Long Island is home to many different cultures, each with their own history and traditions. Among these is the Greek heritage, very present in New York, including right here on Long Island.
In fact, New York is home to the largest number of people of Greek ancestry in the country. Long Island towns such as Plandome Manor, Munsey Park, and Brookville are all home to significant Greek populations.
Those of Greek descent take great pride in their ancestry – that pride was on full display this past weekend in Brookville during the 37th annual Greek Village Festival, hosted by the Holy Resurrection Greek Orthodox Church.
The three-day festival, which ran from the evening of Friday, June 7 to the night of Sunday, June 9, was a celebration of Greek culture and heritage, where attendees were able to sample authentic Greek dishes, cultural music and rides for the youngest. and a flea market shopping experience at Yia Yia’s Attic.
Yia Yia’s attic
“This event is a celebration of our culture and who we are as a church family, and we want to show that to our neighbors and friends,” said event organizing co-chair Stella Hetzer.
The festival has a rich history, dating back over three decades, to 1976. Founding pastor Father Emmanuel Gratsias created the event, which was held at the time at the Glen Cove Methodist Church, with the aim of raising funds in hopes of building a larger church for the community.
Father Gratsias’ dreams came true in 2005, when the Brookville Orthodox Church opened its doors, thanks in large part to the success of the annual Greek festivals.
The festival has evolved a lot over the years, according to Hetzner. The event is a family affair: She and her husband have organized the festival since 2006, and Hetzer’s son handles the lighting for the event.
Stella Hetzer
Hetzer is of Greek origin; his grandparents were born in Greece and came to the United States via Ellis Island in the early 1900s.
“I was born here but I speak Greek and I read and write it too, which is a big part of growing up Greek,” Hetzer said.
One of the volunteers at the event, Christos Fakatselis, believes it is imperative for people of Greek ancestry to teach their children the language from a young age, in an effort to keep their culture alive here in the USA.
“It keeps our culture alive, it helps our children understand our culture,” said Fakatselis, who was born in Yianna, Greece. “My children went to Greek school and learned the language, they learned to read and write Greek and that’s how the Greek community survives,” Fakatselis said.
Christos Fakatselis
Greek culture and history are among the oldest, dating back to the earliest days of civilization. It’s one of the things that unites the Greek community.
“(The Greeks) proposed a lot of things (that still exist today), like the Olympics, like democracy,” Fakatselis said. “Greek culture was also important in the arts.”
As a Greek immigrant himself, Fakatselis believes that festivals like this provide a great opportunity for Long Islanders to learn about and embrace the immigrant community because they bring a unique perspective on a culture.
“It is important not only for the Greek community, but also for the culture of any immigrant community, to survive, especially in a country like the United States, which is made up of multicultural backgrounds,” Fakatselis said.
Publicity manager Zefy Christopoulous, who has been attending the festival for 27 years, said the event is a day to welcome others and celebrate Greek culture.
“It’s like inviting the community to come to your home,” Christopoulous said. “Greeks love hospitality and we are proud that it is family-oriented,” Christopoulous said.
George Michail is the creator of Ugleez color couture jewelry and was among those selling their designs at the festival. Her designs are inspired by her gift wrapping work and are a reflection of her Greek identity as well as her love for the 70s.
Michail was born in Brooklyn to parents from Sparta and Cyprus. However, growing up, he struggled to identify with his Greek heritage.
George Michail
“When I was young, I didn’t want to say I was Greek,” Michail said. “I said I was Italian because I liked Italian food and I didn’t like Greek food. And now I’m so proud to be Greek.
It was only later in his life that Michail had the opportunity to understand Greek history and culture in order to accept it within himself, instead of identifying with a different culture. He also became closer to the Greek faith by going to church during the Holy Resurrection.
Michail hopes that children of Greek heritage will learn to embrace their culture from a young age.
“It is especially important that young children feel proud to be Greek,” he said. “If I had experienced events like these when I was younger, I would have been able to accept them.”
As the Greek Village Festival approaches its 40th anniversary, co-organizer Stella Hetzer hopes to see the festival continue for decades to come.
“I hope one day I can hand it over to our successors and they will take it to the next level.”
