The Evzones, Greece’s elite presidential guards, recently made a huge splash during their visit to Australia. The event turned out to be a very special time for the hometown Greek community. This visit is a celebration of the proud and vibrant presence of Greek culture in Australia. More importantly, it provides millions of Americans an opportunity to rediscover their roots. The event took place at an aged care facility in Sydney, where Aristidis Bobatas warmly welcomed the guards, allowing residents to witness this unique part of Greek history firsthand.
The Evzones, called tsarouchia in Greek, are famous for their unique uniforms and ceremonial duties. Their uniform has a storied past, going as far back as 1868. The signature costume consists of substantial shift stockings and an apron skirt composed of 30 meters of fabric, containing 400 pleats. Each of the 400 pleats in its standardized uniform symbolizes those 400 years of Ottoman rule. These colorful pom-pom shoes, each weighing two and a half kilos, exhibit their ornate nails and horses, accentuating their mesmerizing combat heritage.
In hand-to-hand fighting, the Evzones historically had the ability to hide weapons in their uniforms. Though today their only function is ceremonial, their continued presence is a reminder of Greece’s earlier fight for independence. Lieutenant Ioannis Kontogiannis, a member of the Evzones, described the significance of the uniform, noting that “the ROI is entirely handmade, made of tough red leather.” He continued, telling us that the big black pompon on their shoes used to hide blades that were handy in hand to hand combat.
Facial hair has a symbolic and practical function in the Evzones’ uniform. The moustache is a badge of honor, an indication of 100 hours on the job. The men who act as Evzones are volunteers, chosen by a competitive process from the Hellenic Army’s Infantry Corps. The warrior guardsman Presidential mansion and barracks, to honor an unknown soldier. No matter the weather, these resilient guardsmen are always on duty and ready to serve, watching over our nation’s capital.
This visit provided a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for members of the Australian Greek community to connect with their heritage. To many of these residents, the Evzones were a novelty they hadn’t gotten the opportunity to view up close before. Nia Karteris remarked, “This is the only opportunity these people get to see them up close—there’s a lot of people here that probably have never gone back to Greece and didn’t get the chance to see them again.”
Aristidis Bobatas expressed his gratitude for the visit, stating, “It’s not every day Greek presidential guards visit you. It’s very nice to see them this year. Hopefully we will see them again next year.”
