On May 26 2019, the Youth of Panagia Soumela – Pontian Association of Whittlesea hosted a genocide commemorative event to honour the Greeks of Pontus.
The commemorative event was opened by the President of the Youth Committee Kiki Tsagalidis and included a memorial service by Father Ephraim from St Vasilios Greek Orthodox Parish in Brunswick.
Themistocles Kritikakos presented his paper “Genocide and the Intergenerational Cultural Trauma of Greeks, Assyrians and Armenians in the Diaspora”. Themistocles is currently a PhD candidate in the School of Historical and Philosophical Studies at the University of Melbourne under the supervision of Professor Joy Damousi.
Themistocles’ research in memory studies captures a unique period in the early 21st century in Australia when Greek, Assyrian and Armenian communities co-operated in a bid to attain genocide recognition.
Themistocles investigates the transmission of cultural trauma through time and space and how it influences genocide recognition efforts. He also considers how the historical Australian humanitarian response to the genocides has been linked to the three diasporic communities in recent times.
Themistocles argues that through cross-referencing of experiences, inter-communal co-operation and dialogue, the three groups are able to move forward and create a common narrative. However each group, like the Pontian Greeks, embrace their own narratives, experiences and memories. Whilst there is also a common experience represented across three groups, this is subject to on-going negotiation.
The Youth Committee of Panagia Soumela presented first hand accounts of the genocide which were followed by Sophia Pantermali’s presentation of a Pontian Passage. Michael Ireoche then presented the history of the dance Thanati Langeman meaning ‘Jump to the death’, which is considered the Pontian equivalent to the Dance of Zalongo, and was performed by the females of the Youth Committee. The President of the Senior Committee Kosta Xanthopoulos then led an informative talk before Eleftheria Kiriakidou performed ‘To Tragoudi tis Exorias’.
The event was closed with concluding remarks the Youth Committee on the impact of the genocide and the maintenance of the Pontian identity.
