Geography
For Greeks, a person’s place of origin is of great significance. In Greece today almost half the population live and work in Athens, but those who migrated to Australia were almost all from rural or regional Greece. Their memories of family and early childhood relate to these locations. Showing your client a Map of Greece is an easy way of finding out where your client came from. Greeks born in Greece often identify with their place of origin according to the name of the regional town or city nearest to where they were born. Alternatively, they may refer to the prefecture that their village or town belonged to. In Greece there are 51 prefectures (nomos) and 1 autonomous region (Agion Oros, or Mount Athos, which is entirely governed and administered by the Greek Orthodox Church). Prefectures are grouped under larger regions. See List of Prefectures
Other Greek Australians emigrated from countries outside Greece — including Egypt, Turkey (Asia Minor) and the Balkans — where there were long-established Greek communities. They may be one of the hundreds of thousands of Greeks who fled Turkey in 1922 and may still refer to themselves as ‘Greeks from Asia Minor’ or Pontian Greeks. They identify as Greek because they share key characteristics of ethnicity with mainland Greeks: religion, language and historical heritage. A significant number of Greeks who migrated to Australia come from Cyprus. A small number come from the islands of Imvros and Tenedos, which are under Turkish administration.
Where is Your Greek Client From?
Talking to your client about their place of origin is a great way to start a conversation. Ask them where they were born, where they grew up and what kind of work they did before coming to Australia. They will greatly appreciate your interest and you will discover important aspects of their background and experience. Spend some time exploring your clients experience surrounding their origins.
Asking a client about their origin in Greek is simple. You say: Apo pio meros tis Elladas iste?, meaning, ‘Which part of Greece are you from?’
See also The Greek Alphabet which has hints on pronunciation, and How to Engage Your Greek Client!
Local Greek Community Associations.
When Greeks arrived in Australia they very quickly established associations, brotherhoods, or clubs, bringing together migrants who originated from particular parts of Greece. These associations were very important means of providing social contact, activities, and support to new arrivals. Many of these organizations exist today and continue to play an active role in social support. Your client may have lost contact with their association. You can help to re-establish these contacts by finding out which part of Greece your client originates, and linking him/her to the relevant association. To assist you with this, use the map of Greece, to identify the relevant prefecture from which your client originates.