Nicholas M. Aroney - Nikolaos M. Aronis
This biography is part of a collection from "Life in Australia" :
Mr. N. Aronis is one of the splendid offspring of the of the fatherland, who, migrating to distant lands, never cease to live with their dream and to take every breath accompanied by it. The offspring of a priest and hailing from Kythera, the distinguished Greek Mr. N. Aronis, formerly a teacher, spent some time as a merchant in Smyrna. He then chose to migrate, arriving in Sydney in 1902. He has managed in this short period to achieve splendid position he now occupies. He possesses a large amount of property and a splendid building occupying a unique position on the charming harbor of Sydney.
There stands his unrivalled, most magnificent and most elegant of shops, which his moral gifts of hard work, perceptiveness, farsightedness and forthrightness have created. These moral gifts have been in the mind and consciousness of Mr. N. Aronis since birth. As his starting point, he cleaves to the principle that “one needs to take risks” and the principle of “nothing more dear than the land of your fathers”. Because of this, he helps his fellow Greeks, offering them aid generously and is the epitome of one who looks to help the Greek race and its Religion. He give hospitality to whoever enters his shop. Anyone who has turned to him has drunk from the springs of encouragement. If anyone has suffered from anything or fallen ill, he has always been treated by this splendid Greek, always uncomplainingly defraying the unavoidable expenses. Nobody who has ever approached Mr. N. Aronis can say that Mr. Aronis has looked at him askance. Finally, can anybody maintain that his always direct, sparkling and engaging glance does not betray a man noble, magnanimous, charitable, kind-hearted, faithful and tireless, the ally of right. Mr Aronis happens to be unmarried, but has received a dowry from nature, so that he despises the idle and is the irreconcilable enemy of hatred and malice. He is a lover of truth, a warm supporter of good faith and a charming leader and moral teacher, not only of numerous members of his own work force, but of any fellow Greek that he happens to meet. Although busy, he is always a driving force, and a tireless pioneer in every national or social affair that the Greek community of New South Wales has to show. He is modest, mild and direct, a protector and a model for his many relatives. Finally, he is the pride of all the Greeks in Australia.
In summary, then, such is the activity of the ardent patriot, Mr. N. Aronis. Such activity is the most eloquent moral account, the prize of the honourable, unassuming and valuable individual, social and commercial career in Australia that bears the name of N. Aroney. Glory and honour to such children of Greece, who so deeply honour and glorify her august name abroad.
This biography is part of a collection from "Life in Australia" published in 1916 by John Comino. It is an important book as it was one of the first Greek books published in Australia for the Greeks back in the homeland. If they needed any more convincing of the golden opportunities awaiting them in Australia, it probably helped create interest amongst young Kytherians and other Greeks. Each of the men portrayed in the book paid for the honour, which, considering their reputation for thriftiness, must have made the decision a hard one for many a Kytherian.
The Kythera-Family.net team, with the support of the Nicolaus Aroney Trust and other generous sponsors, has undertaken to transcribe the entire book for the website and to translate it into English for the non-greek-speaking diaspora community. We hope to also produce a printed version of the translation of Life in Australia sometime in 2005.
For valuable information about the historical background of the publication of Life in Australia, please read the entry by Hugh Gilchrist I ZOI EN AFSTRALLIA in the History, General History section.
