Summary

Digital photograph of the extended Spiropoulos family at the christening of Efstathia's first grandchild at Saint Vasilios Greek Orthodox Church, Briunswick, 1974. Peter Spiropoulos is at centre of the photo and youngest son Anastasios to his left.

This photograph is one of 16 photos documenting the life of Efstathia (Effie) Spiropoulos (nee Angelopoulos) who migrated to Australia with her husband and seven children from Greece in 1964. She was born in 1920 in Flessiada on the outskirts of Kalamata in the Peloponnese, Greece. The collection also includes a loom-woven blanket (HT 57396) made by Efstathia and brought with her to Australia as part of her dowry.

Physical Description

Digital photograph

Significance

This blanket beautifully documents the transporting of cultural traditions and related material culture through the act of migration. This blanket is unique in the collection for the detailed recording of how it was made, literally from the shearing of the sheep right through to the finished item. It is a precious memory object and a family heirloom steeped in connections back to homeland while representing the embracing of a new life in Australia.

The Museum holds a significant collection relating to Greek migration, settlement and cultural life in Victoria, which includes some Greek textiles - hand-made regional costumes and dowry items including a blanket. This blanket however, comes with an extremely well-documented story, with the provenance in tact and accompanying photographs. The blanket also compliments the museums collection relating to women's work in the making and acquiring of items for their glory box (trousseau or dowry).

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