The Pontiaki Estia of Melbourne celebrates its 47 year anniversary

The Central Union of Pontians of Melbourne and Victoria “Pontiaki Estia” has celebrated its 47th anniversary in a festive atmosphere  with the love of the Greek omogeneia from all the states of Australia.

Forty-seven years of contribution, struggle and action. Cultivated in years of hard and tireless work and, above all, love for the unforgettable homeland. And yet the love is infinite and the effort is continuous for the saving and preservation of its traditions and customs, as well as for the vindication of its tragically deceased ancestors.

A journey full of the cultivation of young members who, with particular seriousness and responsibility, hold the course of Pontic Hellenism in their hands. A role model association that has for decades lead all generations and has accompanied one other in an exemplary way. So, the outcome of this year’s anniversary celebration, was as expected at the packed Star International function centre.

From early on in the evening, members, old dancers, friends of the association flooded the hall. The board members welcomed the officials who graced the event with their presence. The representative of the Consulate General of Greece in Melbourne, Mr. Petros Ratsikas, the President of the Australian Federation of Pontic Associations and of the brother Pontic association “Agios Georgios” Perth, Mr. Charalambos Navrozidis, the President of the Federation of Cretan Associations, Mr. Tony Tsourdalakis, the former Presidents of the Federations Mr. Soumela Stamatopoulos and Roma Siachou, the former Presidents of the Pontiaki Estia, Mr. Savvas Athanasiadis and Ms. Litsa Athanasiadis, the President of Pontian Women’s Care, the President of the sister Pontian union of “Pontoxenitea” of Sydney Mrs. Maria Nicolaidis-Anthony and members of the board of directors, the representatives of Panagia Soumela Sydney, the representatives of the Pontic Brotherhood from Adelaide, the representative of the George Divine Treloar statue committee Ms. Christina Despoteris.

A special place in this year’s event, and highly honourable appearances, were that of the the President of the Koukiotes Katerinis Association Mr. Agapios Filokostas and the dance group of the Perth Pontic Association “Agios Georgios”.

The sports field was represented by two former international footballers of Pontic origin, Mr. Kostas Anthopoulos and Mr. Dinos Anastasiadis. All the different groups of the Association were “present” on the evening, led by the elderly citizens group “Ada eimes” and its coordinators.

The Association’s vice-president, Mr. Yiannis Pilalidis, and the treasurer, Ms. Konstantina Kandeler, welcomed all those who honoured this important day with their presence and gave the announcement of the associations new goal, which is the fifty-year celebrations for which preparations have now begun. In closing, the vice-president said: “Our goal is to prepare the ones to come who will lead our Estia in the next fifty years, as well as the unity of the Pontic Community, because there is much more which unites us.”

Afterwards, the President of the Australian Federation, Mr. Charalambos Navrozidis, thanked the Pontiaki Estia for its great work, as well as for the opportunity it gave to the youth of the Perth Association to participate in its events.  In closing, he emphasised that “the biggest goal now is the unity of the Pontic community and we are only working towards this direction”.

The artistic program for the evening was opened by the dance group from Perth. The whole audience was greatly moved by the effort of these children. Their performance was of an excellent nature. The audience thoroughly enjoyed the dance groups performance and were moved with great emotion as they witnessed young Greek-Australians replicate the traditions of their homeland with great effort and technique.

And then, the “helm” of the evening was taken over by the cultural groups of the Pontiaki Estia. The musical group “Mavrothalassites” and the dance groups. They highlighted the amazing work of dance teachers Parthenas Tsombanopoulou, Despina Levoyannis, Michael Vassiliou and Elli Konstantinou. The dance group offered their performance with a spirit of tradition, knowledge, patience, dancing in a traditional manner and faithful to their cultural inheritance. Its members, became as sleepless guards of the greatest folklore museum which is protected by them all.

Dancing with the feet is logical, dancing with the soul is something which is very different, it is magical, it is a journey of the soul. It is your soul’s desire to search for what you serve. An inexplicable power overwhelms you at that very moment, and it makes you feel invincible. And when you finally get the chance, then you start dancing without looking for anything in return but the satisfaction, the pleasure that your soul has spoken of. The steps of these children were just like that. The expression on their faces was above description. The lyres, the flute, the Ageio bagpipe, the drums and the voices of the singers brought to life our beloved homeland once again in the Antipodes of the world.

The program closed, entertaining the audience in a unique and highly traditional way, with the amazing artist from Greece, Mr. Seraphim Marmaridis. With a traditional voice, he transported all those present to the unforgettable homeland. His praises were drawn from the very soul of Pontus.

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