In the north-west of Western Australia, we have a very patriarchal society, a very status conscious society. So those who were involved in the running of those areas, in terms of administration and in terms of the businesses, were seen as the upper class.
Those who worked in the lower classes, they banded together because they had to to survive. So there were groupings of Greeks with Maltese grouping of Greeks with Indigenous Australians. Those indigenous Australians who also took up work in white activities until the economic activities those working laying pipelines, building bridges, creating roads, those involved with the pearling industry. Those were working in the pearl shell industry. This industry is certainly had indigenous to themselves having been diving for pearl shell or pearl oysters during of preceding 200 years.
But they became involved with Greeks who were involved with the pearling industry most certainly in.
We do know that one Greek over and Thursday Island John Theoharis had been effectually named by the local indigenous people as ‘King John’.
There are other indications that there were other Greeks who also have acquired affectionate names with he's the one who's actually been confirmed.
There are other incidences that have taken place in terms of the living arrangements between Indigenous Australians and Greek Australians. They were working close together so it's also been argued that some of these Greek Australians part-took activities with local tribal members during their friendship period during the late part of the 19th century and the early part of the 20th century.
Leonard Janiszewski is a Research Fellow with the Department of Modern History, Politics and International Relations at Macquarie University. Source: Supplied
