Life Stories- Gera

Migrant Profile

Based on an interview of Stratis Onoufriades

by Vasilis Vasilas

  Efstratios Onoufriades (1932- 2010 )

My father, Mihail, was from Taifir on the Gallipoli peninsula (modern-day Turkey), and was orphaned from a young age. His family were metalworkers and specialised in bells. From a young age, he loved music and learnt to play several instruments such as the santouri and violin. Once he finished primary school, he moved to Smyrne, where he played for a larger band of musicians. When the Exchange of Populations occurred, my father and all his relatives passed through Mytilene; however, most were relocated in the Giannitsa region of Macedonia.

My mother, Areti, was from a family of fishermen. She was also orphaned at a young age; her family of five daughters and two sons naturally experienced hardship and sacrifice to survive; while the females worked the family fields, the males fished across the Gulf of Gera.

Being the youngest in my family, there were a number of benefits; I was always looked after and (I believe) my elder siblings’ hard work and achievements paved the way for my opportunities as a child. Onourfrios became a lawyer, Nasos (Athanasios) finished the Commercial and Business College and Efthimios became a priest (Father Magdalinos). I was fortunate enough to continue with my education; when I attended primary school, there were forty students in my year and, when the Schools were re-opened after the Occupation, only eight students continued into high school. I initially attended Plomari’s High School; when most of friends went to Mytilene’s High School, I managed to convince my father to allow me to follow my peers.

Above: The Onoufriades family. Standing are: my brothers, Onoufrios, Nasos, Efthimios and I. Sitting are my parents, Mihail and Areti, and the child is Efthimios' daughter, Aretoula.

I wanted to continue my education at a University level; I was very interested in law. While I was doing my National Service, I undertook examinations to study law; I remember the University was taking 300 out of 2,000 examinees and I achieved a place as 17 reserve. When I got discharged from the army, I had received my sponsorship to migrate from my fiancé, Mersina Papantoniou, and left Greece. Incidentally, I received a letter later informing me that the University took 25 places reserve- which included me- and that I should return to undertake my studies. By that time, however, my life had taken another path; I would have wanted to attend University but my destiny was elsewhere.

I had mixed feelings leaving Greece. I had worked for two years as the secretary at the local court, and I was working for MEVA (specializing in sardines and antipasto). The company owned one trawler and had several on a contract basis. I would go down to the port every morning to inspect the catch and decide what needed to be immediately sold to the markets or what sardines were made as pastes. Additionally, I was a professional church chanter- chanting in three of Mytilene’s churches- Agios Nikolaos, Agios Symeon and Chrysomalousa. My priority, however, was to be reunited with Mersini. As a young man, it was also that spirit of adventure- of new experiences and aspirations to achieve many things- which lured me overseas too.

Above: May Day Celebrations at Kratigo, Mytilene. In the top row are: Mihalis Fotiades, myself and Ioannis Agas.

Above Right: Playing football for Pangeragotikos- in a match against Aris Mytilene (1951). I the foreground (middle) is our top goalscorer, Nikos Hatzichristos. Second and third from the left are: Nikolaos Thomas and Evangelinos respectively. First and second from the right are Stelios "Dangas" and myself.

I was meant to travel on a QANTAS flight (via Rome); however, QANTAS was on strike at the time but I still managed to get a flight to Constantinople where I boarded a BOAC flight; we stopped in exotic places like Karachi and Bombay- places we had only read about in books! My first experience of Australia was actually during our stopover in Darwin. One of the Cypriot waiters I go to know at our hotel showed me around the city and I was amazed at the wealth of the Paspaly family- they seemed to own everything in Darwin! During one evening, Mersini called me and advised me to seek the hotelier, as he was a family friend. I looked for him by asking a staff member and, he directed me to the back of the hotel where he gestured towards a big fellow unloading boxes of beer off a truck. As soon as I just saw him there- slaving away- I questioned how could the owner of the hotel resort to doing a worker’s workload. In Greece, this would never happen! The hotelier would have others doing all the hard work! So I just walked away from introducing myself to him. During dinnertime, he and his company were sitting on another table; as soon as they saw our group (of Greeks), they simply picked themselves up, came over to our table, introduced themselves, then sat and dined with us. I was taken aback by this friendly gesture, as it completely changed my perspective of him. It taught me that in Australia individuals did not distinguish themselves in status- everyone was equal.

While I was in Darwin, it rained and I was astonished at the rainwater being warm. I questioned what kind of a place Australia was! Around my hotel bed was a mosquito net; this also raised my curiosity. Was Australia infested with snakes or other exotic insects? Little did I realize how large of country Australia was- while Darwin’s climate was tropical, Perth’s was much milder- and there were stark contrasts in weather throughout it. During one of other stopovers, which was in the middle of the bush, I remember the flies! They were swarming everywhere, and they just would not stop bothering me! I asked someone for water and directed to this hut- the terminal- and I poured the water out of a water bag. What kind of a place was I traveling to? When our plane was flying over Perth, it was early evening and all the streetlights were already on, and I said to myself we had finally reached civilization!

Like most of Western Australia’s Geragotes Mersina’s family were living in Geralton, where Mersini and her brother, Efstratios, owned The Strand Café. It was a long Café- with the cash register in the front. The Strand was a straight café, with its meals such as mixed grills, or steaks with mushrooms. Next door was a milk bar, where you could buy sandwiches or fruit juices and milk shakes. For the first few days, I tried to show everyone that I was confident and capable to do things. Working in the café was, however, an entirely new experience for me.

Mersini and I bought the Geralton Tea Room, which resembled a modern-day café- with light meals, sandwiches, cakes and lots of tea. At the rear of our shop there were a couple of large water tanks. We had a sign at the front of the shop that we used rainwater in the tea- our customers (mostly farmers) loved the taste. After two-and-a-years, our lease finished and we bought an unused shop and completely renovated it into Steve’s Restaurant- a very large shop which could hold almost one-hundred people. New, formica counter and tables …everything was new.

As ships often came up to Geralton, I also set up a Shipping Chandler company, Champion, where we would do the catering for them.

Continued: Part 2