Greeks in Chile
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The Greek community in Chile numbers between 1,000 and 1,500 people. Most of them live either in the Santiago area or in the Antofagasta area.
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[edit] Immigration
The Hellenic community has had great importance in Chile. The first immigrant they arrived during the century XVI, originating from Crete, for which they called "Candia" in honor of the capital of the island, current Heraklion. The surname, although persists currently, is found very dissociated of its remote origins. The majority of the Greek immigrants they arrived at Chile at the beginning of the 20th century, some as part of their adventurous spirit and other escaping from the severities of the First World War and of the catastrophe of Smyrna, in Asia Smaller, although already there they were enough Greeks written down in Antofagasta, north city of Chile; even crew members of the ships commanded by Arturo Prat during the War of the Pacific Naval Combat of Iquique. Is very probable that the good climate of the zone have been one of the large attractions for the Greek immigrants. Nevertheless, the chronicles of the epoch indicate that the majority arrived attracted by the fame that had acquired the Chilean north by the exploitation of the saltpeter and the wealth that there was in the country.
According to El Mercurio de Antofagasta, between the years 1920 and 1935 they existed around 400 Greeks in the northern city and some thirty in the offices salitreras. In 1926 the first female association of Chile is constituted, known like the Filóptoxos ("friends of the poor" in Greek) that was presided by Xrisí Almallotis. Since then to the date they have happened themselves around four or five generations of descendants of Greeks. Some they have been transferred to the south and they are grouped mainly in Santiago, other in Valparaíso, as well as also in Talcahuano. The main member of this community corresponds the shipping businessman Constantino Kochifas, owner of the ships Skorpios in Puerto Montt.
[edit] Notable Greek-Chileans
- Constantino Kochifas
- Gloria Legisos
- Demetrio Marinakis
- Arístides Progulakis
- Francisco Varela
