It has been actively running since 2001 participating in Greek functions such as Dancing on stage at the Antipodes festival, marching in traditional Maniot clothing at 1821 Revolution commemoration Battle of Crete commemoration, Oxi day commemoration in Ballarat and other events and functions with the Greek Returned Arms Services League such as WWI Military parade as well as its own functions such
as the P.M.U.O.A "SUNSET DREAMS™" boat cruise and the P.M.U.O.A "KEFI NIGHT™" dance.
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The Maniots are Greeks from the region of Mani with their own food, music, clothing and dialect. Up until the late 16th century Mani was known as Lacedaimonia. Lacedaimonia and Laconia had to different meanings:
Lacedaimonia meant the region (Mani), was the last remants of the Ancient Spartans where as Laconia was inhabited not by the Ancient Spartans, but by Islanders and other Greek refugees from other parts of Greece. Maniot surnames uniformly end in "eas, oggonas or akos". Throughout history Mani remained unconquered by the Persians, Romans, Turks, Albanians, Arabs, Germans and Italians. Once the Ottoman-Turks had occupied Greece from Asia Minor (Cappadokkia, Pontos, Bythinia, Ionia (Smyrni), to Thrace, Macedonia and Epirus in Northern Greece to Arcadia, Laconia, Bardounia, Messenia, Achaea, Ilia and Argos in the Peloponese to Crete and to Cyprus. The unruly Maniots remained defiant, they refused to submit and be ruled. On the 17th of March 1821, Maniot leader Petros Pierrakos also known as Petrobey Mavromichalis raised the Maniot flag in the church of Tetraggelous (40 angels) with 12, 000 Maniots under his command and officially declared war on the Ottoman-Turks, thus starting the Greek revolution. On the 23rd of March, the Maniots passed the Maniot boarder into the Messenian capitol, Kalamata and freed it from oppression of TurkAlbanian commander Süleiman Arnautoglu. After the creation of the Kingdom of Greece in 1830, Mani remained a separate entity, independent from both the Kingdom of Greece and the Ottoman Empire (Epirus, Thrace, Macedonia, Cyprus and Asia Minor were still under Ottoman-Turkish occupation at this time). King Otto, a German from Bavaria was imposed on the Kingdom of Greece by the Great powers, it was his first duty to abolish the Maniot power. King Otto sent his army to disband the Maniots and take control of Mani, but his army was defeated. The Maniots auctioned off Otto's German officers. In 1838 Mani was incorporated into the Kingdom of Greece, and was split between Messenia and Laconia. Rizana, Almyro, V***a, Mantineia, Kambos, Doloi (Dolous/Dolouxoria), Sotirianika, Zarnata, Kardamyli, Tseria, Kastania, Lefktro, Stoupa, Gisterna, Rigklia, Milia, Thalamai, Platsa, Namitsi, Trixala, Kistifari, Lagkada and Oitylos were annexed to Messenia. Gytheio, Siderokastro, Mavrovouni, Kranai (Marathonisi), Marathea, Passavas, Kelefa, Ageranos, Karyoupoli, Limeni, Areopoli (Maniot Capitol), Skoutari, Kalyvia, Pyrrixos, Kotrona, Loukadika, Flomoxori, Pyrgos Dirou, Diro, Tsobakas, Mesa nifi, Ekso nifi, Mezapos, Pagkia, Koita, Anopoula, Mpoularioi, Gerolimenas, Tsakalia, Lagia, Vathia, Porto kagio, Matapa (Tainaro) were annexed to Laconia.
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List of Prominent Maniots:
-Zaxarias Pentalakos: First Greek to acquire the rank of General and Commander in Chief of Peloponissos 1759 – 1804
-Tzanetos Grigorakos: Bey of Mani 1782-1798
-Petros Loukakos: Commanding officer of the Maniot army under Tzanetos Grigorakos
-Konstantinos Zervakos: Bey of Mani 1808-1810
-Petros Pierrakos: Maniot General of 1821
-Zourzos (Georgos) Loukakos: Commanding officer of the Maniot army under Petros Pierrakos (Petrobey)
-Ioannis Psarreas: Maniot Scientist 1902-1982
-Nikolaos Tsotakos: Maniot Cpt. in the Macedonain Struggle 1907
Georgos Falireas: Maniot Cpt. in the Macedonain Struggle 1905
-Stylianos Pierrakos: Former Prime Minister of Greece
1902-1981
-Kyriakos Iliopiereas: Commanding Officer in the balkan Wars
-Kyriakos Kalantzakos: Commanding Officer in the balkan Wars
-Kyriakos Loukakos: Commanding Officer in the balkan Wars
-Mixalis Dritsakos: Commanding Officer in the balkan Wars
-Panagotis Giatrakos: 70th Governor of Greece)
-Themoistoklis Ketseas: L.t Col of the Greeks during WWII 1940's
-Panos Katsareas: Founder of E.A.O.K 1931
-Kyriakos Kyriakoggonas: Leader of E.A.O.K 1939
-Georgos Koumanakos: Leader of the Greek force "Sparta Battalion" in the Korean War 1951
-Errikos Mourtzeas: Maniot Royal Guard of King Konstantine 1962-1962
-Nikon Arkoudeas: Supreme officer of the Greek Police force 1980's
-Vasillis Saleas: Musician/Clarinet player
-Georgos Panoutsakos: Musician
-Nikolaos Mitsovoleas: Singer
-Spyros Spyrakos: Singer
-Erikka Prezerrakos: Professional Athlete
-Stamatis Bitakos: Professional Muay Thai Kickoxer
-Evangelos Xaristeas: Professional Soccer player
-Adrianos Papadeas: One of Greece's top 5 Dj's
