Greek Cypriots

LOCATION: Cyprus
POPULATION: 786,800 (2007)
LANGUAGE: Greek and English
RELIGION: Church of Cyprus (Greek Orthodox)
RELATED ARTICLES: Vol. 5: Greeks

INTRODUCTION

The name "Cyprus" comes from the Greek word for "copper" (kypros). It was the island's lucrative deposits in copper, discovered around 3000 BC on the slopes of the Troodos Mountains, which first appealed to many foreign powers along the eastern Mediterranean coast. The conflicts among these rival groups and their rise and fall in power form the turbulent history of Cyprus, which is the third largest island in the Mediterranean and neighbors Syria to the W (100 km/60 mi), Turkey to the S (68 km/40 mi), and the Egyptian coast to the N (343 km/203 mi).

The first inhabitants of Cyprus, who resided in the Khirokitia region and are traceable to the peoples of Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey), date from the 8th to the 6th millennium BC, as evidenced from samples of obsidian rock which identify these Cypriots of the Neolithic Age as rather impressive Indo-European peoples who possessed a written language. The Greek heritage of the island was introduced through the settlement of Achaean Greeks from 2000 to 1600 BC, as well as Arcadian commercial traders who arrived from the northeastern Peloponnesus region of the Greek mainland after 1400 BC. These settlements and a distinctly Hellenic culture were reinforced by the subsequent arrival of Trojan War heroes in 1184 BC.

In contrast to the distinct Hellenic ethnicity of Cyprus's early peoples, the conquest of the island by the Egyptian leader Thutmose III around 1450 BC preceded a varied line of eastern and western invaders who seized the island until their defeat by another foreign power. Thus, Egypt lost power to the Assyrians in 800 BC, who then fell to the Egyptians in 550, who in turn were usurped by the Persians in 525. Until Turkey finally dominated the island from AD 1571 to 1878, Cyprus had been claimed and controlled by peoples and leaders as diverse as Alexander the Great (333 BC), the Egyptian Ptolemies (323 BC), Rome (58 BC), and England's Richard I (AD 1191), who passed Cyprus to the titular king of Jerusalem and Frankish ruler Guy of Lusignan.

Turkey finally claimed Cyprus from its Venetian–Lusignian possessors of AD 1489–1571 and held firm to the island until its own collapse in the Russo–Turkish Wars of 1877–1888. For an annual "lease" of $500,000, through which Turkey retained formal possession of Cyprus, Britain accepted administration of the island at Turkey's request in order to curtail the spread of Russian power. However, the annual fee was never received by Turkey, but instead deposited in the Bank of England to compensate for Turkey's defaulted Crimean War loans; this disturbed Cypriots as well as the Turks. After World War I (1914–1918), the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne was imposed on the Turks as a peace settlement, through which Britain gained formal possession of the island.

Despite Britain's dominance and perceived control over Cyprus, riots erupted in 1931 from the Greek community's petition for and denial of enosis, the political union of Cyprus with its Greek mainland. Britain responded by suppressing the island's political parties and activities, as well as dismantling the Cypriot legislative council. Following World War II Britain offered the Cypriots the potential for self-rule; however, enosis was a priority to the islanders and both the AKEL party (Anorthotikon Komman Ergazomenou Laou—Progressive Party of Working People) and the EOKA party (Ethniki Organosis Kypriakou Agonos—National Organization of Cypriot Struggle) were formed as separate efforts to secure enosis, the spokesman of which was Makarios III. In response to heightened riots, Archbishop Makarios was elected president on 13 December 1959, while a Turkish Cypriot, Fazil Kuchuk, was elected vice president.

The Greek Cypriot cries for enosis were only countered by the Turkish Cypriot movement toward partition (taksim). What had optimistically become the independent Republic of Cyprus in 1960, represented by both Greek and Turkish leaders, collapsed only three years later through the dysfunction of bicommunal provisions which were intended to provide equal treatment and representation to both Greeks and Turks. By the close of 1963, the Turks had fully abandoned their political positions and, as the ability to share government power further declined and intercommunal violence increased. United Nations (UN) peacekeepers were sent to the island in 1964.

The peace process fully faltered in 1974 after a Greek coup displaced Makarios and installed Nicos Sampson, formerly an EOKA terrorist, as a more aggressive move toward enosis. This only prompted the response of taksim and a Turkish invasion that left 180,000 Cypriot refugees and divided the island at the "Green Line," which spans the area from Morphou through Nicosia to Famagusta. In 1983 the Turkish Cypriots declared independence as the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. This independent status, however, has only been officially recognized by the government of Turkey. UN peacekeeping forces have continued to protect a buffer zone between the north and south. On 1 May 2004 the Republic of Cyprus became a member of the European Union (EU), and adopted the euro on 1 January 2008. In March 2007 the Greek Cypriot authorities demolished a wall that for decades had stood at the boundary between the Greek Cypriot controlled side and the UN buffer zone. The wall had cut across Ledra Street in the heart of Nicosia and was seen as a strong symbol of the island's division. In 2008 Ledra Street was reopened in the presence of Greek and Turkish Cypriot officials.

LOCATION AND HOMELAND

Following Sicily and Sardinia, Cyprus is the third largest island of the east Mediterranean basin. Geologically part of Asia Minor, it measures 9,251 sq km (3,572 sq mi) and stretches 206 km (128 mi) w to e, and 97 km (60 mi) from Cape Gata in the s to Cape Kormakiti in the n. Comparable to the state divisions which comprise the United States, Cyprus is divided into six districts: Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Paphos, and Nicosia. Nicosia has remained the capital of the island despite the 1974 Turkish invasion and partition of the island.

The topography of Cyprus, flat and largely deprived of forestation, is sculpted by the Troodos Mountains, an igneous rock formation in the southern and western regions of the island which ranges from Pomos Point in the northwest almost to Larnaca Bay. Mt. Olympus, the highest point on the island, which is a haven for skiers in the winter and hikers in the summer, rises to 6,505 feet and is called by islanders Mt. Chionistra (chioni meaning "snow"), for its accumulation of snow during the winter. The jagged, steep limestone slopes of the Kyrenia Range, perhaps the most dramatic, spectacular aspect of the topography, extend from Cape Kormakiti to Cape Andreas. These mountainous regions dramatically surround the flatland of Cyprus, the Mesaoria, which receives less rain than regions of higher altitudes. Cypriots endure hot, dry summers from June through September (mid-summer temperatures swelter to 112° F), and they likewise enjoy mild, though rainy winters from October through March (averaging 22° F).

In 2007 the population of the Greek Cypriot controlled area of southern Cyprus was estimated at 786,800 inhabitants. After the 1974 Turkish invasion, thousands of Greek Cypriots were displaced from their homes in northern Cyprus. At the end of 2006 the estimated number of displaced Greek Cypriots and their descendents was 238,000. The same year there were approximately 369 Greek Cypriots living in the Turkish controlled north.

LANGUAGE

While Greek, Turkish, and English are all official languages of Cyprus, Greek is the primary language spoken by Greek Cypriots. The Greek spoken by Cypriots, however, resembles ancient rather than modern Greek dialects. Greeks from Cyprus therefore seem to speak a different language than those from the mainland, who, for example, say ti kanete ("how are you?") in contrast to the Cypriot pronunciation of tambu kanete; likewise, the commonplace conjunction che ("and") is the Cypriot pronunciation for the standard Greek ke. Greek Cypriots strongly maintain English as a second language, largely because the island was a British colony until 1960. In contrast, Greek Cypriots typically have no fluency in Turkish as a result of the political and physical boundaries imposed between the two peoples after the 1974 Turkish invasion and partition of the island.

Despite differences in pronunciation, the Greek Cypriots share the 24-letter alphabet of the Greek mainland, which is pronounced and appears as follows:

FOLKLORE

Populated by some 30,000 Cypriots on the west coast of the island, Paphos pays tribute to Greek mythology as a landmark for the birth of Aphrodite, the erotic goddess of love and desire who, according to myth, emerged from the foam of the Cypriot waves, as captured in Botticelli's famous The Birth of Venus painting. Paphos shares its name with the mythical daughter born of Venus (Aphrodite's Roman name) and Pygmalion, and features of its western landscape symbolically reinforce the myth of Aphrodite's birth: the jagged rocks scattered to the south of Paphos are regarded as Aphrodite's Rocks (Petra tou Romiou); the sanctuary of Aphrodite and onetime shrine is located at Kouklia Village within Paphos; the Baths of Aphrodite, a celebrated site of fertility where the goddess of love bathed before her marriage, are found at Polis; and the Fontana Amorosa, the Fountain of Love spring which enamors its drinkers, is likewise in Paphos.

Digenis Akritas also colors the folklore of Cyprus as a figure of an anonymous epic poem who often battled the deathly grip of Charon, the ferryman of death, before succumbing to his mortality. He is also credited with the creation of Pentadaktylos (five-fingered), another name for the mountainous Kyrenia Range in northeastern Cyprus, which resembles five fingers and which resulted from the drowning Digenis' gripping the range from the Mediterranean Sea, leaving the imprints of his one hand in the mountain range.

Folklore which enters the modern-day beliefs and practices of the Greek Cypriots include the existence of kalikanzari (little monsters), who, until Christmas, devour the trunks which were believed to hold the earth in place. During Christmas, their respite from this habit allows the earth to heal, as they rise from the depths beneath the earth to participate in and sabotage Christmas festivities. Epiphany, celebrated by Cypriots on January 6, carries this pagan overtone into the common practice of throwing lokmades (little doughnuts) atop the roofs of their homes to appease the little monsters and to return them to the depths, where, unfortunately, they continue to devour the trunks of the earth until the Christmas season returns.

RELIGION

Nearly all Greek Cypriots belong to the Orthodox Church of Cyprus, which is an independent church of the Eastern Orthodox tradition. Greek Cypriots are proud of their Christian heritage. Universally, Christians recognize Cyprus as the sacred site at which the first pagan political authority, the proconsul Sergius Paulus, was converted to Christianity by the apostles Paul and Barnabas, who arrived in Salamis and journeyed to Paphos in AD 45. Apart from the impact of these apostles, whose missionary work in Cyprus is documented in the New Testament (Acts 13), Christianity subsisted until the rule of Constantine the Great in AD 313, which resulted in an increased number of dioceses. The 5th century was not only a period of grand basilica construction, as can be seen today in Kourion and Cape Drepanum, but also the time at which the Church of Cyprus earned its privileged status as an autocephalous church free from other patriarchates, a status it powerfully retains today. Cyprus attained this unusual, privileged status through the Archbishop Anthemius of Constantia (Salamis), whose unique vision led him to the tomb of St. Barnabas, where he discovered the Gospel of St. Mark. Thereafter, as endorsed by the emperor Zeno (the recipient of the Gospel), the archbishop functioned as an imperial power, carrying a scepter rather than a pastoral staff, wearing purple robes, and signing his name in purple ink.

Still, during the Byzantine Empire, Cyprus was subject to the Eastern Empire at Constantinople, under which Orthodoxy and its distinctions evolved until the period of Lusignan and Venetian rule (1192–1489). The Church of Cyprus, then acknowledged as different and separate from the precepts of the Catholic faith, was compelled to uphold the Roman pope as a religious authority. When Cyprus was then usurped and controlled by the Ottoman Empire (1571–1878), the Cypriots' religion was overlooked by these Muslim conquerors, whose rule through "millets" or religious communities enabled the Church of Cyprus to gain sovereignty; positions within the church were therefore upheld for their spiritual as well as secular authority. This duality of church and state is embodied in the figure of Mihail Mouskos, later dubbed Archbishop Makarios III, a young monk who was elected president of the republic in 1959 and held the position until his death in 1977. As president, Mouskos heightened the quality and training of priests at the Cypriot seminary in Nicosia, and served as a political activist for the cause of enosis (union with the Greek mainland). His status as both a religious and political authority was succeeded by the conservative Archbishop Chysostomos, who led the Church of Cyprus until illness led to his removal from office. He was succeeded in 2006 by Archbishop Chysostomos II.

The constitution allows the Orthodox Church of Cyprus to have full authority over the administration of its own internal affairs and property. The Church is one of the largest landowners in the country and holds significant investment properties in banking, construction, and hotels.

Unlike most Greek Orthodox churches in the United States, the Cypriot Orthodox service doesn't feature a choir, and the balcony area found in most churches is reserved for women (termed ginekonitis, which literally translates to mean "women's section"). Segregation likewise exists on the ground level of the church, as men usually sit on one side and women on the other, an observed separation which will even split married couples apart for the duration of the service, though this practice is more common among rural, village churches than in urban ones.

MAJOR HOLIDAYS

Most Cypriot holidays revolve around the Orthodox religion, with the celebration of Easter serving as a central event. Religious holidays in the Orthodox churches are celebrated following the Julian calendar, rather than the Gregorian calendar used by Western Christians, therefore the dates of such holidays as Easter and Pentecost are often different than those celebrated in the Western world.

Like the American Mardi Gras, Carnival, most notably that of Limassol, is upheld as a time to feast extravagantly before the fast of Lent. It is celebrated with colorful parades and an abundance of specialties, including bourekia (a minty-cheese pastry) as well as the sweetmeats daktyla and kandaifi. The first week of Carnival is known as Kreatini, or Meat Week. The second and final week of Carnival is known as Tyrini (cheese week) and extends to Green Monday.

Green Monday, 50 days before the Orthodox Easter, is the first official day of Lent. It is a legal holiday celebrated as a day for picnics and kite flying, when Cypriots head for the hillside or the mountains with a basket of "greens," or a vegetarian meal, to be enjoyed by family and relatives. Freed from work responsibilities, Cypriots optimistically greet this dawning of the Lenten season with the phrase Tha pame na kopsume ti miti tis Sarakostis ("We're going to cut the nose of the first forty days") and do so with a Lenten feast which includes fresh vegetables, baked potatoes, pickles, fresh bread, and a sweet called halva. Only the most devout Cypriots continue this fast from meat, milk, eggs, and olive oil for the entire 40 days of Lent (Sundays are not counted as fasting days during Lent since the Lord's day is always meant to be a celebration). Most Cypriots will not observe these eating restrictions again until Holy Week.

Holy Week features many lengthy, elaborate services and ceremonies that bring most Cypriots to church each evening. The betrayal of Jesus is observed on Holy Thursday through a lengthy three-hour service which requires Cypriots to stand and listen to the solemn reading of the gospels; with each reading by the priest, a candle is lit. School children also participate in the service through their adorning of the epitaphion—a large, ornately carved, free-standing structure which symbolizes Christ's tomb—with flowers they have gathered from the village. The crucifixion is then observed on Good Friday, when the epitaphion is carried by laymen of the church in a funeral-style procession. On this day the women of the village prepare rich pastries called flaouna, which are made with a special cheese and which prompt ceaseless discussion among housewives in defense of their special recipe. The resurrection, the climax of Holy Week, is celebrated on Holy Saturday in a midnight candle-light service which closes with the repeated singing of Christos Anesti (Christ is Risen), a phrase which is repeated by devout Cypriots in passing 50 days thereafter. After the midnight service, families and relatives return to their homes to feast on an Easter "breakfast," which consists of a lemon-based chicken and rice soup (avogolemono), along with boiled eggs dyed red to commemorate the gloriously shed blood of Christ. As among the Greek-Americans in the United States, the eggs are used in a tableside game in which one person holds an egg steady between forefinger and thumb while his "competitor" hits the stationary egg with his own egg; the champion possesses the egg which remains free of cracks.

During the Easter day, the midday meal—which usually consists of a whole lamb, a goat, or other skewered meat—is grilled outside and shared by relatives who visit for the day. The Easter Sunday meal is enjoyed among family and acquaintances, and children often receive a chocolate egg and, more recently, gifts. The festivities and visits of Easter Sunday extend into the week, as many Cypriots are relieved of their work responsibilities on the Monday and Tuesday which follow Easter.

The Day of Ascension, 40 days after Easter, is observed as a holiday of fasting, prayer, and mediation. Pentecost, the Day of the Holy Spirit, is celebrated 50 days after Easter. In Cyprus a holiday known as Kataklysmos (which means "flood" is celebrated on the same day as Pentecost. Originally celebrated as a water festival to commemorate Aphrodite, its water theme has evolved into a Christian celebration of the flood story of Noah from the Old Testament and involves music, dancing, and poetry readings in a fair-like setting. The Feast of the Assumption of Mary on August 15 is a public holiday, as are Christmas and Epiphany (celebrated as the Baptism of the Lord).

Secular, more politically inspired holidays include Greek Independence Day (March 25), Independence Day (October 1), and Greek National Day (October 28).

RITES OF PASSAGE

Engagement, marriage and childbirth are events which herald a child's arrival to adulthood. As premarital sex is strongly condemned, girls formally become women and mothers through the vow of marriage and it is only when they have children that they learn how to care for them. Unlike in the United States, grandmothers attend to children and act as babysitters, rather than teenagers.

For men, military service is a rite of passage and is demanded of all males 18 years of age for a period of 26 months. Prior to their service and immediately following their graduation, boys will devote many hours to friends—either making commitments to girlfriends or spending hours with other boys at discos and listening to music which dramatizes their sentiments at this crucial maturation point in their lives. A few weeks following high school graduation, boys begin basic training and learn their location site, the most desired being air artillery and communication units, the worst being the infantry.

INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS

To maintain a tourism industry, Cypriots have acquired a national reputation as very hospitable, pleasant people. The islanders themselves, particularly in the 300 remaining villages, sustain close same-sex relations: men often gather together at cafés to play an intense game of tavali (backgammon) and to talk politics, though women, except for tourists, are strictly excluded from the café. Male bonding also endures between a groom and his koumbaro, the best man at his wedding who also baptizes the first child; women also maintain close relations with their koumbara.

LIVING CONDITIONS

The shift of Greek Cypriot living from the village to the city peaked in 1974, when the Turkish government seized the most fertile, productive agricultural regions of the island. The houses and apartments of urban Cyprus are equipped with the amenities found in any modern city. Families are typically situated close to each other within the city and maintain a village house as well.

Despite movements toward a more urban society, a connection between the villages and the cities was made through advancements in transportation; British annexation of the island in the early 1900s introduced isolated villages to the cities through a system of roads. An estimated 10,448 km of highway stretch across the Republic of Cyprus, roughly half of which are paved. The cars which travel those highways—the most popular being Japanese models as well as Mercedes and BMW—cost Cypriots double what Americans pay; car maintenance and even gasoline are also highly priced. Since the shutdown of the Nicosia International Airport after the 1974 Turkish invasion, the only legal means of entry into the country has been through the Larnaca International and Paphos International Airports, as well as the ports of Limassol, Larnaca, and Paphos.

Despite the 75-year life expectancy for males and the 80-year life expectancy for females, most Cypriots are aged between 15 and 64; a mere 12% are over the age of 65. In 2008 the birth rate averaged 12.5 births/1,000 population, while the death rate averaged 7.8 deaths/1,000 population, with a national population growth rate of 0.52%. As in the United States, good health is maintained through athletic clubs, which largely appeal to young male and female professionals, who will pay a monthly membership to reap both the social and physical benefits of industrialized fitness. Women usually participate in same-sex aerobics classes and perform some weightlifting, which is more common among men, in addition to running and using a punching bag. Older people become members only at the recommendation of a doctor and many heart patients will opt for a morning walk rather than the more modern gym.

FAMILY LIFE

Traditionally, Greek Cypriots define themselves through their family. A Cypriot household will typically house a husband, wife, and unmarried children. Grandparents usually live nearby or within the home of an adult child (usually the daughter) in the event of declining health. Nursing home facilities are seldom used and only when the aged parent is beyond home care. Grandparents in otherwise good health retain a functional, respected role in Greek Cypriot families and are revered in the eyes of their grandchildren. Grandfathers will often take their grandchildren to and from school and grandmothers perform most child-rearing responsibilities while mothers work. Until the 1950s marriages were accompanied by oral promises in which parents contributed to the new lives of the couple through traditional gifts: the bridegroom's family would provide a home which the bride's family would furnish. In some cases a written dowry contract is signed by the couple and their parents and then authorized by a religious party.

The Old World attitudes toward marriage failed to consider love as a viable motivation, as romantic love was disparaged in Cypriot society and marriages were often mediated by a third matchmaking party whose intimate knowledge of the family qualified them and endorsed the match. In modern culture, men and women typically select a mate of their own accord and interests and are largely swayed by feelings of romance. In the past, heterosexual contact was only permitted with parental supervision and within the physical boundaries of the village fountain and the church. Modern-day Cypriot society encourages earlier heterosexual contact within academic settings and the work force. While sexual promiscuity and a relaxing of morals is evident among adolescents and unmarried couples, it is still considered taboo for an adolescent couple to be home or out alone and relationships in general are platonic. Adolescents congregate in groups, though there is virtually no pressure to enter a relationship during adolescence, and boyfriends and girlfriends who are present among teen groups seldom stray off by themselves. Though parents might be aware of their son or daughter's relationship, they usually make no effort to meet the beau, who would not be invited to dinner and whom the adolescent would keep to himself or herself anyway.

Once a Cypriot has completed his or her education, possible university studies, and has secured a job, engagement is the necessary course of action for the bulk of the Cypriot population. Couples may discover each other through the friends and co-workers encountered at their places of employment. For example, a woman who is introduced to a co-worker's brother and considers him a prospect for marriage will ask her co-worker about the bachelor's "eligibility" and potential as a husband. If the woman receives an endorsement from the co-worker, the two families will work together at arranging meetings to determine the viability of the match and to make plans for engagement, which has the same weight and formality as the actual wedding.

Greek Cypriot weddings of the past, in the Orthodox tradition, encompassed an entire week of festivities; modern weddings are performed in only half a day and begin with the elaborate dressing of the bride and groom, who proceed to the church service. The equivalent of the American wedding reception usually begins at 8 pm and includes traditional Cypriot fare (kleftiko, pastitsio, resi, and kourabiedes), and is accompanied by traditional music otherwise not usually heard in modern Cyprus. Bouzoukia, the electric guitar, drums, and the violin are harmonized together for dances such as the tsifteteli belly dance and the historic remetiko, performed by a sole dancer within a circle of clapping acquaintances. The final dance of the evening is the choros tou androjinou, which finds the married couple alone on the dance floor strewn with banknotes. Separation and divorce, usually caused by extramarital affairs and abuse, are more common and legally permissible in modern culture than in the past.

CLOTHING

Traditional Cypriot dress, reserved for some weddings and festivals, finds men in loose, black vrakas (knicker-like pants), dark vests embellished with bright designs, and tall black boots. However, styles in Cyprus reflect the modern fashion industry in Europe and America. Jeans and casual shirts are often worn at home and at leisure. Business attire and formal wear are similar to that found across Europe.

FOOD

The rich food of Cyprus, while largely Greek in flavor, traces its origins to the palates of the island's diverse invaders and settlers, featuring Greek, Turkish, Arabic, and even some British influences. Therefore, one who sits down to a challenging table of Meze, which translates as "mixture" and which forms the common fare Mezedhes ("little delicacies"), could encounter up to 30 sample cuisines. A common table of Mezedhes will include the Cypriot specialties of halumi, cheese exclusive to Cyprus and produced from thyme-fed goats; taramosalata, a dip of smoked cod's roe; kleftiko, slow-roasted lamb; and moussaka, a minced lamb and potato casserole which is flavored with bechamel sauce. Koupepia, or grape leaves, are a favorite of the village as well as the city:

Koupepia

Koupepia are basically made in two steps: the first prepares the leaves, the second prepares the filling for the leaves.

Leaves

Blanch and rinse in cold water 30 vine leaves (which can be picked from grape vines in June); put them aside.

Filling

1 tablespoon finely minced peppermint, parsley, and onion
½ pound diced tomatoes
1 egg white
½ pound ground meat, browned.
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix together the peppermint, parsley, onion, tomatoes, egg white, and ground meat. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Sprinkle lemon juice over 2 tablespoons rice; let stand for five minutes, then add to meat mixture.

Carefully place a blanched and rinsed grape leaf on your work area, and place 1 tablespoon meat filling in the center. Fold the edges of the leaf together so they meet, and then roll the leave up to resemble a small sausage.

Place all the filled vine leaves in a pot; cover with meat broth, and simmer for 40 minutes.

Common morning fare for Cypriots includes toast topped with a slice of cheese and perhaps honey. Similarly, the older generation awakens to bread with tomatoes, olives, and halloumi, a cheese only made in Cyprus. This is accompanied for most with instant coffee made with milk and served either cold or hot. Children drink Nesquick, while their grandparents usually drink warm, sweetened milk.

In accordance with the fasting of meat, eggs, and dairy products which is observed under the Greek Orthodox religion, lunch for devout Cypriots consists of dried or fresh beans three days a week. The vegetarian victuals are either dressed in olive oil and lemon juice and eaten with plenty of fresh bread and tomatoes, or cooked with a tomato sauce stew of celery, carrots, and onions. Those who choose not to fast enjoy both traditional fare, which can be sampled at a table of Meze, as well as more British entrees such as steak and french fries, as meat is enjoyed by most Cypriots on a daily basis.

EDUCATION

While Cyprus bitterly endured British control of the island, it was the presence and initiative of the English, through the Education Law of 1895, which empowered the local government to raise taxes to develop primary schools. The number of schools created through this legislation more than doubled from the 76 that existed in 1897 to 179 only 20 years later. In addition, the British diminished illiteracy on the island. In 2003 the literacy rate was at estimated at 97%.

Like children in America, Cypriot children begin their educational careers at the age of about 5½; unlike American children, they are required to attend school only to the age of 15. The Greek Cypriot school system, which is rigidly governed by the Ministry of Education, potentially spans four levels. Pre-primary education for children aged from 2 to 5½ emerged only after the 1974 Turkish invasion of the island and more than half of the eligible Greek Cypriot students are estimated to attend preschools. Primary school is required and begins for students aged 5½; it covers a six-year, general curriculum program in which English is a required course for the final two years. Students continue their education in secondary school, the first level of which is required, free, and termed "Gymnasium"; the final three years of secondary school, which are optional, is termed the "Lyceum," and it offers five fields of concentration: classical, science, economics, commercial/secretarial, and foreign languages.

Higher education and specialized training for professionals such as teachers, technicians, engineers, hoteliers/caterers, foresters, nurses, and health inspectors is furnished by technical and vocational colleges. The University of Cyprus located in the capital city of Nicosia, was founded in 1989 and enrolled its first students in September 1992. The cost is free for Cypriots who maintain a twelve-credit course load. Most Greek Cypriots seeking a college education will attend schools in Greece, the United Kingdom, or the United States.

CULTURAL HERITAGE

The Ministry of Education is charged with the cultural enhancement as well as the educational advancement of Cypriots. Cultural Services, established by the Ministry of Education in March 1968, is the branch of government which ensures the preservation of Cypriot culture by financing and promoting such groups as the Cyprus State Chamber Orchestra; the Cyprus State Youth Orchestra; the Establishment of Cultural Centers; the Development of Refugee Settlements; archives for writers, painters, and sculptors; the National Struggle Museum; the National Gallery; and Folklore Culture. Cultural Services also issues state awards for literature, donates Cypriot books abroad, and purchases publications within Cyprus as well as work from Cypriot artists.

The Cyprus Department of Antiquities is another government organization whose excavation and preservation of historic sites and artifacts—including theatres, sanctuaries, castles and churches—allows Cypriot culture to flourish.

As the ancient theatres of Salamis, Soli, Kourion, and Paphos were cultural centers since the Middle Ages, so they have been excavated by the Cyprus Department of Antiquities, and are the modern sites of both classical and contemporary plays from around the world. The Cyprus Theatre Organization (THOC) was organized in 1971, consists of a nine-member panel, and promotes theatrical arts both on the island as well as international exchanges outside Cyprus.

WORK

The Greek Cypriot labor force numbered about 373,000 in 2006. Jobs commanding the highest respect are "professional" positions: doctors, lawyers, civil servants, teachers, dentists, and business men. Wealthy "upper class" professionals—typically educated in elite institutions in the United Kingdom, Western Europe, or the United States—enter such professional positions. They typically own manufacturing, construction, and consumer goods companies. As in the United States and other countries, the upper class enjoys increased upward mobility in banks and semi-governmental organizations because of contacts, which are virtually necessary for professional success in Cyprus. The middle class are either educated in the United States and Europe, where exclusive college scholarship opportunities are offered to Cypriots, or in Greece, where free education is available for students who perform well on placement exams. Jobs taken by scholarship-educated, middle class Cypriots are in areas of government, teaching, banking, insurance, and semi-governmental organizations, as well as management within the retail sector. These positions still command adequate respect, unlike the lower class vocations of manual laborers, skilled craftsmen, and manufacturing and construction workers; the sheer scarcity of these workers has actually allowed them to earn high wages, as do many farmers. While considered low class, farmers are usually wealthy because land in Cyprus is valuable, especially if near the sea and zoned for hotels.

In 2006 about 71% of the labor force was employed in service-related industries. About 21% of the work force was employed in industry and 8% in agriculture. Unemployment in 2007 was estimated at 3.8%.

SPORTS

Though Cypriots were allegedly numbered among the first Olympians and ancient gymnasiums have been preserved on the island, sports only recently commanded government attention through the creation of the Cyprus Sports Organization (CSO) in 1969. This non-profit, government organization successfully administered its first Five-Year Development Plan from 1978 to 1982, initiating the construction of stadiums, swimming pools, and sports halls throughout the island. Successive Five-Year Development Plans continued the construction and maintenance of sports facilities and channeled grants to various sports organizations. In addition, the CSO extended its interest in sports to the international level, creating protocols and developing sports relations with the Commonwealth of Independent States, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Austria, and Germany. Cyprus also shares sports-related technical and financial interests with Greece. The third Five-Year Development Plan aimed to enhance the performance and competitive aspect of individual sports; consequently, 35 sports federations and 4 cofederations are present on the island and are acknowledged by parallel international organizations, as well as by the International Olympic Committee.

Greek Cypriot men, reflecting the recreational tastes of so many European countries, are most strongly drawn to football (soccer in America) as both spectators and players. Three league divisions composed of 36 teams currently exist under the Cyprus Football Association, and the island has been a participant in World Cup matches. The hunting season likewise attracts a throng of Cypriots, as the countryside will host as many as 40,000 male hunters on Wednesdays or Sundays.

Apart from ballet, dancing, and karate, which are strongly affiliated with the performing and cultural arts, sports are not introduced to young Cypriots by way of arduous training which underlies the development of stellar athletes. Still, many Cypriot children have increasingly participated in sports through the CSO's Sports For All and other programs targeted at children. The natural resources of the island offer Cypriots of all ages diverse sports activities in a variety of seasons. The installment of three ski runs on Mt. Olympus has drawn skiers to the Troodos Mountains from the months of January through mid-March. During the warmer seasons, swimming can be enjoyed throughout the many beaches.

ENTERTAINMENT AND RECREATION

Like many tourists, Cypriots enjoy packing the car with family, relatives, and ample foods, and heading for the mountains. While nightclubs, restaurants, and movie theaters are popular for many, most Greek Cypriots enjoy entertaining family and friends in the home.

FOLK ART, CRAFTS, AND HOBBIES

For more than a century, lefkaritiki embroidery and linen has been marketed throughout the world, and it takes its name from the city of its origin, Pano Lefkara. Crafted from Irish linen, each piece is unique, requires several weeks of work, and can be quite costly. The art has been somewhat industrialized, however, by four manufacturing companies within Lefkara who together employ more than 600 workers, and have brought much prosperity to the city through this art.

Official Handicraft Centers have been established in Limassol, Larnaca, Paphos, and Nicosia for the purpose of maintaining folk art, which has recently suffered from the cheap reproductions of authentic Cypriot pieces that have been mass-produced and imported from Hong Kong and Greece.

SOCIAL PROBLEMS

Social and political tensions between the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots have led to discrimination between the groups, but incidences of major violence have been rare as UN-sponsored negotiations continue. Harassment and acts of vandalism have been reported as effects of discrimination from both sides. Greek Cypriots are particularly interested in resolutions that would insure property and settlement rights and a return of territory under a single integrated government structure. The Turkish Cypriots, however, are in favor of maintaining two autonomous societies with limited contact between the governments and political equality in the eyes of the world. While travel between the two communities is allowed, each side places certain restrictions and regulations on border crossing. For example, Greek Cypriots must have automobile insurance from a company within the Turkish Cypriot administered area in order to drive into the area. The Greek Cypriots place a similar regulation on Turkish Cypriot motorists. At the end of 2006 there were approximately 238,000 Greek Cypriots listed as internally displaced persons as a result of the political conflict. Many of these individuals rely on government financial assistance. The entrance of Cyprus into the European Union in 2004 caused a great deal of tension between the Greek and Turkish Communities, since the Turkish Cypriot administered area is not recognized as an independent government within the European Union. Though the recognized Cypriot government has switched its currency to the euro as of January 2008, the northern Turkish Cypriot controlled government continues to use the new Turkish lira.

There have been some reports of discrimination against other minority ethnic groups within the country, such as the Roma. Homosexuals also face social discrimination despite antidiscrimination laws. While Cyprus was once believed to be a narcotics brokering center for drugs shipped to Europe, Cypriot police have joined with other European centers of justice to curtail drug trafficking and have developed no tolerance policies on drug trafficking issues.

GENDER ISSUES

While women have been granted the same legal status as men and are generally able to find positions in the workforce, there is still a strong belief in society that a woman's primary roles are those of wife and mother. Sexual harassment in the work-place is widespread, even though a majority of specific cases go unreported by women who may fear losing their jobs or simply enduring an increase in harassment. Domestic abuse of women is also widespread, again with many incidences left unreported. While the law requires that men and women receive equal pay for equal work, most women in blue-collar jobs earn about 25% to 30% less than their male counterparts. The percentage is less in white collar professions, but there is still no pay equity.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Boroweic, Andrew. Cyprus: A Troubled Island. Westport, CT: Praegar, 2000.

Brey, Hansjorg, and Claudia Muller, ed. Insights Guides. Cyprus. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1993.

Cyprus. Published by the Press and Information Office, Republic of Cyprus.

Hannay, David. Cyprus: The Search for a Solution. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2005.

Papdakis, Yiannis, et al. Divided Cyprus: Modernity, History, and an Island in Conflict. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 2006.

Solsten, Eric, ed. Cyprus: A Country Study. 4th ed. Federal Research Division, Library of Congress, 1993.

—revised by K. Ellicott