EUSTATHIOS STIVAS -
E. STIVAS
Ο Eustathios Vasiliou Stivaktakis (E.V.STIVAS) was a renowned photographer in Ohio, United States, and the files we have from him are today important documents about the Cretan society of an earlier era.
Eustathios Stivas was born in Crete in the mountains of Voriza, in the year 1891. His father was Vasilios Stivaktakis and his mother was Eleni nee Papadakis. The youngest member of the family was his brother and Polychronis' grandfather, Polychronis Stivaktakis.
Eustathios (Stathis) stayed in Crete until he was 21 years old, working in the village as a mason, while in his free time he was engaged in amateur painting.
In 1912, after he had fulfilled his military duties in Heraklion, he left with the first immigrants to America. There he worked for the first 4 years in various jobs, such as restaurants or shoe stores and wherever he could earn money for his expenses.
During this time he met a photographer who took pictures of him to send to his family in Greece. The two became friends little by little and Stathis helped him in the photo studio whenever he could.
So when at some point the photographer could not attend a photoshoot, he asked Stathis to cover for him and the result was much better than expected.
This was also the beginning of Stiva's career. The photo shoot was perfect, his friend and employer made him an offer to work permanently in the store with a very good salary and so it happened. He worked for some time, until he decided to make his own photography studio, in his own place.
He started his business "STUDIO STIVAS" as a professional photographer in Akron, Ohio, at 283 South Man Street, with the slogan "We photograph anything-anywhere-anytime".
His career as a photographer has been very successful and he has also photographed the city of Ohio and his postcard photos are still being circulated and sold online to this day.
In 1934 he returned for the first time to Vorizia where his fellow citizens welcomed him with lyres and songs. In this visit, he filmed the happenings of the time in the village, in neighboring bigger villages, in events and also in Heraklion.
He returned to America but again his mind and heart remained in his homeland. He returned a second time in 1946 after the war, when he offered to help rebuild the new Vorizion primary school since the old one was destroyed by the Germans during the war.
He also donated a bell to Varsamonerou Monastery, the church of A. Fanouri. Above are engraved the names of the parents of Vassiliou and Eleni. With these actions, he became even more loved by the local community.
In 1957 he came to Crete for the last time. He lived the last years of his life in Arizona, Texas, where he died in 1962 of a heart attack.
(The photos of Eustathios Stivas that are published come from the photo archive of Stivaktakis Polychronis)
Vorizia 1934 - E.B.Stivas
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