THE GREEK AUSTRALIAN The oldest circulating Greek newspaper outside Greece email: VEMA [email protected] SEPTEMBER 2002 Tel. (02) 9559 7022 Fax: (02) 9559 7033 Today... FEATURE Mt Athos: The holy mountain PAGE 8/28 HERITAGE PRESERVATION Exhibition A great idea or an expensive indulgence? celebrates If there is one topic guaranteed to create a lively discus- In theory, protecting and preserving places of impor- Greek cafes sion amongst Australians of all backgrounds, it’s the tance to Australians seems reasonable enough. The con- National Estate. It doesn’t sound familiar? Well, it’s troversy often doesn’t arise over whether or not places SHOULD be listed; it’s usually about what does or does more commonly referred to as Heritage listing, the pre- PAGE 15/35 not, and what may or may not happen to them AFTER serving of significant places within Australia, for future they’re listed. generations. PAGE 17/37 TRAVEL FEATURE Volos: A city not to miss! Mobile Phone and B-B Guns! Are you serious? ST SPYRIDON COLLEGE RETURNS FROM GREECE AND CYPRUS PAGE 19/39 PAGES 12/32 - 13/33 SEPTEMBER 2002 2/22 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA DID YOU KNOW? The "invention" of language is not known except for references in the Bible. It is not known what language Adam and Eve spoke. The first mention of different Today in history languages is the reference to the tower of Babel when different tongues were bestowed. 16 SEPTEMBER Che Guevara is defeated in a skirmish with a special 1977 - Maria Callas dies detachment of the Bolivian army. Guevara was Celebrated soprano Maria Callas dies in Paris at the age wounded, captured, and executed the next day. of 53. Born in New York City in 1923 to Greek immi- grants, Callas demonstrated her talent for singing at an 11 OCTOBER early age. Her first major operatic role came in 1947, and 1968 - Apollo 7 launched shortly after that she was appearing in opera houses Apollo 7, the first manned Apollo mission, is launched around the world. with astronauts Walter M. Schirra, Jr.; Donn F. Eisele; and Walter Cunningham aboard. 23 SEPTEMBER 1846 - Eighth planet discovered 12 OCTOBER German astronomer Johann Gottfried Galle discovers the 1492 - Colombus reaches the New World planet Neptune at the Berlin Observatory. After sailing across the Atlantic Ocean, Italian explorer Christopher Columbus sights a Bahamian island, believ- 3 OCTOBER ing he has reached East Asia. 1995 - O.J. Simpson acquitted At the end of a sensational trial, former football star O.J. 14 OCTOBER Simpson is acquitted of the brutal 1994 double murder of 1912 - Theodore Roosevelt shot in Milwaukee his estranged wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her Before a campaign speech in Milwaukee, friend, Ronald Goldman. Wisconsin, Theodore Roosevelt, the presidential On 16th September 1977 celebrated soprano candidate for the Progressive Party, is shot at close 5 OCTOBER Maria Callas dies in Paris at the age of 53. range by saloonkeeper William Schrank while 1989 - Dalai Lama wins Peace Prize greeting the public in front of the Gilpatrick The Dalai Lama, the exiled religious and political leader Hotel. of Tibet, is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition States, and France established the Federal Republic of of his nonviolent campaign to end the Chinese domina- Germany in West Germany, the Democratic Republic of 15 OCTOBER 1917 - Mata Hari executed tion of Tibet. Germany is proclaimed within the Soviet occupation Mata Hari, the archetype of the seductive female zone. 7 OCTOBER 8 OCTOBER spy, is executed for espionage by a French firing 1949 - East Germany created 1967 - Che Guevara captured squad at Vincennes outside of Paris. Less than five months after Great Britain, the United A Bolivian guerrilla force led by Marxist revolutionary Your comments Who needs Greek? It was refreshing and a pleasant surprise to shuttle, airplane, etc. After years of both conscious or evolved and the Greek language in our nation’s read in an article in the Sunday, August 4 edi- It was only last year The Boston Globe had assimilation and having finally achieved sta- schools, we should talk and inform the local, tion of The Boston Globe that Carl Lenhart, a printed yet another related story about a group tus and prominence within the American soci- state and national educational boards about Barnstable, MA high school teacher, is pro- of inmates (yes, inmates) who were studying ety, we must now make sure that we use our the broad value-add of such programs and we moting the Greek language as part of a whole- ancient Greek in prison, so they could be able acquired tools and influence to protect and should lobby our politicians and government some and rewarding high school education to read and understand the Bible in its original perpetuate our inheritance, particularly within officials for their legislative support. and he has signed-up no less than 40 students language. our own rank and file. And last but not least, we should keep our who will study ancient Greek during the We should not allow dilution of our unique children in touch with our ancestral land, upcoming school year. Imagine that! A bunch of incarcerated crimi- cultural fabric by drawing further apart from through family visits and cultural or educa- “Intellectually, the foundations of all learning nals were seeking to uncover the Lord’s truth the traditions, customs and the language of tional exchange programs. hinges on Greek thought,” said Lenhart. “So by learning to read the original Greek texts. our forefathers. We must encourage our chil- As a closing tribute to the extraordinary value much of the foundations of our legal system, For them the English translation was either dren and grandchildren to study their culture of knowing the Greek language and harness- philosophy, our sciences come from these not good enough or grossly inept to capture and the Greek language, modern or ancient, ing its didactic power, consider the following people... Words such as drama, encyclopedia the true meaning of the message of salvation, motivated not by the question “will they ever statement, written in English using “pure and panther come from Greek.” as given in its original Greek language. use it?” but more so by the value of the cul- Greek” words: Indeed, who can argue with Lenhart? We The recent Boston Globe article mentions tural and educational impact that such learn- The Greek language is a kaleidoscope of sym- shall only add to his remarks that even the there is a renewed interest in reviving the ing will bring into their ethnic, religious and phonic, lexicographic and syllabic synergy, word “language” is derived from the Greek teaching of classics, and particularly ancient social lives and the lives of their families. with a plethora of epic, poetic and philosoph- word “leicho” which evolved to “lingua” in Greek, in American high schools. We do realize how difficult these challenges ic harmony, characterized not by its Latin and eventually to “language” in modern Furthermore, it reports that the department of are, but where there is a will there is a way. labyrinthine etymology and grammatical can- English. classics at the University of Massachusetts at nons, but by its pedagogical, scholarly and It is estimated that over 40 percent of the Amherst has created a committee that active- Our community’s educational, religious and polymorphic syllogism. modern English language contains words ly promotes the study of Greek in schools faith-based institutions, along with our civic With academic knowledge of Greek, synthe- whose roots are derived from Greek, while nationwide, while a number of Internet sites and religious leaders as well as all of us, indi- sizing an esthetic homily in English, based more than 75 percent of all medical terminol- are trumping the language. Truly, a modern vidually and collectively, should make a wholly on Greek phraseology and its lexical ogy is Greek derived - although many educa- renaissance of Greek classicism is in the mak- greater effort to work harder as a team to pre- hegemony, should not be the agonizing tors erroneously attribute it to Latin origins. ing! serve and promote the Hellenic values, cul- dilemma of a polyglot, but the eclectic char- Furthermore, every time a new scientific dis- It is time then that we, the Greek Americans, ture and language, not only by word but also acteristic of polymaths and glossologists. covery is completed and documented, more the natural inheritors of the Greek culture and by deed. Who needs Greek, then? We all do!” often than not a word with Greek roots is used language in America take notice and act We should help and assist teachers, like to describe it, such as astronaut, telescope, accordingly. Lcnhart, in their efforts to revive the classics Hellenic Voice- August 14, 2002 THE GREEK AUSTRALIAN VEMA The oldest circulating Greek newspaper outside Greece Tel: (02) 9559 7022 Fax: (02) 9559 7033 E-mail: [email protected] SEPTEMBER 2002 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 3/23 DID YOU KNOW? Great Britain was the first county to issue postage stamps, on 1 May 1840. Hence, UK stamps are the only stamps Editorial in the world not to bear the name of the country of origin. Will Bush Blush? Can you imagine yourself as an average Iraqi? your leader to act differently through your protests, your votes or maybe your reasoned argu- ments. But we forgot - he’s a dictator. First of all, your opinion about your own leader does not matter, because everyone else has made up their minds that you are ruled by a ruthless, maniacal dictator. But no matter whether We are sure you have many questions, just like many of us here do.