Anna Ellinas
Interviewer(s):
Theo Xenophontos
Project:
Film as Mediator: Cultivating a Cypriot Canadian Community Audiovisual Media Archive
INTERVIEW LOCATION:
Toronto, ON
LANGUAGE:
English
DATE:
July 30, 2022

Interview Summary:

Anna Ellinas was born in Toronto, Canada in 1976. Her parents migrated to Canada following the Turkish invasion of 1974. Anna is a former General Secretary for the Cypriot Federation of Canada and was a prominent member of the Cypriot dance group from the 1990s through early 2000s.

‍

Interview Details
Categories and Themes
Content
Media
Date and Location
July 30, 2022
Toronto, ON
Interviewee(s)
Anna Ellinas
Interviewer(s)
Theo Xenophontos
Languages
English
Reference ID
FAMREF007
Project
Film as Mediator: Cultivating a Cypriot Canadian Community Audiovisual Media Archive
Use and Reproduction: Digital content found on the HHF GCA digital portal is meant for research and private study used in compliance with copyright legislation. Access to digital content, and the technical capacity to download or copy it, does not imply permission to re-use. Prior written permission to publish or otherwise use content must be obtained from the copyright holder. Please contact the HHF GCA at hhfgca@yorku.ca for further information.
Categories
Associational Life
Canadian Society
Culture and Tradition
Education
Historical Events
Migration
Rites
Working Life
Tags
Australia
Baptism
Cypriot Canadian Identity
Cypriot Community of Toronto Inc.
Cypriot Federation Of Canada
Cyprus 1974
Dance
English Learning
Greek Community of Toronto Inc.
Greek School
Language
Marriage
Military Service
Music
NEPOMAK Canada
Parades
POMAK
Post-1974 Migration
Pre-1974 Migration
PSEKA
Religion
Soccer
Sponsorship
Traditions
UK
USA
Decades Referenced
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s
2020s
Locations Referenced
Cyprus; Kyperounda (Limassol District); Kyperounda Regional Hospital (formerly Kyperounda Sanatorium); Agia Marina Greek Orthodox Church (Kyperounda); Petra tou Romiou (Aphrodite's Rock); Limassol; Paphos; Larnaca; Kyrenia; Kyrenia Harbour; Agios Epiktitos (Kyrenia District); Northern Cyprus; Canada; Cypriot Community Centre (Thorncliffe); Toronto; Parkway Mall; Alice Crescent; Scarborough; Terraview-Willowfield Public School; Willowdale; Canada's Wonderland; Kitchener; Niagara Falls; Greece; Thessaloniki; Lyssarea; Egypt; Australia; the United Kingdom; the United States of America
Occupation(s)
She was the General Secretary for the Cypriot Federation of Canada. She also helped to establish NEPOMAK Canada and was involved with various Cypriot community initiatives, as well as being a prominent member of the Cypriot dance group in the 1990s and early 2000s.
Parents Occupation(s)
Her father was in the Cypriot military before he came to Canada. When he moved back to Cyprus after retiring, he wrote a book of poetry that was locally published in his native village of Kyperounda.
Names Referenced
Christine Amygdalidis (President of the Cypriot Federation of Canada); George Patinios; Helen Power (née Xenophontos); Theodoros Xenophontos

[00:00:07] Biographical and familial background

[00:04:10] Her parents coming to Canada because of 1974

[00:06:35] Discussing her father’s poetry

[00:10:50] Moving from Greek school to Cypriot Greek school

[00:14:17] The Cypriot dance group and NEPOMAK Canada

[00:19:32] How the diaspora and those in Cyprus differ

[00:21:24] The push & pull between tradition & modernity

[00:25:52] Differences between Cypriot and Greek language

[00:30:15] Differences in assimilation pre and post-1974

[00:35:19] How family acts as a link to culture

[00:42:12] Communication with family in Cyprus

[00:46:31] The expansion of Kyperounda

[00:49:54] Various uses of audiovisual media

[00:59:20] Hopes for her children & the Cypriot community

[01:02:33] Photo of her in the Cypriot dance group

[01:03:33] Photo with Cypriots from the UK & Australia

[01:05:58] Photo with the Cypriot Federation of Canada

[01:07:49] Photos of her in Cyprus

[01:12:59] Photo of her yiayia at Canada’s Wonderland

[01:14:24] Photos and videos of her daughters

[01:17:55] Photos and videos of her 2013 trip to Cyprus

[01:25:53] Photo of a cousin visiting from Cyprus

[01:27:24] Assorted Photos

[01:30:08] Collecting rocks from Cyprus as a reminder

This is some text inside of a div block.
Anna's mother (in the pink dress) with fellow interviewee, Helen Power, 1973
Anna's parents, 1975
Anna's parents wedding photo, 1975
Anna celebrating her birthday with her father, brother, aunt, and uncle (fellow interviewee, Theodoros Xenophontos), 1989
Anna's parents with her mother's family in their village of Kyperounda, August 17, 1989
Anna's parents with her mother's family in Kyperounda, August 17, 1989
Anna's brother with the Cypriot dance group, late 1990s. York University Libraries, ASC61628
Anna's brother (the one being shaved) with the Cypriot dance group, late 1990s. York University Libraries, ASC61624
Anna's brother (with Anna in the background, toward the right) with the Cypriot dance group, late 1990s. York University Libraries, ASC61625
Anna (behind her brother) with the Cypriot dance group, late 1990s. York University Libraries, ASC61634
Anna (behind her brother) with the Cypriot dance group, late 1990s. York University Libraries, ASC61626
Anna's brother (with Anna in the background) with the Cypriot dance group, late 1990s. York University Libraries, ASC61635
Anna (the second one on the left) in front of her cousin in the Cypriot dance group, late 1990s. York University Libraries, ASC61631
Anna with the Cypriot dance group, late 1990s or early 2000s. York University Libraries, ASC61623
Anna with the Cypriot dance group, late 1990s or early 2000s. York University Libraries, ASC61621
Anna with the Cypriot dance group, late 1990s or early 2000s. York University Libraries, ASC61622
Anna with her cousins on Christmas Day, 1998
Anna's daughters with their yiayia visiting the grave of their great-grandparents in Kyperounda, 2013
Anna with her daughters and husband at Kyrenia Harbour, 2013
Anna with her family and a settler from Turkey, visiting her husband's old home in Kyrenia that is now occupied by the settler, 2013
Anna's daughters representing the Cypriot Community Greek School at the Oxi Day parade, 2015
Anna's daughter receiving an award for a Greek essay during Greek Heritage Month, 2019
The cover of Anna's father's book of poetry, 2021
Biographical information about her father from the book, 2021
An example of one of his poems, which touches on diasporic themes, 2021
No items found.
Anna's mother (in the pink dress) with fellow interviewee, Helen Power, 1973
Anna's parents, 1975
Anna's parents wedding photo, 1975
Anna celebrating her birthday with her father, brother, aunt, and uncle (fellow interviewee, Theodoros Xenophontos), 1989
Anna's parents with her mother's family in their village of Kyperounda, August 17, 1989
Anna's parents with her mother's family in Kyperounda, August 17, 1989
Anna's brother with the Cypriot dance group, late 1990s. York University Libraries, ASC61628
Anna's brother (the one being shaved) with the Cypriot dance group, late 1990s. York University Libraries, ASC61624
Anna's brother (with Anna in the background, toward the right) with the Cypriot dance group, late 1990s. York University Libraries, ASC61625
Anna (behind her brother) with the Cypriot dance group, late 1990s. York University Libraries, ASC61634
Anna (behind her brother) with the Cypriot dance group, late 1990s. York University Libraries, ASC61626
Anna's brother (with Anna in the background) with the Cypriot dance group, late 1990s. York University Libraries, ASC61635
Anna (the second one on the left) in front of her cousin in the Cypriot dance group, late 1990s. York University Libraries, ASC61631
Anna with the Cypriot dance group, late 1990s or early 2000s. York University Libraries, ASC61623
Anna with the Cypriot dance group, late 1990s or early 2000s. York University Libraries, ASC61621
Anna with the Cypriot dance group, late 1990s or early 2000s. York University Libraries, ASC61622
Anna with her cousins on Christmas Day, 1998
Anna's daughters with their yiayia visiting the grave of their great-grandparents in Kyperounda, 2013
Anna with her daughters and husband at Kyrenia Harbour, 2013
Anna with her family and a settler from Turkey, visiting her husband's old home in Kyrenia that is now occupied by the settler, 2013
Anna's daughters representing the Cypriot Community Greek School at the Oxi Day parade, 2015
Anna's daughter receiving an award for a Greek essay during Greek Heritage Month, 2019
The cover of Anna's father's book of poetry, 2021
Biographical information about her father from the book, 2021
An example of one of his poems, which touches on diasporic themes, 2021
No items found.
Resources
HHF Greek Canadian Archives
Terms of use
Privacy Policy
Land Acknowledgement: York University recognizes that many Indigenous Nations have longstanding relationships with the territories upon which York University campuses are located that precede the establishment of York University. York University acknowledges its presence on the traditional territory of many Indigenous Nations. The area known as Tkaronto has been care taken by the Anishinabek Nation, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, and the Huron-Wendat. It is now home to many First Nation, Inuit and Métis communities. We acknowledge the current treaty holders, the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. This territory is subject of the Dish with One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant, an agreement to peaceably share and care for the Great Lakes region.
© 2025 Hellenic Heritage Foundation Greek Canadian Archives at York University. All rights reserved
Designed By Mahsa Karami