by Diogenes » Wed May 23, 2007 2:49 am
Dear Aphrodite 18,
you are right on the "fuzzy boundaries" of the nationality, but it is also what ultimately survived and what the people accepted and embraced. In the case of Cyprus, it is not difficault. There are two nationalities, Greek (majority) and Turks (minority), who live in a state called Cyprus. Cypriot indicates a political identity, NOT a national one.
As Greeks from Cyprus, we should be proud of our Greek identity and heritage. We are above all Greeks. It is not an issue of choosing NOT to be because your state became independent. I am a Greek that lives in a state called Cyprus, that's all. If tomorrow a Cretan becomes politically independent, will he stop being Greek because he is politically independent? Obviously NOT.
Historically, Greeks from Cyprus are among the most ancient Greeks. Recall that the Mycenaeans settled Cyprus around 1600 BC, and Teucrus who fought in the Trojan War was the founder of the city Salamis on Cyprus. All these were, even before many major Greek cities even existed.
There is, nevertheless, a small dislike from some Greeks in Cyprus towards the Greeks in Greece. The reason, i believe, are historical. Here are a few:
- Britain offered Cyprus back to Greece in exchange for Greece entering the war on the side of the Allies, and Greece refused (entering the war anyway)
- Greece "encouraged" mainly for independence of Cyprus rather than re-unification in 1960, although we were fighting for re-unification. But, to be honest with you, i believe it was completely "our" fault we signed the independence. But, that's what happens when you have a priest for president.
- Greece didn't quite help in the 1974 invasion by the Turks.
Greeks from Greece, and Greeks from Cyprus, shouldn't nevertheless FORGET that Greeks from Cyprus are Greeks. Both, unfortunately, tend to forget that, even though Greeks from Cyprus fought along the rest of the Greeks in all major wars of Greece, from the Persian Wars to the WWII.
Also, they fought against Britain in order to re-unite with Greece in 1960.
The reason why they FORGET, i believe, is cultural and sociological. I explain: Most of the Greeks in general (from Cyprus, Greece, etc) are among the most culturally corrupted people in the world. Unfortunately, they lost connection with their TRUE history, heritage and identity. A fake, foreign, given religion (Christianity), was imposed on them, and changed their mentality and character.
Just think of this: Most Greeks celebrate the Three Hierarchs Day on Jan. 30th (who, by the way they were all Anti-Greek), but don't celebrate, honor the Thermopylae Day in Sept. 18th. Most of them have NO clue when it occurred. That's a shame...Keep in mind, that that's the same Church that officially condemned the Revolution against the Turks in the 1821 !!
