2022-02-20

Sydney

Elefterias-Kostakidis, Eleni

Greeks in Australia

Oral history

Krili, Yota

nGmNyoGY

Digitised

Copyright holder : State Library of New South Wales
Please acknowledge : Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

Interviewer: Eleni Elefterias-Kostakidis

Occupation: High-school teacher, Author
Year of arrival: 1959
Method of transport: Ship (Toscana)

Yota was born in Kerastari, Arcadia, Greece in 1937 and migrated to Australia on the last trip of the ship Toscana in 1959. She completed high school studies at Sydney Evening College and graduated from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Arts and a Diploma of Education. For many years, she worked creating resources for teachers and was also a member of the Modern Greek HSC Marking Committee. She is an author and poet, and her published works include an educational series «ΚΟΝΤΑ ΣΤΗ ΓΛΩΣΣΑ», bilingual poetry books Triptych and Falling Stars. She translated into Greek the novelisation of the script for the groundbreaking Australian television series Women of the Sun. Her novels are Katavoles, Kyparissomilo and Kyklamino, the three parts of the Pathways to Freedom trilogy. She has also written a play, Christina’s Case, based on the ‘Greek Conspiracy’ cases of the 1970s and 1980s.

Interview summary
Yota discusses her early life as a child in a hostile patriarchal society during the war years, her lack of choice about coming to Australia and the difficulties of adapting to her family’s expectations, once here. She also reflects on her efforts to continue her studies and her life as a writer and teacher.

Songs

Siobhan Campbell