Greekcitytimes.com reports in a recent article that many Greeks will recall with fondness the glory days of the “sillogo”. Whether it was tagging along to the New Year’s Eve dance with parents or grandparents, eating souvlakia at the endless summer barbeques, or attending weekly Greek dancing lessons and performances. The seventies, eighties and nineties saw the sillogo thrive.
Established by migrants who landed in Australia, and similar for the entire diaspora, in the 1950s and 1960s as a way of maintaining their connection to their hometown and its traditions and cultures, it was also a means of enabling connection to each other in their new homeland. Decades later, it would provide the backdrop to many a proksenio and forging of lifelong friendships amongst the younger generations. From the Samiotes, to the Cretans, the Epirotes and the Koans, the Mytileneans and the Pan Macedonians there was a booming sillogo to represent every region of Greece.
Inevitably, as members age and the younger generations experience varying levels of interest, the various “sillogoi” have started to dwindle, both in numbers and activity.
Undeterred by all this is the recently revamped Thessaloniki and Environs Association “Ayios Dimitrios” being driven by a committee of Greeks who have been living in Australia less than ten years, with Ritsa Bratani at the helm as President. Their goal is to keep the older generations happy while at the same time instill a relevance for young people.
Read more here.
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Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons Copyright: Beau Giles License: CC-BY-SA
Source: greekcitytimes.com
Beau Giles
