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Durham E-Theses Trans-Atlantic linkage: a case study of Epthori, Greek Macedonia and its new England connections Collins, George B. How to cite: Collins, George B. (1983) Trans-Atlantic linkage: a case study of Epthori, Greek Macedonia and its new England connections, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/7860/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk 2 TRANS-ATLANTIC LINKAGE : A CASE STUDY OF EPTAHORI, GREEK MACEDONIA AND ITS NEW ENGLAND CONNECTIONS by f GEORGE B. COLLINS ---- ------~ The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published without his prior written consent and information derived from it should be acknowledged. A Thesis submitted to the University of Durham for the Degree of Master of Arts October 1983 '·•··.:·, ·. ·~ 26. ,IU:.I, 1984 Eptahori, Kastoria, Greece (c. l980) i ABSTRACT The aim of this study is to examine the relationship through time between the Greek village of Eptahori, Kastoria and the emigrants from there who settled in the United States. The linkage between Greek-Americans and their area of origin has not been thoroughly investigated by Social Scientists. The causes, mechanics and effects of the relation ship relating to both the migrants and village are analyzed. While linkage consists of economic ties in the form of remittance sending and return migration there are also the added dimensions of social and cultural exchange which effec~ the character of those involved. A brief description of site selection and a succinct breakdown of the village history and physical description are given. Also, a review of the overall Greek-American migration and settlement pattern, using a specific example in the U.S.A. to illustrate the typical Greek-American community, is included. Most important, is the information which was extracted from migrants and villagers during periods of field work in both the U.S. and Greece. The thesis then attempts to draw conclusions concerning the Eptahori case study and the overall concepts of Greek-American linkage, from a synthesis of data analysis and background information. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my thanks to the following people for their help in my preparation of this work : To my supervisor and great philhellene Mr. Michael P. Drury for his support, friendship and invaluable knowledge of the Greek people. To the people of the vill~ge of Eptahori, Kastoria, Greece. Their hospitality and affection allowed me to carry out my fieldwork in a most friendly atmosphere. To Mrs. Evunthea Bantis and Mr. Spiros Vlahos for their unending cooperation and assistance during my fieldwork in Manchester, N.H., U.S.A. To all the members of the St. George's Eptahorf Society, U.S.A. for their responses and encouragement. To Mr. Jon Mitchell for his invaluable assistance in cartographic innovation. And to Miss Kate C. Hampshire for her help in making my stay in England a most memorable one. iii CONTENTS Abstract . i Acknowledgements . • • . • . • . • • . • . ii Contents . iii CHAPTER ONE CONCEPTUAL AND REGIONAL INTRODUCTION .. 1 Site- Study subject selection......... 3 Research Methods . • . • . 5 Previous Relevant work ...... ~ . 9 INTRODUCTION - PART TWO DESCRIPTION AND HISTORY OF EPTAHORI ... 12 Economic History of Eptahori........... 27 References . • . 36 CHAPTER TWO SOME CONCEPTS OF MIGRATION ........... 39 Selection of Migrants . • . 40 Causes of Migration . • . • . • . • . 42 Consequences of Migration •............ 44 GREEK - AMERICAN MIGRATION ........ ·· . • 4 7 Destinations . • . • . • . • 50 Settlement . • . • . • . 53 Greek-American Organizations ...•...... 65 References............................ 67 CHAPTER THREE THE ST.GEORGE'S EPTAHORI SOCIETY OF THE U.S.A. ......•.........• 70 The Formation and Activity of the St. George's Eptahori Society............. 72 The constitution of the St. George's Eptahori Society . 77 Transactions of the St. George's Eptahori Society.................. 81 Notes on the American Society of Pendalofon ..•............ 85 References ............................ 88 iv CHAPTER FOUR RESULTS OF FIELDWORK IN THE U.S.A. WITH SPECIFIC REFERENCE TO THE GREEK-AMERICANS FROM EPTAHORI, KASTORIA .....•.............. ·· ..•. 89 Questionnaire .... .............••.......... 97 Results . 101 A:rlalysis . 104 Hypothesis for survey ...............•..... 108 Breakc.own A:rlalysis . • . • • . • . 110 A:rlswering consistency . • . • . • . 115 Remittance Survey . • . • • . • • • . 119 Reference . 12 8 CHAPTER FIVE RESULTS OF FIELDWORK IN EPTAHORI, KASTORIA . • . • . • . 12 9 Results 134 An a 1 y sis of Res u 1 t s .•.....•............ ·· . 13 6 Conclusions ................................ 139 The Return Migrants • . • . • . • . 142 Returnees to areas other than Eptahori .... 145 Notes on the Return Migrant of the Past ... 150 References . 15 3 CHAPTER SIX CONCLUSIONS .•..........•••••••............ 154 Institutional Linkage ...••........•........ 154 Individual Linkage .....•.•..•........•..... 158 Effects of linkage in Migration to u.s ...... 161 Effects of linkage on ~illage Society ...... 166 Return Migration as a form of linkage •..... 172 The Future . 175 References .•...•.....•..•..••••........ ··. 179 Afterword . 181 \' BIBLIOGRAPHY ..••.........•.........•••••••••. ·• • • · • · • · · · · · 183 v MAPS AND FIGURES Page 1. Map of Northwestern Greece: Eptahori in Region.al Context 4 2. Map of Northwestern Greece: Physiography .•............... 13 3. Map of Greece: Annual Precipiation ......•.... ~ ........... 14 4. Map of Expansion of the Modern Greek State ................ 19 5. Map of Proportions of Ethnographic Elements in Greek Macedonia 1912 and 1926 •.......•.•........................ 21 6. Map of Greece: Simplified Communications Infrastructure .. 25 7. Map of Eptahori: Local Context . • . • . 26 8. Figure 1-A. Age-Sex Diagram for Population of Eptahori, Kas tori a . 3 3 9. Map of U.S.A.: Greek Immigration up to 1930 ..........•... 55 10. Map of Manchester, N.H.: Greek Household Distribution Outside the Greek Population/Culture Core Area: 1924 ..... 57 11 .. Map of Manchester, N.H.: Greek Household Distribution Outside the Greek. Population/Culture Core Area: 1977 ..... 58 12. Map of Manchester, N.H.: Greek Population/Culture Core Area: Greek Population Density and Number of Greek Households 1924 and 1927 .•......•..•.•.•.................• 60 13. Map of Distribution of Eptahorians in the Northeastern U.S.A. 1980 ............................................... 90 14. Sketch.Map of Eptahori .................................... 131 15. Figure .5-A. Typical Return Migration of Economically Active Eptahorian Migrant 147 16. Figure 6-A. A Simplified Example of Eptahorian- . M' . Amer1can ~gra t1on ....................................... 16 7 17. Figure 6-B. A Simplified Example of Eptahorian- American Migration ...•...................................• 168 18. Figure 6.-c. A Simplified Example of Eptahorian- American M~gra tion . 16 9 19. Map of Greece: Percentage Population Change by Department 1951 -81 . 174 \ This work is dedicated to the loving memory of Joanne Jeffers Collins, 1930-1982. I -1- . CHAPTER ONE CONCEPTUAL AND REGIONAL INTRODUCTION The story of Greek out-migration to overseas destinations has been documented especially from the historical and socio- logical perspectives, examining the migratioH from the source areas and the settlement of these migrants in their new lands. In particular, recent work in the United States.has focussed on the assimilation of Greek-Americans into mainstream American society and the effects of this assimilation on the existing Greek-American Communities. This study, while touching upon assimilation and/or amounts of "Greekness" observed in Greek-American communities, primarily deals with the historical relationship between the emigrants from a specific village and the village itself. This relationship termed 11 linkage" is examined from the time of the first· out- migration from areas inhabited by Greek speaking peoples to · the United States~ This linkage is the product of several positively inter- acting variables which together form an active relationship bonding the emigrants and their originating area. The variables involved are those of economic ties such as the sending back of remittance money, land ownership and investment purchased with American income, kinship ties and the communications process between parties in the U.S. and in the source region, and the perception of the emigrants towards their home area including their interest in political issues there, their . opinion of the socioeconomic future of the region and the ,._, ' -2- amount of return migration expected. These few variables are not all-inclusive of what produces and effects linkage but they are the more important integral components contributing