Aleksiou, Aleksandros

Aleksandros Alexiou was the founder of the Kalymnian Brotherhood in Darwin in 1960, and the individual responsible for constructing the sisterhood bridge between Kalymnos and Darwin. He was heavily involved in politics and was a proficient public speaker. The Kalymnian Brotherhood was established through donations, including books, dances, Greek lessons, and religious events. Born in Russia in exile in 1915, Aleksandros served as the secretary of the maritime club of Kalymnos. In 1953, he was invited by Nikolas Paspalis to relocate to Australia. Paspalis, who was flourishing in the pearl industry, invited Aleksandros and other Kalymnians for their sponge diving skills, hoping they would contribute to his business. Consequently, Aleksandros arrived in Australia by plane. However, he encountered challenges adapting to the waters in Broome, which were different from the transparent waters of Kalymnos, making underwater visibility difficult. Subsequently, Aleksandros transitioned to working in the construction field in Darwin. In 1954, Aleksandros's wife and their three daughters traveled from Tasmania to Perth before taking a plane to Darwin to join him. Michalis Paspalis assisted Aleksandros in establishing his construction business. Their first contract was related to the construction of 176 homes in the Northern Territory. Aleksandros was determined to preserve the Greek language, leading him to import numerous Greek books from Greece. Greek community classes were conducted at the home of Kalymnian priest Spyropoulos, along with Pappoutsakis, who although not Kalymnian, contributed to educating young Greek Australians. Aleksandros died in January 2012 in Darwin.