It may surprise you that Greeks don’t call themselves “Greek” - instead we refer to ourselves as “Έλληνες”— Hellenes. The word “Greek” comes from the Latin “Graeci”, which through Roman influence became the common root of the word for Greek people and culture in most languages.

An association is often made between Greek culture and the famous philosophers and thinkers of ancient Greece like Socrates, Aristotle, Plato and of course, the father of Medicine, Hippocrates. Greek culture still values rational debate, impassioned discussions and thoughtful reflection. Intellect is greatly admired and tertiary education highly valued, especially important for the emigrants, who worked hard in foreign countries to ensure their children were well educated (for many a determiner of social status).

“Hellenism”, however, is something bigger.

From ancient times, the language, culture, and values of the Hellenes has significantly impacted the world, throughout history non-Hellenic people have adopted and assimilated the values and culture of the Hellenes, embracing beauty and truth wherever you find it -  this has not only transformed other cultures, but has been transformed itself - this is Hellenism. It is part of humanity’s shared heritage, a merge of ancient values and modern innovations. Hellenism is alive and thriving today in each of us — whether we have Greek ancestors or not.

Hellenism is a collectivist society in the sense that there is strong loyalty shown to family and social groups. The social life of many Greeks is usually kept to a close inner circle, where personal relationships are deeply important to people’s day-to-day life.

The family unit is the most important foundation of Greek society, providing emotional, spiritual and economic support to the individual. Although Greek families often had 7-10 children, Greek families have generally become smaller in size over the past two decades, with the average of one child in Greece and 2-3 children worldwide. Nevertheless, relationships remain extremely close and intertwined. The social life of most Greeks deeply involves their relatives and the extended family plays a strong role in one’s life, as does involvement in the Greek community.

Greeks tend to be very proud of their families and their culture. Being a collectivist culture, a person’s family name and background, needs to be respected and often influences perceptions of an individual’s reputation, status and honour. There is often social pressure to present one’s family name in a good light, with many of us having grown up with the motto: “rather lose an eye than your good name/reputation” – often influencing decisions wrt the field of study one pursues; the partner one chooses, or the decisions made for the future. It is not uncommon to hear Greeks publicly praising their family’s dignity and integrity by pointing out the family history, the challenges they overcame, their achievements and positive qualities. Pride runs deep, but often equally deep, runs a fear of the mati, reigning in too much boasting about achievements or “good luck”.