Asimo Nikolakopoulos | Greek-Australian Archive

State Library of New South Wales

Greek-Australian Archive

Asimo Nikolakopoulos holding a photograph of her grandchildren, Joanna, Adriana and Yannis Halias, and her daughter, Sophie Halias, 2023.

Speaker Profile Προφίλ ηχείου

Asimo Nikolakopoulos

Interview date: 11 Jan 2023 | | Language: Greek

Asimo Nikolakopoulos holding a photograph of her grandchildren, Joanna, Adriana and Yannis Halias, and her daughter, Sophie Halias, 2023.

Speaker background

Occupation: Seamstress, kitchenhandYear of arrival: 1955Method of transport: Aeroplane

Asimo Nikolakopoulos was born in Patras in 1934. After her father remarried, she was sent to live with an aunt in Agrinio. After surviving the Italian and German Occupations, in 1955, she left for Australia on a BOAC aeroplane, pregnant with her first child. She lived in Kiama, in a house that turned out to be a fibro garage. She and her husband resettled in Pyrmont, before moving to Kingsford to be closer to her husband’s mechanic workshop.

Place of birthPatras, Peloponnese

Location in AustraliaCarlton

Interview summary

Asimo describes her childhood and the difficulties she encountered during the Italian and German occupations. She recalls her initial disappointment upon arrival in Australia as well as the struggle of making ends meet. Asimo reflects on her interactions with other Greeks as well as her involvement with the Pan-Achaiki and the Navarino Associations.

Interview highlights

highlight

Asimo discusses her motivations for leaving Greece.

Asimo: My sister-in-law was here [in Australia], and she wrote to us: ‘It’s a wealthy place. We have bought a house. When you arrive, we’ll erect another big one, so we can all live together!’ Andreas said to me, ‘Staying here with just a single wage? Let’s go!’ Mind you, I was pregnant. And so, we came.
Interviewer: And which year was that?
Asimo: We left in 1955.
Interviewer: By what means?
Asimo: With BOAC, an English plane. We were made to purchase a ticket for our unborn child.
Interviewer: Really? Why was that?
Asimo: Because I was close to giving birth. My stomach was out here [gestures]. If the plane was stopped mid-air because of my pain, it would be forced to land […] My pain came, but I but I remained silent.
Timecode 55:40 - 57:24

highlight

Asimo explains her opinion of Australia as a Greek who migrated here.

Asimo: I liked it. I can’t say that I disliked coming here. However, I don’t like the excessive freedom Australia offers. The youth has too much freedom. They don’t want to engage with their elders. It bothers me.
Interviewer: In Greece, did the young and old celebrate together?
Asimo: Back then we did! Our grandparents were always part of the group, and not discriminated against. Here, they are alienated. What can I say? That’s the system.

Timecode 01:23:04 - 01:23:51

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