I just ran across this article and know many of you will be very interested. Published in The New York Times, April 13, 1996 - by Raymond Bonner TALES OF STOLEN BABIES AND LOST IDENTITIES;  A GREEK SCANDAL ECHOES IN NEW YORK The baby girl, swaddled in rags, was abandoned on the steps of an orphanage in Patras, Greece, with a simple note giving her name (Maria Ioannou), date of birth (Aug. 15, 1955) and a plea that she be fed. At least that is what official papers say, papers that allowed her to be adopted by a family in Holliswood. Queens.  She arrived at Idlewild Airport aboard Swissair Flight 850 at 9:15 a.m. on Dec. 28, 1955. Forty years later, Maxine Deller -- she has used that name since her adoption -- says she believes that much of her official past is a lie.  Ms. Deller, a car saleswoman in Queens, is convinced that her natural mother is still alive, that she has brothers and sisters in Greece, and that she was not abandoned at all but was i...

This is a video produced by Cambridge University about an endangered Greek dialect spoken in north-eastern Turkey.  Dr. Ioanna Sitaridou states that there are only 5000 speakers left. Note:  This video was brought to my attention by Kosta Dalageorgas through the MGSA mail list.

This was brought to my attention by Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter Television show will air in the U.S. on July 23, 2013. The U.S. version of the  Who Do You Think You Are?  television program will feature songstress Kelly Clarkson on one its upcoming episodes. Clarkson's ancestry is a mix of Greek, German, and Irish. However, she considers herself to be "mostly Greek" and she even speaks the language fluently. Most of the shows feature the guest celebrity returning to their ancestral homeland so it should be interesting watching her speak Greek, assuming she does visit Greece. Read entire article and watch video clip .......

This photo is courtesy of Helene Semanderes who brought it to my attention on Facebook. Froso Gryllaki (musician) playing "askomantoura" from Arhanes, Crete Φρόσω Γρυλλάκη, μουσικός ασκομαντούρας από Αρχάνες.... --------------------- The Askomantoura is a bagpipe made out of the skin of a lamb. You can read some interesting information about the Askomantoura on the following music folklore link - http://www.kretakultur.dk/english/folklore/music/bagpipe.htm

Originally posted by the Greek News Agenda - Monday, May 27, 2013 "A new documentary unfolding the history of the Xylouris family, Crete's leading musical clan, is currently in progress in Greece and Australia. . . . . . ."   Read entire article

My grandfather's sister embroidered this table runner in 1922.  My cousin had it framed and it is hanging in her dining room.  We know it's lovely, but none of us understand exactly what it says.  Can someone translate this for us? Thanks, Georgia

This was originally printed in the GREEK NEWS AGENDA - March 8, 2013 Women's Rights:  Marika Botsi, the First Woman Mayor Although women in Greece did not get the right to vote in national elections until 1952, they were granted the right to vote in local elections in 1934.  This first timid participation (only about 12,000 voted), eventually led to the first woman holding office in modern Greek history:  Marika Botsi. Born in 1904, she received a degree in Pharmaceutics from the Athens University, founded the first Women Scientists' Organization, and returned to her native Amaliada, where she opened a pharmacy.  Following the liberation of Amaliada from Nazi occupation, in 1944, Marika Botsi was appointed mayor, thus becoming the first female mayor in Greece.