OBJECTIVES
To foster the Greek national heritage, ideals and culture through maintaining and fostering a sense of Greek history, Greek customs, Greek language, Greek Orthodox religion and self-expression in dance and music.
To promote and maintain a closer friendship between the members of the Greek Communituy and the broader community generally.
THE HISTORY OF GREEK PEOPLE IN NEW ZEALAND
Data collected through the years by Mr Theo Hadjis, Former Hon. Consul General
1.The first Greek in Zealand died in Dunedin. His surname was Constas.
Date of Death was 2 April 1840.
Years of residence in New Zealand 42. Therefore he arrived in New Zealand in 1798.
Descendants of Constas - 4th generation - approached Mr Hadjis, seeking information about their nationality - 1965.
The deceased was an educated officer in the Merchant Navy. His origin was from Sparta-Laconia Greece. He was second-in-command of a Dutch flag merchant ship, which sank Dunedin.
2. In 1832 another Greek seaman arrived in New Zealand. Captain Economou. He was in a Dutch or British ship. He stayed in New Zealand and was married to a Maori lady. He assisted his father-in law at the Treaty of Waitangi.
3. In 1844 another Greek seaman arrived in New Zealand. He was 17 years old, and jumped ship because his Dutch captain was cruel. He was sheltered by an Irish family, and later he married their daughter. His name was Nicolas Dernetriou Mangos -Nick named Peter the Greek or Peter of Lyell. There is a book published by the Mangos family with the same title. The Mangos family numbered in hundreds all around New Zealand. Every 5 November there is the Mangos Reunion. They commemorate the day of marriage of their great-grandfather - Nicolas Demetriou Mangos.
A Catholic priest related to the Mangos family. Father Peter Conaghan of Taranaki, wrote to Mr Hadjis early in 1970 to find out the Mangos origin, etc.
Mr Hadjis’ official investigations proved that the Mangos family from the Island of Chios in the Aegean Sea. Their great-grand father Dernetrios Mangos was a merchant and left with his family and settled in Ermoupolis, Syros - Cyclades Islands about 1830. Ermoupolis was the centre of commerce port. The Mayor of Ermoupolis officially informed Mr Hadjis that the Mangos family was registered in the Municipality’s records. Mr Hadjis met some of the members of Mangos family who in 1980 travelled to Greece - Ermoupolis and Chins, - the birthplace of the Mangos.
4. Other Greeks arrived later and in 1870 some 94 Greeks were in New Zealand. All originated from Greek Islands - Ithaca, Cephalonia, Cytheri and Aegean Islands.
5. The greatest son of New Zealand, KING DICK SEDON, who was a lover of the Greek civilisation, when he was Prime Minister and while in London in 1902 for official business he met the then Greek Ambassador in London and asked that a Greek Consulate General be opened in Wellington to represent Greece and look after the Greeks in New Zealand.
The first Hon. Consul General of Greece appointed was Frank Dyer, son-in-Law of Prime Minister Seddon.
In 1927 the Pan Hellenic Assn, by celebrating the first Greek school and the 25th Anniversary of Mr Dyer as Consul General, the Greeks presented Mr Dyer a gold pocket watch, inscribed to our Esteemed Consul General. The late Lucy McIntosh, daughter of the late Frank Dyer, kept this watch. The late Lucy McIntosh-Dyer showed this watch to Mr Hadjis at her home.
In 1936 Mr Frank Dyer passed away. In his place as Hon. Consul General of Greece was appointed Mr Tom Seddon, the son of King Dick, with Hon Vice Consul the late Stanley Garland. Tom Seddon was Consul in until 1959. The Seddons and Frank Dyer were related in some way with Katherine Mansfield.
6. Since 1920 some more Greeks came to New Zealand from Australia. After World War II some Greeks came from mainland Greece. Later in 1951, many Greeks came as refugees from Communist countries. From 1955 onwards Greeks arrived from the Greek island of Crete.
By Theo Hadjis, Consultant on Greek Law