Nestled deep within the wild and majestic mountains of Epirus lies Souli—a place where the stones seem to breathe with memory, and the wind still carries the songs of freedom. Zalongo to the diaspora, the spirit of Souli endures. This past May, Varvara Athanasiou-Ioannou joined hundreds of others on a deeply emotional pilgrimage to this sacred ground to honour the Souliotes and Souliotises—those fierce defenders of liberty whose courage helped forge the spirit of modern Greece.
Each year, during the last weekend of May, descendants of Souliote families, local Epirotes, and members of the Greek diaspora converge on Souli for a solemn yet uplifting commemorative event. The pilgrimage includes historical reenactments at the ruined Kougi Monastery, traditional music echoing through the mountain passes, and dance performances that recreate the legendary Dance of Zalongo. These events do not simply entertain—they educate, unite, and renew a shared sense of cultural identity.
At the heart of these commemorations is the legacy of figures such as Markos Botsaris, Kitsos Tzavelas, Despo Botsari, Moscho Tzavela, and the monk Father Samuel. It was at Kougi in 1803 that Father Samuel, surrounded and outnumbered, chose to ignite the monastery’s gunpowder stores rather than surrender them to the Ottomans—an act of self-sacrifice that still defines Greek notions of honour and resistance.
Equally immortal is the sacrifice of the Souliot women at Mount Zalongo. Trapped by Ottoman forces and facing capture, a group of women danced to their deaths, singing while throwing their children and themselves off a cliff. It is a moment that transcends history and becomes myth, both terrible and beautiful—a symbol of the ultimate price for freedom.
Yet the legacy of Souli is not confined to the past. It continues to echo in the hearts and deeds of Greeks across the world. One such custodian of this heritage is Varvara Athanasiou-Ioannou AM, a proud daughter of Epirus who migrated to Australia in 1972 and has since become a leading figure in the cultural and civic empowerment of the Greek diaspora.
Beginning her career as an educator in Victoria’s Department of Education, Athanasiou-Ioannou was a pioneer in developing Greek language education in Australia, later moving into school counselling and corporate human resources. But it is her role as the founder of the Food for Thought Network, established in 2001, that has left a lasting impact on the lives of Greek Australian women. Through networking events, mentoring, and community initiatives, the organisation promotes leadership, cultural preservation, and intergenerational dialogue.
In September 2024, she returned to her homeland to lead the inaugural Women and Hellenism conference in Ioannina, just kilometres from heroic Souli. Over five days, the conference brought together 50 distinguished speakers—business leaders, academics, scientists, writers, and policymakers—from Greece, Australia, and the wider diaspora. The sessions explored identity, heritage, gender, and the survival of Hellenism in an age of globalisation. The conference served not only as a forum for ideas but also as a symbolic bridge between past and future—between the courage of the Souliotises and the modern Greek woman.
Athanasiou-Ioannou has often said that the strength of Greek women is an unbroken thread stretching from Souli to Melbourne, from the cliff of Zalongo to the halls of academia and public life. Her work ensures that the values forged in the mountains—dignity, sacrifice, freedom—are not relegated to the pages of history books, but are lived and passed on.
Standing at Kougi, with the silence of the mountains pressing in, one cannot help but feel the weight and inspiration of this legacy. Freedom, we are reminded, is not a gift—it is a burden willingly carried by those with the courage to stand, speak, and sacrifice. As Greeks in the diaspora, it is our sacred duty to remember, to honour, and to act. The fire of Souli still burns, and through figures like Varvara Athanasiou-Ioannou, it continues to illuminate paths for generations to come.
