Retired paediatrician Ana and her artist daughter Andriana.

ANA is a lively and positive 90-year-old living with her artist daughter Andriana in the heart of Fremantle. 

They were born in Macedonia and had their home in the city of Skopje in the north of Macedonia.  

Ana and her husband Kira loved their work together as doctors in paediatric medicine in Macedonia.  

Andriana studied economics and graduated with honours, while her younger brother, Theo, was a talented musician and poet.

Soviet Union

During the early 1990s as the Soviet Union broke up, there was enormous political and economic instability in the region of (now) North Macedonia and significant inter-ethnic tensions occurred in the countries of Eastern Europe, including those that shared a border with (now) North Macedonia. 

Ana and her family lived in fear of the violence erupting in her region. 

As a family of intellectuals during the Soviet era, they had also lived in fear of being targeted in the growing violence and disappearances of people who did not agree with their government.

Their fears were heightened when a doctor friend and his daughter were brutally murdered.

As the situation in their country deteriorated, Ana, Kira and Theo made the difficult decision to leave their homeland and follow Andriana to Australia (Andriana  had arrived in Australia in 1983 as a young economics graduate on a tourist visa, but soon fell in love with the country and with an Australian man; they married and had two wonderful children).  

Ana, Kira and Theo arrived in Sydney in 1991.  

Although the family had been relatively well-to-do in Macedonia, they were forced to leave their wealth behind.

Their first home in Australia was a small flat in the outer suburbs of Sydney where Ana and Kiri worked hard to adapt, learn English and connect to a new community.  

Theo suffered from a chronic illness, so Ana divided her time between caring for her son and helping others.  

She became the adopted grandmother to a family of Australian children and helped families with children with disability. 

Although officially retired from her work as a paediatrician, Ana still had much to share, and she used her skills and empathy to support a number of local families. 

In 1988 Andriana and her young family moved to Western Australia and bought their beautiful old home in Fremantle.  

Ana remained in Sydney caring for her husband and son until she was 82 years old. Kira had passed away in 1997 and sadly Theo also died in 2015.  

Ana moved to start a new life with Andriana in Fremantle.  

She fully embraced life in our port city; making many new friends, enjoying Zumba, continuing English classes and attending the Villa Dalmatia Senior’s Centre one day per week. 

Gallery

Andriana runs an amazing and uniquely beautiful gallery of her artworks in their home.  

Ana helps by preparing traditional Macedonian foods for exhibitions and gallery openings. 

Andriana’s paintings reflect both the beauty of their lives in Australia and the tragedy that many refugees have lived through. 

Although Ana broke her hip in 2021, her spirit of survival has shone through and after many difficult months she is walking again and still enjoys receiving friends for tea in their beautiful home. 

One of her greatest joys now is to spend time with her two-year-old grandson. 

Ana is a person of great intelligence and compassion. 

She came to Fremantle very late in life and yet continues to shine and be a valued senior in the Fremantle community. 

by PAULINE PANNELL

THE City of Fremantle has joined forces with Grandmothers for Refugees to commemorate Refugee Week (June 18 – 24) with a display honouring the stories and invaluable contributions of local refugees to the community. 

Located in the foyer of the Walyalup Civic Centre, the display will be accessible to the public during office hours. As part of the event, a series of talks will be held at the Fremantle Library on Friday, June 23, starting at 11am. 

Betty McGeever from Grandmothers for Refugees will address the current situation faced by refugees in Australia, shedding light on their challenges and experiences. 

Art Sales with a Difference organiser Gillian Gallagher will present the extraordinary artwork of Naser Moradi, a refugee who painted while in detention, initially using just the dregs from his coffee cup.

Moradi’s artwork provides a profound glimpse into the resilience and talent prevalent within refugee communities.

To secure a seat book at bit.ly/41Neu9h. 

For additional details about the event and Refugee Week, visit https://freolibrary-refugeeweek23. eventbrite.com.au