Matina Zaharatos (née Maniatis)

GICREF043

Participants

Matina Zaharatos (née Maniatis)

Intervieweer(s)

Alexandros Balasis

Date and Location

February 1, 2024

Toronto, ON

Languages

Greek

Permalink

Project

Greeks in Canada: A Digital Public History

Reference ID

GICREF043

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Categories

Culture and Tradition

Education

Migration

Rites

Tags

Domestics

Greek Community

Greek School

Marriage

Post-WW2 Migration

Decades Referenced

1940s

1950s

1970s

1980s

Locations Referenced

Myrtia, Laconia, Athens, Montreal, Chicago

Occupation(s)

Domestic

Parents Occupation(s)

[00:00:25] Her life in Myrtia, Laconia

[00:04:43] Memories from the Civil War and working the land

[00:11:15] Migration from Myrtia[00:12:52] Her aunt’s migration to Canada

[00:14:40] Her migration to Canada with the help of her aunt

[00:17:25] Leaving Myrtia[00:21:13] Obtaining a passport and visa

[00:24:00] The journey and arrival in Toronto in 1957

[00:26:44] Her first job in Canada as a babysitter

[00:30:14] The second family she worked for

[00:35:10] Sponsoring her siblings

[00:39:30] Meeting her husband and her wedding

[00:46:06] Buying her house and her children

[00:48:58] Visiting Greece for the first time in 1971

[00:50:33] Her wedding gown and experiencing amenities

[00:55:45] Her relationship with other Greeks

[01:00:00] Her wedding and honeymoon in Montreal

[01:01:41] The Greek community and St. George Church

[01:03:57] Her parents’ visits to Canada

[01:09:16] Being approached to help sponsor other Greeks

[01:10:22] The naturalization process

[01:11:32] Providing Greek education to her children

[01:15:20] Her sons' jobs

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