greeks themselves.
CAPTION:
SFU’s Hellenic Studies
Information meeting
He Hellenic Canadian Congress of BC held an information session on the Hellenic Studies program offered by Simon Fraser University. The meeting was held in the upper hall of the Hellenic Community Centre on February 27, starting at 7
p.m., Professor Andre Gerolymatos, Professor Stavroula Tsiplakou and Hellenic Studies program coordinator Maria Hadzigiannakis were present to discuss the courses offered and the general entrance requirements for SFU. Also, present were some
students presently enrolled in the program.
Prof. Gerolymatos stated that the purpose of a university is to train people to think, to think logically, and to think critically. Any discipline that provides this will make you a better student, regardless of what you want to be
later. Once you learn how to think and analyze, and to write effectively, you will be a much better student and that will help you in whatever profession you want to go in. While there may not be many jobs directly related to Hellenic studies
(ancient and modern) these studies can be used to fulfill your degree requirements in other fields. At the same time you learn another language and in this world the more languages you speak the better off you will be in the business world. The
world has become a global village and mastering languages is very important. Greek is one of the European languages, and Greek-Canadians have the ability to get Greek passports and to work in the European Union.
Maria Hadzigiannakis, the program coordinator, spoke on the certificate program for Hellenic Studies. This certificate is similar to a minor and requires 24 credit hours of lower and upper levels. Wendy Wong, one of the students who
spoke on her involvement with the program, will be one of the first to qualify for the certificate in September. The Hellenic Studies incorporates courses in Greek language, literature, and history, ancient and modern which can all be used to
work towards your BA in whatever faculty you choose.
There are many advantages to going to SFU. The trimester system differs from other universities. There is a lot more flexibility to space out your courses and to switch from one faculty to the next. McLean’s stated that again this year
SFU is the No. 1 comprehensive university in Canada. SFU has an excellent PDP (teacher) program. Here is an opportunity to provide qualified teachers for the Greek schools. As well, SFU offers a co-op program, which offers work experience in
the field of your choice. This is an advantage in the job market. There are also a large number of scholarships and bursaries available.
The summer field school in Greece is worth 10 credit points towards the certificate in Hellenic Studies. It is a seven-week course held mainly on the island of Kefalonia in Greece in May and June. That program fills rapidly. Most other
field schools offered by the university have an average of nine students but by the end of February the Greek field school already had fifteen students enrolled with more still to come. One member of SFU faculty goes along with the class and
two professors are hired from Greece, one for the language, the other for archeology. If enrolment reaches 25 or more, the class will have to be split into two, as it will just be too large to handle. The program is also very reasonably priced
compared to other field schools. The total, including airfare, transportation, accommodations, most meals and tuition is approximately $5,200.
Prof. Tsiplakou spoke on the language and linguistic program. There are basically two types of students for the Greek language courses, those non-Greeks who wish to learn another language and those of Greek parentage who wish to improve
their knowledge of the language. She said the challenge was to form an integrated language program which allows both types of students to get an equal grasp of the Greek language and to allow them to implement what they learned to broaden their
general thinking processes, to “train their brain”. The Greek language is a good vehicle for this purpose as so much of the Greek language is there in other languages, especially English. SFU has developed a web based long distance program
for beginners Greek that has the advantage of being tailored to the individual and is unique in that it corrects errors as the student progresses. This program is home-based, thereby freeing up the instructors for the more advanced integrated
courses.
There has been some concern for the money raised by the Greek community at large in regards to the Hellenic Studies at SFU. That money as well as the matching funds donated by the provincial government is locked in an endowment fund.
Only the interest is available for the use and that does not even cover the cost of one professor. There are presently two instructors so most of their salaries come from general university funds.
The Hellenic Studies program is now into its 4th year. It takes time to develop a new program but this one, under the direction of Dr. Andre Gerolymatos has advanced rapidly. Each year new courses have been added. The program
started with one instructor, then grew to two and soon a third will be added. What started out about fifteen years ago as an idea by Prof. Tasos Kazepides was then taken up by the Hellenic Canadian Congress of BC (under the direction of
presidents George Neris, Nick Panos, Paul Fyssas and Peter Capadouca) and has developed into a unique program. It is the first of its kind in North America and other Greek communities and universities are interested in setting up similar
programs. It is truly an achievement that everyone can be proud of.
Ambassador of Greece visits British Columbia
Ambassador of Greece to Canada Leonidas Chrysanthopoulos (centre) with Nikos Panos, president, Hellenic Canadian Congress (far left), Nikos Seretis, Sr. Commander, Shipping Attaché, with Eleni
Lianidou, Consul of Greece to Vancouver, and Peter Capadouca, president, Hellenic Canadian Congress of BC.
The Ambassador of Greece
in Ottawa Leonidas Chrysanthopoulos recently visited British Columbia. He was in BC from Feb. 7 to 16. He arrived on Feb. 7 in Vancouver, where he was greeted by the Consul of Greece Eleni Lianidou. Both then
flew on to Victoria where they were officially greeted on behalf of the provincial government by David Harris. That evening, the Greek Community of Victoria (President Dimitrios Mavrikos) hosted a dinner in honour of the ambassador.
On Feb. 8, the ambassador and the consul spent the day in meeting with government officials. They attended a luncheon meeting at the Government House with Lt. Governor Garde Gardom. After lunch, they went to the Parliament Buildings for
meetings with MLA’s Sue Hammel (Minister of Multiculturalism) and Cathy McGregor (Minister of Education).
On Feb. 9, the ambassador met with some Greek news media, then had a lunch meeting with MLA Joy McPhail, Minister for Children. In the evening, the consul of Greece hosted the ambassador to a dinner at her home in West Vancouver.
On Saturday, Feb. 10, Ambassador Chrysanthopoulos met with the board of directors of the Hellenic-Canadian Congress. That evening, Nikos Panos and the Hellenic-Canadian Congress hosted a dinner in the ambassador’s honour at the
Hellenic Community Centre in Vancouver.
On Sunday, Feb. 11, the ambassador talked on the Greek radio program before attending church services at St. George Cathedral. After the service, he talked with some of the people before going on to a lunch meeting at Queen Elizabeth
Park with president Stathis Bozikis and members of the board of the Hellenic Community of Vancouver.
On Monday, Feb 12, the ambassador met with Liberal MLA Gordon Campbell, the Opposition Leader. That evening, the ambassador had dinner with the president Constantinos Kourtesis and members of the AHEPA Chapter of British Columbia.
On the 13th, he
met with Simon Fraser University president Michael Stevenson and visited the Hellenic Department at SFU. He then had lunch with the vice-president of SFU John
Waterhouse. Dinner that evening was with President Katerina Dounis and members of the Greek Orthodox Community of East Vancouver.
On Wednesday, Feb. 14, the ambassador had a morning meeting at Vancouver City Hall with Vancouver mayor Philip Owen. He then attended a meeting at the Vancouver Yacht Club where Gordon Smith, of the University of Victoria, was guest
speaker. He spent the afternoon at the University of British Columbia. He met with Classical Dept. Head, Professor Hector Williams, who is also the president of the Archaeology Society of North America, and toured the Museum of Anthropology at
UBC before meeting with the dean of UBC A. Jully. In the evening, he met with the committee of the Hellenic Studies Chair at SFU.
On Feb. 15, his last full day in Vancouver, he met with the Philoptochos Society of Vancouver (Pres. Dionysia Giannakopoulou) at the Hellenic Community Centre. In the evening, the consul hosted a wine and cheese reception in the
ambassador’s honour at the upper hall of the Hellenic Community Centre. Invited were the presidents and representatives of various Greek organizations of Greater Vancouver. The ambassador returned to Ottawa he following morning, having spent
nine hectic days in British Columbia.
Mayor of Vancouver presents March 25 proclamation
The mayor of the City of Vancouver, Philip Owen, again presented the Hellenic Community of Vancouver with a proclamation honouring March 25, 1821, Greek Independence Day. The proclamation was presented to the president of the Hellenic
Community of Vancouver Stathis Bozikis on Wednesday, March 14 in the mayor’s office. In return, Mr. Bozikis presented to the mayor the Greek flag, which will be displayed at City Hall to March 25. Mayor Owens also presented a letter to the
Consul of Greece Eleni Lianidou in honour of the important day in the history of Greece.
Also on hand for the occasion at City Hall were the national president of the Hellenic Canadian Congress
Nick Panos and the BC president of the HCC Peter Capadouca as well as the communications assistant (mayor’s office) Tina Oliver and the representatives of Patrides Dimitrios and Katerina Angelatos.
CAPTION:
Consul of Greece Eleni Lianidou accepts presentation from Mayor Philip Owen.
Homelike retirement living – By the sea
When they immigrated to Canada, many Greeks hoped that they would be able to return to live in their homeland when they retired. Very few, however, have done so. After spending most of their lives in Canada, the ties they have developed
here outweigh those left behind in the old country. While most seniors would like to continue to live in their homes, the upkeep of a house is just too much for many. What many seniors are looking for is independent housing where they don’t
have to worry about cooking and cleaning, where they can socialize with others and also feel secure. There is now senior housing available that offers a very positive alternative to living alone that can be found in White Rosk, BC, a
picturesque Mediterranean style setting by the sea that will remind many of their homeland, Greece.
Due to a change in ownership and an extensive rebuilding program, Concord by the Sea in White Rock has a number of units still available. Greek seniors have the opportunity not only to live there but also to incorporate their
culture into the complex. If a fair number of the units where occupied by Greeks, there would be the opportunity to hold church services there, to have Paschal lamb roasts and picnics, to hold special Greek celebrations and even to incorporate
Greek food into the menu.
Concord has 43 lovely, self-contained apartments. It is nestled in a neighbourhood overlooking Semiahmoo Beach in White Rock. The apartments vary in size, from a studio to a large one bedroom and den. The common areas include an ocean
view dining room, library, lounge, enclosed courtyard, recreation room, laundry rooms, washrooms and outdoor gardens. It is close to White Rock’s shopping area, medical, dental library and other community support services. Scheduled
transportation is free with Concord’s own bus for tours and outings. In the monthly residency fee, ranging from $1,550, are included three delicious meals a day, snacks, weekly housekeeping, linen service, heat, hydro and water, parking, 24
hour security monitoring, social and recreational programs. You also don’t have to worry about insurance and property taxes, maintenance and repairs. The apartments all have kitchen facilities and you control the temperature of your
apartment. For a couple, the only additional charge is $450 a month to cover the cost of food. There are also aromatherapy, massage and hairdressing services available for a small additional fee.
The center also has plans for extensions in the future. They would like to construct some assisted living units. In addition, they are planning a daycare where the seniors and the young children of the neighbourhood can interrelate.
White rock has easy access from all parts of the Lower Mainland and is within 30 minutes of the various Greek churches and community centers of Greater Vancouver.
For those wishing to sample the life-style at Concord, there is a guest suite available to rent on a daily ($75 including meals) or weekly basis. Call 604-531-6198 and Wendy will be happy to arrange a personal tour. You can also check
out the web site at www.concordbythesea.com.
Kostas Liaskas
1921-2001
A community mourns his passing
Kostas Thomas Liaskas (Konstantinos Liaskovitis) passed away peacefully in Vancouver, BC on March 11, 2001.
Mr. Liaskas was born in Kanalia, Thessalia, Greece on April 15, 1921. He was educated in Athens, where he graduated with a degree in Physical Education. Following WWII, he fought bravely for four years during the Greek civil war. He came
to Vancouver in 1951 where he operated his business and raised his family. During his almost fifty years in Vancouver, he was very active in the Hellenic Community of Vancouver as well as other Greek organizations, donating a large amount of
his time and money. He served as president of the Community, including the period of planning and constructing of the St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral on Arbutus Street. In 1978, he was honoured by his Eminence Archbishop Iakovos of New York
for his service to the church. He was elevated as an Archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate with the rank of Deputy (Depoutatos).
A prayer service was held on March 13, at 7 p.m., at St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Vancouver with funeral services following there at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 14. Officiating at the funeral service was His Eminence
Archbishop Sotirios of Toronto, assisted by Fathers Demetrios Partsafas, Panagiotis Pavlakos and Damaskinos Voliotis. The church was filled with all those who wished to pay their last respects. Interment was at Forest Lawn Memorial Park. A
luncheon followed at the Hellenic Community Centre.
Kostas is deeply missed by his wife of 39 years Roula (who along with her husband has also worked hard for the church and the community), his son Thomas (Dikaia), his daughter Maria (Anastase), his grandchildren Demetra, Constantine and
Maria Zaphira. His sisters Athena (in Vancouver) and Marianthi (in Greece) and his brother Lambros and sister-in-law Maria in Greece also survive him. Numerous nephews, nieces, cousins, godchildren and friends will miss him.