Around
& About British Columbia
By
Katherine & Dimitrios Angelatos
Surrey
Community holds Summer Fest – June 2002
As
soon as the warmer weather of summer arrives in British Columbia, so also
do a wealth of summer festivals, many ethnic-based. The Greeks have their
share of these outdoor festivals. The first Greek community to hold its
annual food festival (or Greek days) this year was the Greek Orthodox
Community of Surrey. The
festival was held from June 7th to June 16th.
One should perhaps call it a “spring” festival, as summer does
not officially begin until about June 21.
Along with the food and the music, those in attendance enjoyed the
dance performances put on by several different dance groups.
Between performances the stage was also a popular spot for all the
young children to practice their dancing skills. The adults and teens also
enjoyed dancing on the stage at times.
The Surrey community held its first Greek day in 1991, at the end
of August, in the Newton area of Surrey.
In 1992 the festival moved to the Fleetwood area of Surrey, where
it has been held ever since. At that time it also changed to a two-day
event at the beginning of September. For a few years it continued in early
September but changed to three days. Then for a number of years the
community experimented with a May date before eventually settling for
June.
The weather here is not always dependable for planning an outdoor
event so over the years the event was often plagued with rain and cool
weather. By holding it over a number of days it was hoped that at least
part of it would be blessed with good weather. This year it was decided to
lengthen it to ten days, thereby assuring at least several good days. The
day before the festival was to begin the weather turned windy and rainy.
The tents, which had already been set up, received storm damage and
had to be reset. However things soon brightened up as the weather
cooperated for the duration of the festival.
Making the event a ten-day affair also meant that the number of
hours to be staffed with volunteers also increased. Many people find it
hard to donate more than a few hours here and there, so of course the
majority of the work always falls to only a limited few. So one could
usually see the same people there most days, working tirelessly.
Donations from its membership are not enough to keep the church
community going so it looks for ways to reach into the general public in
the area. By extending the festival to ten days it was hoped that more of
the non-Greek people would participate. While the number of those has
increased over the years most of the money raised still comes mainly from
the Greeks, not only from Surrey but also from Vancouver, Burnaby, Delta
and other areas.
Some
of the Community dancers performing at the Surrey Summer festival.
East
Vancouver Summer Festival – July 2002
The Greek Orthodox Community of East Vancouver (St. Nicholas &
Dimitrios Church) held its Greek festival from June 28 to July 7. This
festival has become well established over the years and every year it
draws in more of the people from the surrounding areas, as well as many
from farther afield.
This
event is also one of the major fundraisers for this community. Food sales
were good, with the lamb and the loukoumathes again being among the top
sellers. Again this year the raffle tickets were sold out well in advance.
Many more tickets could have been sold, but of course, the number
of tickets allowed by the gaming commission is restricted.
As
always, the performances of all the various dance groups were well
received. The young children took over the stage between performances,
some of them just walking or running around while others did their own
version of the dances. It was difficult to convince them to leave the
stage, so during the performances they clung to the edges to get a good
view. They were also ready to take back the stage at the first
opportunity. When the group dancing started on the stage, some of these
children joined in with the older and more experienced dancers. Perhaps in
a few years many of these children will be part of those dance groups
performing for the festival.
As
well as the food sales and dance performances the festival also featured
other events. The performance by the live band always brought the people
dancing on the stage. There were also slide shows of Greece and church
tours. Icons, crosses and
other religious items could be purchased. Over the years weddings and
baptisms have taken place during the festival and many present took the
opportunity to witness these. This year was no exception. A baptism, in
this case the daughter of Antonios Ziskos, took place during the last day
of the event.
For several years now a multicultural aspect has been added to the
festival. Canada Day, July 1, falls during the beginning of the festival
so on that day the entertainment is multi-cultural, representing many
other ethnic groups that also make Canada their home. Some of these groups
also put on a few performances on some of the other days as well. This
practice of inviting other ethnic groups to participate at a Greek Day was
started at the Port Coquitlam Greek days, organized by local businessman
Michael Savvis and are now being carried on by the communities.
Members
of the Polish Dancing Company of Vancouver, one of a number of ethnic
groups that performed at the Greek Festival on Canada Day.
Bill
Goritsas (left) comes to East Vancouver every year to help at the
festival.
Some
of the cooks who worked so hard during the Greek Festival at the Greek
Orthodox Community of East Vancouver (St. Nicholas & St. Dimitrios
Church).
Memory
Eternal
June 23, the feast of Pentecost was celebrated in a special way
this year. A memorial was held to commemorate all those Orthodox
Christians who over the centuries suffered or perished in their struggle
to maintain their freedom and their faith. The memorial took place at the
Canadian Orthodox Monastery of All Saints in Dewdney (Mission), BC. Around
3:30 p.m. a procession started from the monastery chapel. Banners and
flags (Greek, Armenian, Serbian, Russian, Byzantine, American, Canadian,
BC, etc.) fluttered in the breeze as the procession wound its way down the
road to the cenotaph where the memorial service was then held.
Among the events remembered were the 1453 Fall of Constantinople,
the 1915 holocaust of the Armenian Christians, the 1917 holocaust of the
Pontos Greeks, the 1922 holocaust of the Greek Orthodox Christians of Asia
Minor, the destruction of the seven ancient Christian churches, the
suffering of all the people of the Balkans under communism, the 1974
invasion of Greek Cyprus, the struggle of the people of Yugoslavia and the
terrorist attack in the United States on September 11, 2001.
Leading the service was Archbishop Lazaros, the monastery abbot. He
was assisted by Bishop Varlaam and Father Moses, also from the monastery.
Father Andrei Somow of Holy Resurrection Russian Orthodox Church in
Vancouver and Father John Ayoub of St. Elias Orthodox Church in New
Westminster also took part in the service. Both these churches belong to
the O.C.A. (Orthodox Church of America).
The monastery is now also affiliated with the O.C.A.
Also taking part were Father Geris of St. Joseph Antiochian
Orthodox Church, in New Westminster and Father Dimitri, also of the
Antiochian Orthodox diocese. Also among the people present for this
special memorial was the Consul of Cyprus, Tsoula Berggren, along with her
husband Len. There were people from all the above churches as well as form
St. Herman Orthodox (O.C.A.) and from St. Nicholas Canadian Orthodox
Church, which is under the monastery’s jurisdiction.
The event was organized by the Greek Cultural Community of Langley
and Fraser Valley. This group
has organized many ethnic-Greek events over the last ten years. On this occasion it also supplied most of the flowers
for the memorial.
After
the memorial service a buffet luncheon was served.
The meal consisted of a variety of different ethnic food dishes,
supplied by various people in attendance. Every-one enjoyed the fellowship
and the peace and tranquility of the monastery grounds.
Orthodox Christianity has come a long way over the last twenty
years or so. There has been ever-increasing communication and
participation between the various Orthodox jurisdictions. There is still a
long way to go but the road is getting shorter all the time.
The
Abbot of the Monastery Archbishop Lazaros reads out the long list of
catastrophes befallen to Orthodox Christians over the centuries that this
special service was held to commemorate. This year was the 80th
anniversary of the catastrophe in Smyrna.
The
consul of Cyprus Tasoula Berggren and her husband Len came to the
Monastery of All Saints, in Mission, to take part in the memorial service
commemorating the invasion of Cyprus and other catastrophes.
We
will not forget
Attila
74 – The rape of Cyprus
A documentary by Michael Cacoyannis, filmed in Cyprus in 1974 was
shown at the Cinemantheque Cinema on Howe Street in downtown Vancouver on
Saturday, July 20. July of 2002 marks the 28th anniversary of
the division of the island of Cyprus. In July of 1974, Turkey used as a
pretext the coup against President Makarios to invade the Republic of
Cyprus in violation of the UN Charter and all principles of international
law. The wealthiest 37% of the island, representing 70 % of the island’s
economics, was occupied by Turkish forces. The line of Attila still
separates the Greek- and Turkish Cypriots, once peaceful neighbours. Over
200,000 refugees have not been able to return to their homes.
This
film was sponsored by the Society for the Preservation of Hellenism S.P.H.),
a non-profit organization. The group believes that awareness is the first
step towards resolving obstacles to a peaceful settlement. The group’s
leaders are Michalis Christopoulos, Theodoros Falias, Konstantinos Georgas,
Dimitrios Kotsalis, Kalliopi Kefala and Marianthi Papadopoulou.
About
sixty people showed up to view the documentary and to take part in the
discussion that followed. Among those in attendance was the Consul of
Cyprus, Tsoula Berggren. Leading the discussion was Dr. Andre Gerolymatos,
the Chair in Hellenic Studies at Simon Fraser University.
The film clearly showed the agony that families went through
because of the invasion. Twenty-five years later over 1600 Greek-Cypriots
were still missing. In the epilogue of the film, in a 1999 interview the
Turkish-Cypriot leader admitted that those people where most likely
killed. To date the families
have not recovered the bodies. Their loved ones are probably buried in
unmarked mass graves in the northern part of Cyprus or perhaps even in
Turkey.
Those
in the audience who at one time lived in Cyprus found it an emotional film
to watch as it brought back many painful memories. Some even recognized
people in the film. However, every one agreed that the film was an
accurate portrayal of the historical events and that it should be made
available to more people. Anyone wishing to view the film should contact
S.P.H. at greeksforgreece@hotmail.com.
-
Prof. Andre Gerolymatos led the discussion after the showing of the documentary film on the invasion of the Republic of Cyprus by Turkish armed forces.
The
consul of Cyprus Tasoula Berggren and the president of the Cypriot
Community of Vancouver Nick Papoutsakis with some members of SPH and a few
others who came to watch the firm.
Langley
Greeks sponsor second memorial service
On
August 11, 2002 the Greek Cultural Community of Langley and Fraser Valley
again organized a memorial service to commemorate all those Orthodox
Christians who have suffered or died as a result of persecution or wars
over the past centuries until the present.
Especially remembered was the holocaust of 1917 of the Pontos
Greeks, the expulsion of the Greeks from Asia Minor in 1922 and the
invasion of Cyprus in 1974.
The memorial service was part of a larger celebration held on
August 11 at the Monastery of All Saints of North America in Dewdney
(Mission) BC. The monastery
celebrated its feast day commemorated the Theotokos “Joy of Canada”.
The Divine Liturgy was held outdoors, as there were too many people
present to comfortably fit into the monastery chapel. There were a number
of priests and deacons from other Orthodox parishes also taking part in
the service. After the service a procession, with the “Joy of Canada”
icon carried at the lead, wound its way through the monastery grounds to
the cenotaph situated in a large field further down the road.
The Greek and other ethnic flags were carried in the procession.
The Consul of Cyprus, Tsoula Berggren and her husband Len proudly carried
the flag of Cyprus. At the cenotaph the memorial service was then held.
After the memorial service the procession again made its way to the
monastery grounds, this time to the mountain spring where a healing
service was held. The people then spent the rest of the day enjoying the free
pot luck meal and socializing with one another.
White
Rock Festival includes “Greek Day”
The City of White Rock holds its “Sea to Sky” festival every
year at the beginning of August on BC Day. The merchants along the beach
area are encouraged to participate. For
a number of years now “Cosmos” Restaurant has participated in the
event by holding a mini “Greek Day” on that day. “Cosmos” owners
Nick Zambus and Dimitri Theodosakis have seen their share of the festival
grow over the last four years. People can hear the Greek music and watch
the Greek dancing during the day and visit the other booths as well.
At night those enjoying the Greek festivities also have the perfect
vantagepoint to watch the electric light parade which is finale of the
festival. This parade lasts for nearly two hours from start to finish.
Bands and floats come from all around British Columbia as well other
provinces and parts of the USA. This
parade would also be a good opportunity for various Greek organizations to
get involved in.
Nick
Adamopoulos helps out at the “Greek Day” in White Rock.
Little
Eleni takes the opportunity to visit the seaside while taking in the
“Greek Day” in White Rock at Cosmos Restaurant. For the past four
years, Eleni has not missed any of the Greek festivals in the lower
mainland and she is not 5 years old yet. There are many other young Greek
children that do not want to miss these festivals.
Angelatos
– Dyck
Dimitrios and Siegrid Katerina Angelatos (Patrides-Western Bureau
representatives) are pleased to announce the marriage of their eldest
daughter, Margarita Nafsika Angelatos to Owen Timothy Dyck.
Margarita and Owen had a civil wedding ceremony on August 28 on the
beach in Kikai, on the Hawaiian Island of Maui. They were attended by four
of their friends. Another seven of their friends also made the trip to
Hawaii with them. The ceremony was followed by a picnic on the beach. The
young couple then honeymooned in Hawaii before returning home to Surrey.
On
Sunday, September 22, the Crowning of the marriage took place at St.
Nicholas Church in Langley, BC. Archbishop
Lazaros (the abbot of the Monastery of All Saints in Mission, BC)
officiated assisted by Bishop Varlaam and Fr. Deacon John.
Irene Angelatos, the sister of the bride was the “koumbara”.
The young couple was crowned with the same stefani used by the bride’s
parents during their marriage at St. Dimitrios church in Winnipeg over 32
years ago. In memory of her yiayia Nafsika and her pappou Antonios (both
of whom have passed away) Margarita wore a silver bracelet that once
belonged to her yiayia. Her other set of grandparents, who live in
Manitoba, were not able to attend due to ill health but thirteen of her
relatives from Manitoba were able to join in the marriage celebrations.
The
church service was followed by a barbecue reception for close to two
hundred people at Peace Arch Park in south Surrey, on the Canadian side of
the USA/Canada border crossing. The menu featured many traditional Greek
dishes, including roast lamb on the spit, souvlaki, dolmathes, spanakopita,
roast potatoes and Greek cookies.
The
bride designed and sewed her own dress, made of raw silk. She also
designed all the outfits worn by the entire bridal party (including the
groom and his attendants) and sewed most of them. The “koumbara”,
Irene Angelatos and the maid of honour Catherine Chui wore dresses of red
raw silk while the flower girls Kianna Eleni Idreou and Shino Cyler were
dressed in gold raw silk. The
groom wore a long vest in gold and white silk while the groomsmen Farouk
Savji and Tony Chui and the ring-bearer, Colin Ioannis Idreou wore vests
of gold and black. Another
bridesmaid, Charlotte Ferreux of Castlegar, BC had attended the Hawaii
ceremony but was unable to make it to the church ceremony.
Margarita
was born and baptized in Winnipeg, Manitoba and was almost five years old
when her family moved to Surrey, British Columbia.
Margarita attended Greek school, first Socrates and then Pericles.
She also was part of the dance group at St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church
in Bellingham, Washington, U.S.A. for a number of years. She attended Simon Fraser University in Burnaby where she
earned her BA in Applied Sciences, with a major in communication and a
minor in psychology. She continued her studies to become a fashion
designer. She owned and operated a bridal store in Port Moody for over
four years. She currently works for Lululemon Athletica and is the manager
of their new store on Robson Street in Vancouver.
Margarita met Owen ten years ago. Owen was born and raised in
British Columbia and works for Squirrel Systems of Canada.
Margarita Angelatos
and Owen Dyck exiting St. Nicholas Church in Langley, BC.
VANCOUVER, BC –
Margarita Angelatos and Owen Dyck cut the wedding cake at the reception.
Ïé íåüíõìöïé êüâïõí ôçí ôïýñôá ôùí ãÜìùí
ôïõò.
Priscilla
Kalliopi Vrastianos
A
scientist in the making
Priscilla Kalliope Brastianos sets a high standard that many young
Greek-Canadians will have their work cut out to emulate. She is only 21
years old and already has a string of accomplishments to her name. She is
well on her way to becoming a doctor and a scientist. She has the
distinction of being the only Canadian this year to receive a scholarship
to John Hopkins Medical School in Baltimore, U.S.A. Priscilla will pursue
a career in medicine and medical research, specializing in neuroscience.
Priscilla has been an honour student throughout her school years,
earning many awards along the way. She graduated as the top student and
valedictorian from Charles E. London Secondary School. She was the
recipient of the Governor General’s award. She was offered many
prestigious scholarships, including a $32,000 award from McGill
University. She chose to accept UBC’s $26,000 Hugh M. Brock National
Entrance Scholarship and entered the Faculty of Science in September 1998.
She completed the combined honours Biochemistry/Chemistry program.
She was designated a Science Scholar for her academic achievements
and was on the Dean’s Honour List for four consecutive years. She was
selected as one of the top five students of UBC, and as the recipient of
the Harry Logan Memorial Scholarship and the Harold B. and Nellie Boyes
Memorial Scholarship Priscilla was automatically designated a Westbrook
Scholar. These two awards are the most prestigious awards of UBC, which
recognize outstanding academic achievement, leadership abilities,
extracurricular involvement, contributions to community, and moral
integrity. Two years ago she carried out research with a renowned chemist
in Ottawa for four months, having been awarded the National Science and
Engineering Research Council Scholarship and the RISE scholarship. In her
final year at UBC she carried out research on Alzheimer’s disease and
her honours thesis was awarded the top thesis of her year for
biochemistry. She won numerous other awards for top student in Chemistry
and Biochemistry.
Priscilla is not only a very dedicated student but also spent many
hours working in the community. She volunteered weekly at Children’s
Hospital, working with teenagers diagnosed with eating disorders, cystic
fibrosis, and cancer. She also volunteered at seniors’ home. At UBC she
was a founder, writer and editor of an undergraduate Science newspaper.
She served as a group leader and mentor to welcome new students and was
President of the Biochemistry, Physiology and Pharmacology Club.
She was a student representative on the Faculty of Science Advisory
Committee. She was a UBC Dean of Science Ambassador and delivered speeches
at several events.
Priscilla is fluent in three languages, English, Greek and
French. She is also an accomplished piano player and a poet. Some of her
poetry and essays have been published. On several occasions she had been
invited by a federal minister and consul generals to read her poetry to
large audiences. She was invited by the Greek Consulate as a
representative of Canada to work with professors in Greece to try to alter
the Greek education system. In her spare time Priscilla also enjoys
hiking, running, weight training, roller-blading and travelling.
Priscilla’s drive to excel can in part be attributed to the
dedication and perseverance of her parents, in particular her mother, who
spent hours each day helping Pricilla and her brother with their studies.
Television and video games were not encouraged in the household and the
telephone and doorbell were not answered during study time. Even during
school breaks and holidays a large part of each day was dedicated to
study. The language spoken at home was strictly Greek and there was never
a shortage of Greek books in the household. Priscilla and her brother both
went to Greek school several evenings a week for twelve years. Saturday
was the day for attending the French academy to study French.
Priscilla and her brother had a thirst for knowledge that was never
sated. Her brother Harry is also a chemist, hoping to spend the greater
part of his career doing research.
Priscilla’s father, John Brastianos was born on the island of
Thasos, Kavala, Greece. He became a mechanical engineer and in 1974 he immigrated to
Canada, going first to Montreal and then in 1975 to Vancouver.
In 1978 he returned to Greece where he met and married Maria, the
daughter of Pantelis and Kalliopi Paterakis. Maria was born in
Thessaloniki but grew up in Thasos. This
marriage and move to Canada was a great disappointment to Maria’s
parents. Both parents were
doctors and had hoped that their daughter would also enter that
profession. Maria however
chose instead to take up a new life in Canada, being a wife and mother.
She has never regretted her decision but is especially pleased that both
of her children chose to enter the field of medicine, thereby following in
their grandparents’ footsteps.
Priscilla
Kalliopi Brastianos - An honour student and award winner.
VANOUVER,
BC – Priscilla Kalliopi Brastianos, a scientist in the making.
ÂÁÍÊÏÕÂÅÑ, ÂÊ –
Êáëëéüðç ÌðñáóôÜíïõ – ¸íá áóôÝñé
áíáôÝëëåé óôïí åðéóôçìïíéêü êüóìï.
“Pharos”
begins a new lecture series
PHAROS, the Canadian Hellenic Cultural Society began its 2002/03
lecture series on Monday, September 30 in the upper hall of the
Hellenic Community Centre in Vancouver. This lecture was co-sponsored by
the Archaeological Institute of America.
The guest speaker of the evening was Dr. Franco De Angelis and his
topic was “Food and Agriculture in Greek Sicily”.
Dr. De Angelis teaches Greek history and archaeology in the
Department of Classics at the University of Calgary. His visit to
Vancouver was sponsored by the Department of Classical, Near Eastern and
Religious Studies, UBC. Pharos was pleased that he could give a talk at
the Pharos meeting as well during this trip. Prof. De Angelis specializes
in the Greek colonial period of ancient Sicily and has spent many years
carrying out archaeological excavations in Sicily.
Dr. De Angelis stated that although agriculture and food are the
basis of human survival historical accounts are skimpy in this area. Very
little research is geared to this aspect of ancient life.
Greek
civilization extended far beyond the boundaries of Greece and Sicily was
part of that extended territory. The Greeks arrived in Sicily in the 8th
century BC. Sicily became an ancient economic powerhouse from 750 –
300BC. The Sicilian – Greeks enjoyed luxurious living and their cooks
traveled the known world.
Sicily
has a large percentage of land suited for agricultural use. The climate
was also favourable for agricultural production, being wetter than Greece.
A large variety of grains, fruits and vegetables were grown there, more
than enough to support the local population so a good portion was
exported. The profitable agriculture helped in large part to fund many
building projects, in particular temples and monuments, the remnants of
which can be found all over the island. Aspects of the Sicilian-Greek
culture are still found over the island, woven into the modern day culture
of Sicily.
-
Prof. Franco De Angelis talking to “Pharos” on food and agriculture in Greek Sicily.
Gwyneth
Lewis (president of Pharos), Katerina Angelatos (Patrides), Constantine
Bonnis (candidate, Vancouver City Council), Prof. Franco De Angelis, Prof.
Hector Williams, Prof. Panayotis Pappas, Kostas Kaounas (secretary, HCC)
and Mike Spyridis at Pharos lecture.
Greek-Canadian
runs for Vancouver City Council
Constantine
Bonnis has entered the political fray by running for Council for the city
of Vancouver. A wine and cheese reception was sponsored by the Hellenic
Canadian Congress on Tuesday, October 1 at the Hellenic Community Centre
in Vancouver to give people a chance to meet and talk with the candidate
as well as his fellow team members. Bonnis
is running under the banner of the Vancouver Civic Action Team. Civic
elections will be held all over British Columbia on Saturday, November 16.
Constantine
Bonnis is the son of an immigrant family who left Greece to provide more
opportunity for their children. He
is 23 years old, born and raised in Vancouver. He is a UBC alumnus and
operates a local, small business.
He is fluent in Greek and English and also understands French and
Spanish. He recognizes the importance that small and mid-sized businesses
play in the functioning of the city and the obstacles faced by those
businesses in government permitting and taxation.
It
is time for the Greek-Canadians of western Canada to support those within
their communities who are venturing into the political arena, at all
levels of government. Only with representation can our voices be properly
heard.
-
Candidate Constantine Bonnis (centre) surrounded by fellow VCA team and Hellenic Congress members Kostas Kaounas (L) and Nick Panos and Peter Capadouca (president) on the right.
New
professor takes up position in Hellenic Studies, SFU
The Hellenic Studies program at Simon Fraser University has
expanded again with the appointment of a Language Program Coordinator.
Professor Panagiotis Pappas arrived recently to take up this new position.
He was born in the USA but grew up and was educated in Greece. Prof.
Pappas will be working closely with Dr. Andre Gerolymatos, the holder of
the Chair in Hellenic Studies. Hellenic Studies has grown considerably
during the past few years and it is hoped that in the near future even
more appointments will be made as the program continues to grow.
Peter
Capadouca (L), president of the Hellenic Canadian Congress, with
Panayiotis Pappas, the new Language Program Coordinator in Hellenic
Studies, SFU.