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“A Historical Summary of the Chian Association of SA ‘A. Korais’ Inc”

Adelaide, South Australia, AUSTRALIA

The Chian Association of SA, like many of the other 100 plus Greek-based associations and brotherhoods in South Australia and the thousands of similar ethnic organisations in multicultural Australia, has a rich and colourful history filled with the traditional highs and lows that form the foundations for the successful growth of any society or club. It is one of the major ethnicotopika in South Australia, not only because of the size of its membership and the quality of its facilities, but also because of the dedication, commitment and loyalty of its members.

Chians began to arrive in South Australia during the 1920s. Many of them initially settled, or at the very least temporarily passed through the regional town of Port Pirie, which became a major concentration for Greek immigrants of the day providing work in the lead and zinc smelting plant or in the surrounding farms. In fact, Port Pirie formally constituted the first Greek Orthodox Community in South Australia in 1924. In 1926 Chris Manesis, who was from Chios (Kalimassia) and worked at the Smelters, was ordained and appointed as Port Pirie’s first resident Greek Orthodox priest to service the St George Greek Orthodox Church. He was a graduate of the high school of Chios and his character was well suited to the priesthood. A Greek school soon followed, and it is known that its third teacher was Homer Piknis (Kalimassia), who like Father Manesis also received an education at the high school of Chios.

The early Chians also located in other regional parts of South Australia, wherever work could be found building roads or railway lines, or on the land as farm hands. The greatest percentage settled in Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia working in service industries or in factories.

It was not until the late 1930s that the first attempt was made to bring together the Chians of Adelaide as a brotherhood. Records of Adelaide’s Greek Orthodox Community of SA (established in 1930) indicate that this effort was short lived and the Association disbanded during the1940s, predominantly due to petty differences and egos between a small number of Chians who had their own individual views of where the Association should head and how it should be managed.

It took a chance meeting of a group of Chians in a City Hotel early in 1961 to sow the seeds for the foundation of an association that would enable them to meet more regularly. At a meeting of 59 Chians on 2 April 1961, the decision was taken to formally establish the Chian Association of SA “A. Korais”. The constitution, prepared by Panagiotis Psorakis (Alexandria, Egypt – Vrontados/Dafnonas), was discussed and approved. The primary aims of the Association were to facilitate communication between Chians by establishing clubrooms and a library, and organising dances, festivals, musical evenings, art presentations, sporting events and other family events. While mainly a social forum for immigrants from Chios, it also had the role of culturally and linguistically bonding these “new Australians” in an environment which, at that time, was totally foreign and which in many ways rejected their full integration and participation in the life of their new community through an active government policy of assimilation which lasted until the 1970s.

The Foundation Committee for the Association was: President – Panagiotis Psorakis, Vice Presidents – Stefanos Svokos (Kardamyla)/Giorgos Psarros (Kambia), Secretary – Vasilis Pipinias (Chora), Treasurer – Evangelos Ganiaris (Kalimassia), Nikolas Cassoudakis (Kambia), Panagiotis Kollis (Aghios Georgios), Yiannis Koutsouris (Kambia), Adamantios Salagaras (Aghios Georgios) and Isidiros Scarvelis (Kardamyla).

 Back row (from left); Panagiotis Kollis, Nickos Cassoudakis
Front Row (from left); Isidoros Scarvelis, Adamantios Salagaras

The 1960s can be described as the period of foundation and establishment of the Association in South Australia. The first Management Committees experienced difficulties in finding halls, bands, kitchen and cooking equipment, and even the meat for shaslicks had to be cut and prepared by them. Notification of dates and venues for dances was by word of mouth and Management Committee members often visited coffee lounges and farms to sell tickets. The Greek Orthodox Community of SA played a major role in supporting the growth of the Chian Association during those early years, and many successful and memorable dances were held at the Community’s Olympic Hall.

From Left: Vasilis Tsoumbarakis, Giorgos I Stavrinakis, Nick Cassoudakis, young Stan Cassoudakis (2003 Management Committee member), Nickolas Psarros (President, Chian Association), Panagiotis Kollis, Father Giorgos Pappas, Nickos Manos (Chian and President, Greek Orthodox Community of SA), Manolis Koutelas (Secretary, Greek Orthodox Community of SA), Evangelos Ganiaris, Dimitris Karousis, Kostas Pirgousis.

With the passage of time and the willingness and determination of members, the Chian Association prospered and the 1970s were a time of consolidation and strengthening of the Association, its finances and its membership. It soon became recognized as a point of reference for all Chians in South Australia and one of the leading somatia in the state.

One of the primary objectives of the Association, embodied in Article 3 of the Constitution, was to develop its own clubrooms and facilities to provide members with a venue for social, cultural, recreational and educational interaction with their families and friends. In the 1970’s the Association bought a house for investment purposes and subsequently, during the 1980s, a succession of committees investigated the potential of numerous halls that came on the market. All, however, were unsuccessful, primarily because the members could not come to any agreement as a unified body. Finally, at the Annual General Meeting of 25 April 1991, members overwhelmingly agreed to purchase the former Trinity College at 73 Grand Junction Road Rosewater, thereby providing a secure base for the progression of the Association into the next century.

From Left: Mihalis Prelias, Maria Stavrinakis, Sotiris Gerazounis, Stamatis Doulos, Dean Brown (Premier of South Australia), Stan Salagaras (President, Chian Association), Sylvia Cassoudakis, Michael Psarros, Con Kapiris.

The scenario for the enthusiasm with which members were to embrace the building program was set from the first weekend that the property was acquired. A large number gathered to eagerly inspect their newly purchased and valued clubrooms, and before departing, they completely demolished all the interior wooden walls “just to see what the hall would look like!”

Throughout the many months of alterations fundraising functions continued to be held at the hall and this gave members the opportunity to witness at regular intervals the progress being made. Working bees of Chians and friends came together to refurbish the hall – builders, plumbers, electricians, carpenters and painters gathered every weekend, and often during the week to continue the work. The significant leadership, devotion and ongoing contribution of Panagiotis Killis (Aghios Georgios), Nick Kollis (Aghios Georgios) and George N Stavrinakis (Viki) to the completion of the building program should not be undervalued or forgotten.

Volunteer helpers also came to add their labour, assistance and “expertise”, and as a result the facilities on most weekends became a social venue for the Chian community of South Australia. A multitude of members and friends would often gather, undertake their work, have a coffee or a barbecue, share a joke and enjoy each other’s company as they saw the realisation of their dreams. Those that were part of these developments still cherish many happy memories years later.

The building program was an excellent example of ethnic community development that has been typical of Australia’s growth as a nation. The project could not have been achieved without the dedication, energy and drive of all members, their families and friends. We saw the coming together of two and in some cases three generations of Chian families, male and female, young and old, all working towards the attainment of a shared vision.

 Front row (from left); Dorothy Salagaras, Dimitra Psarros, Maria Mylidonis, Despina Papanicolas
Second row(from left); Martha Kontos, Dimitris Sakalopoulos, Poppy Stavrinakis, Jim Scarvelis, Nick Kollis, Stamatis Doulos.

Throughout the highs and lows of the past forty years, the strength of the Association has been, and continues to be, the support of a loyal band of committed, hard working and devoted members who believe strongly in fostering, for successive generations of Chians, an understanding of the history, culture and traditions of the birthplace of our forefathers. Many people have worked tirelessly to make the Association what it is today, including some 30 successive Management Committees and Ladies Auxiliaries and the superb leadership provided by the Presidents of these groups (listed below). However, it would be remiss if a history of the Chian Association did not acknowledge the outstanding service of Evangelos Ganiaris (Kalimassia), who for 22 years, from 1961 to 1983, worked diligently and without reward for the Association. Moreover, when he retired from the Management Committee, he continued to actively support the Association and provide assistance in various administrative and literary matters.

From Left: Jim Scarvelis, Lefteris Kollis, Michael Psarros, John Pashalis, Stamatis Doulos, Prodromos Mylidonis, Nickos Paragios, Nick Kollis, Dimitris Sakalopoulos.

The 21st century has brought with it new opportunities and extra challenges about the future directions of the Association, its survival and relevance. The key drivers for the original formation of the Association were to draw together all Chians from Adelaide; to maintain and develop our Greek customs, culture and traditions; and to continue relationships with our mother country Greece, and especially Chios. While these objectives were significant for our fathers and grandfathers that started the Association, their relevance to future generations of Chians has to be questioned. The challenge for these generations of Australian-born Chians is to find the means of continuing to develop the values and beliefs of the Association, albeit in ways more relevant to their needs. The future of the Chian Association of SA looks very bright – there is a great deal of excitement and enthusiasm amongst members, younger Chians are increasingly becoming involved, functions are well attended and the Association is well managed and broadening the scope of its activities and interests. Everyone, in his or her own unique way, is working towards the maintenance of our extremely rich and proud Chian heritage.

Dr Stan Salagaras
25 June 2003