Family Trees of Southern Parnon: Old Photos from Kosmas Kynourias

"Every photo tells a chapter of a story that comes alive through memories."

Today, at the luncheon of the Greek Elderly and Pensioners Association in Goodwood, Adelaide, Koula Tsintziniotis (nee Piliouras) and Angeliki Kotsonis (formerly Pilioura), first cousins from Kosmas of Kynouria, relived memories and recollections through old photographs.

With warm memories held close, Koula retrieved two old photographs from the bottom of her handbag. She's certain these historical images were captured in Kosmas around July 1, 1930, eight years before she was born, during the celebration of the village's patron saints, the Holy Anargyroi.

The first photo features their grandfather, Konstantinos Piliouras (1861-1952), with three of his sons: likely Elias (1913-), George (1908-1988), and possibly Antonis (1910-1999). Dimitris (1892-1972), Panagiotis (1901-1989), and his only daughter Angeliki (1894) are not in the picture. Another son, Thanasis (1897-1921), tragically lost his life in the "Asia Minor Catastrophe" between 1919 and 1922.

The second photo shows Grandfather Konstantinos with the family at a festive lunch, including George Manolias (second from the right), the son-in-law from America who had married Angeliki about ten years prior.

Koula, daughter of Dimitris (her mother, Olga Koutsoviti (1902-1985) from Geraki), immigrated to Australia in 1964 at the age of 26 to marry Dimitris Tsintziniotis (1930-2005), a "Gerakito-Kosmitis", with Kosmas ancestry but residing in Geraki. Despite being from neighbouring villages, Koula reveals she had never seen Dimitris in Greece. He was in Geraki, and she was in Kosmas. They courted through correspondence, agreed to get engaged, and exchanged rings quickly through letters, while he had already immigrated and lived in Adelaide, Australia, and she was still in Kosmas, Greece. They met in person for the first time when she disembarked from the ship at the port of Melbourne, and he awaited her with a bouquet of flowers!

Angeliki, daughter of uncle George (her mother, Theodoroula Malavazos (1918-2002) from Karitsa), immigrated with the family to Australia in 1964, at the age of 12. Uncle George, at 56, was the oldest Karitsioto-Kosmitis (dual resident) to receive a visa to work in Australia. He passed away in Adelaide at the age of 80 in 1988.

These photographs reveal a piece of their family's history and roots, keeping alive memories and stories of the past. They are testimonies of a legacy that binds us to tradition and our origins.

The underlying message behind these photos is the power of family, memories, and the continuity of history. They serve as a reminder to honour our ancestors and the heritage they passed down, keeping our history alive for future generations. Old photographs are windows to the past, allowing us to maintain our connection to our heritage and roots, keeping alive the stories that shaped our lives.

Explore the family branch of  Konstantinos Dimitriou Piliouras (1861-1952) in the Family Trees of Southern Parnon.

Family Trees of Southern Parnon are sponsored by the Pan-Laconian Society of South Australia 'Leonidas' and the Karitsa Community South Australia 'Karitsa'.