kythera family kythera family
  

Newsletter Archive

Newsletter Archive > February 2010

Newsletter Archive

submitted by James Victor Prineas on 16.02.2010

February 2010

Contents
1. Newsletter
2. James Fardoulys Exhibition
3. Great Walls of Kythera
4. KFN Site Statistics
5. Life on Kythera by Maria of Lourandianika
6. Recent Message Board entries
7. Collateral Damage of Wind-Turbines
8. Help in writing Oral History

..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _


Dear Friends of Kythera,

the problem with the kind of cultural archiving on the internet which Kythera-Family.net encourages is that the richest heritage material, be it life stories, pictures or historical family documents, are often in the possession of older generations who rarely use the internet. Fortunately there are dozens of exceptions to this, but it is a problem none-the-less: how can we get the material from the elderly onto a medium mostly used by younger generations? George Poulos, Angelo Notaras and I have come up with two ways to help overcome the technical generation gap. The first is to pay one or two "gatherers" who are well-versed in the internet and scanning who can visit elderly Kytherians and interview them, scan in their most important pictures relating to Kythera, and perhaps help them to put together a basic family tree. Is that something any of you might be interested in doing? Perhaps it could be a one-day-a-week job, spending a half a day with a candidate we suggest and another half-a-day uploading the material you've gathered? Once we have people interested in gathering we'd invite the community to make suggestions of whom should be interviewed. Interested? Send us a mail detailing your background and skill-set and we'll take it from there. This is important work: as George Poulos once put it, each time an elderly Kytherian passes away without us getting at least a snap-shot of their lives, it's like a library burning down. So this will be great way to earn some money and preserve Kytherian heritage at the same time!

The second idea we had was to set up a competition. We've called it the "Heritage Preservation Competition" with a first prize of A$1000 and a second of A$250. To win you have to create and submit 2 (or more) oral history entries for the site. They can be transcribed interviews (with accompanying audio files, if possible) or journalistic styled articles about Kytherians. In English or in Greek. Just grab a recording device (most smart-phones such as iPhones have free dictation programs in them, but you can do it without the recording device if you'd prefer to take notes) and encourage your elderly Kytherian acquaintances and family to tell you about their lives. Then transcribe the interview, clean it up and put it in the Oral History  or Life Stories  sections of the site. There are lots of entries on the site already if you'd like to see what the finish product should look like. We've even put a list of question you could ask on the site on the Help in writing an Oral History  page (also reproduced at the bottom of this newsletter). The submissions have to be made between February and February 2011. Should the number and quality of entries exceed our expectations we will be happy to double or triple the number of prizes. 

Best regards from a frozen Berlin,

James Prineas
KFN Team-Leader Europe


.._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _.._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _

James Fardoulys: a Queensland Kytherian naïve artist on exhibition 27 March - 20 June 2010, Queensland Art Gallery
At the 2008 Kytheraismos Symposium in Kythera, Melina Mallos, the Curriculum and Education Program Officer at the Queensland Art Gallery, presented an entertaining paper on the naïve (or self-taught) artist, James Fardoulys, who started painting after he turned 60 years and who went on to develop a distinctive style that involved an infusion of Mediterranean colour and Australian wit.

Between 27 March and 20 June 2010, the Queensland Art Gallery will be staging a major retrospective exhibition on the life and works of James Fardoulys. Fardoulys (1900-75) was born in Kythera in Greece and came to Australia in 1914. In his youth he worked in various cafes in south-western Queensland, married a ventriloquist and conducted his own troupe of performers in the country. When the Olympia Café at Goondiwindi was destroyed by fire in 1931 he and his family came to Brisbane where he worked as a taxi driver for the next 29 years. After his retirement, Fardoulys began to paint seriously and by the time of his death had a substantial output of paintings and came to be recognised as one of the most prominent and widely appreciated naïve painters in Australia.   As Melina Mallos has said, James was an "artist with a Greek eye". 
 
Fardoulys was also quite a character. In the book by Charles Lehmann, Australian Primitive Painters, James talked about his early years growing up in Potamos when he used to run a donkey service for passengers disembarking at Agia Pelagia. He described how he often would carry important people around on his donkey and remarked that he made more money that way than when he later started working for wages in the town of Warwick in Queensland. James described Potamos as being in the centre of the island and that you could see Sparta from where he lived!
 
Melina Mallos has helped arrange a special viewing for Kytherians on Sunday 18 April 2010 at the Queensland Gallery and already a number of Sydneysiders are making the journey to Brisbane to see the exhibition.  At the same time, it will be great to catch up with Kytherians from Queensland and hopefully this may start the ball rolling for a greater cultural interaction between the various Kytherian associations in Australia.
 
Mark your diary now and try to get to the James Fardoulys art exhibition in Brisbane on 18 April 2010 for what should be an unforgettable cultural experience ... and mingle with fellow Kytherians at the same time!
 
 
http://qag.qld.gov.au/exhibitions/coming_soon/james_fardoulys_a_queensland_naive_artist
.._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _.._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _

The Great Walls of Kythera Book Project


pictures posted to the category already!

If you received our last newsletter you'll know that we announced a new book/exhibition project entitled "The Great Walls of Kythera". Since that newsletter fifty new pictures have been uploaded to the Great Walls category of the site and there are some wonderful pictures there (a few of them are in the block of pictures above). It's not too late to send in your pictures - in fact, you have a whole year so if you'll be on the island this year you still have time to shoot new ones if you don't have any in your current collection. In February next year we'll chose the best of the pictures and in addition to publishing a book of them, we will also try to organise a travelling exhibition of them. Thanks so far to all the submitters: Stephen Trifyllis, Mieke Coumans, George Vardas, Spiro Zantiotis, Isabelle Kleau, Vikki Vrettos Fraioli, Candace Weiss, Konstantinos Koroneos and e Hegeman.

.._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _.._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _

Kythera-Family.net Site Statistics

The year has started well for the site, with about five thousand "unique visitors" accessing the site. Who are these people? Are there any statisticians out there among you? If so, can one of you please help work out how many people of Kytherian descent there are on earth? If there were 14,000 people living on Kythera in 1900, what sort of formula can we use to estimate the number of their decedents living today? 

.._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _.._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _

LIFE IN KYTHERA - BACK IN THE DAY
by Maria of Lourandianika

Having said farewell to 2009, we also sadly say good-bye to many of our loved Kytherians. Saying good-bye to treasured friends and people who played such an important part in my life, as I remember only the faces of loved ones as they were so many years ago, not thinking of the years which have passed since I had last seen them,  remembering them as they were. Seeing the tributes, and receiving the news leaving me devastated as I realised that a chapter of my life had closed. The loss has been so difficult to bear, as I keep the memories alive of my life as it was so many years ago, wanting so badly not to accept the passing of yet another loved one.
 
As I turn to my journal written as a young girl, I find memories which have eluded me for so many years. How different from the life in Australia compared to Kythera. The glamour of a wedding being just one example. Being a bridesmaid so often, such beautiful dresses, shoes, and hairdressers and photographers. Such elaborate preparations, followed by a gathering of such splendour. What a stark contrast to the wedding on Kythera I attended, devoid of all such magnificence.
 
How I recall a wedding we attended there. We went to see the bride who had walked from her home to visit her groom, not understanding why she would do this, as I had always known it to be considered bad luck to see your husband to be before the service. Yet, she had her photographs taken by the local photographer, then returning to her home before setting out in a car to go to the Church for the ceremony. The streets  lined with locals, as we waved and smiled, laughing with pleasure when we were thought to be part of the wedding party, as we followed the bride in another car.
 
There was no fancy silver goblet to sip the wine from, during the service, but a beer mug. This did not detract from the reason we stood in the Church though, as the service was to celebrate the union of two people so in love, wishing to start their life together.
 
Christmas was approaching, and again, the difference between life in Kythera and life in Australia was so evident. The baking of the Christmas cakes was unchanged however. My mother always baked several cakes with a coin inside, walnuts making a cross on the cake ready for putting on top. How exciting it was for the person who found the hidden coin! She also baked Christmas cakes for close family members and friends. Christmas was  always celebrated by Kytherian standards, and I was totally unaware of the Australian way of celebrating this festive season, with Christmas trees and decorations, so different  from anything I ever knew. For me, Christmas meant waking to find a  small gift on a chair in the lounge room, then, the cooking began for a large family meal, my having a new dress with new shoes and socks was always so exciting. Church services were an important part of the day also, as we observed the true meaning of this Holy day.
 
Church services in Australia, enabled us to meet with so many friends and relatives who we may not have seen due to daily life activities. It was such a highlight of my day, as everyone gathered after services, greetings were exchanged before we faced the obstacles of returning home to continue with the elaborate meal awaiting us.  My father, always aware of the difficulty we faced to find transport to return home, would arrange for a hire car to be waiting for us with a chauffeur, thus avoiding the crowds all looking for a taxi, just as we would have done, endeavouring to return to their homes to continue with Christmas festivities.
 
Christmas day in Kythera arrived, and we awoke to the church bells tolling, as they rang in sorrow announcing the passing of a much loved member of our village having suffered a stroke at  11pm the night before. Such a beautiful woman, aged just 57 years old. The irony that her sister had passed two years previously of a stroke at the same age was not overlooked as people gathered to speak of this tragedy.
 
The difference of the impact of such a sad time was something I could not understand. The funeral was held that same day, Christmas Day. When evening arrived, the locals came together, eating, dancing and singing. My only understanding of this behaviour was that her life was being celebrated, and the sadness of the occasion was not to be seen as such, although I still could not understand festivities at such a time of sadness. I recall singing and laughing along with everyone who had come together at our koumbaro's home, still unable to understand that at a time of such sadness, festivities continued, not affected by the sadness which we had woken to. No mention was made of the loss of such a loved member of our community, causing me to question myself as to why this was so. I did not bring it up to the adults, as being a child of strict Kytherian ways, it was not acceptable to do so.
 
Life continued in Louradianika. A difficult time for a young ager. The rain keeping me inside, instead of spending my time doing what I loved most: hunting. The rain continued and I awoke one night as my father was emptying buckets of water as it leaked into the house. I had counted 15 buckets of water emptied by him. When the rain eased, I chose to attempt to go for a ride on a donkey alone, and even though I managed it, the donkey, having a mind of its own, ignored all my commands, causing me to think that I should wait in future for an adult to accompany me.
 
Sadness tinged the quiet island life  again however, with the news that a gentleman, not known to anyone in our village, nor surrounding villages, had removed his hat and boots and jumped to his death in a river, swelled with the constant rain. My thoughts went out to this poor soul as I pondered what could have caused him to take his life in this manner? Out of respect and compassion for his family, the tragedy was kept as quiet as possible. Once again, such tragedy was introduced at an early stage of my life, as I feel the compassion I feel towards others began with the sadness which I was exposed to at such an early age.
 
With such sad times in our lives, life did not stop, and my sister and I decided to change the furniture in the lounge room the following day, going to the extreme lengths of cutting the legs off the wooden couch where I slept, making the room more cosy. Anything to relieve the boredom. When the rain stopped, I went hunting and returned with 6 birds for my grandmother. How she enjoyed it when I returned with so many from a successful hunt. How I looked forward to walking the island, looking for the birds which were such an important part of the family source of food. The pleasure which I felt as I set out alone, often accompanied by the family dog, appreciating the fresh air and the quiet which I had grown to love, my thoughts often turning back to so many happenings in my young life, at times struggling to understand what I had heard  and witnessed, but had no answers for, giving me the opportunity to ponder the circumstances, so fresh in my mind, but knowing it was not acceptable to speak of them to the adults. I was left to my own thoughts and I found myself turning to my talks with my grandfather, remembering his many wise words. I would return from these walks, not only with a bounty of birds, but also  with clarity for the many questions which I was searching answers for.
 
Church services were to be held at my grandfather's church for the day of Agio Georgi, the church appropriately named Agio Georgi also. My father and I went onto the fields and picked yellow daffodils to decorate the church for services which would be held by my grandfather. How proud I was as I stood quietly as he took the services, starting at 8 am and ending at 10.45 am, with my father singing hymns during the service. The opening of the bottles of wine followed the services as everyone came to our humble home to celebrate, as I was told it was tradition to do so.
 
During our stay at Louradianika, I found peace by going to our church to light a candle once in the morning and again in the late afternoon, finding such peace in this humble but beautiful church. This was done by choice, not by being told it would be correct to do so. I was so young, and experienced so much, turning to the peace of the church to search for the elusive answers to my many thoughts.
 
My father liked us to walk the island, not expecting to always be driven, and he informed us one day that we were going to walk over the hills  from Louradianika to Hora. Such a long way was not something I looked forward to, so when we were late in departing, he changed his mind and we went by car, much to my relief. Many times however, we did walk, seeing the beauty and simplicity of this beautiful island. My grandfather would at times walk from Livadi to Hora, showing such stamina. How I appreciate my fathers wishes now, as I remember the beauty of Kythera, with its rolling green hills, and experiencing the many sights, such as the large olive groves, and the small churches dotting the landscape, with the occasional monastery showing us what would not have been seen if we had travelled by car along the narrow roads. The caves of Agia Sophia would not have been accessible by car, and such beauty would have been overlooked. 
 
My mothers name-day was to be celebrated on Kythera as we did every year in our home in Australia. The cooking  and preparations had been accomplished in this humble kitchen, ready for the many guests who came continuously during the day to wish my mother hronia polla, enjoying the delicacies which had been prepared earlier, giving our home such a festive feeling.
 
Hospitality  was always present as we visited many homes,  and with each visit, we were offered such delicacies, but we could not manage to continue eating the food which our hosts offered us. My sister and I would  discreetly put whatever we could not eat into handkerchiefs and we would eat it later when we returned home. We would not consider not accepting what was offered by the hostess, as this would be seen as a slight.
 
As I look back to the days filled with so many memories, happy times, intermingled with times of sadness also, I think of life as a ledger, where we write our expenses. What goes out and what comes in, except a ledger recording not finances, but recording blessings received, as they far outweighed what was outgoing. The people who have enriched my life, and memories which will stay with me for life.
 
I look forward to this coming year of 2010, being aware that we will say our final good-byes to still many loved ones, but welcome so many new Kytherians as when I look through the pages of The Kytherian, seeing photos of the celebrations of the latest additions to our community, with such proud new parents, enriching our lives with the beautiful babies being shown so proudly for all to see.
 
To all my fellow Kytherians, I wish you Hronia Polla for 2010 and may your lives be filled with blessings and good health.
  
Maria (Marcellos) Whyte

4 Trinity Crescent.,
Sippy Downs 4556
Queensland.

.._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _.._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _

RECENT MESSAGE BOARD ENTRIES

Family Tree of Diacakis-Megalokonomos family
submitted by Antigone Diacakis, 10.02.2010

Going back until 1883 we are under the name of Diacakis. Then it seems they were called Megalokonomos or Diacakis/Megalokonomos. Anyone knows anything relating those names? 
.._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _.._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _


ZANTIOTIS Family History help?
submitted by Spiro Zantiotis 12.02.2010

I'm putting together our family tree and I'm looking for ancestors of Kosma Panayotis Zantiotis b 1881 d 18/03/1958. Kosma married Anna Samios and they had at least 6 children. Kosma's father was (I think) Panayotis Kosma Zantiotis who I don't have any information on. Their villages were Karavas and Vouno and their parachoukli was Girande' (year-an-dee) or something like that. My father Frankescos (Frank), 25/04/1922, was brought up in Karavas while his family lived in Vouno as their house was too small. He left the island to work for his sister Haroula in Athens when he was 11 or 12 and was sent to Australia sponsored by his uncle Peter Samios around 1937. All I know is that my grandfather made bricks/ovens and the story goes that the ZANTIOTIS families had come from Zakynthos(Zante).
Can anyone help?                   
Spiro Zantiotis, 
..._ _ _.._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _...

Trying to locate Ted Panaretos
submitted by Deborah Gladu  26.01.2010

I am trying to locate the original owner of my home or the land its' on. I have been to the town hall here in Cumberland RI, records show deed transfers regarding Theodore and ia Panaretos, searching the internet has led me to this site via old hydro racing stats. My home is very unique and original for it's time (1954) so I'd like to know anything about the builder/architect. Any info would be a big help, Thanking you in advance. 
Deborah Gladu, 

..._ _ _.._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _...

STRATIGOS / MAKRIDES  
submitted by JOAN PIPICH 26.01.2010

Seeking descendants of Maria Nicholas Stratigos, b.Milipotomas, Kythera, abt. 1865. She married Nicholas Makrides (sp?)and had a daugher, Maria Nicholas Makrides who married Emanuel Stratigos. Maria and Emanual emigrated to Australia and had two children: Areti and Potheti. Potheti married Dionysis Kasimatis. Potheti and Dionysis had to children, Panagiotis and Maria. Maria married George Kominos. Information was obtained from family who were not sure of spelling.

Anyone knowing this family or living descendants in Australia, please email me at vforsteelersATTmsn.com.

Thank you

Joan, 

..._ _ _.._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _...

EMMANUEL AND. MEGALOKONOMOS

George Megas - Gold Coast - Ausralia
Family village of origin: Kato Livathi
 
My grandfather EMMANUEL AND. MEGALOKONOMOS was born in Kythera in 1856. I want to know the names of his parents and also if he had any brothers or sisters. Thank you



..._ _ _.._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _...


*****Karavitiko Symposium 2010*****

submitted by Karavitiko Symposium, Sydney


Γιορτη του Αγιου Χαραλαμπου
The Karavitiko Symposium
invites you to come along and enjoy a 
superb luncheon to celebrate 
την ημερα του Αγιου Χαραλαμπου

Sunday, 21st February 2010  
All Saints Greek Orthodox Hall, Cnr Isabel & Cecilia Sts Belmore

Time: 11.30am - 4.30 pm

Cost: $55.00 Adults, $35.00 Children (under 12)

Early Bird Special 
$50.00 Adults, $30.00 Children

Special Guest: 
Mayor of Kythera, Theodore Koukoulis

Bookings: 
George Poulos 93888320 
Peter Poulos 0409666238 
Theo Poulos 91509069, 0409449927

Download a beautiful 2 page colour flyer, advertising this event, here: 
KARAVITIKO_flyer_2010.pdf
.._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _.._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _

Industrial Wind-Turbine Stations. "Collateral Damage", as seen from Space


Constructing wind-generators is more than just planting "majestic" white giants on isolated hill-sides. They require massive infrastructure for transport and maintenance. Above is a picture from a wind-farm on the the island of Evia. Bulldozers have carved wide dirt roads across the hill-tops to join the towers and lay the cables. Defacing the landscape in this way would never be allowed if someone sought to build a hotel or factory. In fact, there are strict environmental laws in place in Greece which prevent constructions - except for Wind-Turbines - on top of hills and mountains in an attempt to preserve natural skylines. These guidelines have been tossed out the window though in the mad rush to appear "Green".


Our campaign to stop the desecration of the Kytherian skyline is well underway. The SaveKythera.com site is a mine of information regarding the number and source of applications from big-business to construct hundreds of MW of Wind-Towers on the island. Those businesses - they are profit motivated and not ecological foundations - are looking to cash in on the lucrative subsidies on offer in Greece. Subsidies which have, by the way, been phased out in most other European countries because they have discovered there are more efficient ways to reduce CO2 with the billions they have already wasted on subsidising wind-farms. By 2020 Germany, for example, will have spent a whopping 77 Billion Euros (A$119 Billion) to prop up the wind-generator sector, and that will only reduce the CO2 emissions from the energy sector by around 20%. Using the same money to improve existing efficiency of current technology and to develop CO2 capture technology might have created a reduction of at least twice that. So before you make the assumption that any wind-generator is a good wind-generator, take a look at our site and find out more. We're currently translating the site into Greek and should be online with it by the end of the month. And our new online petition is gathering signatures and comments. You can view and/or sign it at http://savekythera.com/the-resistance-petition/.

The Locations (so far...)
More than 321 Megawatts of wind-turbines have been proposed at the sites listed below - you can view the exact application details here. Depending upon which size turbines are installed, that could mean upward of 200 wind-turbines in total. And this could only be the beginning!


The proposed Turbine-Parks would be visible (and audible?) from the following villages and others near them:
Agia Anastasia, Agia Pelagia, Aroniathika, Areoi, Chrisoforianika, Diakopoulianika, Dourianika, Gerakari, Kato Hora, Karavas, Kousounari, Lianianika, Logothianika, Mylopotamos, Perligianika, Petrouni, Pitsinathes, Platia Ammos, Potamos, Progi, Rizes, Stavli, Tryfilianika, Vouno.
Your Family Village not on the List? 
Even the approval of one wind-park on Kythera will make it easier for the rest of Kythera to be re-zoned for industrial use. You might then see wind-towers and factories and dumps spoiling the view from your spitaki... 
Read more at SaveKythera.com
.._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _.._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _

Help in writing an Oral History
Here are some questions which might come in handy if you are writing your life story or interviewing someone about theirs. It is adapted for this site from a list compiled by Heather Venn.


1. Your Birth
- Where and when were you born?
- Was there anything special about that day?
- Were you born on the way to hospital or in the family home?
- Are there any anecdotes about you as a baby?
- Did you have any health problems or were you particularly lively as a baby or toddler?
- Are there any significant or funny family stories surrounding your birth or early childhood?


2. Your Family
- What do you know about your parents and grandparents?
- What were their names and nicknames?
- Do you know where and when they were born?
- What did they look like?
- Did anything exciting happen to them?
- How many brothers and sisters do you have?
- Were you born into a large family or were you the only child?
- Can you remember your first family home?
- What was your childhood like?
- Did you have to share a room with your brothers of sisters?
- Can you remember what it was like?
- How have your relationships with your siblings and parents developed over the years?


3. Home
- Where did you grow up?
- Did you move house, to another city, another state, or another country?
- What was It like to move?
- What was your favourite home town?
- What was it like growing up where you did?
- What were the people in your home town like?
- What did your home look like?
- What changes did you notice over time?


4. Childhood
- When did you first go to school?
- What school did you go to?
- Who was your best friend when you were small?
- Was school a positive experience for you?
- What did you do during the school holidays?
- Did you play sport?
- What toy was all the rage when you were at school?
- Did you learn to dance?
- Did you have any favourite toys?
- What were your favourite books?
- What work did your parents do?
- Did you help them?
- Do you remember any extreme weather you experienced as a child?


5. Animals
- Did you have any animals around the house or in the fields?
- Did you help with them?


6. Special Events
- Do you have any memories of Christmas Day or Easter?
- Did you go to church?
- Did you have a special family traditions?
- Did you visit relatives for special events or holidays?
- How did they celebrate their special days?
- What was the rest of the community's reaction to your family's special celebrations?
- Did your family have a special tradition all of its own?
- Did you go on holiday to a special summer/winter place where your family went?
- What was your favourite New Year's Eve?
- Where did you go?
- Who was with you with?


7. years
- What can you remember about becoming a ager?
- Did you grow quickly or did your school mates sprout up before you?
- Did you cruise through puberty or was it a difficult time for you?
- What secondary school did you go to?
- What differences did you notice about the kids around you?
- Did you settle in easily?
- Did you find study difficult?
- What were your favourite subjects?
- Who were your favourite teachers?
- Did you play sport for your school?
- Who was your first boyfriend/girlfriend?
- Did you ever get to the movies as a child?
- What movies did you watch that you remember fondly?
- What did you do for entertainment?
- Did you listen to radio?
- Were you interested in the fashions of your day?
- Did you wear clothes that are funny to look at now?
- Are they back in fashion?


8. Adulthood
- What was your first job?
- Did you enjoy your job?
- What career did you hope to have?
- What was the best/worst job you ever had?
- When did you move out of home?
- Did you travel?
- Who was your first love?
- When did you marry - do you remember the first time you met?
- What was the first home you owned like?
- Did you join any community or political organisations?
- Did you continue or return to study?
- What changes in career path did you choose to take them?
- When did you decide if you wanted to become a parent?
- What were your reasons?
- What other life decisions did you make as an adult, that was different from how you were raised?
- Did your beliefs change, as you grew older?


9. Migration (If you or your parents migrated)
- When was the decision made to migrate? Did you want to stay?
- Did your whole family come?
- Where did the journey start and where did you stop on the way?
- What was the journey like?
- Where did it end?
- What were the first reactions upon seeing the new country?
- Were relatives awaiting you?
- Did you feel welcome?
- What did you do in the first few days after the arrival?


10. Highlights
- What were the most wonderful experiences of your life? (falling in love, getting married, children being born, winning something, helping someone, meeting someone?).


11. Tragedies
- Do you remember the most difficult moments in your life? Would you like to reveal them?


12. Differences
What cultural differences did your family have from mainstream society?
Did you experience a culture clash?
What cultural traditions did you follow?
Did you experience greater difficulties, as you grew older?
Did you embrace your family's traditions or rebel?


13. Your Wisdom
- What experiences have made you who you are?
- What things have you learned which you would like to pass on to the reader of your biography?
- Experiences about family, friends, money, expectations, life?


14. Friends
- Try to remember as many of your friends as you can.
- If you have any school photos, go through them and try to remember their names, then try to remember something about them.
- Who were your schoolyard friends?
- Who were your work friends?
- Who were your special friends?
- Did you lose contact with some friends and then meet up with them years after?
- Did you become friends again?
- Think about the friends you have today and compare them to the friends of your past.
- How different or similar are they?


15. Conclusion
- How would you sum up your life?
- What would you like to be remembered for?

.._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _
 
About Kythera-Family.net
Kythera-Family.net aims to preserve and reflect the rich heritage of a wonderful island. Members of the community are invited to submit their family collection of Kytherian stories, photographs, recipes, maps, oral histories, biographies, historical documents, songs and poems, home remedies etc. to the site. Uploading directly to the site is easy, but if you wish you can also send your collections to us by email or post and we will submit them for you. Thus we can help make available valuable and interesting material for current and future generations, and inspire young Kytherians to learn more about their fascinating heritage.

.._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _..._ _ _

Leave a comment