By Irma Havlicek
Powerhouse Museum Online Producer
Yesterday morning (Sunday 28 October 2012) I was sitting with some of my colleagues in a cafe having breakfast when, around 9am, Steve Vassilakis said to me, “Oh look, the people are lining up for the Ochi Parade”.
I explained that I didn’t know what the Ochi Parade was, so Steve explained that it commemorates the Greeks saying ‘Ochi’ or ‘No’ to the Nazis and Fascists who wanted to occupy Greece in World War II. The Nazis and Fascists occupied anyway – but this parade celebrates the Greek stance of independence and courage.
With my trusty camera in hand, I dashed out onto the street in front of the cafe, and within a couple of minutes, the parade of mostly drummer boys and young marching girls was passing by. I found the parade surprisingly moving – seeing the innocents marching up the street, commemorating the courage of Greeks standing up to tyrants.
