Adrianna Weston-Solonaki
Adrianna’s story is a tale of resilience, independence, and the struggle to find a sense of belonging in a foreign land.
Adrianna Weston was born in Kandanos, Crete and has been living in Aotearoa since 1963. She is the third of six children born to Emmanuel and Athina Solonakis. Adrianna left Greece around the age of 16, inspired by neighbours and relatives who had immigrated to various countries. She recalls her life in Crete as beautiful and simple, despite her father’s paralysis after the Second World War and the hardships it brought to her family. The family lived off the land, growing their own food and raising livestock. Adrianna helped with domestic chores and farm work. She describes her community as strong and supportive, with everyone helping each other. She also mentions her love for sports and her dream of owning a nice car.
Adrianna always wanted to look ahead and strive for more. She had visited the Greek capital, Athens and the city of Chania before, but she wasn’t satisfied and wanted to explore more of the world. Her father, who was bedridden, encouraged her to travel, showing her pictures of beautiful places. She mentioned how she and her siblings bought their father’s first radio by selling logs, which opened up their world to current affairs and global news.
She initially wanted to go to America, but due to restrictions, she could only choose between New Zealand and Australia. Her decision was influenced by her cousin who was already in New Zealand. Adrianna’s parents were educated and would read letters from their neighbours in Australia, which painted a positive picture of life there which influenced her decision to leave Greece. Before her departure, her village threw a party for her, a tradition they did for every girl who was leaving…. Read more here
