Cyprus-Forum.com

[Nikitas]

A monopoly on salt in an island surrounded by the sea! And they made money from it! That says a lot about the spirit of the people back then.

I read most of it, skipping over the geological terminology. Will go over it in more detail later.

What is obvious is that this gentleman is in the mindset of an English feudal lord, dealing with land and its tenant farmers as one. He has no inkling that people might have aspirations to something more than being loyal subjects and paying taxes.

It is interesting to compare his observations with those of he photographer Thomson who was in Cyprus just a year before. Being more sensitive and perceptive Thomson picked up on nuances that totally went over this writer's head.

[Get Real!]

A monopoly on salt in an island surrounded by the sea! And they made money from it! That says a lot about the spirit of the people back then.

I read most of it, skipping over the geological terminology. Will go over it in more detail later.

What is obvious is that this gentleman is in the mindset of an English feudal lord, dealing with land and its tenant farmers as one. He has no inkling that people might have aspirations to something more than being loyal subjects and paying taxes.

It is interesting to compare his observations with those of he photographer Thomson who was in Cyprus just a year before. Being more sensitive and perceptive Thomson picked up on nuances that totally went over this writer's head.

Good observations... the colonialist’s mentality strongly radiates from this chap.

[Expatkiwi]

A monopoly on salt in an island surrounded by the sea! And they made money from it! That says a lot about the spirit of the people back then.

I read most of it, skipping over the geological terminology. Will go over it in more detail later.

What is obvious is that this gentleman is in the mindset of an English feudal lord, dealing with land and its tenant farmers as one. He has no inkling that people might have aspirations to something more than being loyal subjects and paying taxes.

It is interesting to compare his observations with those of he photographer Thomson who was in Cyprus just a year before. Being more sensitive and perceptive Thomson picked up on nuances that totally went over this writer's head.

Good observations... the colonialist’s mentality strongly radiates from this chap.

You think that this mentality is still shared by Greece towards Cyprus? That documentary I alluded to in the ATCA forum did state that the island of Cyprus was treated as the "near abroad" by the Greeks, which is another way of saying "colony".

[Nikitas]

Expat,

You obviously know nothing of Greece and Greeks. Colonialism is not part of the Greek mindset. What Greeks perceived in Cyprus is a part of Greece which is not yet within the national borders. They do not see Cypriots as some foreigners who will be reduced to possession, as chattels, which is what this Baker dude is writing.

[Nikitas]

A few more observations,

Baker says that regular village priests were uneducated, could neither read nor write, and purchased their position by paying some piasters to the Bishops. Which raises the question how these illiterates would read the scripture during Sunday mass and how they would learn the countless hymns and psalms. Also, the priests were the main recorders of births, marriages, baptisms and deaths. How would an illiterate write all those entries?

Looks like Baker is not fully informed on some things.

The other observation is the distinction between Turks and Cypriotes (his spelling) which is not unique. Other travellers to Cyprus have drawn the same distinction and it seems to distinguish between the Greek Cypriots who were assumed to be the indigenous people and the Turks. Perhaps this is an expression of the colonial character who feels compelled to identify elements he recognises, ie locals and others.

[Get Real!]

A few more observations,

Baker says that regular village priests were uneducated, could neither read nor write, and purchased their position by paying some piasters to the Bishops. Which raises the question how these illiterates would read the scripture during Sunday mass and how they would learn the countless hymns and psalms. Also, the priests were the main recorders of births, marriages, baptisms and deaths. How would an illiterate write all those entries?

I think they would always have an educated clerk doing all that... church "interns" go back a long way.

[Get Real!]

A monopoly on salt in an island surrounded by the sea! And they made money from it! That says a lot about the spirit of the people back then.

I read most of it, skipping over the geological terminology. Will go over it in more detail later.

What is obvious is that this gentleman is in the mindset of an English feudal lord, dealing with land and its tenant farmers as one. He has no inkling that people might have aspirations to something more than being loyal subjects and paying taxes.

It is interesting to compare his observations with those of he photographer Thomson who was in Cyprus just a year before. Being more sensitive and perceptive Thomson picked up on nuances that totally went over this writer's head.

Good observations... the colonialist’s mentality strongly radiates from this chap.

You think that this mentality is still shared by Greece towards Cyprus? That documentary I alluded to in the ATCA forum did state that the island of Cyprus was treated as the "near abroad" by the Greeks, which is another way of saying "colony".

The documentary you refer to talks about the early 20th century whereas today we're in the 21st...