Billy Cotsis's Blog, page 9
April 21, 2020
A Greek in Rio & Brasil: from a being a Grego to a Bulldogs training session
A Bulldogs footy and kids with a Greek background, deep in the picturesque Rio State. Now that is not something I had not planned when contemplating a visit to Brasil, a nation with almost 220 million people, yet few are of Greek origin and even fewer would have heard of the mighty Canterbury Bulldogs. Yet... Read More
March 29, 2020
Calimera from Magna Graecia and the Griko people of Apulia
The opening scene of our new documentary said it all – ‘this is not a police chase, it’s a Greek chase’ – as a friendly Italian allowed us to follow him to find the Griko-speaking town of Calimera that we had come to experience. Apulia, also known as Puglia, is the home of 13 Griko... Read More
February 21, 2020
The Provisional Government of Thessaloniki of 1917 and a national schism
Very few cities have the beauty, history, culture and charm of Thessaloniki. Ancient with a modern heartbeat, medieval with a forward-thinking outlook, and one of the most important locations in the Balkans and an outlet to Khalkidhiki. It is of course the capital of Macedonia, Greece; a city that was established by King Cassander in... Read More
January 1, 2020
A Hellenic contribution to AFRICA
Africa is a unique place. With thousands of languages and peoples being part of the fabric of this unique continent, civilisation first emerged here. Hellenes have been coming to Africa for millennia; from the colonies that were established in what is now Libya, as well Tunisia and Egypt. The Greek Byzantines held most of North... Read More
October 20, 2019
New book launch on Sunday, 17 November Once upon a time in Crystal Palace, Heart, football and life under Brexit
A new novel by Canterbury born Billy Cotsis When a Greek Aussie, a Cypriot, football and Brexit all meet in Crystal Palace Writer, director and good bloke, Billy Cotsis has just brought out his new book title, his fourth since 2016. The book, a novel, allows him to return to the type of fiction he... Read More
October 10, 2019
A Greek in the Holy Land
Geia sou ti kaneis? Emena me lene (Hi, my name is) Rashed Al-Zorba. And with that, an older man who hails from Jericho city, greeted me in Greek at a hotel, in Shepherd’s Fields, the birthplace of Jesus, just outside of Bethlehem. Thanks to a very large Christian population and a high number of tourists... Read More
August 16, 2019
The hidden Greek history of Montenegro – it’s in the Balkans
Sitting on the plane ready to fly up from Athens to Dubrovnik, which is a small ride from the Montenegro border, I couldn’t help but laugh at an American girl who was face timing her boyfriend. “Baby I am off to Croatia.” “Where?” “It’s a country in Europe” “Where?” and it went on. I asked... Read More
June 5, 2019
When Asia was ruled by the Greeks: Seleucid Empire
When we in Australia think of Asia, we tend to think of the oriental end of the continent. In Britain, when the term Asia is used, it generally refers to the Sub – Continent (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka or wherever cricket is played), yet to the ancient Hellenes, Asia was once that area from... Read More
April 27, 2019
The Greeks of Ukraine: from Marioupolis to Odessa
Billy Cotsis takes us on a journey through the Greek areas of the Ukraine including the historic Philiki Eteria Museum, the home of the Greek Revolution ‘Ola kala, kai panta kala (always good, forever good).’ With the clink of our glasses and the downing of another vodka drink I started to feel very much at... Read More
