THE GREEK AUSTRALIAN The oldest circulating Greek newspaper outside Greece email: VEMA [email protected] JULY 2007 Tel. (02) 9559 7022 Fax: (02) 9559 7033 In this issue... Our Primate’s View ‘CASINO’ - THE MOST FORMIDABLE ‘TERRORIST’

PAGE 5/23 Parnitha fire aftermath The burning of Parnitha forest will have the same effect on the city Pilgrimage to Patmos: as thedoubling of vehicles on its streets overnight, scientists warn Island of the Apocalypse Environment Minister George Souflias mates that his plan will cost approximately Parnitha is not a recreational ground. “Its announced a host of measures on July 9 30 million euros. one and only primary reason for being is the PAGES 8/26- 9/27 addressing the issues of flooding, soil ero- Measures welcomed preservation of biodiversity,” he said and sion and reforestation in response to the added that for this to be achieved many blaze that burned down over 4,000 Environmentalists welcomed Souflias’ things would have to change, such as limit- hectares of Attica’s last remaining fir-tree plans saying they are a step in the right ing traffic on the mountain. forest. direction. But in two separate press confer- Temperatures rising But environmentalists and academics ences, non-governmental organisations believe that more must be done to counter- (NGOs) stressed that more must be done to WWF and Greenpeace, along with scien- balance the main consequence of the fire - a revive Parnitha and to ensure that measures tists from the National Technical University change in the region’s micro-climate. are taken to counterbalance the effects the of Athens (NTUA) and the University of “I want to stress that we have set targets catastrophe will have on the region’s micro- Athens (UoA), warned during a press con- and timetables that are hard to achieve. We climate and quality of life. ference on July 10 that Parnitha’s burning realise this is a very important issue for During a press conference organised by means that “Athens has lost its most impor- Attica, and we will try to respond to citizens’ five environmental groups on July 11, tant mechanism for defervescence” and that demands,” Souflias said after meeting with George Sfikas, the honorary head of the quality of life will suffer. Agriculture Minister Evangelos Basiakos, as Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature Dr Manthos Santamouris from the UoA well as regional, forestry and other officials. (HSPN), told journalists that the National explained that Parnitha’s forest was one of According to the environment minister, by Forest’s boundaries should be extended to the most important cooling mechanisms for July 19 the Army’s Geographical Service include nearby public forests, and that forest Attica’s climate. Now that it has been will produce aerial photographs mapping maps and a forest registry must be immedi- replaced with charred trees, the air passing the burned areas, and within a week of this ately compiled for the whole country. over the area will be heated instead of the areas will be declared reforestable. The Martin Gaitlich, also from HSPN, told cooled, adding to the city’s already heavy Parnitha Forestry Department has already journalists that the ministry should not heatload, in the same way that additional 90th anniversary of started compiling an assessment of the wood attempt to introduce non-indigenous species traffic does. “Simply put, it’s as though we that is available for anti-erosion and anti- into the affected area. doubled the number of cars in the Attica Australia’s saddest year flooding works. Constantinos Liarikos of environmental basin,” he said. Souflias estimates that the study outlining group WWF agreed and stressed that PAGE 15/33 the necessary works will be ready by the beginning of August, but said that construc- tion of some projects would start even earli- er. Regarding reforestation, the necessary study will be ready by the end of September, the minister said and added that on November 1 - after the first rainfalls - refor- estation will begin. Grazing will be forbid- den in the affected areas, more guards will be hired and the area will be monitored by satellite in order to detect land poachers and illegal buildings springing up. According to Souflias, illegal constructions will be torn down immediately. The minister also announced a host of measures for the protection of local fauna. Entry in the Mola area will be forbidden, Amorgos: home to the and wounded animals will be cared for and fed. But citizens will not be allowed to feed improbable and impractical Provost Norm animals or intervene for fear that their efforts will have negative effects. Souflias esti- McFarland - Just PAGE 18/36 an ordinary bloke UNESCO slams seven ‘new’ wonders of the world list

PAGES 10/28 & 11/29 PAGE 2/20 JULY 2007 2/20 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA

UNESCO slams seven ‘new’ wonders of the world list JULY 27, 1949 First jet makes test flight

On this day in 1949, the world's first jet- propelled airliner, the British De Havilland Comet, makes its maiden test- flight in England. The jet engine would ultimately revolutionize the airline indus- try, shrinking air travel time in half by enabling planes to climb faster and fly higher.

JULY 29, 1958 NASA created

On thisSOVIETS day in 1958, INVADEthe U.S. Congress passesCZECHOSLOVAKIA: legislation establishing the National AeronauticsAugust 20, and 1968 Space Admini- stration (NASA), a civilian agency re- sponsible for coordinating America's acti- vitiesOn the in night space. of NASA August has 20, since 1968, sponsored approx- spaceimately expeditions, 200,000 Warsaw both humanPact troops and me-and chanical,5,000 tanks that invadehave yielded Czechoslovakia vital informa- to tioncrush about the "Praguethe solar Spring"--a system and brief universe. period It Shortlisted sites that missed the final cut included Sydney Opera hasof liberalization also launched in numerous the communist earth-orbiting coun- House, the Acropolis in Athens and Paris’ Eiffel Tower satellitestry. Czechoslovakians that have been protested instrumental the inva- in everythingsion with public from demonstrations weather forecasting and other to The UN body for culture blasted a private initiative that drew navigationnon-violent to tactics,global communications.but they were no nearly 100 million internet and telephone voters to choose seven NASAmatch for was thecreated Soviet in responsetanks. The to theliberal So- “new” wonders of the world. vietreforms Union's of OctoberFirst Secretary 4, 1957 launchAlexander of its “This campaign responds to other criteria and objectives than that firstDubcek satellite, were Sputnik repealed I. and "normaliza- of UNESCO in the field of heritage,” said Sue Williams, the spokes- tion" began under his successor Gustav woman for the UN cultural body that designates world heritage sites. Husak. AUGUST 5, 1962 “We have a much broader vision,” she told AFP. Marilyn Monroe is found dead Voters chose the Great Wall of China; India’s Taj Mahal; the cen- PARIS LIBERATED: turies-old pink ruins of Petra in Jordan; the Colosseum in Rome; the On AugustAugust 5, 1962, movie25, 1944 actress Marilyn statue of Christ overlooking Rio de Janeiro; the Incan ruins of Machu Monroe is found dead in her home in Los Picchu in Peru; and the ancient Mayan city of Chichen Itza in Angeles.After more She than was four discovered years of Nazilying occu- nude Mexico. onpation, her bed, Paris face is down,liberated with by a telephonethe French in British actor Ben Kingsley and US actress Hillary Swank hosted a one2nd Armoredhand. Empty Division bottles and ofthe pills, U.S. pre-4th ceremony at Lisbon’s Stadium of Light, broadcast in more than 170 scribedInfantry toDivision. treat her German depression, resistance were was lit- countries to an estimated 1.6 billion viewers. teredlight, aroundand General the room. Dietrich After vona brief Choltitz, inves- A private Swiss foundation launched the contest in January, allow- tigation,commander Los ofAngeles the German police concludedgarrison, ing voters to choose from 21 sites shortlisted out of 77. It said it had thatdefied her an orderdeath bywas Adolf "caused Hitler byto blow a self- up gathered nearly 100 million votes by the end of polling at midnight administeredParis' landmarks overdose and burn of sedativethe city todrugs the on Friday. is the only real wonder of the world,” Egypt’s antiquities supremo andground that thebefore mode its of deathliberation. is probable Choltitz sui- According to its backers, the campaign aimed to update the origi- Zahi Hawass told AFP. “This competition has no value because it is cide."signed a formal surrender that afternoon, nal list of seven world wonders, drawn up about 200 BC, of which not the masses who write history.” and on August 26, Free French General only the pyramids of Giza remain today. China did not broadcast the event, leaving thousands of tourists at Charles de Gaulle led a joyous liberation Shortlisted sites that missed the final cut included Sydney Opera the Great Wall unaware of its new status. march down the Champs d'Elysees. House; the Acropolis in Athens; Paris’ Eiffel Tower; the Easter Island “As usual there are a lot of tourists here today, but I don’t think they statues; Britain’s Stonehenge; Cambodia’s Angkor Wat temples; came here because the Great Wall was chosen as one of the seven JAPAN SURRENDERS: New York’s Statue of Liberty; and the Alhambra in Spain. wonders of the world,” Hu Yang, an official at the Badaling Great September 2, 1945 Christian Manhart, UNESCO’s press officer, criticised the ballot, Wall near Beijing, told AFP. saying it sent out a “negative message to countries whose sites have “All the same it is a great honour for all of China.” not been retained”. Aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, Indians handed out sweets and set off fireworks outside the Taj “All of these wonders obviously deserve a place on the list, but Japan formally surrenders to the Allies, Mahal, a 17th century marble mausoleum built by Mughal ruler Shah what disturbs us is that the list is limited to just seven,” he said, point- bringing an end to World War II. Jahan in memory of his wife. ing out that “seven were adequate in antiquity because the antique By the summer of 1945, the defeat of “It’s a victory of love, the message which the Taj stands for,” said AUGUST 6, 1945 world was much smaller than today,” only comprising the area sur- Japan was a foregone conclusion. The Rakesh Chauhan, president of the Agra Hotel and Restaurant Atomic bomb is dropped on rounding the Mediterranean. Japanese navy and air force were Association. Hiroshima The privately sponsored campaign was the brainchild of a Swiss destroyed. The Allied naval blockade of Faruq Hadidi, head of Jordan’s tourism ministry, meanwhile said filmmaker and museum curator Bernard Weber, following the Japan and intensive bombing of Japanese the flow of tourists to Petra would “double” from its current level of On this day in 1945, at 8:16 a.m. Japanese destruction of Afghanistan’s giant Buddha statues at Bamiyan by the cities had left the country and its economy 400,000 visitors a year. time, an American B-29 bomber, the Taliban in 2001, and part of the money made on yesterday’s ceremo- devastated. At the end of June, the In Peru, hundreds gathered at 2,430 meters to greet the announce- Enola Gay, drops the world's first atom ny was to go towards rebuilding the massive sculptures. Americans captured Okinawa, a Japanese ment that the ruins of Machu Picchu had made it on the new list. bomb, over the city of Hiroshima. But Manhart said: “UNESCO is not in favour of rebuilding the island from which the Allies could launch “The selection of Machu Picchu is an example of what Peruvians Approximately 80,000 people are killed as Buddhas,” pointing out that valuable remains of the old statues an invasion of the main Japanese home can achieve when we unite” as they did by voting in favour of “the a direct result of the blast, and another remain in the rocky niches that make up the site. islands. U.S. General Douglas MacArthur new marvel”, trade and tourism minister Mercedes Araoz told 35,000 are injured. At least another 60,000 “If you build new statues in these niches you destroy those re- was put in charge of the invasion, which reporters. would be dead by the end of the year from mains,” he said. was code-named "Operation Olympic" Thousands also cheered, waved flags and broke into Mayan dances the effects of the fallout. In light of the strong Islamist presence in Afghanistan, Manhart also and set for November 1945. at the archaeological ruins on Mexico’s Yucatan, when Chichen Itza, insisted it would be difficult to rebuild another religion’s “idols” in which attracts more than one million tourists a year, made it to the the country. final list. “Mr Weber does not have a mandate from the Afghan government, In Rio de Janeiro, which hosted one of the Live Earth concerts, hun- and without a mandate you can’t do anything,” he said. dreds of thousands of singing and dancing revellers broke into huge Egypt, home of the Giza pyramids, was also critical, dismissing the applause as they were told the city’s landmark Christ the Redeemer new list of wonders as worthless. statue was a new “wonder”. “This contest will not detract from the value of the pyramids, which AFP JULY 2007 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 3/21 Editorial

ed socialists even more; and that margin actually widened ment handsomely above the three percent threshold; and New Democracy’s by six points over the past month. the right wing Laos is now set to enter for the first time. popularity There is a second major socialist weakness. The party is Greeks seem to think that the remedy to corruption is not putting its voters out to graze while New Democracy is alternation between two parties, but a dilution of their abil- managing to herd its faithful. For instance, GPO finds that ity to govern alone. The most pro-government poll, that of NEW DEMOCRACY has been damaged by the bond while 77 percent of New Democracy voters give their VPRC, commissioned by Kathimerini, says 59 percent of scandal but will still win the next general election, albeit party good marks for performance, only 62 percent of voters now prefer a coalition government. MRB found by a reduced margin, because nobody trusts Pasok to man- Pasok voters do the same for theirs. The picture is similar three-quarters in favour of a five-party parliament. How age the economy. That, broadly speaking, seems to be the with the personalities of the party leaders. Prime Minister else to explain the fact that great majorities want parties prediction of a majority of Greeks in four different opinion Costas Karamanlis wins the approval of 85 percent of his they don’t vote for to enter parliament - two-thirds for polls taken in late May and early June for variously affili- voters, but George Papandreou only inspires 69 percent of LAOS and 70 percent for the Left Coalition, according to ated media. those who voted for him in 2004 - and that has gone up GPO. from an embarrassing 47 percent on the eve of the bond Two of the four polls, which ask for voter intent, find a fiasco. To an observer, the state of Greek democracy is not a one- (GPO) and two- (MRB) point conservative lead - well healthy one. People are voting for ruling parties they do within the margin of error, but consistent with older polls Overall, the most important measurement in Greek politics not fully trust. Despite their cynicism, they are not protect- unsullied by the bond. And the three polls that asked the is whom voters find most suited to be prime minister. ed enough from outrage. Angered by continuing corrup- question found that over 60 percent of voters expect New Karamanlis still enjoys leads over Papandreou of between tion, or perceived corruption, they want to prise their par- Democracy to win. All this strongly suggests that Pasok’s 11.6 points (MRB) and 23 points (VPRC). ties’ insular gene pools open by forcing coalitions - a des- efforts to sustain the bond topic with television appear- perate measure in a country where parties do not collabo- ances and parliamentary inquiries have not given it votes. All this does not mean that voters are letting New rate. The last coalition, between communists and conser- Democracy off the hook. According to Metron Analysis, vatives, had only one agenda - to get rid of the socialists - If this position holds, it will be the second time Pasok has three-quarters of voters think Tsitouridis was a scapegoat; and floundered through two elections in 1990. failed to mire the conservatives in parliamentary commit- and according to GPO 69 percent find the bond impossible tee hearings. The first was a sustained inquiry into the to dismiss, including 52 percent of conservative support- Polls between general elections are always somewhat biggest act of political espionage in recent history through ers. Minorities still want Finance Minister George tinged with the triumphalism of protest at the incumbent. the Vodafone network - something New Democracy was Alogoskoufis and his deputy, Petros Doukas, to go. Some of the seepage to the marginalia, left and right, may the victim of but tried to cover up. ultimately be sucked back in on election week. But the Unfortunately for Pasok, Greeks think the grass is paler on democratic deficit is now a clear liability for the two-party The latest scandal, in which the government seems to have its side. Not only do Greeks still blame Pasok for state cor- system. insinuated bond issues into pension fund portfolios at dis- ruption; 36 percent say New Democracy is best equipped advantageous prices, broke upon the Greek public on to resolve corruption compared to just 25 percent for Karamanlis may rest on Greece’s exit from excessive March 1. The conservatives withstood a political gale last- Pasok. deficit procedure and people’s distrust of Pasok at the helm ing two months before making Employment Minister of the economy to return him to a second term; but he will Savvas Tsitouridis walk the plank on April 28. But it is the dissatisfaction with both that grabs the head- likely only win a third by forcing his ministers to employ lines. Another 36 percent says that neither party can clean technocrats rather than chums, and live up to his promise The explanation for New Democracy’s immunity this time house. of transparency. around is probably in what VPRC found - that while 20 percent of Greeks blame the ruling conservatives most for The result is spillage to small parties. The Left Coalition, endemic state corruption, 34 percent still blame the depart- once fearing for its political life, is set to re-enter parlia- ATHENS NEWS

changed forever. Well, what changed were STATEMENT BY HIS EMINENCE Talking my expectations of myself. When I entered this friend’s house the first thing I noticed ARCHBISHOP STYLIANOS were vegemite sandwiches, or rather, the remains. They formed an interesting trail DEAN OF ST ANDREW’S Point from the doorway, all the way through the hall and into the family room at the rear of GREEK ORTHODOX by Ann Coward the house. Mess was everywhere. I should have felt completely at home in such a THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE chaotic setting, but I was too stunned. “Cleanliness is/is not Seeing my face, the lady of the house took I perhaps should not have responded at all to the recent, unexpected and highly a deep breath, shrugged her shoulders and offensive statements of the Vatican, regarding both Orthodox and other non-Roman next …” said (and I have never forgotten these words), “Sorry about the mess, but the Catholic Christians, except with eloquent silence. So often magazines tell us that our houses, cleaner’s taken the week off”. This was her and the way we decorate them, reveal a lot secret! about us as individuals, and our inner However, after voluntarily resigning from the Official Theological Dialogue thoughts. For some people, certainly, their How a family works out its finances is a between the Orthodox and the Roman Catholic Churches, of which I was Co-Chair houses are works of art. For others, houses matter of individual priority and ours has for twenty pain-staking years, so that I would no longer have any involvement in are places that continue to evolve over the never stretched to hiring a cleaner, and, as life of a family – the rooms and their con- strange as it may sound, it never occurred such an impious ‘game’, I would have to state -to that which has recently been pub- tents changing to meet the needs of family to me that any of my friends had cleaners. lished on the topic- just the following: members from birth to old age. If it wasn’t Don’t get me wrong; there are times when for taxes perhaps we would change our I utterly despair over the mounting piles of entire location as our families grew up, but washing, books and paperwork cluttering I could never have imagined that my humble estimations of Cardinal Joseph the cost of selling, buying, and shifting tend up every table top and chair, not to mention to discourage this practice. One result is, of Ratzinger and his overall work prior to his elevation as Pope would prove so soon the floor despite the lovely description in to be justified and indicative. After his elevation we saw his sudden transformation course, that if one buys a house previously one of the artist Mirka Mora’s books* occupied by an elderly ‘empty-nester’ cou- where she refers to children’s clutter not as into the most ardent herald of Medieval ‘fables’ of the Papacy. ple, it tends to have quite a number of fea- being surrounded by mess, but by their tures that make a house more liveable: lives. handrails alongside stairs, a generous and With the supposed resumption of the ‘Official Theological Dialogue’, I intend to convenient supply of power points, and So my family continues to live in chaos. return to the topic of these ‘undermining’ rapid developments in more detail, which washing lines inside carports, for starters. The difference that unexpected visit years in an enormous hypocrisy tragically contradict the most promising endeavours of ago had on me, though, was that it made What might a house say about us? One me realise in a flash that I didn’t have the the Second Vatican Council in Ecclesiology and Ecumenism. family I knew, when my children were most untidy children in the world and I young, always prided themselves on being wasn’t the worst house cleaner in existence. ‘guest ready’. Their house was spotless; It’s simply a matter of priorities. just the sort of place that made me felt like By His Eminence Archbishop STYLIANOS a total failure as a housewife. Then … one Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church in Australia day I popped in unexpectedly and my life * Mirka Mora, My life: Wicked but virtuous. JULY 2007 4/22 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA

Greece through the ages A Greek-American reflects on his connection to Greece’s past and present GEORGE COUFOS their convictions and fostering reassurance through their confidence. I grew up during the 1960s, a Greek-American Most jockeyed and petitioned for favour in an ethnic neighbourhood in Boston. My par- among the great powers, who assumed the ents emigrated from the village of Vassaras in roles formerly played by Zeus, Apollo, the Peloponnese. At home we spoke only Poseidon and Athena. Great victories were fol- Greek - or rather, we spoke “Greeklish”, an lowed by internal squabbles, until they lost odd synthesis of two languages, much more almost everything they had gained. In the end, Greek than English. only the intervention of the “gods” made vic- Although I was born in the US, I could barely tory and the creation of the modern Greek state speak real English when school began. possible. Speaking only when necessary, I remember In recent history, modern-age Gods spoke to my embarrassment as I struggled to pronounce and through their agents in ways reminiscent the words. I also remember scornful looks of Homer. During WWII a “winged messen- from some teachers, true blue bloods of old LEFT: Nobel laureate Odysseus Elytis captured the essence of the Greek experience in his work ger” from the north advised the leftwing Boston suffering through the influx of uncouth RIGHT: Kolokotronis, a familiar Hellene archetype of the early 19th century Andartes to settle with the allies as the German interlopers. tragedy, joy, celebration and mourning danced ness. For any mischief or laughter, even a evacuation loomed. In Yalta it was agreed that As children, we played in the streets and together in the dazzling light. Under their spell, smile, he’d pull my ears so hard I could hear Greece would go with the west, while the alleys. Ethnicity was more prominent in our I found a thread running through it all - the the cartilage stretching. Soviets took the northern Balkans. minds then, prompting the usual stereotypical entire catastrophe, as long and fulfilling as These memories pass through my mind like The Captains and their bands were, for the jokes and prejudices conveyed through chil- Cavafy’s road to Ithaca. the Meltemi. The smell of frankincense and most part, oblivious to these political manoeu- dren’s humour. There were sarcastic remarks The eyes of every Greek betray these contra- burning candles, the chiding of the priest or a vres. Even the politically savvy Communists at the markets and occasional taunting by the dictions - Athens as the Cradle of Democracy, wink as we made eye contact in the midst of a were unaware why they were discouraged by assimilated. The message was clear: recent as well as the underlying feuds, petty infight- mass. As I reflect on my entire experience at St Stalin. immigrants were something less. ing and ostracism. I watched the 2004 John’s during those years, I feel a connection Fuelled by extreme suffering and desperation Society has since changed drastically, only in Olympics on television. The beauty and spec- with Byzantium. There was an archaic quality during the wars, the Greek poets of that gener- some ways for the better. Being foreign in the tacle of the Opening Ceremony was amazing. in the experience; a certain weight to the rever- ation created some of the richest, most soulful US today carries an exotic flair; a somewhat I can only guess at what went on behind the ence and ceremony within that old building. and poignant poetry ever produced. Cavafy, ironic twist for a country whose main exports scenes, very likely another epic struggle, pos- There was even talk of a coming messiah-like Elytis, Ritsos, Solomos, Seferis are names of are its store brands - exports that smother the sibly several, but the outcome speaks for itself. figure who would lead us to one day recapture literary giants; their body of work captured the character and uniqueness of importers with tra- Travel writer Lawrence Durrell, who spent Constantinople from the demonised Turks. essence of the Greek experience. ditions older than time. much of his time in Greece, believed humans The congregation consisted of a cross-section They conjured up the powerful imagery of a My mother’s name was Eugenia, and she often are a product of their landscape, and that if of people from across the vast range of the collective Hellenic consciousness; a dream- used the more acceptable “Jean”. My daughter every Greek citizen were to vanish tomorrow, Greek experience. Just 40 years removed, scape littered by corpses rotting in the inherited my mother’s name and goes by the soil would inevitably produce a new crop surely there were some who had survived the Mediterranean sun and swelling stomachs of “Evyenia”. She could use the shortened “Nia”, of people with the same traits and characteris- catastrophe at Smyrna in 1922, others who had malnourished children. but she loves her name, and most respond tics. survived the German occupation and still oth- Trudging on, these great poets and their people accordingly. ers of the original Athenian manges, beaten broke through the nightmare, reaching the Thanks to my parents’ exuberance, my senses The role of the church into submission by time. branch of the orphaned olives and grapevines were exposed to the light, sounds, smells and to salvation. They provided the inspiration that people of Greece early on. I became fascinated The Orthodox Church is clearly at the core of The captains’ history lifted the country out from the pit of misery, by Greek history and origins, insatiably taking Hellenism. As a child, I vividly remember the suffering and humiliation. in writings from every historical period. dark solemnity of our family’s church, St John The early 19th century produced some famil- Even with the trauma behind them, the people With this awakening, my visits to Greece took the Baptist, in the South End of Boston. iar Hellene archetypes. Heroes named returned as empty, spent human shells. Then, on a depth of experience. I was awed walking I served as an altar boy. Father Harry Kolokotronis, Botsaris, Koundouriotis and as if by design, the soil produced a new wave the archaic streets of Plaka, viewing the Hatzopoulos was an old hand with a dry sense Miaoulis. Like the ancients that accompanied of spiritual artistry in Theodorakis and ancient temples and the more recent monu- of humour, and with his helpers he had a for- Agamemnon, each of them led a band of men. Kazantzakis. These men recalled the lost spir- ments in memory of the thousands of victims midable team. Words were few and move- As a new twist, they were called “Captains” its of the Greeks, reminding them of who they of the German occupation and its aftermath. ments precise during the liturgy. and each brandished a unique nickname, had been and would again become. Shadows of the past hung in the air, an insepa- I attended Greek School in that same building. attracting followers through the Greek form of rable part of the Greek atmosphere. Echoes of Kirios Spiros Bouzianis was stern and all busi- machismo; self-assured, unshakeable, firm in ATHENS NEWS Greece is the word in foreign media Christian Dior, Gucci, Calvin Klein Research by the general secretariat of information and communication Katerina + Kyriacos Mavrolefteros suggests that Greece is becoming more newsworthy abroad Dean Psarakis & Mary Krithinakis Greece is enjoying a reputation for greater tinued to strengthen",said Mr Livadas. trust and respect in the foreign media, accord- The figures, which were collated from 39 ing to research carried out by the general sec- general secretariat offices in 33 countries, OPTOMETRISTS retariat of information and communication. show that there is almost as much interest in Reports mentioning Greece in the foreign the Greek economy within the American press, radio and television during two six- media as there is in the news outlets of month periods (June-December 2005 and Bulgaria and Romania, countries which have 2006) suggest a growing interest abroad in seen considerable Greek investment and have Greek economic affairs, as well as traditional- a natural interest in the financial mechanisms ly newsworthy subjects, such as culture and and conditions needed to adopt the euro. 874 Anzac Parade, Maroubra Junction tourism. "The American interest was particularly eye- (at bus stop, on RTA block) According to Panos Livadas, the general sec- catching," said Livadas. "For centuries this retary for information, the heightened world- area was the powder keg of Europe. It has only TEL: (02) 9314-0393 wide interest in all matters Greek reflects the been in the last 10 years that our relationship country's growing stature within southeast with neighbouring countries has switched [email protected] Europe and further afield. from being a hurdle to a tool for growth. They "This research shows that those attributes share the same vision for democracy and free- We have over 1,200 spectacle frames remain strong, which is very positive for tradi- dom of economy and have aspirations to 114624 tional industries like tourism, but also that the ascend to European organisations. Today they and sunglasses on display! Silhouette, Adidas, Carrera positive attributes that came out of the look up to Greece as an example. We have sat- Olympics - like creativity, stability, the high isfied targets, which are now their targets." quality of services and teamwork - have con- ATHENS NEWS Serengeti, Dolce & Gabbana, YSL Polo Ralph Lauren, Oakley, La font JULY 2007 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 5/23 Our Primate’s View

If there is a conclusion at which almost all psychologists, educators However, let us now look very briefly at which basic truths an ‘ele- and sociologists converge today, without hesitation, (despite the known flu- mentally realistic meditation’ secures for us. idity and conjecture which forever characterizes these areas of anthropolog- First of all, what does this ‘recipe’ mean? ical studies), it is the conviction that: ‘Elementally realistic meditation’ is three words. Each of them is an ‘outstretched finger’ that points to the correct direction at every ‘cross- “The more man remains satisfied road’. with little, the more content he feels ‘Element’ is that which is given in Nature, before man. Given in the present world of frequent from God the Creator, it constitutes the ‘roots’ of the world. Whoever does deceptions and delusions, with its not respect the ‘roots’, cannot hope for a plant or a flower or ‘fruit’. inescapably painful contradictions”. Physics, chemistry, medicine, astronomy and all the so-called ‘nat- ural philosophies’ are based on these ‘elemental’ ‘foundations’ of the world. For modern man to comprehend the truth of the above ‘principle’ They are ‘discovered’ by human ‘thought’ or ‘meditation’. Man does not – which, of course, was not dictated by the authority of a divine Revelation ‘invent’ them with his unwholesome ‘imagination’. but by a systematic experiential observation – it would suffice to remember Those ‘things’, therefore, that are physically ‘accomplished’, and which are the most essential factors that ensure a ‘balance’ between the not the ‘apparitions’ or the ‘names’, dictate the reverent hierarchy of ‘real- counter-active impulses and strengths of the intelligent person. ism’, to the exact opposite of ‘idealism’. There should not remain any doubt that the balance in question is to be found in the ‘golden mean’ between the two ‘extremes’, that is, in Following these general observations, it becomes apparent that, at ‘abundance’ on the one hand, and in ‘compunction’ on the other. least for the faithful member of the Judeo-Christian Tradition, the following It should also be said that the ‘balance’ to which we refer has, from truths and relationships must stand as self-evident. long ago, been characterized as ‘peace’ and ‘prosperity’ (rather than the colourless and neutral term ‘happiness’!). 1. Inanimate ‘money’ is only for ‘use’. It does not allow for ‘cultivation’ However, ‘peace’and ‘prosperity’in human life are inconceivable as, for example, the ‘animate’ or ‘organic’ creations. Consequently, it is without ‘justice’ whose first presupposition is ‘good will’ (in other words, ‘pieced together’ which is why it is called a ‘coin’! ‘good’ intent and disposition!) regardless of whether man lives ‘alone’ or in any form of ‘family’ and ‘community’. 2. Inanimate ‘money’ is ‘useful’ only as a means. Never as a direct ‘end’ and especially never an ‘end in itself’. It is obvious from the above that whatever person or action (real or imagined) drives away our peace, this understandably becomes a source of terror and insecurity at every moment of our lives, be we ‘awake’ or ‘asleep’. ‘CASINO’ - THE MOST By Archbishop Justifiably, then, in recent times (given the rise in globally expand- Stylianos ing and technologically developing Terrorism in the extreme) all responsi- FORMIDABLE ‘TERRORIST’ of Australia ble Governments are attempting to protect human victims primarily, as well as priceless socio-political creations and means of communication which, as ‘public utilities’, constitute historical landmarks of civilization. 3. Inanimate ‘money’ is always related to man’s work, to which it refers, The tragedy of the situation is such that one could epigrammatical- thus ‘rewarding’ it externally. ly declare that “everyone and everything today is exposed to every threat”. Not only the so-called ‘activists’ who are engaged in ‘ideological’ or ‘reli- This is the meaning of the relevant commands in Divine gious’ struggles of mutual destruction, but also the infinitely more populous Revelation, as for example: innocent, as they live or move unsuspectingly in their homes, in hospitals, in a) “in the sweat of your face shall you eat bread” (Gen. 3:19). schools, in public buildings and, generally, in institutions of common bene- b) “if anyone will not work, neither shall he eat” (2 Thess. 3:10). fit. In the face of what, at first glance, is seen as ‘scaremongering’or It is precisely this personal ‘toil’ and ‘sweat’ of man at work that ‘alarmism’ by the State, albeit exaggerated at times, it is not possible for an elevates even the most menial of a Monk’s ‘handiwork’ to ‘prayer’! The unbiased critic not to acknowledge an estimable degree of social sensitivi- Latin Monks used to say Laborare est orare (that is, “work = prayer”), which ty and responsibility in the ‘vigilance’ displayed by Governments. expressed, above all, practical usefulness, as a rule.

Nonetheless, as exaggerated as the estimates by State ‘welfare’ for 4. If, from all of the above analyses, it becomes clear that the mod- its people or material goods might be (either through predictability or sta- ern industry of ‘grabbing’ and ‘plundering’ from those who are tistically after the event) when faced by the danger of ‘imminent assault’, by weaker in character, continues to triumph more and more under the ‘unforeseen invasion’ or by ‘guerrilla bomb attacks’, as occurs with banner of the Casino, one asks which lawful and moral institution Terrorism, they cannot, even infinitesimally, approximate the permanently could halt this incomparable wound of contemporary societies. threatened or silently obliterated ‘victims’ of that most atrocious ‘Curse’, mainly in capitalistic societies, which answers to the name ‘Casino’. The ‘Justice and Welfare State’, as proclaimed at least by the Certainly, we should declare that, initially, the so-called ‘games of constitutionally legislated and democratically elected Government, under chance’ as a part of daily routine with which man has attempted occasional- the circumstances, would acquire a proportional strength. As much as the ly to ‘entertain’ his ‘boredom’, or to ‘fill’ his ‘spare time’ could not possibly State Authorities attempt to cover up their responsibilities with sophisticated always evolve into the resistless obsession of ‘gambling’, as described for us declarations and excuses, they remain unconvincing. by the eminent ‘anatomist’ of the human soul, Fyodor Dostoevsky (himself a Suffice for one to recall the legal threats published recently in the victim of gambling!). media with regard to the two well-known giant Casinos (Melbourne and In any event, the small amounts which the ‘player’ might risk (in Gold Coast) in order to appreciate, from the alleged ‘profit losses’, how enor- Greek the word ‘dice’ = ‘kyvos’ is derived from the verb ‘diakyvevo’ = ‘to mous are the amounts of money that are trafficked under the wizardry and risk’) could not possibly ever reach such ‘heights’ so as to humiliate and, in the intoxication of this most remorseless crime. the end, totally destroy entire lives and families, as occurs today around the Even worse is the fact that, in the end, the two relevant State so-called ‘green tables’, ‘roulettes’, etc. Governments appear themselves to support the ‘debauchery’, claiming to Whoever has not seen, even as a visitor passing through, the orgy have a supposed ‘lawful right’ (!) since they collect the ‘lion’s share’ which of senselessness and dehumanization which is gradually consummated (far they calculate as one of the most stable sources of public revenue. from the gaze of wider publicity!) in the demonically conceived facilities of As for the Religious Organizations and Churches, it should be a modern Casino, will never be in a position to imagine the atrocity of stressed that, to the degree that each one of them respects the human person ‘Gambling’ in all its ‘glory’. as the ‘highest’ and ‘unique’ value in the whole of Creation, it depends on However, through elementally realistic meditation, even the most whether they hypocritically ‘close their eyes’ in order to reap analogous eco- ‘uninformed’ yet ‘prudent’ person could deduce certain incontestable nomic gain ‘on the side’ or, on the contrary, they uncompromisingly con- truths, as we shall expound conclusively in closing this present demn the moral and social abjection induced by Casinos and by the curse of Report/Protest. Gambling, generally, in our days. Besides, from the sporadically ‘denounced’ instances reported An example of compassion and vigilance which, by the grace of through contemporary media when, in some way, details are ‘leaked’ with God, our Archdiocese is striving to maintain in combating this huge problem, regard to tragic impasses of individuals and families, one can easily conclude is the Annual Booklet of the activities of the Greek Welfare Centre, as pro- how many crimes are induced by this lawless ‘operation’and callous ‘indus- moted every September according to the various fields of endeavour, espe- try of death’. cially in addressing the dangers of Gambling. Another ‘parameter’ of this whole problem which we are, nonethe- This most valuable Information Booklet which, as is known, is dis- less, not permitted to ignore or to hush, is that the dangers and crimes of the tributed free of charge at all our Churches, and in continuation is implement- modern ‘Casino’ are neither localized nor restricted to the notoriously ‘sin- ed in practice through specific Seminars, should not go unnoticed by any ful’ regions of the world to where the ‘Tycoons of wealth’ are attracted, as if responsible person. by an overpowering magnet, along with the accompanying ‘vice’ of ‘International Prodigality’. The ‘ambition’ to acquire a ‘Casino’ as quick- May these efforts exerted by our Archdiocese receive the appropri- ly as possible (as a supposedly strong attraction for tourism and economic ate response in order to thwart the curse of ‘Casino-mania’ with its incalcu- development!) is not resisted today even by the most remote and underdevel- lable victims. oped Nations. Translated by FSS * * * JULY 2007 6/24 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA

Photographic Exhibitions about Cyprus in Brisbane

LEFT: (L to R) Charles Kapnoulla, HE the High Commissioner Achilleas Antoniades, Steve Liassi, Anna Bligh MP Member for South Brisbane Deputy Premier of Queensland, Ross Vasta MP, Member for Bonner, Jim (Dimitri) Raptis OBE, Honorary Consul of Greece in Brisbane and Andreas Zacharia. MIDDLE: The Cyprus High Commissioner addressing the audience. RIGHT: Photo from the exhibition. On 5 July, 2007 the Cyprus High Commis- were taken by a Melbourne photographer missing by the Turkish Cypriot leadership High Commission in co-operation with the sion in cooperation with the Justice for Georgia Metaxas and they show relatives of since the time of intercommunal troubles in the UN Police Association of Australia. The first Cyprus Committee and the Cypriot Com- missing who emigrated to Australia since 1964-1966 period, despite the fact they have prize, a return ticket to Cyprus, was won by Mr munity of Brisbane, has opened two photo- 1974, during their annual pilgrimage through all been declared dead by their leadership and Leon Kemp of Hobart. This man must be very graphic exhibitions at Carindale Library, the streets of Melbourne to the Parliament notified their relatives accordingly. lucky because actually he won two prizes. The Creek Road, in Carindale Shopping House, to express their anguish. Unfortunately that catastrophe has not yet second was the ticket. The first was the beau- Centre, Brisbane: “The March of the Mis- The issue of the missing persons in Cyprus is been put right and that is why we still need a tiful bride he picked up during his tour of duty sing” and “Cyprus: Pictures of Peacekeep- one of the most tragic aspects of the recent his- peacekeeping force on the island. This is in Cyprus. ing”. tory of our troubled island. As a result of the where the Australian policemen and women The pictures were selected, beside their artis- Turkish invasion of July 1974, 33 years ago come in. They have been on the island for tic merit, to show a variety of aspects of The event was attended by local politicians, this month, about 1500 Greek Cypriots have over 43 years, helping the two communities Cyprus life from the whole island. Most of prominent members of the community and a gone missing, causing untold agony to their solve problems of everyday life, which always them were taken before the Turkish invasion number of visitors to the library. Anna Bligh relatives and loved ones. They are people of exist regardless of what the military or politi- of 1974 and the imposed artificial division. MP Member for South Brisbane, the Deputy all ages, men and women, civilians as well as cians may say or do. They show a bit of the life of the peacekeeper, Premier of Queensland, who officially opened young men in uniform. Their whereabouts are The presence of these policemen, only 15 at the people, the history, the landscapes and the the exhibition, spoke at length about the issue still unknown, despite the efforts of an investi- the moment, has undoubtedly strengthened the religious character of the island. This exhibi- of the missing in Cyprus and the contribution gation committee set up in 1981 by the UN. bonds of friendship between Cyprus and tion is above all an expression of appreciation of the Australian police serving as peacekeep- The Turkish army seems to have a lot to hide. Australia. It certainly is a point of common to the Australian policemen for their excellent ers on the island. Investigations are also impeded because the interest for the Cypriot Australian community work in helping us keep the peace, and to the In his remarks, HE Mr Achilleas Antoniades, Committee has no jurisdiction to conduct but also for the hundreds of policemen and Australian people for their patience in keeping High Commissioner for Cyprus, after thanking investigations in Turkey, where a great number their families who have had the experience of them there for so long. the Deputy Premier and soon to be Premier of of Greek Cypriots were taken as prisoners of serving or visiting Cyprus. The collected photographs are been present- Queensland, considered this composite exhibi- war. The pictures in the Cyprus: Pictures of ed to the public at Carindale Library, tion. He spoke of the difference and the con- The fate of a small number of about 500 Peacekeeping collection, are the labour of love (Westfield Carindale Shopping Centre) 1161 nection the two exhibitions present. Turkish Cypriots is also being investigated by of policemen who served in Cyprus and were Creek Road, Carindale. The exhibition will The pictures from The March of the Missing, the Committee. These are people claimed as selected after a competition organised by the remain open until 5 August 2007. Mental Health

This is the stage of starting to accept the reality of the ferent order. Each person’s reaction to grief is largely individ- situation. Anger can manifest itself in many different ual, there is no right or wrong way to grieve. It is important ways, from feelings of irritability, blaming others or however that people eventually reach the fifth stage, accept- By Mina Candalepas* God, to severe emotional outbursts of anger. One ance. Psychologist MAPS form of anger includes, being angry with the person When people feel that they are not coping with grief it is crit- Reg NSW PS0057198 that has died. ical to seek professional/psychological assistance. Through 3. Bargaining psychological treatment, support is gained in the time of grief, At this stage, people try to believe for brief long-term coping skills can be developed and assistance can Understanding Grief moments that what has happened can be changed. be gained with restoring personal power and/or control over During this stage people generally make an offer to ones life. During this difficult time if people experience any The term grief is generally used to describe a group of emo- God to take away the reality of what has happened. desire to harm or kill themselves, or any unusual physical tions that people feel when faced with a loss. The grief reac- For example, “take me instead”, or “I will not to do symptoms, it is imperative that treatment is sought immediate- tion differs for each individual and may also vary in intensity anything wrong if my loved one could come back”. ly by contacting the Area Mental Health Crisis Team, their GP and duration. then 000. The most commonly identified stages of grief are adapted 4. Depression For more information, ask your local GP for possible refer- from the research of Dr Elizabeth Kubler-Ross where she Depression is experienced approximately 6 weeks ral to a psychiatrist or your local psychologist. identified 5 stages of grief experienced by a person when after the loss and can last up to a period of one year. Reference: Elizabeth Kubler-Ross: On Death and Dying. informed of a terminal prognosis. These stages have now been Emotions experienced during this stage include feel- Tavistock Publications Limited, 1970. accepted as stages that people experience when they have lost ings of hopelessness and overwhelming sadness. a loved one/friend. These stages include: 5. Acceptance Mina Candalepas is a Registered Psychologist. She is the sole direc- 1. Shock/Denial This is the final stage of grief and it is a realization tor of a Clinical Private Practice in the Campsie Professional Medical that the person has gone. A goal is created that looks Practice, Sydney NSW. Her particular speciality is in trauma and This is generally one of the initial stages of the grief chronic pain management and she also provides psychological thera- experience where people refuse to accept the reality at a different type of future that includes the memo- ries of that person but not the actual relationship. py for depression, anxiety, work-place issues and/or injuries, relation- of the death. Examples of denial may include setting ship issues, self esteem and grief. the table for the person that has died or making state ments such as “this cannot be happening”. Although these stages are generally recognised within the Therapy is conducted in either English or Greek. All services are by mental health profession, some people may not go through appointment ONLY and strictly confidential. Her contact details are 2. Anger each stage or may go through these stages in a somewhat dif- Tel (02) 9591 7714, Mob 0410 493 806. ProviCare - counselling and rehabilitation of drug and alcohol abuse ph. 1800 010 575 JULY 2007 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 7/25 Facts & Stats

Two Greeks among the “smartest 2007 seen as second warmest Australians”

Two Greeks are among the “smartest year as climate shifts Australians”, according to a list pub- This year is on track to be the second warmest since records began in lished - following a months-long the 1860s and floods in Pakistan or a heatwave in Greece may herald study - by the weekly Australian jour- worse disruptions in store from global warming, experts said recent- nal, “The Bulletin”. ly. They are epidemiologist Jonathon Karapetis, who is director of the "2007 is looking as though it will be the second warmest behind 1998," Menzies School of Health Research in said Phil Jones, head of the Climatic Research Unit at Britain's University Darwin, and George Parthimos from of East Anglia, which provides data to the UN International the Melbourne-based company, Torian Meteorological Organisation (IMO). Wireless. "It isn't far behind... it could change, but at the moment this looks unlike- ly," he told Reuters, based on temperature records up to the end of April. Politicians defend Jones had predicted late last year that 2007 could surpass 1998 as the warmest year on record due to rising concentrations of greenhouse gases pay rise, saying emitted mainly by burning fossil fuels and an El Nino warming of the Pacific Ocean. they work hard Almost all climate experts say the trend is towards more droughts, floods, heatwaves and more powerful storms. But they say individual Politicians around the country have extreme events are not normally a sign of global warming because weath- defended their latest payrise, which er is, by its nature, chaotic. will push state premiers to almost "Severe events are going to be more frequent," said Salvano Briceno, $300,000 a year - more than five times director of the Geneva-based secretariat of the UN International Strategy the average wage. for Disaster Reduction. Federal and state MPs were at pains The 10 warmest years in the past 150 have all been since 1990. Last year to point out that the rise was decided by ranked number six according to the IMO. an independent body, the Remune- NASA, which uses slightly different data, places 2005 as warmest ahead ration Tribunal, not politicians. of 1998. But Australian Greens senator Bob Among extreme events, more than 500 people have died in storms and Brown queried the tribunal’s independ- floods in Pakistan, Afghanistan and India in the past week. ence, saying one of its members, John Temperatures in Greece reached 46 celsius this week as part of a heat- Allen, had headhunted Treasurer Peter wave across parts of southern Europe. Parts of China have also had a heat- Costello’s wife for a $150,000-a-year wave in recent days. job at ANZ Bank. And torrential rains have battered northern England and parts of Texas, “I contend that if you are going to where Austin has had its wettest year on record so far. have an arms’ length tribunal, it is very The UN climate panel, drawing on the work of 2,500 scientists, said this difficult to accommodate that with a year it was "very likely" that human activities led by use of fossil fuels member of the tribunal who has been were the main cause of a warming in the past half-century. headhunting, to her advantage, the It gave a "best estimate" that temperatures will rise 1.8-4.0 celsius this moving to regions vulnerable to droughts. treasurer’s wife to a position like that,” century. "We need to reduce all the underlying risk factors, such as by locating Senator Brown told reporters. Briceno said the world had to work out better policies to prepare for dis- communities out of hazard-prone areas," he said. "We now have a clear- “The Remuneration Tribunal, if it is asters, saying that climate change was adding to already increasing risks er picture of what is going to happen and it's urgent that governments give really to be analysing the work of faced by a rising human population of about 6.6 billion people. this higher priority." politicians on behalf of the Australian Irrespective of warming, many people were cramming into cities, for people and not the government, needs instance, settling in plains where there was already a risk of floods or REUTERS to be further at arms’ length than that.” The base salary for federal back- benchers will jump from $118,000 to $127,000 next month. Greek police find hundreds of stolen relics Prime Minister John Howard will receive a $21,000 rise to $330,000 a Greek police have found more than a thou- active in the Corinth area, as the artefacts seem A further raid on the suspect's house subse- year while Opposition Leader Kevin sand pieces of artefacts dating back to to come from illegal digs in the region," police quently found excavation equipment and books Rudd will get an extra $15,000. ancient Greece after raiding a suspect's said. detailing Mycenean and Classical antiques, The 6.7 per cent pay rise will flow on house near the southern city of Corinth, "The confiscated artefacts are not very valu- police said. to state politicians. police said. able as they are mostly small items, but all such There are thousands of archaeological sites Mr Howard said politicians - particu- A 58 year-old man, who was also found with activity is illegal." scattered around Greece, and the government larly frontbenchers - worked harder a dozen ancient and Byzantine period coins on Police confiscated more than 1,300 items has pledged to crack down on the illegal exca- than many business executives and his person, was arrested and will be charged including small ancient clay idols, urns, pottery vation and smuggling of its national heritage. professionals on huge salaries. with antiquities theft. shards and bronze rings, dating from between “I do understand that whenever "The suspect is probably part of a wider group the 6th and 4th century BC, police said. REUTERS there’s a pay adjustment, no matter what the circumstances are, that it’s unpopular with the community and I International population changing: census do respect the fact that the average wage is below what a member of par- Australia’s international make-up is chang- compared with 1996, when Italians were the (2.8 per cent) in 1996. liament is paid,” Mr Howard told ing, with fewer Europeans calling Australia third largest group of overseas-born Australians. Immigrants from Vietnam, India and the reporters. home and more Asians and Africans settling The number born in Greece fell by 17,000, Philippines also grew in number. “But I also point out (that) people in Down Under. sending that country from sixth to ninth on the The census also showed growth in immigra- the business community and in the pro- list of countries of origin. tion from countries suffering war or unrest since fessions carrying no greater responsi- The 2006 census shows more than one in five New Zealand remains the second largest group 2001. Increases were recorded from Sudan bility are often remunerated at a much Australians were born overseas, with a signifi- of overseas-born immigrants, after growing by (14,000), Zimbabwe (10,000), Afghanistan higher rate.” cant shift in the mix of immigrants since the 98,000 to 389,500 people. (7,000) and Iraq (11,000). Senator Brown and independent fed- 1996 census. But the most significant growth is in the num- Western Australia has the largest proportion of eral MP Peter Andren will try to block People born in England continue to make up ber of people from China. overseas-born residents - 27 per cent - and the pay rise in parliament, while the largest proportion of immigrants, at 19.4 per Chinese are now the third largest group of Tasmania the lowest - 11 per cent. Australian Democrats leader Lyn cent, but their number is down 15,000 from overseas-born Australians, overtaking Italy, Of the capitals, Sydney has the highest propor- Allison is considering donating her 1996. Vietnam, Greece and Scotland in the past tion of overseas-born, almost one third of its increase to charity. Italian- and Greek-born residents are also decade. population, while Hobart has the lowest at 12 AAP more scarce. The ranks of Australians born in China have per cent. The number hailing from Italy is down 39,000 swelled to 206,600 (4.7 per cent) from 111,000 AAP JULY 2007 8/26 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA Windows to Orthodoxy Pilgrimage to Patmos: Island of the Apocalypse By Guy Freeland* Dionysius says that he believes that there were two Johns at Ephesus, where the Apostle is known to have lived and died, Shortly after midnight, Monday May 7, the Eve of the feast of and that the tombs of both were said to be there. Revelation St John the Theologian could, then, be the work of this second John. Papias (c.60-130) records the existence of the two tombs and informs us that this My wife and I have just disembarked from the night ferry that second John was known as John the Presbyter. has brought us from Rhodes to the holy island of Patmos. “Yes, While tradition is rock solid on the attribution of the Gospel yes,” we had been told, “there will be plenty of taxis meeting and 1 John to the Apostle (some modern scholars are up the the ferry.” Of course, not a taxi to be seen on the windswept creek on this one), there were widespread doubts as to whether quay. he wrote 2 and 3 John. The author of these two epistles identi- The only other people on the quay are another pair of aban- fies himself not as the Apostle but as “the Presbyter” (= elder). doned waifs. Yes, there was one taxi when the ferry arrived but So it seems quite possible that 2 and 3 John and Revelation are this had taken a group off some time ago. The driver said he by the Presbyter. would return. But where is he? Although on Patmos one is told that it is the vision recorded Eventually, the taxi driver does return and scoops up our fel- in Revelation that Prochoros wrote down on that rock ledge, the low wayfarers. He will return for us. author of the fifth century apocryphal Acts of John, the source Now we are quite alone. I think of John the Evangelist arriv- of the story, has ing as an exile on this small barren rocky Dodecanese island. John dictating the Gospel. Later, iconographers have followed Perhaps he too was unceremoniously dumped onto a deserted the Acts, depicting Prochoros in the cave taking down the quay in the dead of night without a donkey in sight to take him Gospel, not Revelation. up the mountainous hill to the shelter of a cave. My mind is Apocalypse. But where does this leave the tradition that John the beginning to wander. Steep steps descend down from the entrance hall to a small Theologian was exiled on Patmos? Were both Johns exiled on chapel dedicated to St Anne that opens up into the cave proper. the island? Was it John the Presbyter who was exiled there and Well after 1 a.m. Here, it is said, John the Theologian had his vision. The roof of had the vision? Eusebius, who is inclined to reject the attribu- what the Guidebook describes as “the God-carved cave” is tion of Revelation to the Apostle, nevertheless asserts that there The taxi driver does return – Alleluia! – and drives us to our divided into three sections by a cleft – surely a signature of the was “ample evidence” that the Beloved Disciple was exiled on hotel perched on top of a cliff several kilometres out of Patmos’ Holy Trinity! It was through this cleft, we are also told, that God Patmos. And indeed tradition does seem firm on this point. charming little port of Skala. Fortunately, we had phoned ahead spoke to John with a voice “like the sound of many waters” If we accept that the Apostle was exiled on Patmos, perhaps and a young man is still up and waiting for us. We head for the (Revelation 1:15). even wrote part of the Gospel there, what does this say about stairs. “No, no, not that way – outside, outside.” He leads us out Down close to the floor there is a “halo” of silver surround- Revelation? Personally, I am convinced that, although it is a into the night and down endless tortuous steps cut into the cliff ing a small cavity in the rock wall where, the Guidebook highly contrived literary construction with much added materi- face. Good gracious! Are we going to spend what is left of the assures us, the head of the Apostle rested when he had his al, the book really does record actual visionary experience. night in a cave? momentous vision. A second halo of silver surrounds a smaller But is the author (quite likely the Presbyter), while seeming- Eventually, we arrive at a door and our intrepid guide leads us cavity that John supposedly used to lever himself up from his ly attributing the book to the Apostle, in fact elaborating on an into a room. Almost all of the furniture is made of concrete, the rock bed. Finally, higher up the wall is a rock ledge on which experience he himself had, possibly at Ephesus? Perhaps. After bed a concrete slab with a mattress on it. We collapse onto the (of course) Prochoros, the Apostle’s disciple, wrote down all pseudonymous works, particularly apocalyptic works, were bed (which is in fact surprisingly comfortable) and enter into John’s words. What more proof could the pilgrim require? Hm. common in Antiquity. But there is no suggestion, other than the the untroubled sleep of the just. Well, Patmos is certainly not the place to reveal niggles of one reference to the Patmos exile (Revelation 1:9), that the doubt. However, there is no denying the awe-inspiring atmos- writer really is attributing the work to the Apostle. Around 7.30 a.m. phere. It is a place, if ever, where “old men shall dream dreams, Another “perhaps” occurs to me. Perhaps the Presbyter had and … young men shall see visions.” (Joel 2:28 RSV.) With heard the Apostle speak of a vision that he had had while on The first glimmerings of waking. There is a sound of flutter- Jacob one might exclaim, “How awesome is this place! This is Patmos. And perhaps it is this vision which the Presbyter uses ing wings around my head. I can even feel little ripples of air on none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heav- as a base for an apocalyptic work entirely of his own composi- my face. Surely it must be an angel! Had I, for some extraordi- en.” (Genesis 28:17.) tion. nary reason, been chosen to receive a new apocalyptic vision? The reference to Patmos might, then, be more an acknowledg- My eyes open. Our little whitewashed cell is bathed in light Around 1 p.m. ment of the Presbyter’s source of inspiration than a serious and, lo and behold, there is a sparrow that, all unbeknown, has attempt to present the Apostle as the author. Who knows? As spent the night with us. Time to round up a spot of lunch and meditate on my visit to Winston Churchill said of Soviet Russia, Revelation “is a riddle I open the doors onto the veranda, releasing our feathered the cave. wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma”. An inevitable conclu- friend, and survey the scene. The view is of the sort for which Unfortunately, the fact is that there is a real problem about the sion to any meditation on the book. people have killed. At the bottom of the cliff immediately authorship of Revelation. One has only to compare the Gospel below is a picturesque little chapel at the water’s edge of a bay. of John with Revelation for strong doubts to surface as to Around 7.40 a.m., Tuesday May 8, the feast of St John the The iridescent blue Aegean beneath a cloudless sky is as calm whether they could be by the same person. The language, liter- Theologian as the sea of crystal before the throne of God. Steep cliffs rise ary style and patterns of thought are totally different. Further, it on the opposite shore and a sweeping sandy beach skirts the really beggars belief that the disciple beloved of Christ could I make the steep climb up through the narrow traffic-free centre of the bay. have written (or dictated) Revelation without betraying, even streets of Chora to the Monastery. Three cruise ships are in port The contrast with the night before could not be greater. And indirectly, his intimate friendship with the Saviour. and the souvenir shops are already opening up in expectation of yet, some aspect of the mystery of this holy place was revealed Analysis of the text of the Apocalypse by scholars has now all a great morning ahead. in the darkness of the night that is lost in the Paschal brightness but closed the issue. Perhaps most convincing are studies of the Eventually, with seriously depleted “puff”, I arrive and pass (it is Monday of the Week of the Samaritan Woman) of this vocabulary. Authors use simple basic words with relative fre- through the portal, where monks in days gone by used to hurl Patmos May morning. quencies that vary very little over a lifetime, even if changes down rocks and empty vats of boiling oil on pirates and other We take our time and then order a taxi into Skala – no prob- occur in literary style. If one compares two reasonably long unwelcome guests. lem this morning. Above Skala looms the mountainous hill texts and finds that the frequency of use of basic vocabulary is The church is not anything like as crowded as I had anticipat- capped by the great fortress monastery of St John the wildly different one can conclude that the texts are almost cer- ed. May 8 is one of the great days of the year at the Monastery, Theologian, undoubtedly one of the greatest monasteries of the tainly not by the same author. and it is the patronal festival of our beautiful little chapel of St Orthodox world. The Monastery was founded in 1088 follow- The relative frequency of basic vocabulary of Revelation and John the Theologian at St Andrew’s Theological College. ing the grant by Emperor Alexios I Comnenos of the, then the Gospel have proved to be massively different. However, the monastery keeps the other feast of St John on the deserted, island to St Christodoulos in exchange for land owned Ah, but, you might say, Orthodoxy is the Church of tradition, Eastern calendar, September 26, as its panigyris. by the Saint. Today, there are around 30 monks. and surely one should put tradition before the quibbles of mod- The nave of the twelfth century domed cross-in-square Surrounding the grim fortifications is a coronet of small ern scholars. (I confess that I have myself on occasion observed Katholikon is ablaze with a myriad candles which irradiate the whitewashed houses of the quaint village of Chora. Further to students that tradition often wins out in the end.) But the vivid colours of the (largely early seventeenth century) murals down the hill are the famed Patmias Theological School, found- problem in this case is that tradition is divided. and the Russian icons on the intricately carved and gilded ed in 1713, and the so-called “Apocalypse”, the complex of Many Fathers from Irenaeus (c.130-c.200) on assume that iconostasis, two of them gifts from Catherine the Great. buildings which incorporate the Cave of the Apocalypse. John the Evangelist is the author of Revelation, but Eusebius Two enormous circular trays of kollyva, decorated with a It doesn’t take us long to acquire a set of wheels and we head (c.260-c.340), the Church historian, says that opinion was even- striking geometrical pattern, rest on small tables either side of off up the hill to the Apocalypse. The Cave of the Apocalypse ly divided on the issue. He quotes a very long extract from a the screen. The church has that extraordinary feeling of love is where Patmian tradition says the Apostle and Evangelist John work of Dionysius (“the Great”) of Alexandria (d.c.264) in and warmth which typifies churches dedicated to the Beloved the son of Zebedee and a brother of James, alone of the which the Father effects a complete demolition job on the belief Disciple. Apostles known as “the Theologian”, received the vision that Revelation was authored by the same person as the Gospel Somehow, I find myself propped up in the monastic choir recorded in the last book of the New Testament, Revelation/the of John and 1 John. ProviCare - counselling and rehabilitation of drug and alcohol abuse ph. 1800 010 575 JULY 2007 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 9/27

Cont. from previous page right next to the mayor and a venerable white-bearded monk on psaltes-duty. There is time before the Divine Liturgy begins to let the chanting of the psalmody and the ambient iconography percolate into my being. The Liturgy is splendidly concelebrated by many priests. Being a creature of cathedrals and parish churches, there are details of monastic usage that catch my attention. For example, during the singing of the Gospel the two chanters strike up- turned brass bowls with small hammers to a distinctive rhythm that enhances the reading and the sense that Christ is indeed present and speaking to us. To pass from the sublime to the trivial, never having witnessed the procedure, I have sometimes wondered how one extin- guishes candles on high chandeliers. Now I know. You get a monk to come in with a feather duster attached to the end of a long pole and gently fan the flames to extinction. Simple. (Though why it should be thought that just before the Communion of the laity is the right time to perform this ritual is a bit of a mystery.) My niggles about the Patmian tradition of yesterday give way this morning to the absolute certainty of the presence of the Beloved Disciple concelebrating with us on this perfect morn- nal hilltop shrine. ing of his May feast. We enter the exonarthex of the Katholikon on the east side of Leaving the courtyard, complete with a Woolworths-sized bag the courtyard. It is adorned with seventeenth to eighteenth-cen- of kollyva, I stop to peer over the battlements at the breathtak- tury murals, including a cycle of the miracles of St John. In the ing view. But I can see tourists from the cruise ships ascending esonarthex is a precious icon of John, possibly dating from the the mountain en masse. I will leave inspection of the iconogra- twelfth century but heavily over-painted. The largely seven- phy and museum till tomorrow. teenth-century murals are dark and difficult to identify. Off the esonarthex is the chapel of St Chritodoulos where the founder’s Around 9.30 a.m., Wednesday May 9 remains rest in a silver-covered shrine. We do not spend long in the nave but pass on into the adjoin- The cruise ships have left and very few of the souvenir shops ing Chapel of the Theotokos. Here we linger to examine the have bothered to open. Apart from the friendly monks, my wife outstanding twelfth century frescos discovered, beneath overly- and I have the Monastery almost to ourselves as we navigate ing murals of 1745, following the Santorini earthquakes of through its narrow passageways. The interior of the Monastery 1956. Apart from some damaged areas, the frescos completely is in sharp contrast to the massive grim fortifications of the cover the walls and barrel-vault of the chapel. exterior. It has a very welcoming and domestic feel. On the east wall is a striking Hospitality of Abraham (= OT The building of the Museum is another blessing which grew The much photographed courtyard has an arcade of massive Trinity) with the enthroned Theotokos and Child below. A num- out of the damage caused by the 1956 Santorini earthquakes. arches. The arches are supported by an assortment of ancient ber of the icons depict Sunday Gospel readings and there are The New Vestry (as the Museum is called) was opened by the columns and capitals, some taken from the fifth to sixth-centu- many images of saints, the most unusual of which is a set of Ecumenical Patriarch Demetrios I during the celebrations in ry Christian basilica dedicated to John the Theologian, which nine Patriarchs of Jerusalem. There are more medieval frescos 1988 marking the 900th Anniversary of the Monastery’s foun- occupied the site before St Chritodoulos commenced construc- in the Refectory, but unfortunately it is closed. We therefore dation. tion of the Monastery, or even the temple of Artemis, the origi- make our way to the Museum. An enormous wealth of priceless artefacts – manuscripts, early printed books, vestments and sacred vessels, icons, church furnishings, and much else – is excellently displayed and described. This is beyond doubt one of the most important Orthodox collections anywhere. I will restrict myself to men- tioning just four representative items. Questions & Answers The Monastery has from the time of St Christodoulos stressed the importance of scholarship. The Saint himself commenced Who was the Prophet Elias? identifies Elias with the role of the Forerunner John the the Library collection, which now contains, in addition to a Q Baptist. “The disciples asked him, ‘Then why do the scribes large collection of printed books, over 1000 manuscripts. My say that first Elijah must come?’ He replied, ‘Elijah does first item is the Library’s oldest work. come, and he is to restore all things; but I tell you that Elijah The Orthodox use the name “Elias” to refer to the has already come. Item 1. Two of the 33 sheets of the Codex Porphyrius Hebrew prophet recorded in the standard English of the Gospel of Mark owned by the Monastery. The A Old Testament versions as “Elijah.” This is based ….Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them letters are written in silver and gold on purple vellum. on the first translation of the Hebrew Old Testament of John the Baptist” (Matthew 17:10 – 13). Elias was men- It is believed to be the work of Emperor Theodosios text which was made, the Greek Septuagint transla- tioned at the crucifixion of Jesus (Matthew 27:46 – 47). II (408-450). tion. The Prophet Elias lived in the 9th century before the time Generally, in the New Testament, Elias is presented as the typ- of Christ. He is held to be one of the chief prophets of the Old ical representative of the Old Testament prophets who pro- Item 2. The Monastery’s foundation charter, a Testament. ceeded the coming of Jesus Christ. chrysobull (= golden bull) of 1088 signed by Emperor His great struggle was against the introduction of the pagan The Prophet Elias is honored as one of the great saints of the Alexios I Comnenos, granting the island to St cults of the Canaanites and the Phoenicians among the Orthodox Church. He is commemorated each year on July 20. Christodoulos. Hebrew people of his time. The dramatic encounter between The Apolytikion (Troparion) of the feat is: “The glorious the Prophet of God, and the Prophets of Baal, supported by Elias, angelic in body, pillar of prophets, second herald of Item 3. An icon of Christ, known as ‘The Bridegroom King Ahab is recorded in the 18th chapter of 1 Kings Christ, by sending grace upon Eliseus from on high, dispels (Nymphios) of the Church’ or ‘Ecce Homo’ (Behold, (Septuagint, 3 Kings. ch.18). Elias’ prayers that the God of the disease, cleanses lepers and overflows with healing for those the Man) attributed to El Greco (Domenicus Hebrews send lightning to burn the sacrificial offering on the who honor him.” Theotokopulos) of c.1500. It is this icon which is stone altar was heard. But the prayers of the prophets of the venerated at the famous Patmos Great Thursday litur- false god Baal went unheeded. * * * * * gical drama of the Washing of the Feet. With Enoch, he was given the gift of not dying but of being translated into heaven. The book of 2nd Kings (Septuagint, From the Orthodox Church: 455 Questions and Answers, Item 4. The mitre of Ecumenical Patriarch Kyprianos 4th Kings) in the secound chapter descibes this strange event. by Stanley S. Harakas, published by Light and Life. (1708/9-1713/14), known as “the good diamond As Elias was walking with his disciple Elisha (Greek Elisefs, If you have any questions about the Orthodox faith crown”. It is decorated with over 200 precious jew- or Eliseus) “behold, a chariot of fire and horses of fire ser- which you would like answered in the VEMA, send els. parated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind them to into heaven” (2:11). Usually, therefore, the icon of the Vema -Q.&A., Reluctantly, we descend the long winding road past the Phrophet Elias in the Orthodox Church shows him on or with Apocalypse to the quay for the last time, there to board a ferry a fiery chariot. P.O.Box M59 Marrickville South, for Kos. It is taught in the Scriptures that his return is necessary for the NSW 2204 deliverance and the restoration of the Kingdom (Malachi or e-mail them to: 3:5ff, Mark 9:11 – 12). Following the Transfiguration of our * Guy Freeland teaches Hermeneutics and Liturgical Studies at St Lord, where Elijah and Moses appeared with Juesus, the Lord [email protected] Andrew’s Greek Orthodox Theological College. JULY 2007 10/28 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA

PROVOST NORM McFARLAND – JUST AN ORDINARY BLOKE Corporal Norm McFarland raised himself I asked to be transferred to the Military Police uneasily from his stiff camp bed as the break- – the Provost Corps.” In his convoy there were ing sun began to rise over the horizon to the 18,000 ex-Sydney troops, all heading for east of Mt. Olympus. Still not used to the chill North Africa and the great unknown… in the spring climate at this time of the morn- This “…unknown…” was that the Australian ing, Norm placed his heavy coat around his Sixth Division and the New Zealand Division shoulders and shivered. He looked towards the had already been commissioned to go to sun, hoping that Apollo’s rays would be wel- Greece, in support of the British servicemen coming. The steam from his breath took his who had been sent there by General Sir interest as he focused towards the sunrise. It Archibald Wavell, General Officer Comman- rose lightly and mistily in the frosty, still air. der in Chief of the Middle East. Hanson Not long to go now, he thought and realised Baldwin3 aptly puts it that he was trying “… to that the crucial day had finally arrived. Lamia rob Peter to pay Paul.” He was a leader with today and then retreat – what an unpleasant many problems and few resources. Ethiopia, word he thought – “…retreat”. As if the whole Syria and Iraq threatened disaster. In answer to Greek Campaign had been a failure. The real- the Churchill plea, he sent the above – some isation angered him, more so because of the 58,000 men – to support the Greek Army care- way the Campaign had been concluded, not in fully judging his numbers required and send- the way it had begun. Today would be a quiet ing indeed the bare minimum. Some might say day, he assessed. Most of the action had taken in hindsight that this clearly inadequate num- place over the past few days as men and ber, pitted against the Behemoth of Panzer machinery manoeuvred their way back to the Divisions that rolled in through Yugoslavia to Peloponnese and embarkation for ports the north and into the Axios Valley on the 8th unknown. Word was that Crete was to be a April were heading for disaster. Some may staging point for a last hurrah – or perhaps London Bunker of the War Ministry, had been charity arrangement, similar to the Susso even suggest they were being sacrificed. North Africa and the Middle East to help break inconsequential to Norm McFarland who had (Dole) but arranged by the Church of Within two days the SS had captured the back of Rommel’s Force, the Affrikacorps, at that point begun training and preparing for England. This was helpful on a monthly basis Thessaloniki, Greece’s main northern city and who were threatening to destroy Churchill’s active duty a long way from the emerging for food but it was still difficult for mother to pushed down towards the Monastir Gap. The master plan. flashpoint. Service to his country was all he make ends meet. Like many other widows and weather that year was unkind and with snow cared for and, along with many thousands of deserted wives, she had to go out and do still falling, the resistance found some breath- Norm drank his sweet tea (he had not acquired other brave young Australians; he had made menial domestic work for about ?£2 per ing space. Hitler clearly worried that this a taste for the Greek café which he found the personal decision to enlist. week.” Interestingly, Norm does not embellish Campaign would prove a costly delay, sent in grainy and heavy) with a quiet reserve, not his mother’s efforts at the time but accepts it his crack Panzers to spearhead the advance – adding much in the conversation going on just as she did – “…that’s what we had to do.” the 9th Leibstandarte-SS Adolf Hitler. As amongst the other Provosts. Usually a good His matter of fact approach to life was com- Gilbert writes, “Instead of Yugoslavs, the SS eater, he didn’t feel all that hungry today – monplace and steeled many of the soldiers in troops faced better-trained Australians and besides with the cookhouse gone, what was the Second AIF who had grown up in this dif- New Zealanders of the British Expeditionary there to look forward to? Bully beef and bis- ficult time for the hardships that were to lie Force. German casualties mounted…” cuits? Not likely! Only five remained today ahead. However, the lads who had disembarked at and the safe of the National Bank of Greece in But there were good times too. Outdoor activ- Piraeus in March 1940 (including a young the centre of Lamia seemed like a good ities like athletics and cricket kept him busy Corporal Norm McFarland) saw this as an enough place as any to hole up until orders and he fondly remembers times with the order, a duty and a service. According to were received. Today’s chatter seemed to be Church Youth Group doing things that did not Norm McFarland, it had never been the plan to more about home and family as well as sport cost a lot “…good, clean fun…” By 1938, he go straight to Greece at all. It was common and cards. Norm usually was quite involved, came to Sydney to live with his married sister knowledge after they left India that they were being gregarious by nature, but tody he was and in May 1940, enlisted in the Second AIF – going to the Western Desert in Palestine. In quite subdued, concentrating on the job at a decision that was to initially surprise and fact, he had been ordered to attend Sarafand, a hand. The second man to disembark in Piraeus anger his mother. “When war began in 1939, Police College in the Middle East. Another 10 as part of the Second Anzac contingent, he I rang my mother and told her I wanted to NCOs’ were to go to Beit Seera as support to could see himself similarly numbered – sec- enlist – she refused at first to allow it because convoys going to Alexandria and then Greece. ond…last to leave Greece. I had to put my age up by eighteen months but Once ordered to Greece, McFarland continues when she realised I was serious, she relented.” “we were not part of the British Contingent at Historically, the Greek Campaign began with a Legally, Norm was too young to enlist but by any time. We were under the direct command dramatic knock at the door, an Italian ultima- lying about his age, he filled out the necessary of Blamey4 and once we arrived in Greece, we tum and the defiant OXI – NO! response by Provost Cpl. Norm McFarland c.1940 (aged 17). papers without the requirements of Birth disembarked and were sent to Dafni, just out- General Metaxas, then Prime Minister of Certificates at the old Sydney Showground side Athens for orientation and training.” Greece on the morning of the 28th of October Norm was born a “Mexican Bandit” (as north- and began the preparatory, rookie training of According to Lieutenant-Colonel G.W. Wahlert 1940.1 Records and writings2 indicate that erners affectionately know Victorians) on 2nd five days all new recruits would go through in in his comprehensive study of the Australian Metaxas had been expecting this situation but July 1923. He was the youngest of four chil- Centennial Park. His early life in the hinterland Provost Service, the 1st Australian Provosts that the Fascist Italian Government of Benito dren and the only boy. His father, a railway of the Melbourne outskirts had well prepared were among the first Australian soldiers to Mussolini, so closely aligned with Nazi engineer, was tragically killed in an accident Norm both physically and mentally for what arrive in Greece. : Germany, had acted hurriedly and rashly, when Norm was seven and with only a small was to lie ahead in the coming months. “By early April, they were assisting the move- angering Hitler immensely. Once committed, weekly compensation payment of 10/- and the Initially, he wanted to be a Signalman and was ment of the AIF and New Zealanders into their Italy found the Greeks tougher opposition than Depression looming, it was a very difficult sent to Seymour in Victoria but he was not defensive positions in mountainous terrain expected – his earlier provocations had cer- time for his family. After basic education at suited to the tasks. Then, he went to north of Larissa.”5 tainly steeled their resolution and it became Oakleigh Public School, he won a Merit Puckapunyal and was instructed in the laying This British Expeditionary Force (BEF) as it apparent that Hitler would have to bail out his Certificate (similar to bursary in those days) of mines and driving trucks. Still not sure of became cumulatively known was to experi- Axis partner if the Campaign was to end and attended Caulfield Technical College and what was in store; he boarded the ‘Queen ence a frustrating and dangerous campaign as before Operation Barbarossa could escalate. had high hopes of becoming a French Polisher Mary’, which had been commissioned as a it tried its utmost to move north quickly, hop- or follow a career in Medicine but with limit- troop ship and sailed for India. At Fremantle, ing to support the Greek contingents that were Initially, the Greeks acted alone in their ed finances at that time, he found himself dis- he tasted his first glass of beer and six days desperately trying to stave off the inevitable. defence. The Allies had other areas to with- later, arrived in Bombay. Here, they disem- appointed that neither career option eventuated What people forget about this crucial month in stand and Churchill was mindful of the effect barked and underwent mountain training. He After four years there, he left and became a 1941 is that it turned the War around. an Allied Defence Force might have on the then embarked on the ‘Selwyn’ and headed for messenger Delaying Hitler at an Allied cost of 12,000 men European Front as a whole. Egypt and Palestine for desert training. “It was Life then for most families was harsh. He was a bonus in that Operation Barbarossa – the then that I finally realised that I was not good relates “…the lack of work – even for very Invasion of Russia – was stalled for the time The “Big Picture” scenario, played out in the skilled people- was a reality. We lived on a enough for the Signal Corps,” he relates “and JULY 2007 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 11/29

Cont. from previous page forest cover.” He fondly recalls an old Greek before they were cut off. All transport and 1 “When Metaxas denied the Italians at 6 a.m. on 28th who sensing their fear, presented them with a heavy artillery (or what remained of it) was October 1941, air strikes began on Larisa four hours later and continued unabated each day.” Evangelos Pougrikas being as Hitler diverted the energies of his 40 Gallon drum of home made wine to dull ordered to be destroyed. interview. Eastern Front and North Africa Campaign in their fright – it worked!10 With the aid of the Royal Navy, over 50,000 2 Pp.138-9 Heurtley W.A. et.al. A Short History of trying to get Mussolini out of the mess he had BEF troops were evacuated – many for the Greece (1967) recklessly made by invading Greece premature- Norm sees the more serious side - “Our job was island of Crete where more adventure and hard- 3 P. 62 Baldwin H. W. Battles Lost and Won – great cam- ly. This and the immediate Cretan Campaign in to keep the convoys going and we did so for ship waited. paigns of WWII 4 McFarland speaks kindly of Blamey. He had the respect April – May was not what Hitler had planned about twelve hours at a time.” In this dangerous of his troops in Greece but the fact that he “got out quick” for that moment. German High Command had exercise, Norm recollects that he only had to All in all, the hazardous business of being a has labelled him historically as a scapegoat. He was never leaked Barbarossa, officially from December use his gun once or twice He was issued with a provost took its toll on their numbers. Officially, really respected by the British High Command and his 18th, 1940 6 and Greece was not even a twinkle holster gun – a 45 Welby – as there was no three military policemen were killed in Greece background in the Police Force did not endear him to the in his eye. Hitler was justifiably enraged by Il room on his bike or person for rifles. Once, with a further twenty-four reported as missing career soldiers that controlled the BEF. However, his logis- tical training in civilian life was just what the Provosts Duce’s act and felt obliged to act as the senior when a crazed man came at him from the bush- in action – assumed captured. Fourteen were needed. partner. es on the side of the road with a gun. “I seriously wounded.”13 5 P.96 Wahlert L/Col. ‘Provost – Friend or Foe? As the hastily prepared and ill equipped BEF smashed his fingers with the revolver,” he 6 Fuehrer Directive No. 21 Baldwin p.59 moved north, they were surprised to find mass- admits “…after I rode the bike straight at In early 2007, I retraced the steps of the BEF 7 Covert activity such as espionage. es of Greek troops moving south at the same him.,” he adds, almost apologetically. and spent ten days passing through the areas 8 P. 98 Wahlert Op. Cit. 9 In his Official History, Vol.2 Gavin Long (p.89-90), time towards the safety of the pass of Other times, he drew it to warn people away as outlined in the historical accounts and more states the fact that the Luftwaffe would not attack at night Thermopylae. The nemesis of Xerxes revisited he was not able to speak and relate ‘oncoming importantly for myself, the path of these second but that “…from about 0700, dive-bombing and machine- one might suggest…? McFarland recounts: danger’. Anzac’s. I was blessed by a scenic journey in gunning attacks were continuous…” “All the way up to Lamia we were subjected to He adamantly makes two statements: “Perso- perfect weather and although winter, not a hint 10 Interview with R. J. Andrews, Ballina NSW (March very heavy dive bombing – 5th column activi- nally, I witnessed no collaboration between of bitter cold or rain. As I cruised along the 2007). 7 11 P.96 Wahlert Op.Cit ty was very strong!” and “…traffic control was Greeks and Germans” and “We were so aware modern motorway linking Athens with 12 Refer to earlier footnote. a key to our movement. The Germans knew this of the danger that our convoys possessed that Thessaloniki, I found it difficult to empathise 13 P.98 Wahlert Op. Cit. so their plan was to wipe out traffic control, as we deliberately kept people away for their own with conditions of sixty-five years ago. Once there were not many back roads going north safety.” off the modern convenience however, little has Acknowledgements: that could accommodate our heavy machinery. People got on with everyday life and showed a changed. I walked the same path that soldiers In the compilation of this article, I would like to thank Our role as Provosts was to maintain the flow stoic reserve in this time of danger. Norm is led from Leonidas till Norm McFarland had Katerina Kapasani - The Australian Embassy – Athens. of guns and ammunition”. He found the going Rob Speers – Director, Board of Studies. to believe that unless crossed, the Germans walked at Thermopylae and felt in awe. Professor Alanna Nobbs – Macquarie University. severe and dangerous. Constantly they were on treated the Greeks fairly well – unless they were Karl Van Dyke – Curator, Macquarie University Museum the lookout for air activity designed to disrupt Greek Jews. Thermopylae of Antiquities. and destroy their plans. “There were times when Roy Andrews. – North Coast, NSW. he got only a few hundred metres down the road The Northern Campaign was indeed a series of The Bralos Pass was equally daunting and yet Angelo and Sue Jones – Alstonville, NSW. before receiving a call from one of our buddies Evangelos Pougrikas – Larisa, Greece. blunders and misunderstandings, caused more magnificent. Volos, Lamia and Larisa on the Katerina Armata – Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of ahead telling us to stop and find shelter. There by a lack of adequate communications and edges of the Thessaly Plain are thriving cities Australia. was no long-range forecast of attack. When it defences that were tenuous to say the least. still holding a charm and a legacy akin to the Nickolas Halkitis – Proprietor “Symi Visitor” Newspaper, came, we, the Provosts relayed it (to the con- Retreat of the AIF began on 12th April. The bygone era. In Larisa, I was fortunate to Greece. voy) and then it was usually a desperate seek- Australians had been moving north and with- encounter two gentlemen, introduced to me as Hornsby Legacy. ing of shelter in the forests until the danger standing since the 19th of March but the situa- inhabitants during the Australian Occupation And last but not least…Norman McFarland. passed. Once gone, we could come out and sur- tion became untenable. Wahlert is unsympa- prior to the German advance. Over a café, they vey the damage.” thetic in his description of this event describing spoke of their experiences and most important- George Moscos 11/07/2007 In Wahlert’s book, personal quotes to the brav- it as “…not a particularly proud moment in our ly, recollections of the Australians in the Greek ery and heroism of the Provosts are recorded. military history…” for “…the majority of the Campaign. George Moscos B.A. Dip. Ed. M.N.E.i.T.A. M.A.C.E. One in particular by Claude Simpson of the force was close to panic.” Vehicles were left 2/8th Battalion, is particularly succinct: “We where they stopped. Some officers abandoned “When Metaxas denied the Italians at 6 a.m. on wouldn’t have known where to go if it wasn’t their men in the retreat…others 28th October 1941, air strikes began on Larisa for… the provost fellas, standing there with deserted…whole operation came close to being four hours later and continued unabated each their hurricane lamp and telling us where to a rout.”11 Senior Commanders came to the fore day. We were warned each time and had time to go”.8 here: they personally put their lives on the line reach air raid shelter. However, on the 21st to show men how to react – in particular December, the warning system did not work The Germans, it must be said, had the greatest Bernard Freyberg who would appear later in the and about fifty people were killed before my respect for the Greek and Allied Divisions they Cretan Campaign and Mackay of the 6th eyes in the Square of the city. I was an eight were fighting against. As in the Cretan investi- Australian Division – Norm McFarland’s own. year old at the time, taking food to my father’s Resume: gation I did three years ago, I was personally Blamey’s evacuation to Egypt at this point has shop. My recollections of the British and taken by the statement that, even though had mixed reception over the years but Australians are that they had a Medical Corps • A Secondary Teacher with more than thirty years of invaders, the Germans were to be respected in McFarland feels strongly that he had no other here that helped the local population as well by teaching experience. return for the way they fought “…as profes- choice.12 The situation was extremely confused giving injections against cholera and other dis- • Had an extensive teaching career in a diverse number of schools, working especially in multicultural, western sionals.” Credit to Germany, they never due to the breakdown in communication and eases. They were kind and friendly. They cer- Sydney and boys’ education. attacked by air at night. Indiscriminate damage the coup de grace for the Greeks was, when on tainly helped us survive. We never saw the • At present, is Relieving Deputy Principal and Head was not their concern. They were soldiers the 21st of April the Leibstandarte captured Italians. Teacher, HSIE at Asquith Boys High School attacking soldiers – but as dawn broke, you Yanina, to the rear of the Greek Northern • A Higher School Certificate Marker for 30 years, could be sure that they would be on our defences. Due to his lack of orders from the As an eight year old then and now in his mid • A Senior Marker for 15 years. 9 • Supervisor of Marking in Ancient History (2002-2006) tails…” Greek and Allied High Command, General seventies, Evangelos Pougrikas, is clear in his • Has worked with the Department of Secondary He continuously saw Greeks along the road. Drakos took it upon himself to surrender his memories of the War. Like many of his genera- Education, where he was seconded in 2000 to liaise with Often they would come out from their villages forces. This surrender took places at Larisa tion, they are etched in his brain and come for- business in the development of Part time Traineeships in and gaze at the sight of the long train of trucks where 16 Greek Divisions laid down arms and ward vividly when encroached by those like VET. Since then, he has been a Member of many and heavy artillery as it snaked its way north. allowed the Germans easy access through myself who wish to know how it really was – Regional Committees in that area. • Presented for the Board of Studies on Committees and They said very little but Norm sensed in their Western Greece down to the Corinthian Gulf. and how Norm McFarland came to find himself In-service Training on numerous occasions. faces and manner a welcome for the job they Two days later King George left Greece and the in that blown out safe of the National Bank of • In 2001, he was honoured for his teaching with a NEiTA were doing. Their traditional garb and strong Invasion of Greece was complete. Lamia waiting for the ‘Big Picture’ to conclude (National Excellence in Teaching) Award for “ Excellence demeanour would change once the German Now with the ‘Head’gone came the disposal of this particular chapter… in History Teaching” and by the Commonwealth Occupation was complete. Later, atrocities the ‘Body’. Norm’s only regret is that he never returned to Government with an “Australian Teachers Prize for Excellence.” would make them desperate and yet, deter- Even though Thermopylae was strengthened by Greece. The Greek Government has honoured • HSC Distance Education Presenter at Dubbo for over 10 mined, to survive. Now, they had time and BEF soldiers (22-24th April.), Germans him on two occasions for his services to the years. filoxenia to offer at times warm milk, home advanced on two fronts – North and West, Defence of Greece – one only a short time ago • Was a Facilitator for the “School to Work Programme” made olives and fetta cheese – a taste for which threatening to encircle the Allied defences. It when presented with a Medal and Certificate by in 2003, presenting across the State. Norm never acquired! But it was the children was decided to evacuate the Australians and the Greek Prime Minister Constantinos • Has organised and led Soccer Tours to New Zealand (2003) Vanuatu (2004) Fiji (2005), Malaysia (2006) and that captured Norm’s interest when he had a New Zealanders first via the small fishing vil- Karamanlis in Canberra. Life is too full for a Thailand (2007) in the furthering of International Sporting few precious minutes to take in his surround- lages of Megara, Porto Rafti and Rafina. This man who has devoted his whole life to the sup- Relations and has hosted Tours from the USA (2002). ings from the important and painstaking job he was due to the fact that Piraeus had been made port of others. A very active Legatee for over 25 • In 2003, awarded the Premier’s Australian Military was doing. They would appear on the side of useless on the 6th April when German Bombers years and now in his mid eighties, Norm is still History Scholarship to further his study on an aspect of the road as the convoy passed, wistfully looking sank the ammunition ship, Glen Fraser, fully a role model for men less than half his age. His the Battle of Crete. In early 2004, he visited Western Australia, Europe and the Middle East to complete his through eyes not yet damaged by what was to laden. The impact had been so severe that it did dynamism has never dimmed as the years have study. The completed article was published in 2004/5 in a come. Hunger had not made them gaunt or hag- damage to Athens, eleven kilometres to the progressed he has learned to adapt to life’s chal- number of newspapers and professional journals and was gard as yet. northeast and sank eleven ships where they lenges. He married, had three daughters, all of presented at a Sydney Legacy Luncheon in February Private R.J. Andrews 46470 of the 2/4th 19th moored in Piraeus Harbour. Furthermore, this whom he talks and displays photos of proudly 2006. Brigade 6th Division is now a man well into his act had prevented the necessary supplies being and four grandchildren. Sadly, he lost his devot- • In Jan-Feb-Mar 2007, he travelled to Greece, Egypt and Cyprus to research the impact of the 2nd ANZAC’s on the nineties living on the north coast of New South landed just when they were needed. So severe ed wife, Daphne about five years ago and defence and evacuation of Greece in WW2. Articles and Wales but Roy still vividly remembers the days was the effect still that evacuation had to take although living alone, has many, many friends. Presentations are to follow. he spent on trucks moving north towards Volos place as far south as Kalamata at the bottom of The Norman McFarland’s of this country • In 2005 was awarded a Rotary Pride of Workmanship after deployment at Dafni. “Air raids followed the Peloponnese deserve recognition. They are an example to the Award for his efforts in teaching boys. you everywhere, he remembers “and we were From Anzac Day on, the Allied position was generation of today – an example of what serv- • Member of the Australian College of Educators (M.A.C.E.) and the History Teachers’ Association of attacked three or four times a day. The trucks becoming desperate. Troops were ordered to ice, duty and humility mean. Their example NSW. stopped and we ran for the safety of the nearby the south for embarkation to Crete or Egypt gives us hope and inspiration for the future. • Member of Legacy (Hornsby Division) 2006- JULY 2007 12/30 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA Health HEALTH GASTROENTERITIS IN CHILDREN AND THE NEW ROTAVIRUS VACCINES NEWS dren, and it accounts for at least fifty percent of adults. Even with high standards in sanitation vaccine NOT available in this country, there WITH DR. THEO PENKLIS * all hospitalised cases of gastroenteritis in chil- and hygiene, infection with rotavirus is diffi- were significant adverse effects; a type of dren less than five years of age. cult to avoid. The virus can be spread from an bowel obstruction,intussusception, which was infant’s nappy to contaminated toys, baby play thought to be associated with the first dose What is gastroenteritis? Rotavirus is found in all countries in the world areas and food preparation areas. being given to children over three months of and almost every child in the world will suffer age. For this reason, the clinical trials on the Gastroenteritis is an infection of the gastroin- at least one infection by the time they are three Children in close communities such as child new vaccines limited the administration of the testinal tract that causes diarrhoea and vomit- years of age. Worldwide an estimated six hun- care centres are at an increased rate of infec- first dose to children under three months of ing. It is very common in young children. dred thousand children die each year from tion. age, and did not give subsequent doses to chil- Viruses are the main cause of gastroenteritis in rotavirus gastroenteritis. Worldwide rotavirus dren past a certain age. young children and the most common virus to causes nearly two million hospitalisations each Rotavirus is a seasonal disease. In Australia, cause gastroenteritis in this age group is year. the peak incidence occurs over the winter peri- The main reasons that catch-up immunisation rotavirus . od. or the immunisation of older children is not What are the symptoms of acute rotavirus recommended is because of the theoretical Gastroenteritis can also be caused by bacteria. gastroenteritis? Rotavirus vaccine concerns regarding intussusception and the This is usually due to the ingestion of contam- lack of data in infants and older children; and inated food. Like any type of infective gastroenteritis, chil- Two rotavirus vaccines have been available in the fact that the main burden of the rotavirus dren with rotavirus gastroenteritis develop Australia since May 2006. disease is in children less than three years of What are the symptoms of gastroenteritis? acute vomiting, diarrhoea and fever. The In March 2007, the Australian Government age. symptoms can develop very quickly and this announced that rotavirus vaccines would be Older children are usually protected from Children with acute gastroenteritis may expe- may lead to babies and children becoming funded under the National Immunisation developing severe disease due to rotavirus rience fever and abdominal pain. They will dehydrated. The diarrhoea can last for five to Programme commencing in July 2007 for because they have acquired partial immunity have diarrhoea with frequent loose, watery, seven days. babies born after 1st May 2007. from being infected earlier in life. green motions which may be blood-stained. The child may experience vomiting early in How is rotavirus gastroenteritis treated? Different states and territories may choose to Similarly, vaccination of adults is not recom- the illness.They may be hungry and thirsty and offer one or other of the two available vac- mended because it is likely that they have par- may become dehydrated due to decreased Rotavirus infection is treated with oral rehy- cines: RotaTeq or Rotarix.There are differ- tial pre-existing immunity and are not likely to fluid intake or increased fluid loss from the dration therapy. That is, the child is given flu- ences in the composition and number of doses experience severe rotavirus disease. vomiting and diarrhoea. ids orally to maintain hydration. If the infec- required of each vaccine. tion is severe and the child is becoming dehy- If given correctly at the recommended age, the What are rotaviruses? drated, then admission to hospital may be Rotavirus vaccines are administered orally at rotavirus vaccine is the best way to protect required for rehydration via an intranasal tube the same time with the other vaccines on the children against rotavirus disease. The vaccine Rotaviruses are RNA viruses. They have a or intravenous drip. childhood immunisation schedule at either 2, will not prevent diarrhoea and vomiting characteristic ‘wheel like’ appearance when 4, and 6 months of age (RotaTeq) or 2 and 4 caused by other infectious agents, such as bac- viewed under an electron microscope. In 1973, There is no specific medication given to treat months of age (Rotarix). The interval separat- teria and other viruses, but it is very good at an Australian researcher Ruth Bishop and her the virus. The virus passes through the gas- ing the doses should be no less than four preventing severe diarrhoea and vomiting colleagues described these viruses as the cause trointestinal tract. weeks and there are upper limits for the caused by rotavirus which causes approxi- of infant gastroenteritis. administration of the first and final doses of the mately half of all episodes of hospitalised gas- How is rotavirus infection transmitted? vaccine. troenteritis in infants and young children. What is rotavirus gastroenteritis? Rotavirus is highly contagious. It passes At this stage the Australian Government has * The information given in this article is of a gener- As we have discussed already, rotavirus gas- through the gastrointestinal tract .The live placed strict age limits for the administration al nature and readers should seek advice from their troenteritis is the most common cause of seri- virus can therefore pass from infected infants of the oral rotavirus vaccines. The reason for own medical practitioner before embarking on any ous gastroenteritis in infants and young chil- via the child’s faeces to other infants and this is that with a previous type of rotavirus treatment.

If you think you’re not wanted at 50, you’re wrong Fifty-year-olds are still perceived as being past their sell- by date in the workforce, even though they add value to a company through their past work experience.

A survey by career management firm Linkme.com.au found that nearly three-quarters of Australians believe that by the age of 50 finding new employment is almost impossible. Mature workers - 41-55 year olds - have an even grimmer perception of their own situation with a massive 82 per cent believing that finding employment after 50 is near impossi- ble. Worse still, the survey of 2,000 respondents found 51 per cent of boomers believe it is almost impossible to get a job after the age of 45. “Considering that economic growth for Australia is greatly dependant on mature age workers staying in the workforce for as long as possible, these statistics are staggering,” Linkme.com.au CEO Campbell Sallabank says. He says mature age workers currently make up one third of the workforce compared with one quarter two decades ago, and have a lower unemployment rate than the combined labour market. “I can see how a grim perception of being unemployable at this age might come about,” Mr Sallabank says. “Mature workers often have skills and experience gained through many years in the work force and therefore are gen- erally seeking higher end jobs which tend to be harder to find.” But he says that over the past two decades the average age of the Australian worker has increased to 39 years from 35 JULY 2007 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 13/31

Environment and Public Works Ministry’s vision for tourism Natural, cultural heritage consumed within decades by property developers, tour operators By Yiannis Elafros - Kathimerini It is not prompted by a need to confront the Peloponnese, eastern Crete and Magnesia), problems posed by unrestricted tourism devel- large firms have already bought land. In a country like Greece, where tourism opment that is destroying the natural, built and A particular threat is posed to the country’s plays a major role in the economy and the cultural environment (which is what attracts still unspoiled areas where land is cheaper and environment, the debate over the optimum tourists in the first place), nor does it draw there are no obstacles for potential buyers. tourism development model is a crucial attention to the risk posed by the overconcen- Uninhabited islands and rocky islets, places of political issue. tration of these activities in certain areas. great natural beauty, are at risk of becoming According to the Technical Chamber of static “cruise ships.” Even regions protected by The choice is whether to consume the coun- Greece, the plan “places the greatest emphasis the Natura program can be the target of try’s cultural and natural heritage – the legacy on facilitating investments and increasing tourism investors if they pay “a little more.” of millennia – within just a few decades for the tourism, rather than adopting the principles of The new plan reduces the mandatory dis- sake of real estate developers, tour operators, sustainable development.” tance a hotel must be built from the shoreline financiers and stockbrokers, or to exploit that Secondly, it promotes the concept of holiday to 100 meters (on flat land) or 50 meters (on a legacy in a sustainable way that will protect home complexes, that is tourist settlements of slope). For cases in between, a complicated and highlight it. homes for rent by individuals; these homes mathematical formula is proposed, which will The Special Tourism Zoning report, issued would cover up to 70 percent of the total built probably result in land-grabbing. Moreover the for public “negotiation” by the Environment, environment. That means widespread concrete plan does not provide for the demolition of Physical Planning and Public Works Ministry cover. illegally constructed buildings on beaches. Nor Mr Giorgos Souflias in cooperation with the Tourism Development By building private villages, major construc- does it envisage measures to stop widespread that would protect and highlight local architec- Ministry, has led environmental groups – such tion firms will be guaranteed profits even if the construction outside town limits, a practice ture and cultural attractions (as adopted in as the Hellenic Society for the Protection of the rest of the investment is not followed up. that has long plagued the Greek countryside. many parts of Italy). Environment and Cultural Heritage – to seek In areas designated as potential candidates Greece has great potential for winter tourism, It makes no mention of developing local qual- its withdrawal, for the following reasons. for such units (for example the western for hiking, agritourism, cultural tourism and ity (and organic) farm products or of agri- other specialized forms of tourism. Yet it is the tourism. Its entire philosophy is light years lack of golf courses that Minister Giorgos away from proposals such as the one put for- Souflias draws attention to in the plan. ward by the Hellenic Society: “New hotels Greek police find hundreds of stolen relics “We have only six golf courses compared to should conform to the principles of bioclimat- 500 in France, 200 in Italy, 300 in Spain and 76 ic architecture and be as autonomous as possi- Greek police have found more than a thou- Police confiscated more than 1,300 items in Portugal,” he said. ble regarding the recycling and reuse of sand pieces of artefacts dating back to ancient including small ancient clay idols, urns, pot- The facts that Greece is increasingly affected resources such as water and renewable energy Greece after raiding a suspect’s house near tery shards and bronze rings, dating from by drought and a golf course needs as much sources.” the southern city of Corinth, police said between the 6th and 4th century BC, police water as a town of 11,000 inhabitants do not recently. said. seem to bother him. This article first appeared in the June issue of ECO, A 58 year-old man, who was also found A further raid on the suspect’s house subse- The plan also overlooks another approach a Kathimerini supplement. with a dozen ancient and Byzantine period quently found excavation equipment and coins on his person, was arrested and will be books detailing Mycenean and Classical charged with antiquities theft. antiques, police said. “The suspect is probably part of a wider There are thousands of archaeological sites Plan for a cooler city group active in the Corinth area, as the arte- scattered around Greece, and the government Less car use, more efficient buildings ‘will offset Parnitha fallout’ facts seem to come from illegal digs in the has pledged to crack down on the illegal region,” police said. excavation and smuggling of its national her- The damage wreaked on Mount Parnitha “The confiscated artefacts are not very valu- itage. will have disastrous consequences for the able as they are mostly small items, but all air quality and temperatures in Athens such activity is illegal.” REUTERS unless crucial countermeasures are imple- mented, scientists and environmentalists told a press conference recently.

For the Bibliophiles… Until last month’s fire, Parnitha had func- tioned as the capital’s air conditioner, offset- The Early Church: the Story of emergent Christianity ting the heat emitted by some 2.5 million cars from the apostolic age to the dividing of the ways in Attica, experts said. “It is as if the number of between the Greek East and the Latin West. cars in Athens doubled,” said Athens By Henry Chadwick (Penguin) University professor Matthaios Santamouris. “The climate of our city will change.” The first seven chapters deal with the early Christian period. Throughout chapters 8 – 17, which Santamouris, other academics and represen- focus more on the Byzantine period, reference is often made back to this early period. The final tatives of Greenpeace and WWF Hellas urged chapter, on liturgy, music and art of the Church, provides a good starting point if one is unfa- citizens to leave their cars at home and use miliar with important writers on each of these subjects from the early Church period. Easy to public transport more often. They also pro- read, and written for a general audience, Chadwick’s book provides an overview and a ‘way in’ posed the extension of rail-based public trans- to more in-depth study, especially with regards to the overlapping of the pagan and Christian port networks. “If we curb the heat emitted by periods. vehicles we may be able to win back part of what we lost on Parnitha,” Santamouris said. Also high on the list of proposed countermea- New Documents Illustrating Early Christianity: a Review of the sures was the preservation of parts of the city replacement of standard tiles on rooftops with Greek inscriptions and papyri published in 1976 that have not been built up. “No more new special tiles that repel heat. Painting tiles a structures should be built in Athens. We don’t “cool” color like green was also suggested. By G.H.R Horsley (The Ancient History Documentary Research Centre, The public sector needs to set the example Macquarie University, 1981) need any more, we can reuse existing build- ings,” said Yiannis Polyzos, vice president of here, experts agreed. An equally beneficial effect can be achieved Archaeological research in the 20th century has added invaluable resources to our understand- the National Technical University of Athens and president of the Urban Environment if the same principle is applied to roads and ing of the early Christian (pre-Byzantine) period. Associations, conferences and schools of sidewalks. enquiry, usually based within university departments, provide the means by which students and Laboratory. According to Polyzos, the unde- veloped expanses of land in Athens have a sur- Environmentalists also urged authorities to others who have an interest may access the information contained in recently unearthed scrolls, adopt a European Union directive on the ener- papyri, carvings and so on. Unlike the aforementioned book, a journal such as this is not for face area roughly equal to the 4,200-acre expanse of forestland burnt on Mount gy efficiency of buildings. Most Athens build- the beginner but adds quite detailed information to, for example, the ban on magic and divina- ings do not repel heat effectively while also tion in Egypt in the 2nd century AD – a problem that continued to plague the Roman Empire Parnitha. th The creation of more parks would also help, spewing more heat into the atmosphere due to with 12 edicts against magicians being further issued early in the 4 century. Fascinating read- excessive use of air conditioners. ing for those who already have some knowledge of the early Christian period. he said. Another measure that could bring A.C. down the temperature in the capital by at least a couple of degrees, according to experts, is the KATHIMERINI ProviCare - counselling and rehabilitation of drug and alcohol abuse ph. 1800 010 575 JULY 2007 14/32 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA

CLINICAL INSIGHTS INTO HEALTH AND NATURAL SOLUTIONS

increasing accumulation of changes caused by Support health offer some protection against effects of ageing. free radicals. Slowing ageing Over the last decade, a number of studies have Extending life span: demonstrated that declining levels of DHEA BY CHRISTINA SCALONE* Interestingly, the strategies that can help to So, can the life span can be increased and the achieve these goals are practically the same. are linked to such conditions as diabetes, obe- BHSc, Dip. Bot. Med, Dip. ageing process slowed? The answer is definite- sity, elevated cholesterol levels, heart disease, Hom, Dip. Nut ly ‘yes’. You can feel better at sixty than you Dietary antioxidants: arthritis and autoimmune diseases. In addition, did at thirty by making healthy changes in your Compounds that prevent free radical damage DHEA shows promise in enhancing memory diet and lifestyle. Following are some of the are known as antioxidants or free radical scav- and improving mental function in the elderly interventions that are commonly recommend- engers. The body has several enzymes that as well as increasing muscle strength and lean ed for reducing the ageing process. prevent the damage induced by specific types body mass, activating immune function and of free radicals. The level of antioxidant enhancing the quality of life in ageing men and 1. Caloric restriction and ageing enzymes and the levels of dietary antioxidants women. The longest-lived people in the world today such as beta-carotene, determines the life span Lot of research still needs to be done in this can be found on the Japanese island of of mammals. Human beings live longer than area to confirm the beneficial effects of DHEA Okinawa. There are more people over 100 chimpanzees, cats, dogs and many other mam- in respect its ability to increase the life span. years here than anywhere else in the world. mals because we have a greater quantity of Scientists believe one of the reasons for their antioxidant enzymes. Presumably, the reason Again, this is one of the supplements (unlike longevity is their low-calorie diet. Their main why some people outlive others is that they vitamin C which is quite safe) that should be source of protein is plant based, which is high have higher levels of antioxidants in their cells. taken under observation of an health care prac- in other nutrients. Several studies in animals have demonstrated titioner to watch for any unwanted effects, and Based on population studies, it could be said that dietary antioxidants can definitely increase the levels need to be checked before starting that individuals who are severely overweight life expectancy. We are just beginning to see the supplement. or severely underweight have the shortest life human evidence. What we do know now is spans, while those whose weight is just below that antioxidant nutrients reduce the risk of Melatonin: the average weight for their height have the getting cancer, heart disease and many dis- Melatonin (not to be confused with melanin – longest life span. eases linked to ageing, including cataracts, the compound responsible for skin pigment) is macular degeneration and arthritis. a hormone manufactured from serotonin (an 2. Physical activity and ageing important neurotransmitter) and secreted by “Many of the physical limitations that accom- Dietary antioxidants of extreme significance in the pineal gland, a small pea-sized gland situ- pany ageing occur because people become life extension include vitamin C and E, seleni- ated at the base of the brain. The exact function inactive, not because they become older.” um, beta-carotene, flavonoids, sulphur con- of melatonin is still poorly understood but it is taining amino acids and coenzyme Q10. Not critically involved in the synchronisation of Apart from low caloric diet, another factor surprisingly, these same nutrients are also of hormone secretion. The pineal gland is an responsible for the longevity of the Okinawan extreme significance in cancer prevention as internal clock that signals the secretion of var- people of Japan is their engagement in contin- ageing and cancer share many common mech- ious hormones at different times to regulate THE SCIENCE uous work. anisms. body functions. OF AGEING Researchers have estimated that for every hour of exercise, there is a two-hour increase in Flavonoids: Melatonin plays a key role as the biological longevity. Flavonoids are plant pigments that offer timekeeper of hormone secretion. Melatonin Ageing is an inevitable natural process pro- remarkable protection against free radical also helps control period of sleepiness and grammed into our genes at conception. But The many remarkable benefits of regular phys- ical exercise are not limited to the young. damage. These compounds are largely respon- wakefulness. Release of melatonin is stimulat- ageing is not entirely the work of our genes; it sible for the colour of fruits and flowers. ed by darkness and suppressed by light. In is our genes’ interaction with rest of our lives Compared with those who are inactive, older adults who are active weigh less, have greater Flavonoids appear to protect our body from addition to its role in synchronizing hormone that shape us. We can slow the process by agents such as allergens, viruses and carcino- secretion, melatonin has been shown to pos- adopting healthy lifestyle habits such as eating flexibility, have more endurance, better bal- ance, better health and live longer. Most stud- gens (things that can cause cancer). The mole- sess antioxidant effects. Melatonin has a place nutritious foods and engaging in physical cules of flavonoids have unique antioxidant in the treatment of insomnia, jet lag, and possi- activity. It is estimated that 70 to 80 percent of ies have shown that an unfit individual carries eight times more risk of having a heart attack and free radical scavenging activity and are bly even some forms of cancer. Like DHEA, the average person’s life expectancy may active against a wide variety of oxidants and melatonin supplementation needs to be moni- depend on an individual’s lifestyle choices and or stroke than a physically fit individual. Physical activity also increases blood flow to free radicals. tored by a general practitioner. the remaining 20 to 30 percent depend on The best way to assure an adequate intake of genes. the brain, thereby preserving mental ability, alleviating depression, and supporting inde- flavonoids is to eat a varied diet rich in fruits In summary: and vegetables. The best dietary sources of Slowing the process of ageing or reversing In the beginning of 20th century, the average pendence. Muscle mass and muscle strength tend to decline with ageing, making older peo- flavonoids include citrus fruits, berries, onions, some of the signs of ageing does not occur in Australian life expectancy was 57 years. As parsley, legumes, green tea and red wine. just few days. There is no ‘magic bullet’ in this the century progressed, advances in science ple vulnerable to falls and immobility. Falls are a major cause of fear, injury, disability and regard. helped to extend human life. Today, the aver- Ginkgo biloba extract: age life expectancy is around 80 years. [Life even death among older adults. Many lose their independence as a result of falls. Regular The Ginkgo biloba extract, standardized to The following steps can help to reduce the age- expectancy refers to the average number of contain twenty-four percent ginkgoflavogly- ing process and premature ageing: years that a person is expected to live in a physical activity tones, firms and strengthens muscles, helping to improve confidence, cosides has demonstrated remarkably benefi- A positive mental attitude given population while life span refers to the cial effects in improving many symptoms A healthy lifestyle: exercise, sleep and maximum age attainable by a member of a reduce the risk of falling and lessens the risk of injury associated with ageing. Ginkgo biloba is espe- healthy habits species. The current official world record for cially useful in treating conditions linked to A healthy diet – high intake of vegetable longevity is 122 years, reached by a French reduced blood flow to the brain, such as dizzi- and fruits (as they have a high content of vita- woman]. 3. Nutrition, lifestyle factors and ageing ness, ringing in the ears, headache, short-term mins, minerals, flavonoids, and fibre. Following are the lifestyle factors that can memory loss and depression. Supplementary measures What causes ageing? influence on a person’s health and age: o High potency multivitamin and The process of ageing is not fully understood. Regular and adequate sleep Many symptoms common in the elderly are a mineral supplement There are many theories that are put forward in Eating well-balanced meals, including result of insufficient blood and oxygen supply. o Vitamin C its explanation. Here we will discuss one of the breakfast, regularly Ginkgo biloba extract has demonstrated o Vitamin E most popular theories of ageing ‘free radical Regular physical activity remarkable effect in improving blood and oxy- o Ginkgo biloba theory’. Free radicals are atoms or groups of Not smoking gen supply to tissues. o DHEA atoms that are extremely unstable and highly Not using alcohol or using it in modera- o Melatonin reactive. When they are present in excessive tion DHEA: amounts they begin attacking body at cellular Maintaining a healthy body weight * Christina Scalone is a very experienced and successful naturopath with over 20 years experience. She holds a level. Free radicals attack our cell membranes, The primary role of the adrenal hormone dehy- enzymes and genetic material. Free radicals Good nutrition helps to maintain a healthy Degree in Health Science, a Diploma in Botanical Medi- droepiandrosterone (DHEA) is as a precursor cine, Diploma in Homoeopathy and a Diploma in Nutri- are also thought to be associated with the dis- body and can therefore ease the ageing to all other steroid hormones in the human tion. She has maintained a full time practice, has held a eases of ageing, also known as degenerative process. Nutrition can improve quality of life body including sex hormones and corticos- position as a senior practioner/ naturopathic consultant, a diseases such as cancer and heart disease. It in the later years. teroids. Because DHEA levels tend to decline clinic manager and trainer for Blackmores and is a clinic has been postulated that the phenomenon of Two aspects can motivate adults to pay atten- student supervisor as well as a lecturer at the Australian with ageing, it has been suggested that raising College of Natural Therapies. She also maintains her own ageing is in fact nothing more than ever- tion to their diets: DHEA levels through supplementation may private practice with successful results. JULY 2007 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 15/33

90th anniversary of Australia’s saddest year Passchendaele is a byword for the monstrous futility of war. It was the costliest campaign of Australia’s bloodiest year ever, 1917.

Like Gallipoli, it was marked by great courage and ended up achieving nothing. It was the last huge engagement of the trench warfare which blighted the western front in World War I. The four-month stunt, as the first Anzacs used to call it, cost well over half a million lives - some 300,000 on the Allied side, including more than 36,000 Australians. And four months later, the German army won back every inch of ground taken in just three days. The Queen has been in Flanders fields recently commemorat- ing the battle’s 90th anniversary, along with Belgium’s Queen Paola, Australian Governor-General Michael Jeffery and lead- ers from New Zealand and Canada. They laid wreaths at Tyne Cot cemetery, on a ridge captured by Australian forces during the grim battle. So prolonged was the slaughter that the cemetery remains the largest commonwealth burial site in the world. Passchendaele overlooks the Belgian city of Ieper, which was better known to the soldiers by its French name Ypres. That in turn was known to Aussie diggers not fussed by the delicacies of pronunciation as “Wipers”. The extent of the destruction can scarcely be imagined, but aerial photographs show the village of Passchendaele was liter- ally bombed out of existence. They indicate more than one million artillery shell holes in an area of one square mile. The British alone fired more than four million shells in the Canadian Pioneers carrying trench material to Passchendaele quitting work while German prisoners carrying battle at a cost of some 22 million pounds. wounded pass by, 1917 Passchendaele is notorious for several reasons. For the first time Germany used mustard gas, which, apart fields of West Flanders. Wounded took the casualties to an estimated three-quarters of from being extremely painful, caused skin blistering, lung dam- “It was no longer life at all,” recalled German General Erich a million. age, eye irritation and even blindness. Ludendorff. Some 90,000 British, New Zealand and Australian bodies The battle also took place in woeful conditions. “It was mere unspeakable suffering. were never identified, and 42,000 were never recovered. The troops fought on reclaimed marshland which was swam- “And through this world of mud the attackers dragged them- The battle was called to a halt after Canadian reinforcements py at the best of times, even without rain. selves, slowly, but steadily, and in dense masses. replaced decimated British, Australian and New Zealand units But seemingly incessant downpours and the continuous vol- “Caught in the advanced zone by our hail of fire they often and captured the ruined village on November 10, 1917. leys of shells rendered the landscape a bog which proved virtu- collapsed, and the lonely man in the shell-hole breathed again. The Australian War Memorial notes that the year ended much ally impassable. “Then the mass came on again. Rifle and machine-gun as it had begun, with the diggers bogged in the muddy trench- Troops walked to the front over paths made of wooden duck- jammed with the mud. Man fought against man, and only too es of France and Belgium. boards laid across the mud. often the mass was successful.” And little did they know that the ground they spent so much Those carrying heavy equipment who slipped off the path The Allied strategy was to drive a hole in the German lines, blood on conquering would be taken back from them the fol- would sometimes drown in the “liquid mud” before they could advance to the Belgian coast and capture the German subma- lowing March. be rescued. rine bases there. The War Memorial says the name Passchendaele “would Even the newly developed tanks bogged down, and the land- But the Germans were well-entrenched, with mutually sup- invoke painful memories of suffering and grief for a whole gen- scape became littered with dead bodies. porting pillboxes, and the troops became cannon fodder. eration”. The remains of soldiers, as well as bombs and gas canisters, The Germans lost around 270,000 men, and the British Em- are still dug up every year by Belgian farmers ploughing the pire forces 300,000. AAP Cyprus leaders to meet over Nominate your local heroes stalled reunification talks Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat accepted an invita- for Aussie of the Year - Howard tion to meet his Greek Cypriot counterpart, President Tassos Papadopoulos, in a bid to break the deadlock in reunification Prime Minister John Howard (photo) has called on all talks. No date has been set for the meeting on the future of the Australians to nominate outstanding people in their communi- divided island. ties for Australian Of The Year award. Greek and Turkish Cypriots agreed a year ago to start two-tier Mr Howard officially opened nominations recently for the negotiations - with technical committees tackling everyday 2008 award categories. concerns and working groups dealing with substantive issues - More than 100 people gathered for today’s event at Old but there has been little activity. Government House in the western Sydney suburb of “ As the side which has, for the past 10 months continuously Parramatta. emphasised the need for a meeting with Papadopoulos to dis- As well as Australian Of The Year, there are awards for Young cuss the problems during this process, we respond to Australian Of The Year (aged 16 to 25), Senior Australian Of Papadopoulos’ suggestion positively,” Talat was quoted as say- The Year (60 or over), and Australia’s Local Hero. ing by the private Dogan news agency. Mr Howard highlighted the different ethnic and cultural back- Talat said there should be regular meetings between Cyprus’s grounds of the 2007 award recipients, which he said embodied community leaders. the qualities that made Australia a great country. dren achieve their dreams through softball. “It will be difficult to solve all the disagreements of the past Environmentalist Tim Flannery is the current Australian of the He was nominated by Amelia Griffen, school captain at one year in just one meeting,” he said. Year. Toongabbie Public School, also in Sydney’s west. Cyprus has been divided into a Greek Cypriot south - repre- “Each has had a completely different life experience yet all of Mr Howard encouraged everyone to think of people they sented by the internationally recognised government - and a them are imbued with a very special unifying Australian spirit know who do extraordinary things in everyday life. Turkish Cypriot north since 1974, when Turkey invaded after a which is at once enthusiastic, it’s completely unpretentious and “If you think someone has done far more for the community, failed Athens-backed coup by supporters of union with Greece. it is also completely optimistic,” he told the audience. get ahold of one of these nomination forms, put one in and you In 2004, Greek Cypriot voters rejected a UN reunification plan “The greatest privilege in the world is to be an Australian.” never know,” he said. that Turkish Cypriots accepted in a separate referendum. The first person to be nominated for 2008 Australian of the You can obtain a nomination form by phoning 1300 655 193, The United Nations has repeatedly pushed the two sides to Year is Peter Langmack, 35, a teacher at Shalvey Public School or by going online at www.australianofthe-year.gov.au. reopen negotiations. in western Sydney, for his efforts in helping disadvantaged chil- AAP JULY 2007 16/34 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA

Cyprus, Malta to become eurozone’s new members Cyprus and Malta cleared the final hurdle In the ERM II, the currencies of euro candi- yesterday to joining the eurozone on dates are allowed to fluctuate within a margin January 1, 2008, when EU finance ministers around a central parity rate. Since both curren- set the rates at which the single currency cies were stable in the ERM II, the chosen con- will replace their pound and lira respective- version rate will not have any impact on their ly. economies. “It’s an historic day for us. It’s a new begin- Criteria ning,” Cypriot Finance Minister Michalis Sarris told reporters, vowing to keep tight fis- Cyprus and Malta were invited to join the cal discipline once his country adopts the cur- euro after meeting tough criteria on inflation, rency now shared by 13 nations, including interest rates, budget deficits, public debt and Greece. foreign exchange stability. The next in line is Maltese Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi Slovakia, which wants to join in 2009, but a declared, “This is an historic moment for European Central Bank memo obtained by Europe, for the eurozone and for Malta.” Reuters last month posed a question mark over The EU’s 27 ministers decided the Cyprus its ability to keep inflation in check. The pound would be replaced at a rate of 0.585274 biggest EU newcomers - the Czech Republic, pounds per euro as expected and that 0.429300 Hungary and Poland - are likely to adopt the Maltese lira would be worth 1 euro. currency only after 2010 due to their high Those rates are the same as their central par- budget deficits. ity levels in the Exchange Rate Mechanism II, the currency stability test for joining the euro, Political dimension in which the two Mediterranean islands’ cur- rencies have been stable over the last two Sarris has repeatedly said Cyprus’s euro years. The two countries will be the second and adoption should help in any future talks on third new member states to adopt the euro reunification between Greek Cypriots, who among the 10 that joined the bloc in 2004. The represent the divided island in the EU, and first, Slovenia, entered the club on January 1 Turkish Cypriots, whose breakaway state in this year. northern Cyprus is recognized only by Turkey. Cyprus and Malta will add 1.2 million citi- “There will be no discussion which currency zens and 0.2 percent to the eurozone’s 8-tril- will be the common currency of the reunified lion-euro economy. Their main industry is Cyprus so it will take away one of the issues on tourism. the table,” he told Reuters last month. “I congratulate Cyprus and Malta,” said Gonzi said Malta was doing all it could to Portuguese Finance Minister Fernando Teixei- avoid a spike in inflation or perceived inflation ra dos Santos, whose country now holds the when the euro is introduced, but was still vul- EU’s rotating presidency. nerable to imported price rises. “I expect that the adoption of the euro in these “We are confident that we have taken all the two countries will encourage them to keep steps domestically,” he said. “We are already with such policies and also to keep the sound- slightly concerned about what is being dis- ness of their economy and improve the com- cussed in international fora about cereal petitiveness of their economies,” he added. prices... and stagflation.” (Reuters)

Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia St Euphemia College ST. EUPHEMIA COLLEGE 19TH ANNUAL BALL 2007 LIST OF DONATIONS $500 Mr John Manetas (Quick Spark Electrical) $500 Imbrian Association $500 Mr Nick Retsas $500 Parent’s & Friends Committee $40,000 Mr Michael Chambouras $500 Mrs Lambrini Gourvelos $300 Mr Con & Mrs Mimi Ange Mr Chris Christou $500 Mr & Mrs Plomaritis $300 (plus $10,000 each year for 5 years) $10,000 Mr Panagiotis Chrysou $500 Mr Dimitrios Papapetrou $150 Mr George Ferizis & Family $10,000 Mrs Kyriaki Houtris $500 Mr & Mrs Souleles $150 Mr & Mrs Taleb (R.I. Taleb Australia Pty. Ltd) Mr John & Mrs Katsiris $500 Mr & Mrs Tsanis & Family $150 $3,500 Mr Michael Katzakis $500 Anonymous $150 Mr Con & Jenny Angelakis $2,000 Mr Christos Koliris $500 Anonymous $150 Anonymous $2,000 Kosmos Newspaper $500 Bank of Cyprus $1,000 Laiki Bank $500 TOTAL AMOUNT $ 85550 Mr Arthur Georgoulas (Sweet Fantasy) $1,000 Mr Andrew Kapos $1,000 RAFFLE TICKET WINNERS Mr Nick & Mrs Mary Kotsidis $1,000 Prize Winners Mr Dragan & Mrs Vukica Miladinovic $1,000 1st Prize Return Ticket to Greece donated by Cynthia Theo Mr Chris Papachristou – Watkins Taylor Insurance Donated by Mr L. Polyviou – Kyrenia Travel Ticket Number: 9947 $1,000 2nd Prize Two return Tickets to the Gold Coast G. Deidda Mr Nick & Mrs Joanna Saroussidis (Poseidon Cleaning Ticket Number: 304 Services) $1,000 3rd Prize 51cm colour TV Elpis Bollas Mr Tim and Mrs Amelia Stathis $1,000 Donated by the Ladies Auxilliary Ticket Number: 0298 Mrs Christine Theophilou $1,000 4th Prize Microwave Oven Anastasia Parasiris J. & C. Hardy Funerals (Mr & Mrs Spence) $700 Donated by Mr & Mrs Madouris Ticket Number: 5195 Mr John & Mrs Dina Mitrothanasis $500 5th Prize National CD Player Nicolas Zafiriou Floral Creations by Helen (Mr & Mrs Delimitros) JULY 2007 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 17/35 Food & Wine Food Poisoning: a colourful history By Imogen Coward and Taliésin Coward Industrialisation allowed confectioners to pro- two children who consumed the food being duce more sweets than ever before. With this, rendered unconscious for ten hours. Information on current food standards in Roses are red, dilly dilly though, also came the cutting of corners by Australia (and New Zealand) can be found at violets are blue, unscrupulous manufacturers to raise profits The fears over what is added to our food per- www. fsanz.gov.au (then follow the appropri- arsenic is green*, and/or attempt to price rival confectioners out sists and, in our modern age of pre-packaged ate links). The books listed below offer and not good for you... of the market. food and rainbow coloured sweets, barely a insights into the fascinating world of food his- month goes by without one of the commercial tory, food additives and the history of sweets. Fantasy novels, like historical novels can be a The tales of cocoa powder being added to with TV stations 6.30pm infotainment programs most curious source of culinary information. powdered brick are perhaps unsurprising. offering up a piece on food additives . More Reay Tannahill Food in History (London, Intriguing scraps are tossed to the reader, invit- More shocking though are the other additives often than not, the target is food colourings and Review, 2002) ing an exploration into the past accompanied which some manufacturers resorted in their flavour enhancers and the links to allergies and Felipe Fernandez-Armesto Food: A History by intense rummaging through reference bid for prettier, brighter, more handsome bad behaviour, especially in young children. (London, Pan, 2002) books and web-pages in a hunt to discover sweets and a larger share of the market. The Although in the past, as the Terry Pratchett Tim Richardson Sweets: A History of where the truth ends and the fantasy begins. 1820 Treatise on the Adulterations of Food by novels reflect, the history of food additives has Temptation (London, Bantam, 2003) Take, for instance the bright green peppermint Frederick Accum suggests, among other been both colourful and dangerous, fortunate- humbugs offered to people on ‘hogswatch things, that the red colour in sweets was com- ly for us, in Australia there are quite stringent * refers to copper arsenite or “Scheele’s night’ by Lord Downey in Terry Pratchett’s monly achieved with red lead (toxic when controls over what additives may be used in Green”, a pigment invented in 1775 the histor- Discworld fantasy novel series. For those not ingested and resulting in the poisoned person foods, restricting them to those which are gen- ical uses of which include colouring sweets familiar with the books, Lord Downey is head developing a greyish hue). Indeed, according erally believed to be reasonably safe for of the assassins guild and the peppermint hum- to the modern sweets history writer, Tim human consumption. bugs he gives out are (in the novels) suspected Richardson, the use of toxic compounds of of being poisonous, largely because of their mercury, copper, lead and arsenic (such a pret- pretty green colour. The suspicions in the ty green) were quite widespread and the novel allude to the arsenic compound copper prospect of accidental poisoning from sweets arsenite, a toxic pigment invented in the late was very real. One example on record is the 18th century that was used, among other poisoning, in 1850, of two girls who became ill things, as a green food colouring in sweets. after eating sweets which contained arsenic. Haselgrove Sovereign Series wine has a slightly buttery mouth-feel The late 18th and early 19th centuries were a The use of toxic ingredients in the 18th and Semillon Sauvignon Blanc, 2006 with grassy-ness and time of great discovery and invention with 19th centuries though was not restricted to acidity providing a many new pigments coming into being. It was colourings. Publicans were sometimes known So pale is the colour of this drop that you lift. The finish is also a time when competition between confec- to adulterate beer and enhance its intoxicating could almost mistake the wine for water. clean and refreshing tioners rose to new heights. Once regarded as effects with cocculus indicus, a toxic One sniff of the citrus-y, fresh aromas and with no cloying ef- purely medicinal foods sold only by apothe- fruit/berry. Accum’s 1820 treatise also men- the grassy after-note though would soon set fect. Enjoy it chilled. caries, sweets had passed through the phase of tions a near-fatal episode of corner cutting that you right. A well balanced blend of semillon being the exotic food of the upper classes, to occurred when Cherry-laurel leaves were used and sauvignon blanc characteristics, this Cost: under $15 become popular treats desired by the masses. as a substitute for almond essence, resulting in  JULY 2007 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 18/36 Travel Amorgos: home to the improbable and impractical We leave Amorgos in an hour. There’s just enough time to revisit Minoa, which we first approached at twilight two days previously after a long hike from Arkesini, further to the west. Minoa, Arkesini and Aegiali (about 20km to the northeast) were the island’s three major cities from the Archaic period (7-6th centuries BC) until the Roman era. On that first occasion, we managed to read a little about the site on the information board at the entrance before the light faded. We learned that traces have been found there of a late neolithic settlement from as early as the 4th millennium BC but that it is the Hellenistic city, dating from the 4th century BC, that is of most LEFT: A view of ancient Arkesini, one of the island’s three major cities from the Archaic period until the Roman era. MIDDLE: A large eucalyptus interest. Included among buildings already tree shades Loza Square’s cafes from the morning sun. RIGHT: Hora is one of the best-preserved island capitals in the Cyclades excavated and identified are a temple to Apollo, a gymnasium, a theatre and a temple to their island’s name. We know that in the 5-4th present height of 45m and a width of just 4.6m, lost in its quiet alleys, designed with foresight Dionysus Minoitis. Also, there is a Roman cis- centuries BC they were weaving fine transpar- with seven levels and three monks. Windows not just to keep out pirates but cars and motor- tern and of particular interest to my travelling ent “Amorgean tunics”, often dyed purple, stare out at the Aegean, all different sizes and bikes as well. Originally built as a retreat from companion Tom and myself, a finely preserved from the local amorgos flax. The export trade in irregularly spaced, and two huge buttresses the men of the black sails, the medieval part of water-borne latrine. them thrived. seem to have taken on the responsibility of the town centres round the Kastro rock with the Our first trip together, over 20 years ago, was The glory of Classical and Hellenistic Amorgos making sure it doesn’t all come tumbling improbable church, a warren of arches and pas- to Kenya, where we were unlikely consultants marked the zenith of the island’s development. down. Quite simply, off its rocker. One of the sages and thick stone walls. Not far below is on an unlikely project, to determine the market Afterwards, as elsewhere in the Cyclades, it fell maddest-looking buildings I have ever seen. Loza, the main square, its cafes shaded from potential there for latrines - pit and water-borne. under Frankish and Ottoman control and was “Impressively impractical,” is Tom’s assess- the morning sun by a large eucalyptus tree, the We can bore people very quickly on the sub- the frequent target of piracy until the 18th cen- ment. traditional blues and whites interrupted by the ject. But this time there was nobody to tell and tury when agriculture and trade once more Being a monastery, practicality is hardly the surprise of a green door or a wall of purple night had fallen. And we could not have got flourished. Piracy, though, did strike one more issue. But formality is. There are signs at the bougainvillea. And from there the streets into the site in any case because excavations are time before Greek independence, when bottom of the paved steps leading up to spread out in a maze of steps and corridors full ongoing and it is out of bounds. We walked Maniots under Captain Stekoulis carried out a Hozoviotissa reminding visitors of the discrim- of barrel-vaulted churches and houses with iron round the city walls in starlight and imagined particularly brutal raid in 1797. Those days, inatory dress code. The wording is a little balustrades and whitewashed walls that seem how formidable they must have been when thankfully, are now long gone and we tourists ambiguous but the essence of it is that men to bubble from all the little indentations that approached from the sea. are the only pirates to come visiting. need to wear trousers but women mustn’t. mark this style of Cycladic building. Are these Now, two days later, with just an hour left on On the rocks Entrance is through a low marble door frame, purely decorative or do they act as a kind of the island, we are back. An ouzo and biscuits and a staircase beyond leads to the upper levels. cooling system? And for how long have they party is underway in a bamboo shelter at the Arriving at night, the boat often calls in first At the top of the stairs is a minder for the been ‘traditional’? Lily would know. edge of the site. We are called over. And we at the port of Aegiali before running in a south- monks whose task is to enforce the clothing One day, we walk from Hora via quickly realise we have got lucky. Taking a westerly direction along the coast, skirting rules. Once in his line of sight, you don’t nor- Hozoviotissa Monastery to Aegiali. It looks break is a delightful team of enthusiastic round the islet of Nikouria (a former leper mally make it beyond the first two steps in the impressive on the map, a route that probably archaeologists led by Lily Marangou and her colony), before rounding the headland which wrong attire. For people dressed appropriately covers half the island and follows its spine former student George Gavalas. “You spent a shelters the bay of Katapola. This gives you a more steps lead up via more levels to the chapel along the narrowest section. And it is impres- long time looking at the archaeological collec- sense of Amorgos’length (about 29 kilometres) at the top. It is rather a wonderful little sanctu- sive, not least because you walk beneath the tion in Hora yesterday, didn’t you?” says but not its width. Together with Folegandros, it ary, with its icons and treasures and incense and limestone ridge that runs down from Mount George. “I saw you.” Within minutes, he is tak- is one of the narrowest of the main Cycladic one of the monks is stationed there to explain a Prophet Elijah (698m) and cross over from one ing us round the site. It is all fascinating but for islands, only 2.5 kilometres across at one point, little about the monastery’s history. Outside is a side of the island to the other. This is the best us, of course, nothing more so than the latrine, and its shoreline is mostly sheer and rocky. And terrace that can make you feel quite dizzy if you way to get an idea of how steep and narrow this a well-appointed four-seater in a room that was rocks, on Amorgos, are used in the most imag- lean over the edge and look down into the old island is and why, in antiquity, Aegiali must once plastered and decorated in red, yellow and inative ways. waters of the Aegean, rather a long way below. have seemed so independent of the other city green. Apparently, the structure was discovered Dominating the old Kastro area of Hora, the Next stop is a reception room, the walls hung states - Arkesini and Minoa. It is quite a trek, by 19th-century traveller Theodore Bent, but he island’s capital that hides in the mountains with portraits of former monks (and military the path winding and uneven. did not know what it was. Archaeologist L Ross above Katapola, is a rock that is 64m high and leaders), where visitors are given a glass of the The sun is already going back down into the actually peered inside and thought he was look- for over 1,500 years one side of it has been local honey and raki liqueur and a loukoumi. sea when we meet a couple of cheerful ing at fortification walls. It was none other than home to the Keraleousa church. Exactly how is Then comes the descent. And since there is goatherds. Where have you come from, they Lily herself, we learn, who excavated them. hard to say. Attached, wedged, divinely only that one narrow staircase leading up from ask. Hora. How long did it take? Oh, about an She is rightly proud of the discovery and we glued.... “Improbable,” says Tom in admira- the bottom level, there can be some waiting hour, we reply. They grin. In that case, it’ll only congratulate her warmly, all set to surprise her tion. But this will prove to be merely an aperi- time. The monk’s minder has to act like a cuck- take you another ten minutes to get to Aegiali! with our specialist knowledge. But she has tif for the island’s most famous Christian shrine oo clock. Out he pops to the top of the stairs to Off they go, chuckling. It will take us a good more important things to discuss. She wants to which is to be found hanging onto cliffs below give the same old message, politely, to yet hour-and-a-half. know if we have been to the Old Tower at the Hora. another incorrectly dressed visitor, and back he Twilight restores the richness of colour to the Arkesini. No, we haven’t. No? Well, why not? The legend is that Hozoviotissa was not comes into the waiting room, slapping his fore- land and sharpens the contours of the Little she scolds. “It’s the most important monument always where it is now. People in the 8-9th cen- head and rolling his eyes to vent his frustration. Cyclades, the islands that lie to our north-west on the island.” turies were more sensible but less fortunate Out he pops, back he comes. But now, as we across a pool of calm water. On evenings like An ancient site is a good place to start on this than those who came after. They built at a lower wait, he pops out for a long time. An unholy this, it is easy to forget how treacherous the sea most easterly Cycladic island. There have been level, but their church was destroyed and the argument is in progress in Greek. He is facing can be and what a long and turbulent history some extraordinary finds already and much tools were miraculously removed to a higher up to some irate women who have just exhaust- these empty hills have witnessed. We leave the more is likely to be on the way. We know and far more inaccessible spot which was, ed themselves climbing the steps from their path and go cross country towards the distant Amorgos was settled from at least the 4th mil- according to a document signed much later in tour bus and have no intention of not seeing the church of St Mamas and from there into tidy lennium BC and prehistoric cemeteries have 1583 by Ecumenical Patriarch Jeremiah II “the monastery. Back he comes, at last, and beckons Pano Potamos which leads down, via many yielded ceramics, fine metalwork and Cycladic Great”, a site “once considered by the locals an for us to go down, evidently still unaware of steps, into the charming little port of Aegiali. marble figurines, including the largest early inaccessible ‘God-forsaken place’.” The chisel just what he is up against. We descend to find The second time we have been here. And the (2800-2300BC) such statue found so far. From of the master builder was found inserted into the stairs blocked and we don’t know where to second time at night. We really ought to see it the Classical era onwards there is archaeologi- the rock where the monastery should be built (it look. Four steps below us a woman has in daylight. cal and documentary evidence that pieces is said to be the one on display in the chapel removed her trousers and her husband (pre- Next time. Because with one hour left on the together a good part of the island’s story from today). Next, one of those unmanned boats sumably) is removing his shirt so she can wrap island, over ouzo and biscuits, Lily Marangou then until now. Of particular cultural interest is with just an icon on board appeared and this it round her thighs and pass it off as a skirt. We has extracted a promise that there will be a next the fact that the 7th century BC iambic satirist particular icon of the Virgin Mary allegedly edge past and leave them to it. time. It is very important to visit the Old Tower Simonides (born on Samos) came to live here. came from Hozova in Palestine. God had spo- Hora and beyond at Arkesini, she repeats, when we try and fail He had much to say about the women of the ken. once again to get in a word about our own island, both flattering (the best is like a queen And so the new monastery of Hozoviotissa Amorgos’ Hora is one of the best-preserved expertise in latrines. “So what happened bee) and not (the flaws of women he knew are was founded by Alexis Comnenus I of capitals in the Cyclades (thanks in large part, there?” we ask. “Everything,” says Lily, compared to less admirable species of ani- Byzantium in the 11th century and it is still we are told, to Lily Marangou’s efforts) and one “though we don’t know yet exactly what.” mals). The women may also have been behind clinging to those same vertical cliffs today at a of the pleasures of being on the island is to get ATHENS NEWS JULY 2007 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 19/37

Walking robot offers clues to human movement A walking robot that adapts to different terrain is helping forward slightly and uses shorter steps to navigate uphill. scientists understand how humans move and could one day A key is the robot’s “brain” - in this case the infrared eye con- lead to improved treatment for spinal cord and other nected to the control circuits - which directs the machine to injuries, German researchers said recently. change its gait when needed. Previous research suggests the Previously, RunBot the robot’s inventors said the 30-centime- motor control system in humans consists of a hierarchy of lev- tre-tall machine could only walk forward on flat surfaces and els where interactions between muscles and the spinal cord would topple over when encountering a slope. work largely on their own until a higher level of control - the But using an infrared eye, the robot can now detect an incline brain - is needed. This relationship can help explain how some in its path and adjust its gait after four or five attempts to navi- paraplegics are able to use their legs on a treadmill while sus- gate up the slope, researchers said. The machine, which simply pended in a harness, and was key to the research, Woergoetter falls over until it learns to walk uphill, takes 3-4 stride lengths said. Studying a robot to gain a better understanding of how dif- per second, a touch faster than the normal human gait of about ferent parts of the body work when walking could have practi- 1.5 to 2.5 stride lengths per second. cal applications to improve health care for humans, he added. “It is trial and error learning,” said Florentin Woergoetter, a This could include designing better prosthetics for amputees researcher at the University of Goettingen who helped design or helping therapists work with patients with spinal cord and RunBot. other severe injuries with a goal of getting them mobile again. “It needs about four or five falls to learn this.” “The robot is essentially a model of the human biped walking Woergoetter, who published his findings in the journal and can be used to improve understanding and for better treat- Computational Biology, compared the process with the way a ment methods,” Woergoetter said. child learns to walk. He said just like humans, RunBot leans REUTERS Detect, prevent, extinguish and reforest The loss of at least 4,000 hectares of forest fires in June, but 317 of them started during in two days last week is an environmental the three days of the June 26-28 heatwave, disaster that we are unlikely to make up in when temperatures touched 46 degrees the next generation. Half of that grim tally Celsius. Any one of them might have devel- Paradise lost: consisted of pine and shrubs in the south- oped into a major conflagration. It could take ern reaches of Mount Pelion, which can If the country is to deal effectively with its more than a eventually recover. The forest that burned hotter future, substantial new measures need century for the on Parnitha, however, consisted of firs over to be taken in fire detection, prevention and fir trees of Mt a century old. extinction. Parnitha to Other Mediterranean countries have suc- return to their Firs are notoriously slow growers, and only cessfully installed extensive networks of heat pre-fire stature thrive in the shade and humidity provided by sensors and cameras in forests that alert them a vanguard. Forestry experts who have to fires. Pasok toyed with such a system in the learned from a reforestation experiment at late 1980s, and the idea is making a come- Mount Mainalo in the Peloponnese say that in back. The municipality of Omiroupoli on today’s warming climate, it will be very diffi- Chios is installing a system in the autumn. cult to resurrect Parnitha. Today Greece has vastly improved infrastruc- The tragedy of Parnitha is that it was a badly ture to monitor such information; its quarter- strategised and narrowly lost battle. of-a-billion-euro Olympic security system is Firefighters were called to Dervenohoria on designed to feed information from remote the evening of June 27 to extinguish a rela- sensors to command bunkers. We should take tively small blaze, possibly caused by a power advantage of this with a pilot scheme in transformer, but their pump was broken. A forests that lie near cities. second vehicle was unable to put out the fire Prevention is perhaps the most neglected, before nightfall and high winds whipped it out and important, stage. Building and maintain- of control. The fire brigade then allowed the ing fire breaks and clearing the forest floor of fire to gallop across 15 kilometres of forest, tinder are unglamorous jobs that used to be reaching the Parnitha National Park. done by interested locals, who also reaped Residents had been doing a better job with free firewood. The budget for such work to be shovels and branches, the Dervenohoria taken over by contractors is nonexistent. mayor suggests. A bureaucratic problem is about to be added The fire brigade is not the only one to blame, to the budgetary one. Earlier this year however. The interior, development and pub- Polydoras announced the reinstatement of the lic order ministries and their respective serv- forestry service for fire prevention but not ices revealed disgraceful malcoordination and extinction. The service has always been bureaucratic jealousy. underfunded. For two decades it has fought a Parnitha was perhaps condemned on the losing battle with the fire brigade to maintain second day of the fire by a bizarre decision, its firefighting jurisdiction. It lost Attica in the brigade must invest in its ability to respond in Greece, though, is reforestation and afforesta- according to Public Order Minister Vyron late 1980s and the rest of Greece in 1998. It is the early moments of a fire. Although Greece tion of barren hillsides. With annual losses a Polydoras, not to deploy water-scooping now unlikely to relish the role of second fid- has one of the biggest fleets of water-scoop- given (they have averaged 4,700 hectares a planes for fear that they should disrupt the dle to its nemesis. Since city fire brigades ing aircraft globally, recent experience has year in the first five years of this century) power supply by shedding their loads on understand forests less well than the fire shown that twenty-two Canadairs aided by playing defence is a losing strategy. An high-voltage lines. The Public Power brigade, an attempt to amalgamate the two helicopters are no longer enough to service investment of 5,000 hectares a year in new Corporation declares that it shut down power forces seems in order. the country in summer. Last September, growth would bring us even. Double or triple to those lines, but the fire brigade says it was Underinvestment in prevention is particular- planes were again in short supply during that investment would reverse past losses and never informed. ly unjustified in light of the fact that 24 mil- simultaneous large-scale fires in Halkidiki contribute significantly to Greece’s Kyoto Pelion, too, might have been saved, but was lion European Union euros earmarked for for- and Mani, because some had been dispatched commitment to combat greenhouse gases. deprived of firefighting planes in the critical est protection in the 2000-2007 financial per- to control blazes in the Ionian. New Democracy should start planning now. early hours because those had been dis- spective was left untouched by Greece. Expanding the firefighting fleet is not cheap. The hillsides around Athens are more bare patched to a blaze at Agia in Thessaly. Effective extinction is a matter of time. Canadair CL-415 planes cost almost as much than wooded. Fresh water is available from Greece needs to come to terms with the fact Unchecked early on, fires pick up speed, tem- as an F16 fighter jet - about 35 million euros. the sewage treatment plant in Psyttaleia, cur- that we are becoming a warmer, more highly perature and size to the point where they liter- One alternative to consider is the Russian rently being dumped into the sea. After World inflammable planet. In this environment, the ally cannot be fought. In such cases the fire Beriev Be-200. At 40 million euros it is better War Two, two people showed what could be measure of the fire brigade’s effectiveness usually has to be ambushed at the next fire- value for money, because it can drop 12 done when they turned the hillsides around will be the periods of high stress on resources. break or road, but even such a defensive line tonnes of water at once - twice as much as the Kaisariani Monastery into a paradise. The Last week was a case in point. The fire is not guaranteed to hold. Canadair. state cannot do less. brigade answered calls to over 1,300 forest In order to be effective, therefore, the fire Perhaps the most important measure for ATHENS NEWS JULY 2007 20/38 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA What went wrong? Many Greeks are devastated by the loss of the capital's largest forest. While the catastrophe is still being investigated, its principal turns are emerging Greeks are still reeling from the loss of at at the foot of Parnitha, 80km north of Athens, least 4,000 hectares of forest across the tells the Athens News. country, including most of Parnitha According to Panagiotidis the locals retreated National Park, the capital's largest green to let the fire engine take over, but it turned out expanse. that its pump was broken. "Another fire engine Funding the critical early work of brilliant creative scientists came along with two aeroplanes and a helicop- "I was sitting by my window which frames ter but by that time the fire had become more as they pursue potential breakthrough research Parnitha and watching all this burn. I have ferocious. However, by sunset we were almost to solve the riddles in cancer cells. walked through Parnitha often, so I could tell there yet again. But the sun went down, and the which bit was burning," says Antigone planes could no longer drop water. If we had PO Box R185 Royal Exchange NSW 1225 Chanialakis, a civil servant living in the moun- another half an hour of daylight, none of this Tel 02 9251 61 88 tainous Athenian suburb of Pendeli, whose would have happened," says Panagiotidis. "I www.curecancer.org.au inhabitants enjoyed exclusive views of the cannot believe that this has happened, nor the catastrophe. She, like many Greeks, gives little way it has happened," he says. credence to government assurances of rapid Partly the blame can also be laid on the A world without cancer, nothing less reforestation. Forestry Service. "The Parnitha Forestry "Other forest fires have burned much of Service had taken most of the measures that Attica, but what the locals and I said to each WWF asked for," Liarikos tells the Athens other was at least they have not burned News. But Panagiotidis stresses that the Parnitha. Now even this disaster has taken Thebes Forestry Service, whose area of respon- place," she tells the Athens News. sibility borders the Parnitha national forest, had In Pelion too, the fire had devastating effects. not taken any measures. According to the area's prefect, Apostolos As a result, the fire burned through large Papatollias, "This is the biggest catastrophe tracts of land with low-lying vegetation, gath- that the forest wealth of Pelion has suffered in ered strength from the strong winds and moved the last two decades." on to areas that were much harder to access. "It is still too early for accurate counts, but by The Fire Department told the Athens News our first rough estimates around four to five that eventually 51 fire engines carrying 130 thousand hectares have burned down in firefighters, 78 firefighters on foot, 300 sol- Parnitha," WWF's Costas Liarikos tells the diers, two aeroplanes and two helicopters were Athens News. The authorities are still investi- mobilised in order to put the blaze under con- gating the causes of the fire but it appears the trol. They did not manage to do so until the late devastation resulted from human errors, omis- afternoon of July 3. sions and communication failures. A stroke of The Parnitha blaze was the biggest of around bad luck also played its part. 317 fires reported across the country between "The fire started underneath an electricity June 26 and June 28 and stretched emergency pylon in the late afternoon. It was a small fire, forces to their limits. The fires broke out at the and the locals had almost managed to extin- tail-end of a weeklong heatwave and left two guish it when a fire engine arrived," Kleanthis people dead. Panagiotidis, mayor of Dervenohoria that lies ATHENS NEWS Stamfords is an Australian Demand Innovation advisory and consulting firm with offices in Sydney Value Solutions and Perth with vast experience in Australia and abroad providing the following services:

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