The Greek philanthropist of Khartoum

(Excerpt from the book ‘The Greek community in Sudan’)

Katarina Kakou was born in Suakin in 1893.Her father immigrated to Sudan in the late 19th century. At the age of 19, Katerina got married to Alexander Papadellis and had eight kids. Her husband died at an early age and Katerina had great difficulties in raising her kids. She used to sell several things in front of her house such as fruits, peanuts, cooked beans (fulia) to earn her living. Although she was poor she was giving help to anyone needed. Lots of people living in the neighborhood visited her in order to take a free meal. Katerina used to be a reference point for the entire region, till her death in 1983. For this reason, the street in front of her house was named ‘Katarina Street’.

The football team of the Hellenic Athletic Club of Khartoum in the 1930s

The football team of the Hellenic Athletic Club of Khartoum in the 1930s

(Excerpt from the book ‘The Greek community in Sudan’)

During the pre-war period, the Greek football team took part in the local championship. The matches were usually held at the Gordon College. There were also two annual cups, the ‘Governor-General's Challenge Football Cup’ and the ‘Morhig Cup’. In 1931, H.A.C. played a total of 20 football matches with 14 wins, 3 defeats and 3 draws.

The Greeks of Omdurman (Sudan) in the 1890s

The Greeks of Omdurman (Sudan) in the 1890s

(Excerpt from the book ‘The Greek community in Sudan’)

In 1885, the Mahdi forces conquered Khartoum. Those who survived the fall of Khartoum, including the 20 Greeks, were forced to convert to Islam, change names, wear local costumes and get married. The prisoners from Khartoum and the other cities settled in a district of Omdurman which was named Masalma (the district of Islamized) and received a monthly allowance. The Greeks formed a group that was represented by Dimitris Kokorempas.

The first Greek newspaper of Sudan

The first Greek newspaper of Sudan

(Excerpt from the book 'The Greek community in Sudan')

In 1911, two Greek entrepreneurs, Saoulis and Chrysantheou, founded Victoria Press and published the newspaper “Sudan Herald”. It was a four-page newspaper, written in English and Greek, and circulated once a week. Apart from Sudan, it was also distributed in Egypt, Ethiopia and Congo. After 1913, the newspaper was also accompanied by an Arabic edition of “Ra' id al-Sudan”.

The Greeks in Eritrea in the late 19th cen.

The Greeks in Eritrea in the late 19th cen.


In 1894, acording to the Italian census, 178 Greeks lived in Eritrea. Most of them resided in Keren and Masawa.That year they founded the first organised community in Eritrea, that of Keren.

The Greeks of Malawi

The Greeks of Malawi

The 1930s marked a transformation in the organisation of commercial fishing on Lake Malawi since fishermen from Greece had begun to have a strong effect on the lake fisheries . In 1934, Nicholas Yiannakis and his brothers Christos and Stavros started fishing commercially at Chipoka, some twelve miles from Fort Johnston. From their base in the area between Mangochi boma and Monkey Bay, they dominated the fish industry in Malawi.

 

 

A Greek merchant against the British in Kenya of 1905

A Greek merchant against the British in Kenya of 1905

During the late 19th century, Britain's presence in Kenya was marked by dispossession and violence. British troops carried out atrocities against the native population who resisted. A Greek merchant from Lesvos, Coutlis, who had settled in Kenya a decade earlier, provided the Kenyans with arms and gunpowder. In 1905, the British organised a campaign to kill Coutlis (FO 403/340)

The founder of the Hellenic Athletic Club of Khartoum

The founder of the Hellenic Athletic Club of Khartoum

George Fragoudis was a lawyer and settled in Khartoum in 1909. He was the founder and first president of the Hellenic Athletic Club of Khartoum, which was established in 1912.Later, he returned to Greece and established the Department of the Political Sciences of the Panteion University.

Η αλιευτική δραστηριότητα των Ελλήνων του Burundi

Η αλιευτική δραστηριότητα των Ελλήνων του Burundi

Μετά το Β΄ Παγκόσμιο Πόλεμο, η αλιεία κατείχε εξέχουσα θέση μεταξύ των επαγγελματικών δραστηριοτήτων των Ελλήνων του Burundi . Την δεκαετία του ’70, η δραστηριότητα των Ελλήνων στον τομέα της αλιείας κορυφώθηκε, όπως μαρτυρά η κατασκευή όλο και πιο μεγάλων αλιευτικών σκαφών.
Μια από τις μεγαλύτερες επιχειρήσεις στον χώρο ήταν η ‘Peza-Lac’ του Τάσου Αναστασιάδη, η οποία ξεκίνησε την δραστηριότητά της το 1958. Την περίοδο 1966-1970 διέθετε ένα στόλο 12 αλιευτικών με 300 εργαζομένους. Με αφετηρία το Kalemie του Congo, η ‘Peza-Lac’ δραστηριοποιόταν στην λίμνη Tanganyika και διοχέτευε τα προϊόντα της σε διάφορες πόλεις του Congo αλλά και στην Bujumbura.

The Greek volunteers during the Second Boer War in South Africa, in 1900

The Greek volunteers during the Second Boer War in South Africa, in 1900

In 1899, the Second War between the British Empire and the two Boer states in South Africa: Republic of Transvaal and the Orange Free State started. The British war effort was supported by volunteers from the British Empire and people from other countries. In 1900, twenty Greeks from Odessa in Russia joined this war as volunteers and fought against the Boers. However, there were a few Greeks who fought against the British.

The Greek community of Juba (South Sudan)

The Greek community of Juba (South Sudan)

During the 1930s, Juba evolved into a great trade center of the South Sudan. As a result the Greek migration became more massive. In 1935, the Greeks proceeded to the establishment of a community with the intention to build a temple and a school. Gerasimos Condomichalos, the then president of the Greek community of Khartoum pioneered this effort offering 500Eg pounds. In 1941, Condomichalos visited Juba, and launched a fundraiser for the erection of a church. In 1951, Stelios Roussos covered the cost and the church of St. Stylianos was completed in 1954. In the next years, due to the increasing number of the Greeks, the local community constructed a community hall

The church of St George ‘the liberator of the captives’ in Tunis

The church of St George ‘the liberator of the captives’ in Tunis

In the mid-16th century, many Greeks had been the victims of the pirates and were imprisoned in Tunis. In 1647, the Greeks of Tunis who had been liberated founded the oldest organized Greek community in Africa and proceeded to the erection of a church. The temple was dedicated to St. George, the "liberator of the captives." In 1846, the church was destroyed due to deterioration and a new one was created. In 1901, the Greeks of Tunis built the temple of St. George that stands up to this day.

The Greeks in Ed Dueim (Sudan)

The Greeks in Ed Dueim (Sudan)

(Excerpt from the book ‘The Greek community in Sudan’)

The first Greeks settled in the White Nile region in the late 19th century. Some of the pioneers were Ioannis Kyriazis, Theofanis Bekiaris and Ioannis Maistros. In the early 20th century, almost 80 Greek merchants resided in Ed Dueim and dealt with the rubber trade, the main product of the area. However, each year, more than 500-600 Greeks from the neighboring cities were moving to Ed Dueim during the period November -December.

The Greeks of Wadi Halfa in Sudan

The Greeks of Wadi Halfa in Sudan

(Excerpt from the book ‘The Greek community in Sudan’)

The city of Wadi Halfa is located on the border with Egypt. In 1886, the Egyptian army entered the city to prevent the Mahdi forces from extending their control to the area. Few Greeks merchants who were supplying the Egyptian army followed them. Later they opened groceries and restaurants. In the early 20th century, their number increased as more Greeks from Lesvos and Kefalonia settled in the city. In 1897, the British decided to extend the railway in order to reach Khartoum. This project motivated the immigration of many workers including a few Greeks. In 1905, 250 Greeks resided in Wadi Halfa .

The oldest hotel of Maputo (then named Lourenco Marques) in Mozambique

The oldest hotel of Maputo (then named Lourenco Marques) in Mozambique

(Excerpt from the book ‘The Greek community in Mozambique’)

At the intersection of the Rua Araujo and the Rua Ferrer, very close to the railway station of Lourenço Marques, it was located the ‘Central’ hotel. It was the oldest hotel of the city since it opened in 1894 and was owned by a Greek. In 1911, Joseph Lianantonakis and Emmanuel Belibasakis bought it but in 1920, they sold it to Charalampos Kyriakakis.

The Greeks of Suakin in Sudan during the 1880s

The Greeks of Suakin in Sudan during the 1880s

(Excerpt from the book ‘The Greek community in Sudan’)

The first Greeks settled in Suakin in the 1860s and they were doctors of the Egyptian army. As Suakin was the only port of Sudan, its role in the economy became fundamental. During the 1880s, 100 Greeks settled in Suakin. Most of them were from Lesvos and Lemnos Island. They were traders, ships chandlers, hotel owners and farmers. As the number of the Greeks was increasing, they erected a small church and, in 1871 the Greek state established a consulate.

The pioneers of the Greek community in Bulawayo of Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe)

During the 1910s the first Greeks settled in Bulawayo. Among the pioneers were Dimitris Kyriakopoulos, Epameinondas Kyriakopoulos, Hercules Theodosiou, Nick Bonakis, P.Karoulias, J. Manolakis, J.Karasavas, Parakevas, E. Rousos, A.Hatzipaulou, N.Kefalas, G. Zacharias, Stefanos Diakonou, S. Christos, Manolis Vlantis, G. Galinos, M. Loidis, P. Loidis, F.Markides, John Kostopoulos, J. Karaselos, K. Raftopoulos, N. Agelakis, G. Kyriakou, D.Vlasopoulos, Panos Vlasopoulos, Chris Zaverdinos and K.Kabitsis.
On 28 July 1933 they proceeded to the formation of the Greek community of Bulawayo and began to raise money for the erection of a church and a school.

H ίδρυση της ελληνικής κοινότητας του Burundi

H ίδρυση της ελληνικής κοινότητας του Burundi

(απόσπασμα από το βιβλίο ‘Η ελληνική κοινότητα του Burundi και της Rwanda’)

Η παρουσία των πρώτων Ελλήνων στο Burundi και τη Rwanda εντοπίζεται την περίοδο 1910-1920. Στα μέσα της δεκαετίας του ’50 όλο και περισσότεροι Έλληνες εγκαταστάθηκαν στο Burundi, κυρίως στην Bujumbura και στην Gitega. 
Καθώς αυξήθηκε ο αριθμός των παροίκων, ξεκίνησε η προσπάθεια για την συγκρότηση οργανωμένης κοινότητας. Τον Μάρτιο του 1946 συστάθηκε μια προσωρινή επιτροπή με σκοπό την κινητοποίηση των Ελλήνων που διέμεναν τόσο στην Bujumbura όσο και στο εσωτερικό της χώρας προκειμένου να συγκληθεί μια γενική συνέλευση. Στις 24/4/1946, πραγματοποιήθηκε γενική συνέλευση, η οποία ενέκρινε το προσχέδιο της ιδρυτικής πράξης της κοινότητας και προχώρησε στην διενέργεια εκλογών.

The beginnings of the Greek community in Port Sudan

The beginnings of the Greek community in Port Sudan

(Excerpt from the book ‘The Greek community in Sudan’)

In 1904, the British administration of Sudan decided to build a new port in the Red Sea, Port Sudan. This project motivated the migration of many European workers including the Greeks. Some of them moved from the neighbouring Suakin. However, the majority emigrated from the islands of North Aegean Sea.

According to the Foreign office archives, in 1906, the population of Port Sudan was 4085 people and the Greek community numbered 488 members.

The Greek merchants of Zanzibar in 1891

The Greek merchants of Zanzibar in 1891

According to the Foreign Office archives, a dozen of Greeks lived in Zanzibar in the late 19th century and dominated the liquor trade between Zanzibar and Mombasa (Kenya). For that reason the British consulate tried to limit their business activity.

The role of the Greeks in the agricultural economy of Mozambique

The role of the Greeks in the agricultural economy of Mozambique

(excerpt from the book ‘The Greek community in Mozambique’)

From the last decades of the 20th century, many Greeks resided in central Mozambique (Vila Machado, Gondola, Cafumpe, Vila Pery and Macequece) and engaged in the agriculture field. The Portuguese archives of that period recorded the Dimitris A. Babiolakis, Paul Babiolakis, Athanasios Bimplis, Anastasios Petridis, Aristides Petridis, Zacharias Zachariadis, George Yalas, Eugenios Koutsis, Emmanuel Damoulakis, Dimitris Creticos, N. Kougoumis, Poliadis, Andreas Polentas, Kimon Diamantaris, Emmanuel Vandouzis, and Bantoulas.
In 1938, Paul Babiolakis was the most significant corn producer with 14,950 sandbags followed by the company Fernandes & Irmãos Ltd’ with 4,400 sandbags. In 1943 and 1944, although the Portuguese were numerous compared with the other land owners, the most important producers of the region were the Greeks. In Vila Pery, Paul Babiolakis, Eugenios Koutsis, Spyros Kavalieratos, Emmanuel Damoulakis, and Dimitrios Verghis, were the most prominent producers.

H ίδρυση της ελληνικής κοινότητας του Khartoum το 1902

H ίδρυση της ελληνικής κοινότητας του Khartoum το 1902

Στις 13/4/1902, 159 πάροικοι της περιοχής Khartoum-Omdurman υπέβαλλαν αίτηση προς τις βρετανικές αρχές με σκοπό την ίδρυση ελληνικής. Η πρώτη γενική συνέλευση συνήλθε στις 17/4/1902, στον ζωολογικό κήπο του Khartoum, και εξέλεξε
δωδεκαμελή επιτροπή ύστερα από πρόταση των Α. Καπάτου και Η. Καββαδία.
Το πρώτο διοικητικό συμβούλιο της «Ελληνικής Κοινότητας Khartoum-Omdurman» αποτελούταν από τους Κων/νο Γρίβα (πρόεδρο), τον Άγγελο Καπάτο (αντιπρόεδρο), τον Ιωάννη Κρυσταλλίδη (γενικό γραμματέα), τον Πέτρο Λοίζο (ταμία) και τους Λουκά Γεωργαντέλλη, Σ.Νικολάκη, Μάνο Λοίζο, Γρηγόρη Κυριαζή και Ιπποκράτη Δραγουμενάκη (μέλη)

The Greeks of Dire Dawa

The prime minister of Greece, Eleftherios Venizelos, expresses his gratitude to the Greek community of Dire Dawa (Ehiopia) for their donation in 1913.

The Greeks of Sudan in 1898

(Excerpt from the book 'The Greek community of Sudan 19th-21st')

In the late 19th century, the Greek community of Khartoum and
Omdurman was consisted of those who had settled in the region and survived after the fall of Khartoum and those who accompanied the army of Kitchener as food suppliers.
In 1898, for the first time, the Greeks acted as a community. They sent a letter to the British commander congratulating him on his success. A few months later, in 1899, the Greeks offered money for the construction of a grandstand during the visit of the Duke of Connaught.

The Greeks of Lourenco Marques (Mozambique) raise money to build a church and a community hall.

The Greeks of Lourenco Marques (Mozambique) raise money to build a church and a community hall 

(List of donations between 1931 and 1933).

The Greek community in Sudan (19th-21st cen.)

Για πρώτη φορά η ιστορία των Ελλήνων του Σουδάν από τον 19ο αιώνα μέχρι και σήμερα.

Το βιβλίο αποτελεί εμπλουτισμένη μορφή της διδακτορικής μου διατριβής. Δεν μελετά μόνο εξαντλητικά κάθε πτυχή της ελληνικής παρουσίας στο Σουδάν, αλλά χρησιμοποιεί για πρώτη φορά έναν τεράστιο όγκο αρχείων που βρίσκονται σε δημόσιες και ιδιωτικές συλλογές στο Σουδάν, την Ελλάδα, τη Μ. Βρετανία και την Αίγυπτο.

Η πολυτελής, σκληρόδετη έκδοση, διατίθεται από το συγγραφέα Αντώνη Α. Χαλδαίο, κατόπιν επικοινωνίας στο anchald1997@hotmail.com.

For the first time, the history of the Greek community in Sudan (19th-21st cen.)

The book is an improved version of my doctoral thesis. Not only does it thoroughly study every aspect of the Greek presence in Sudan, but for the first time it takes advantage of an extensive number of archives which are located in public and private collections in Sudan, Greece, Great Britain and Egypt.

The luxury, hardcover publication is available by the author Antonis A. Chaldeos (Email: anchald1997@hotmail.com / Cell phone : 00306932239610)

The Greeks of Africa raise money for the homeland during the WWII.

The Greeks of Egypt, Sudan, South Africa, S.Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), Belgian Congo, Gold Coast (Ghana), Portuguese East Africa (Mozambique), Nigeria and Nyasaland (Malawi) raise money for the relief of the Greeks during the WWII.