Nick Malaxos | Greek-Australian Archive

State Library of New South Wales

Greek-Australian Archive

Nick Malaxos, 2023

Speaker Profile Προφίλ ηχείου

Nick Malaxos

Interview date: 23 May 2023 | | Language: English

Nick Malaxos, 2023

Speaker background

Occupation: public servant, consultantYear of arrival: 1951Method of transport: Ship (Protea)

Nick was born in Egypt during the Second World War to a father originally from Kastellorizo and mother from Nisyros. The family relocated to Australia in 1951 because of the rise of anti-foreign sentiment in Egypt, and because his father had family in Perth and Sydney. During the 1950s, his family rented homes in Darlinghurst and then Surry Hills. When his father died, Nick was forced to leave school and earn a living to support his family. He nevertheless managed to complete his education and attain a university degree. For most of his life, he undertook white-collar work in the public and private sectors. He used his skills in administration to assist new migrants and, for many years, played a role in running the Kastellorizian Club in Kingsford.

Place of birthPort Said, Egypt

Location in AustraliaMaroubra

Interview summary

Nick describes life in Port Said’s large Greek community and the reasons why his family left Egypt in 1951. The interview covers his family’s early days in Darlinghurst and then Surry Hills and the impact of his father’s death. Nick also describes his work in the public and private sectors, and his involvement with the Kastellorizian Club.

Interview highlights

highlight

Nick remembers the neighbourhood of Darlinghurst in the 1950s.

Nick: You always had the women come in and sit down, have a cup of coffee, because there were [many] Greeks […] And a lot of Kazzies [people from the island of Kastellorizo]. There was a Mrs Elliott [Elliotis]. She was an old woman. My mum used to make me escort her to Agia Sofia church and make sure that she enters the church. […] She used to speak in the old dialect of the Kastellorizians. Amazing! Because it [the dialect] doesn’t exist anymore.
Timecode 16:33 - 17:26

highlight

Nick describes name-day celebrations and explains the importance of St Nicholas for his fellow Kastellorizians.

Nick: There was one thing about visiting people for their name-day. In those days you would go to different houses, give your greetings, have a couple of things to eat and drink, and off you go. So, you’d go to different places.
[…]
Nick: The main one [name-day] was St Nicholas’ Day. It was a big thing. We used to get a ferry. […] St Nicholas is the patron saint of Kastellorizo, and on a Sunday, on the St Nicholas Day, we [the Kastellorizians] used to hire a ferry and it used to take us all around the harbour.
Timecode 20:16 - 22:22

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