Greek-Australian Archive – Evripidis Mouxouris

Item

Title
Greek-Australian Archive – Evripidis Mouxouris
Subject
Australia--Emigration and immigration—History
Immigrants
Greek language--History
Voyages and travels
World War, 1939-1945--Europe
Category
5. Cold War (including Decolonisation)
Author
Mouxouris, Evripidis
Keywords
Greeks in Australia
Oral history
Creator
Kallos, Kathy
Current holder
State Library of New South Wales
Date
January 20, 2023
Link
https://greekaustralianarchive.sl.nsw.gov.au/oral-histories/evripidis-mouxouris
Access rights
Digitised
Country of origin
Australia
Place
Sydney
Language 
Greek (Modern)
Description from source
Interviewer: Kathy Kallos

Occupation: Farmer, tailor, cleaner
Year of arrival: 1976
Method of transport: Aeroplane

Evripidis Mouxouris was born in Morphou, Cyprus in 1921. He grew up in a rural family, leaving school at the age of 12 to become an apprentice tailor. In 1938, after he and his co-workers were dissatisfied with their poor wages, they formed a union. He later joined AKEL, the Workers Party of Cyprus, and has remained a lifelong member. During World War Two, he enlisted as part of the Cyprus Regiment of the British Army and was sent to the Italian front. After the war, Evripidis returned to his trade, opening a tailor shop in Nicosia in 1952. Following the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus, Evripidis and his young family sought refuge in a vacant flat in Nicosia for two years, before migrating to Australia.

Interview summary
Evripidis recalls his early life in Morphou, prior to leaving school to become a tailor. He provides a rich account of his time in the army during World War Two when he was sent to Italy. He talks about his involvement in the union movement and describes the violence he witnessed outside his tailor shop in central Nicosia, which was a hotbed of political activity. He provides a moving account of the day his son was born amid the chaos of the 1974 Turkish invasion.
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/