Greek-Australian Archive – Afroditi Kalotheos · Opening the Multilingual Archive of Australia

Greek-Australian Archive – Afroditi Kalotheos

Item

Title: Greek-Australian Archive – Afroditi Kalotheos
Subject: Australia--Emigration and immigration—History; Immigrants; Greek language, Modern; Voyages and travels; Families--History; Education
Category: 5. Cold War (including Decolonisation)
Author: Kalotheos, Afroditi
Keywords: Greeks in Australia; Oral history; Proxy marriage; Religion
Creator: Kallos, Kathy
Current holder: State Library of New South Wales
Date: February 20, 2023
Link: https://greekaustralianarchive.sl.nsw.gov.au/oral-histories/afroditi-kalotheos
Access rights: Digitised
Rights: Copyright holder : State Library of New South Wales
Please acknowledge : Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales
Country of origin: Australia
Place: Sydney
Language: Greek (Modern)
Description from source: Interviewer: Kathy Kallos

Occupation: Shop assistant, teacher
Year of arrival: 1970
Method of transport: Ship (Patris)

Afroditi Kalotheos was born on the Ionian Island of Lefkada in 1949. The youngest of three daughters, she was the only one in the family to complete her schooling before migrating to Sydney in 1970. Afroditi was sponsored by her middle sister who had emigrated a few years earlier due to economic hardship. Within a year, Afroditi was married by ‘proxenio’ (marriage by matchmaking) and had her first child soon after. She eventually achieved her lifelong dream of becoming a schoolteacher, teaching Greek and scripture. She also became a chanter in the Greek Orthodox church, a traditionally male-only role.

Interview summary
Afroditi describes her early years in Lefkada and her love of learning at school. She recalls the economic circumstances that prevented her from pursuing her dream of becoming a teacher and which spurred her migration. She describes meeting her husband in Sydney through ‘proxenio,’ and the many happy years they spent together. Afroditi also recounts the joy of achieving her dream of becoming a teacher and the challenges of serving as an Orthodox church chanter.
Physical format: Sound recording
Related resources: https://omaa-arts.sydney.edu.au/texts/4892/; https://omaa-arts.sydney.edu.au/texts/4893/; https://omaa-arts.sydney.edu.au/texts/4894/; https://omaa-arts.sydney.edu.au/texts/4895/; https://omaa-arts.sydney.edu.au/texts/4896/; https://omaa-arts.sydney.edu.au/texts/4897/; https://omaa-arts.sydney.edu.au/texts/4898/; https://omaa-arts.sydney.edu.au/texts/4899/; https://omaa-arts.sydney.edu.au/texts/4900/; https://omaa-arts.sydney.edu.au/texts/4901/; https://omaa-arts.sydney.edu.au/texts/4902/; https://omaa-arts.sydney.edu.au/texts/4903/; https://omaa-arts.sydney.edu.au/texts/4904/; https://omaa-arts.sydney.edu.au/texts/4906/; https://omaa-arts.sydney.edu.au/texts/4907/; https://omaa-arts.sydney.edu.au/texts/4908/; https://omaa-arts.sydney.edu.au/texts/4909/; https://omaa-arts.sydney.edu.au/texts/4910/; https://omaa-arts.sydney.edu.au/texts/4911/; https://omaa-arts.sydney.edu.au/texts/4912/; https://omaa-arts.sydney.edu.au/texts/4913/; https://omaa-arts.sydney.edu.au/texts/4914/; https://omaa-arts.sydney.edu.au/texts/4915/; https://omaa-arts.sydney.edu.au/texts/4916/; https://omaa-arts.sydney.edu.au/texts/4917/; https://omaa-arts.sydney.edu.au/texts/4918/; https://omaa-arts.sydney.edu.au/texts/4919/; https://omaa-arts.sydney.edu.au/texts/4920/; https://omaa-arts.sydney.edu.au/texts/4921/; https://omaa-arts.sydney.edu.au/texts/4922/; https://omaa-arts.sydney.edu.au/texts/4923/; https://omaa-arts.sydney.edu.au/texts/4924/; https://omaa-arts.sydney.edu.au/texts/4925/; https://omaa-arts.sydney.edu.au/texts/4926/; https://omaa-arts.sydney.edu.au/texts/4927/; https://omaa-arts.sydney.edu.au/texts/4928/; https://omaa-arts.sydney.edu.au/texts/4929/