Χειρόγραφη ιστορία των Καλυμνίων στο Darwin 1954-2000 - Manuscript history of the Kalymnians in Darwin 1954-2000
Abstract
Manuscript history of the Kalymnians in Darwin 1954-2000
Written by Aleksandros Aleksiou, describing in detail the first years in Darwin
Translation
OPEN LETTER
ARTICLE BY HONORARY PRESIDENT KALIMNION DARWIN
1954 - 2000. Kalymnia migration to Darwin, Australia
In the middle of 1954, a complete sponging group of divers and surface crew of all specialties headed by Nikolaos Saroukos left via Darwin, Australia.
In the year 1999 at the invitation of the Lord Mayor of Darwin we attended a meeting with many others and there we learned that in order to create the above, a request was made by the Kalymnian brotherhood in Sydney.
Darwin's strong ocean currents did not permit spearfishing in its coastal shellfisheries. After months we were informed that another expedition to the location of BROOME in Western Australia led by the president of Kalymnos sponge divers Mr. Christos Kontopodis, whom I personally know as a skilled diver, I expressed my belief and hope that this expedition would be successful, because Darwin's strong currents did not exist there, but unfortunately a small omission in not placing cages to cover the propeller caused the hose that sent air to the diver to be cut off and the fatality occurred, resulting in the loss of a good and capable man diver, and the final blow was the failure of the traders from Japan, who replaced the natural shell with industrial material.
During the same period 1954-55, another expedition left, which consisted of the following Kalymnians:
1) Alex. Alexiou, in the capacity of president of Kalymnos seafarers and department head of the Panhellenic Maritime Federation of Dodecanese, seat of Kalymnos, 2)Michael Michailou, 3)theodoros Atsas, 4)Ioannis Makryllos, 5)Michaἠ Pastrikos ἡ Liaroutsos, from Ko Leonidas Pantel Gizi, from Rodos Kostas Zifias, Panagiotis Kakakios, Nikolaos Ferdeklis and Nikolaos Zounis.
*It was exactly in the middle of 1954 when I was informed of the failure of Mr. Nikolaos Saroukos, this mission pitied us all and I convened the council, which decided to use the invitation sent to me by Nikolaos Pastrikos of Michael to immigrate to Australia, so that I can promote the issue of shellfishing in person. Among the advisers was Mr. Dim. Gatis tou Drosos, Mr. Nikitas Galandouris, Mr. Michael Monokandilos and Mr. Emmanuel Vassiliou, who are still in good health. I asked for my replacement but the council did not accept this and they accepted my replacement after my departure from Greece.
After the lapse of a few weeks, I received a letter from the Australian Embassy in Athens, as we attended for examination at its offices. There we met the other immigrants from Kalymnos, Kos and Rhodes. After going through the doctors, they told us that after two months we would go to the Sivitanidio School in Kallithea to verify that we are indeed experienced carpenters, so it happened, and after they examined us they gave us diplomas written in Greek and English as second class carpenters , which we presented to the Embassy. There they told us that at the end of 54 - beginning of 55 they would set us a day of departure for all of us by air, and that's how it happened. The day of departure was Monday 11 in the morning. ᾿When I went to the airport with my wife the others were already there. Then we entered the bus and were taken to the plane of the Dutch company K.L.M. While we were waiting for the plane to take off and while the engines were running, they suddenly stopped. From the windows we curiously looked to see what was going on and we see a jeep with an officer of the Department of Merchant Shipping with 2 sailors standing on the ladder of the plane and asking for someone and the someone was myself and they told me that they had orders to escort me to the Ministry in question. I begged the officer to come with my wife and he allowed it. Meanwhile there was a lady named Daisy who was from DEME and she said that she should also accompany us. After we got there, we were led to a large room in which was the main Minister named Malamidas ἡ Kalamidas, I don't remember well, and he asked me why the President was emigrating.
Even though his question was sarcastic, I replied thanking him for the title he gave me and then I told him that I was leaving as a builder and that I hold a diploma from the Sivitanidio School of Kallithea. The next Secretary expressed himself as follows: "let the dog remain here". I coolly thanked him for the characterization. At this point the Minister intervenes and says to the grammarian: "Leave these and write the statement". The secretary puts paper in his typewriter and begins to write. After he had prepared what he wanted, he made me sign a statement which said: "The undersigned Alex. Alexiou, going to Australia, will not practice the profession of a sailor", which statement I signed to be allowed to leave Greece. They also asked me to hand over my sea log, merchant seaman's license and skipper's and motorman's licence. After I waited for my wife to go to my mother-in-law's house in Piraeus to bring them, because I hadn't taken them with me, so it happened and I handed them over. After that the same officer picked us up and we were returning to the airport. There, as soon as the aforementioned fellow travelers saw us, they burst into applause and we all entered the plane together and departed.
I consider it necessary to let you know that after our arrival in Darwin, Australia, immediately the next day we were called to the immigration office (IMMIGRATION) and they only asked me for my passport and kept it. After that we were accompanied by one of the office and recommended us to various construction contractors to find work.
I got a job with a contractor named RICHARSON, who was also the Mayor of the city. The beginning was difficult, since the change from meters to yards and feet and completely without knowledge of the English language excuses the above, but patience and persistence covered all the difficulties. It is a fact of great importance to tell you that after a few months I was called to IMMIGRATION and there I found many of our comrades and they declared to us that: "We watched you throughout your stay in Darwin, your work and you are good people and good workers and we give you the right each of you to sign ten (10) petitions for new immigrants but be good like you." These were translated for us by Mr. Lazaros Liveris, a Greek by origin, who was acting as a translator and that very soon they would bring us our families as well, as it happened. I want to believe that these five immigrants from Kalymnos opened the door of immigration to Darwin, Australia, where today both the president of the Kalymnian Community, Ioannis Vrontos, and the current President of the Kalymnian Brotherhood, Panagiotis Poniris, state that the Kalymnian population numbers 8,500 while at that time it was the family of Petros Michaelos, the family of Stamatis Kotis, the family of Nikolaos Pastrikos, the family of Ioannis Athanasiou and the crew of the failed mission under the supervision of Nikolaos Saroukos, as we mentioned above.
I consider myself lucky because I am among the aforementioned ex-migrants who created the miracle of 8,500 Kalymnians in Darwin.
Now lastly in order to verify the facts I have mentioned to you I have in my hands my seaman's brochure, merchant seaman's license, two years' service as an engineer (motorman) and many other documents and photographs, which you will find in my memoirs which begin with in 1923 to date.
and I end with the following statement:
I am obliged to let you know that there was a great contribution to the families of the first immigrants and subsequently both to the hospital and to the Australian government service of the following:
1) of Kos ᾿ Iulia ᾿ Antonio Papantonakis of the Kanari family
2) Mrs. Evangelia Michaelou, daughter of Petros
3) of Kos Irene, wife of Nikita Magoullia
4) of Kos themis Kalikatzirou, wife of Skeios Kalikatzirou
Sincerely
A. ALEXIOU
1) Founding member and President for many years of the Greek Orthodox Community of Northern Australia
2) Founder and President for a series of years of the DARWI Brotherhood of Kalymnos and its honorary President after receiving a Gold Medal (year 1982) 3) Founder and president for a series of years of the CALYMNOS ATHLETIC CLUB
of DARWIN, 4) Founding member and General Secretary of the Sponge Association
Kalymnos 5) Founder and President of Sailors of Kalymnos and promoter and extension of the Sailor's House to Kalymnos.
6) Founder and Head of the Dodecanese Department of the Panhellenic Maritime Federation based in Kalymnos
ARTICLE BY HONORARY PRESIDENT KALIMNION DARWIN
1954 - 2000. Kalymnia migration to Darwin, Australia
In the middle of 1954, a complete sponging group of divers and surface crew of all specialties headed by Nikolaos Saroukos left via Darwin, Australia.
In the year 1999 at the invitation of the Lord Mayor of Darwin we attended a meeting with many others and there we learned that in order to create the above, a request was made by the Kalymnian brotherhood in Sydney.
Darwin's strong ocean currents did not permit spearfishing in its coastal shellfisheries. After months we were informed that another expedition to the location of BROOME in Western Australia led by the president of Kalymnos sponge divers Mr. Christos Kontopodis, whom I personally know as a skilled diver, I expressed my belief and hope that this expedition would be successful, because Darwin's strong currents did not exist there, but unfortunately a small omission in not placing cages to cover the propeller caused the hose that sent air to the diver to be cut off and the fatality occurred, resulting in the loss of a good and capable man diver, and the final blow was the failure of the traders from Japan, who replaced the natural shell with industrial material.
During the same period 1954-55, another expedition left, which consisted of the following Kalymnians:
1) Alex. Alexiou, in the capacity of president of Kalymnos seafarers and department head of the Panhellenic Maritime Federation of Dodecanese, seat of Kalymnos, 2)Michael Michailou, 3)theodoros Atsas, 4)Ioannis Makryllos, 5)Michaἠ Pastrikos ἡ Liaroutsos, from Ko Leonidas Pantel Gizi, from Rodos Kostas Zifias, Panagiotis Kakakios, Nikolaos Ferdeklis and Nikolaos Zounis.
*It was exactly in the middle of 1954 when I was informed of the failure of Mr. Nikolaos Saroukos, this mission pitied us all and I convened the council, which decided to use the invitation sent to me by Nikolaos Pastrikos of Michael to immigrate to Australia, so that I can promote the issue of shellfishing in person. Among the advisers was Mr. Dim. Gatis tou Drosos, Mr. Nikitas Galandouris, Mr. Michael Monokandilos and Mr. Emmanuel Vassiliou, who are still in good health. I asked for my replacement but the council did not accept this and they accepted my replacement after my departure from Greece.
After the lapse of a few weeks, I received a letter from the Australian Embassy in Athens, as we attended for examination at its offices. There we met the other immigrants from Kalymnos, Kos and Rhodes. After going through the doctors, they told us that after two months we would go to the Sivitanidio School in Kallithea to verify that we are indeed experienced carpenters, so it happened, and after they examined us they gave us diplomas written in Greek and English as second class carpenters , which we presented to the Embassy. There they told us that at the end of 54 - beginning of 55 they would set us a day of departure for all of us by air, and that's how it happened. The day of departure was Monday 11 in the morning. ᾿When I went to the airport with my wife the others were already there. Then we entered the bus and were taken to the plane of the Dutch company K.L.M. While we were waiting for the plane to take off and while the engines were running, they suddenly stopped. From the windows we curiously looked to see what was going on and we see a jeep with an officer of the Department of Merchant Shipping with 2 sailors standing on the ladder of the plane and asking for someone and the someone was myself and they told me that they had orders to escort me to the Ministry in question. I begged the officer to come with my wife and he allowed it. Meanwhile there was a lady named Daisy who was from DEME and she said that she should also accompany us. After we got there, we were led to a large room in which was the main Minister named Malamidas ἡ Kalamidas, I don't remember well, and he asked me why the President was emigrating.
Even though his question was sarcastic, I replied thanking him for the title he gave me and then I told him that I was leaving as a builder and that I hold a diploma from the Sivitanidio School of Kallithea. The next Secretary expressed himself as follows: "let the dog remain here". I coolly thanked him for the characterization. At this point the Minister intervenes and says to the grammarian: "Leave these and write the statement". The secretary puts paper in his typewriter and begins to write. After he had prepared what he wanted, he made me sign a statement which said: "The undersigned Alex. Alexiou, going to Australia, will not practice the profession of a sailor", which statement I signed to be allowed to leave Greece. They also asked me to hand over my sea log, merchant seaman's license and skipper's and motorman's licence. After I waited for my wife to go to my mother-in-law's house in Piraeus to bring them, because I hadn't taken them with me, so it happened and I handed them over. After that the same officer picked us up and we were returning to the airport. There, as soon as the aforementioned fellow travelers saw us, they burst into applause and we all entered the plane together and departed.
I consider it necessary to let you know that after our arrival in Darwin, Australia, immediately the next day we were called to the immigration office (IMMIGRATION) and they only asked me for my passport and kept it. After that we were accompanied by one of the office and recommended us to various construction contractors to find work.
I got a job with a contractor named RICHARSON, who was also the Mayor of the city. The beginning was difficult, since the change from meters to yards and feet and completely without knowledge of the English language excuses the above, but patience and persistence covered all the difficulties. It is a fact of great importance to tell you that after a few months I was called to IMMIGRATION and there I found many of our comrades and they declared to us that: "We watched you throughout your stay in Darwin, your work and you are good people and good workers and we give you the right each of you to sign ten (10) petitions for new immigrants but be good like you." These were translated for us by Mr. Lazaros Liveris, a Greek by origin, who was acting as a translator and that very soon they would bring us our families as well, as it happened. I want to believe that these five immigrants from Kalymnos opened the door of immigration to Darwin, Australia, where today both the president of the Kalymnian Community, Ioannis Vrontos, and the current President of the Kalymnian Brotherhood, Panagiotis Poniris, state that the Kalymnian population numbers 8,500 while at that time it was the family of Petros Michaelos, the family of Stamatis Kotis, the family of Nikolaos Pastrikos, the family of Ioannis Athanasiou and the crew of the failed mission under the supervision of Nikolaos Saroukos, as we mentioned above.
I consider myself lucky because I am among the aforementioned ex-migrants who created the miracle of 8,500 Kalymnians in Darwin.
Now lastly in order to verify the facts I have mentioned to you I have in my hands my seaman's brochure, merchant seaman's license, two years' service as an engineer (motorman) and many other documents and photographs, which you will find in my memoirs which begin with in 1923 to date.
and I end with the following statement:
I am obliged to let you know that there was a great contribution to the families of the first immigrants and subsequently both to the hospital and to the Australian government service of the following:
1) of Kos ᾿ Iulia ᾿ Antonio Papantonakis of the Kanari family
2) Mrs. Evangelia Michaelou, daughter of Petros
3) of Kos Irene, wife of Nikita Magoullia
4) of Kos themis Kalikatzirou, wife of Skeios Kalikatzirou
Sincerely
A. ALEXIOU
1) Founding member and President for many years of the Greek Orthodox Community of Northern Australia
2) Founder and President for a series of years of the DARWI Brotherhood of Kalymnos and its honorary President after receiving a Gold Medal (year 1982) 3) Founder and president for a series of years of the CALYMNOS ATHLETIC CLUB
of DARWIN, 4) Founding member and General Secretary of the Sponge Association
Kalymnos 5) Founder and President of Sailors of Kalymnos and promoter and extension of the Sailor's House to Kalymnos.
6) Founder and Head of the Dodecanese Department of the Panhellenic Maritime Federation based in Kalymnos
| Subject | Greek language--History |
|---|---|
| Foreign workers, Greek | |
| Darwin (N.T.) | |
| Sailors | |
| Category | 5. Cold War (including Decolonisation) |
| 6. End of the Cold War | |
| Author | Aleksandros Aleksiou |
| Keywords | greek |
| sponge divers | |
| sailor | |
| Person | Aleksiou, Aleksandros |
| Aleksiou Magoulia, Irini | |
| Magoulias, Nikitas | |
| Magoulias, Themis | |
| Current Holder | Kalymnian Brotherhood Darwin |
| Access Rights | Permission required |
| Language | Greek (Modern) |
| Transcription | ΑΝΟΙΚΤΗ ΕΠΙΣΤΟΛΗ
ΑΡΘΡΟ ΤΟΥ Κου ΕΠΙΤΙΜΟΥ ΠΡΟΕΔΡΟΥ ΚΑΛΥΜΝΙΩΝ ΝΤΑΡΓΟΥΪΝ
1954 - 2000. Η μετανάστευση Καλυμνίων εις Ντάργουϊν Αυστραλίας
Κατά τα μέσα του 1954 ανεχώρησαν δια Ντάργουϊν Αυστραλίας ένα πλήρες συγκρότημα σπογγαλιείας, από δύτες και πλήρωμα επιφανείας όλων των ειδικοτήτων υπό την αρχηγίαν του Νικολάου Σαρούκου.
Κατά το έτος 1999 κατόπιν προσκλήσεως του Λόρδου Δημάρχου του Ντάργουϊν παραβρεθήκαμε μαζί με πολλούς άλλους σε σύσκεψη κι εκεί μάθαμε ότι για να δημιουργηθεί το άνωθεν, έγινε αίτηση της αδελφότητος Καλυμνίων εις Σίδνεϋ.
Τα ισχυρά θαλάσσια ρεύματα του Ντάργουϊν δεν επέτρεπαν το αλίευμα με σκάφαντρο στις παραθαλάσσιες περιοχές του για οστρακοαλιεία. Μετά πάροδο μηνών πληροφορήθημεν ότι μια άλλη αποστολή στην τοποθεσία BROOME της Δυτικής Αυστραλίας με επικεφαλής τον πρόεδρο των δυτών σπογγαλιέων Καλύμνου κ. Χρήστο Κοντοπόδη, τον οποίο προσωπικά γνωρίζω ως ικανόν δύτην, εξέφρασα την πεποίθηση και την ελπίδα μου ότι θα ετύγχανε η αποστολής αυτή επιτυχίες, διότι τα ισχυρά ρεύματα του Ντάργουϊν εκεί δεν υπήρχαν, αλλά ατυχώς μια μικρά παράλειψη το να μην τοποθετήσουν κλούβες καλύψεως της προπέλας έγινε αφορμή το μαρκούτσο που έστελνε αέρα εις τον δύτην να αποκοπεί και να επέλθει το μοιραίον, με αποτέλεσμα να χαθεί ένας καλός άνθρωπος και ικανός δύτης, το δε τελειωτικό χτύπημα ήτο το μη εν διαφέρον των εμπόρων εξ Ιαπωνίας, οι οποίοι αντικατέστησαν το φυσικό όστρακο με βιομηχανική ύλη.
Κατά το ίδιο χρονικό διάστημα 1954-55 έφυγε άλλη αποστολή, η οποία απαρτιζόταν από τους κάτωθι Καλύμνιους:
1)Αλέξ. Αλεξίου, υπό την ιδιότητα προέδρου ναυτεργατών Καλύμνου και τμηματάρχη της Πανελληνίου Ναυτιλιακής Ομοσπονδίας Δωδεκανήσου, ἐδρα Κάλυμνος, 2)Μιχαήλ Μιχαήλου, 3)θεόδωρος Ατσάς, 4) Ιωάννης Μακρυλλός, 5)Μιχαἠλ Παστρικός ἡ Λιαρούτσος, από την Κω Λεωνίδας Παντελή Γκίζη, από την Ρόδο Κώστας Ζίφιας, Παναγιώτης Κακακιός, Νικόλαος Φερδεκλής και Νικόλαος Ζούνης.
*Ήτο ακριβώς στα μέσα του 1954 όταν επληροφορήθην την αποτυχίαν του κ. Νικολάου Σαρούκου αποστολή αυτό ελύπησε όλους μας και συγκάλεσα το συμβούλιο, το οποίο απεφάσισε να χρησιμοποιήσω την πρόσκλησιν την οποί- αν μου έστειλε ο Νικόλαος Παστρικός του Μιχαήλ για να μεταναστεύσω εις Αυστραλία, ούτως ώστε να προωθήσω αυτοπροσώπως το θέμα της οστρακοαλιείας. Μεταξύ των συμβούλων ήτο ο κ. Δημ. Γάτης του Δρόσου, ο κ. Νικήτας Γαλαντούρης, ο κ. Μιχαήλ Μονοκάνδηλος και ο κ. Εμμανουήλ Βασιλείου, ὅστις μέχρι την σήμερον χαίρει άκρας υγείας. Εγώ ζήτησα την αντικατάσταση μου αλλά το συμβούλιο δεν εδέχθη αυτό και απεδέχθησαν την αντiκατάστασή μου άμα τη αναχωρήσει μου εξ Ελλάδος.
Μετά την πάροδον ολίγων εβδομάδων, πήρα γράμμα από την Αυστραλιανή Πρεσβεία εν Αθήναις, όπως παραβρεθούμε προς εξέτασιν εις τα γραφεία της. Εκεί εγνωριστήκαμε και με τους λοιπούς μετανάστες από Κάλυμνο, Κω και Ρόδο. Αφού περάσαμε από γιατρούς, μας είπαν ότι μετά πάροδον δύο μηνών θα πηγαίναμε στην Σιβιτανίδειο Σχολή της Καλλιθέας για να διαπιστωθεί ότι πράγματι είμεθα ἐμπειροι μαραγκοί, ούτω και εγένετο, κι αφού μας εξέτασαν μας έδωσαν διπλώματα γραμμένα στην Ελληνική και Αγγλική γλώσσα ως Β΄ κατηγορίας μαραγκοί, τα οποία προσκομίσαμε στην Πρεσβεία. Εκεί μας εδήλωσαν ότι κατά το τέλος του 54 – αρχές 55 θα μας όριζαν ημέρα αναχώρησης όλων μας αεροπορικώς κι έτσι έγινε. Η ημέρα αναχωρήσεως ήτο η Δευτέρα 11 το πρωΐ. ᾿Όταν πήγα στο αεροδρόμιο με την σύζυγό μου οι άλλοι ήταν ήδη εκεί. Εν συνεχεία μπήκαμε στο λε- ωφορείο και μας πήγαν στο αεροπλάνο της ολλανδικής εταιρείας Κ.L.M. Ενώ περιμέναμε να ξεκινήσει το αεροπλάνο και ενώ οι κινητήρες δούλευ- αν, ξαφνικά σταμάτησαν. Από τα παράθυρα κοιτάξαμε περίεργα να δούμε τι συμβαίνει και βλέπουμε ένα τζιπ με ένα αξιωματικό του Υπουργείου Εμπορικής Ναυτιλίας με 2 ναύτες να στέκονται στη σκάλα του αεροπλάνου και να ζητούν κάποιον, κι ο κάποιος ήμουν εγώ ο ίδιος και μου είπαν ότι είχαν εντολή να με συνοδεύσουν εις το εν λόγω Υπουργείο. Παρεκά- λεσα τον αξιωματικό να έρθει και η γυναίκα μου μαζί κι αυτός το επέτρεψε. Εν τω μεταξύ υπήρχε μια κυρία ονόματι Νταίζη, η οποία ήτο της ΔΕΜΕ και εδήλωσε ότι έπρεπε κι εκείνη να μας συνοδεύσει. Αφού φτάσαμε εκεί μας οδήγησαν σε μια μεγάλη αίθουσα στην οποία ήτο ο κύριος Υπουργός ονόματι Μαλαμίδας ἡ Καλαμίδας, δεν ενθυμούμαι καλά, και με ρώτησε για ποιο λόγο μεταναστεύει ο Πρόεδρος.
Παρόλο που η ερώτησις του ήτο σαρκαστική του απήντησα ευχαριστώντας τον για τον τίτλο που μου απηύθυνε και εν συνεχεία του είπα ότι φεύγω ως οικοδόμος κι ότι είμαι κάτοχος διπλώματος της Σιβιτανίδειου Σχολής Καλλιθέας. Ο παρακαθήμενος Γραμματεύς εξεφράστη ως κάτωθι: "ας το σκυλί να παραμείνει εδώ". Εγώ ψύχραιμα τον ευχαρίστησα για τον χαρακτηρισμό. Στο σημείο αυτό επεμβαίνει ο Υπουργός και λέει στο γραμματικό: "Αφήστε αυτά και γράψτε την δήλωση". Ο γραμματεύς βάζει χαρτί στην γραφομηχανή του κι αρχίζει να γράφει. Αφού ετοίμασε αυτό που ήθελε, με έβαλε να υπογράφω μια δήλωση που έλεγε: "Ο κάτωθι υπογεγραμμένος Αλεξ. Αλεξίου πηγαίνοντας εις Αυστραλία δεν θα εξασκήσει το επάγγελμα του ναυτικού", την οποία δήλωση και υπέγραψα για να μου επιτραπεί η έξοδος μου από την Ελλάδα. Επίσης μου ζήτησαν να τους παραδώσω το ναυτολόγιό μου, το δίπλωμα ναύτου του εμπορικού ναυτικού και την άδεια κυβερνήτου και μοτορίστα. Αφού περίμενα τη γυναίκα μου να πάει στο σπίτι της πεθεράς μου στον Πειραιά να τα φέρει, γιατί δεν τα είχα πάρει μαζί μου, έτσι κι έγινε και τους τα παρέδωσα. Μετά ταύτα μας παρέλαβε ο ίδιος αξιωματικός και επιστρέφαμε στο αεροδρόμιο. Εκεί μόλις μας είδαν οι προαναφερθέντες συνταξιδιώτες μας ξέσπασαν σε χειροκροτήματα κι όλοι μαζί μπήκαμε στο αεροπλάνο και αναχωρήσαμε.
Θεωρώ απαραίτητο όπως σας γνωρίσω ότι μετά την άφιξή μας στο Ντάργουϊν της Αυστραλίας, αμέσως την επόμενη μας κάλεσαν στο γραφείο μεταναστών (IMMIGRATION) και μόνον από μένα ζήτησαν το διαβατήριο μου και το κράτησαν. Μετά από αυτό μας συνόδεψε ένας του γραφείου και μας συνέστησε σε διαφόρους εργολάβους οικοδομών για εξεύρεση εργασίας.
Εγώ έπιασα δουλειά σε ένα εργολάβο ονόματι Ρίτσαρσον (RICHARSON), ο οποίος ήτο και Δήμαρχος της πόλεως. Η αρχή ήτο δύσκολη, δεδομένου ότι η αλλαγή από μέτρα σε γυάρδες και πόδια και καθ΄ολοκληρίαν χωρίς γνώση της Αγγλικής γλώσσας δικαυλογεί τα άνωθεν αλλά η υπομονή και η επιμονή κάλυψαν όλες τις δυσκολίες. Είναι γεγονός έχει μεγάλη σημασία να σας πω ότι μετά την πάροδον ολίγων μηνών με κάλεσαν στο IMMIGRATION κι εκεί βρήκα πολλούς συντρόφους μας και μας εδήλωσαν ότι: "Σας παρακολουθήσαμεν καθ' όλο το διάστημα της παραμονής σας εις Ντάργουϊν, την εργασία σας κι είστε καλοί άνθρωποι και καλοί εργάτες και σας δίνουμε το δικαίωμα καθένας σας να υπογράψει δέκα (10) αιτήσεις για καινούργιους μετανάστες αλλά να είναι καλοί σαν κι εσάς." Αυτά μας τα μετέφρασε ο κύριος Λάζαρος Λίβερις, ᾿Ελληνας την καταγωγή, που εκτελούσε χρέη μεταφραστού κι ότι πολύ σύντομα θα μας έφερναν και τις οικογένειές μας όπως κι έγινε. θέλω να πιστεύω ότι οι πέντε αυτοί μετανάστες εκ Καλύμνου ἀνοιξαν την πόρτα της μεταναστεύσεως εις Ντάργουιν Αυστραλίας, όπου σήμερον δηλώνουν τόσον ο πρόεδρος της Καλυμνιακής Κοινότητος Ιωάννης Βρόντος, όσον και ο νυν Πρόεδρος Καλυμνιακής Αδελ- φότητός Παναγιώτης Πονήρης, ότι ο καλυμνιακός πληθυσμός αριθμεί 8.500 ενώ την εποχή εκείνη ήτο η οικογένεια Πέτρου Μιχαήλου, οικ. Σταμάτη Κώτη, οικ. Νικολάου Παστρικού, οικ. Ιωάννη Αθανασίου και το πλήρωμα της αποτυχούσης αποστολής υπό του Νικολάου Σαρούκου επιτηρητή, όπως προαναφέραμε.
θεωρώ τον εαυτό μου ευτυχή, διότι μεταξύ των προαναφερθέντων πρώην μεταναστών είμαι κι εγώ που δημιούργησαν το θαύμα των 8.500 Καλυμνίων εις Ντάργουϊν.
Τώρα τελευταίως προς διαπίστωση των γεγονότων που σας ανέφερα έχω στα χέρια μου το ναυτικό μου φυλλάδιο, την άδεια ναύτου εμπορικού ναυτικού, την διετή υπηρεσία μηχανικού (μοτορίστα) κι άλλα πολλά ντοκουμέ ντα και φωτογραφίες, τα οποία θα βρείτε στα απομνημονεύματά μου τα οποία ξεκινούν από το 1923 έως την σήμερον.
καί τελειώνω με την κάτωθι δήλωσιν:
Υποχρεούμαι να νὰ σᾶς γνωρίσω ὅτι μεγάλη ὑπῆρξεν ἡ προσφορά εἰς της οἰκογενείσε τῶν πρώτων μεταναστῶν καί ἐν συνεχεία τόσον εἰς τό νοσοκομεῖο ὅσον καί της κρατικής ὑπηρεσίας της Αὐστραλίας τῶν κάτωθι:
1) της Κως᾿ Ιουλίας ᾿Αντωνίου Παπαντωνάκη το γένος Κανάρη
2) Τῆς Κας Εὐαγγελίας Μιχαήλου θυγατρός τοῦ Πέτρου
3) της Κως Εἰρήνης σύζυγος Νικήτα Μαγγούλλια
4) της Κως θέμιδος Καλικατζήρου σύζυγος Σκεύου Καλικατζάρου
Μετά τιμης
Α. ΑΛΕΞΙΟΥ
1) ῾Ιδρυτικών μέλος και Πρόεδρος ἐπί σειρῶ ἐτῶν τῆς ῾Ελληνικής ᾿Ορθοδόξου Κοινότητος Βορείου Αὐστραλίας
2) ῾Ιδρυτής και Πρόεδρος ἐπί σειρῶ ἐτῶν τῆς ᾿Αδελφότητος Καλυμνίων DARWI καί ἐπίτιμος Πρόεδρος αύτης μετά Χρυσοῦ Μεταλλίου (ἔτος 1982) 3) ῾Ιδρυτής και πρόεδρος ἐπί σειρῶ ἐτῶν του CALYMNOS ATHLETIC CLUB
του DARWIN, 4) ῾Ιδρυτικόν μέλος καί Γενικός Γραμματεύς του Συλλόγου Σπογγολιέων
Καλύμνου 5) ῾Ιδρυτής καί Πρόεδρος Ναυτεργατῶν Καλύμνου καί εἰσηγητής καί ἐπεκτά σεως εἰς Κάλυμνον τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ Ναύτου.
6) ῾Ιδρυτής και Τμηματάρχης του Τμήματος Δωδεκανήσου της Πανελληνίου Ναυτικῆς ῾Ομοσπονδίας με ἕδρων τὴν Κάλυμνου |
| Date Accessed | 2024-06-10 |
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