How Greek migrants and Indigenous peoples introduced barramundi to modern Australian cuisine

Thanks to a close knowledge of local resources and produce, Aboriginal people have been enjoying the best native produce that Australia has to offer for thousands of years. European colonists meanwhile showed little interest in the Indigenous cuisine upon their arrival just a little over two centuries ago.

Aborigines hauling large fish into canoe Source: Bettmann

So how did local offerings like barramundi ever end up in the modern Australian diet? Historian Leonard Janiszewski, of Macquarie University, tells SBS Greek it could have been thanks to a new wave of migrants about a century ago - from Greece. 

The Haritos family migrated to the Northern Territory almost 100 years ago. Like many Greek migrants, they arrived in Darwin in search of work during the upheavals brought about by World War I.

Two brothers, known as the Haritos brothers, were renowned as pioneers in the outback.

According to historian Leonard Janiszewski of Macquarie University who spoke to the Greek Program, "the Haritos Brothers were crocodile hunters, buffalo shooters and also barramundi fishermen."

"The techniques which they acquired in terms of tracking and sourcing these animals were acquired from Indigenous Australians.

"And that’s because the Indigenous Australians knew the Outback well, they knew where the food sources could be, they knew what was the best way in which they could acquire these particular sources of food."

Listen to Leonard Janiszewski's full interview (in Greek) with SBS Greek below:

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The Haritos brothers played a key role in introducing some of these Indigenous foods - particularly barramundi - to the European palate. 

The thinking was, "here is a fish which we know how to catch - let's see whether or not the European Australians would be interested in taking it up."

In 1956 the brothers flew barramundi to Melbourne to be introduced onto on the plates of Olympians at the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne.

In 1956 the brothers flew barramundi to Melbourne to be introduced onto on the plates of Olympians at the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne.

That was the first instance the barramundi actually had a successful commercial introduction to the Australian palate broadly.

It was all due to what they had picked up from Indigenous Australians who also believed that barramundi is actually a good eating fish - in spite of the fact that it's slightly muddy flavour was new to the European palate. 

In addition to broadening the palates of the international market, the Haritos brothers also pioneered the commercial crocodile shooting industry in Australia. In 2015 the Haritos family marked their 100th year of living in Darwin. 

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