MALIOTIS CULTURAL CENTER
Smyrna Commemoration to be held at Maliotis Center in September
Remembering Smyrna: The Catastrophe of 1922, a four-day commemoration of the Smyrna tragedy, will take place at the Maliotis Cultural Center in Brookline, Massachusetts from Thursday, September 22 through Sunday, September 25, 2005. Through film, lectures, dance, music, exhibits and cuisine, the project will offer an authoritative and balanced understanding of the incidents and circumstances of the tragedy in 1922, as well as glimpses into the culture of the Greek communities in Smyrna and Asia Minor during the early 20th century.
A workshop in traditional Smyrnaean dances, led by renowned dance instructor Demetris Tzotzis of Montreal, will open the project on Thursday evening, September 22. Through dance, Mr. Tzotzis will offer a perspective and an understanding of the lifestyle and culture that existed in coastal Asia Minor. The workshop is sponsored by the Boston Lykeion Ellinidon, whose members will present a demonstration of dances of the region on Sunday afternoon, during which audience participation will be welcome. Tickets may be obtained in advance for the Thursday workshop by contacting the Boston Lykeion Ellinidon.
The commemoration continues the following evening, Friday, with the screening of Politiki Kouzina, the award-winning 2002 Greek film directed by Tassos Boulmetis about the life of an ethnic Greek family in Istanbul and its forced move to Greece in 1964.
Events on Saturday, September 24 are held throughout the day, beginning with a mid-morning multi-media presentation by historian Angelos Athanasopoulos. Dr. Athanasopoulos, who received his Ph.D. from Boston University and is widely recognized for his creativity in integrating video technology into educational presentations, will provide historical and political context for the 1922 tragedy. A catered buffet luncheon of authentic Smyrnaean dishes will follow Dr. Athanasopoulos's presentation.
On Saturday afternoon, panelists will recount and discuss the experiences of some ethnic-Greek families who were living in Smyrna in September of 1922. The panel will be moderated by Emerson College professor Emmanuel Paraschos and will include Anna Spileos Scott, George Makredes and Dr. Stelios Vasilakis.
On Saturday evening, Gregory Maninakis and his Mikrokosmos ensemble (bouzouki, keyboard, violin, guitar, percussion and vocalist) from New York will perform music about the Asia Minor tragedy and its refugees as well as traditional Asia Minor music. The concert will be introduced by the screening of the Greek Public Television (ERT) documentary, In the Dance of History: the Settlement of the Refugees, with live English translation voice-over by Emmy Award-winner Yannis Simonides, also from New York.
The commemoration concludes on Sunday with a memorial service at the Hellenic College chapel (located just above the Maliotis Center), which will be immediately followed by a reception at the Center. During the afternoon, the Boston Lykeion Ellinidon will be on hand to demonstrate traditional dances of coastal Asia Minor for the interest of those viewing the exhibits.
Over the four days of the commemoration, an art installation and a book exhibit will be continuously open. The installation, by artist Anna Spileos Scott and entitled Bloodlines, portrays the horror that occurred in the harbor at Smyrna during the conflagration of the city. The book exhibit, sponsored by the Hellenic Literature Society, will offer the opportunity to look through and purchase a variety of books relating to the history, politics and culture of the Greeks of Asia Minor and related subjects. Some works of three renown Aivaliotes ; Fotis Kontoglou, Panos Valsamakis and Elias Venezis will be on display, and visitors can view and purchase prints and short films by artist and documentary filmmaker Apo Torosyan. The Greek Institute will have an educational display and thee will be a presentation of Speros Vryonis newbook, The Mechanism of Catastrophe.
Remembering Smyrna, which is being hosted by the Maliotis Cultural Center, is being planned and produced by an ad hoc committee of Boston area members of the Hellenic community. The committee consists of George Colt (Chairman), Mike Emmanouilidis, Tony Kounelas, Milt Karamechedis, George Makredes, Helen Nayar, Eleni Pantelis, Tina Papadopoulos, Manny Paraschos, Irene Savas, John Vasilakis, Lee Tamis, Kemon Taschioglou and Thanasi Vulgaropoulos. All events will be open to the public and will be presented in English or adapted for English speakers through the use of subtitles, simultaneous translations or translated written summaries.
Although a number of events are free of charge, tickets must be purchased for the dance workshop, the film Politiki Kouzina, the Saturday evening Mikrokosmos concert and the Saturday luncheon. Additional information and tickets can be obtained through any of the committee members or from the Maliotis Cultural Center (617-522-2800).
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