Cyprus-Forum.com

[Nikitas]

Well known Cyprus psychiatrist Yangos Mikellides wrote a surprising article todayl It is a surprise considering his anti Makarios and anti Papadopoulos stance and his deep criticism for their anti TC policies.

Here is a quick translation:

"Culturally the TCs are not Cypriots.


What kills you, what angers you when you visit northern Cyprus is the destruction of culture that you see carried out, either with the active participation of the TC leadership, or with its indifferent acceptance.
Churches of incredible historical and artistic value are in ruins or they have been converted to mosques, stables or are used as tourist attractions- at least now, 30 years later they understood their tourist value. Archaeological sites have been given over to weeds, to plunder and to natural degradation. Generally there is a total denial of the culture of northern Cyprus.

Why? Why are the TCs and the settlers eager to destroy the historic space, the very history of this place?. WHy would they want to erase the imprint of so many centuries' history. Why are they indifferent to the destruction when they apparently want to live in this place?

For one reason: this culture, this history, these monuments, have no connection to them, they represent nothing to them. The ancient world of Cyprus leaves them totally indifferent because they were never part of it. Christian Orthodox monuments have no meaning for them, neither to monasteries and churches.

TCs were never part of the culture of this place. They were conquerors, they came around 1570. Since then they have played the role of feudal lords and large landowners, reinforced by our own linovavmakoi, but they never were part of the creative cultural history of this country. There always were two elements which alienated them from the indigenous population, the language and the religion.

It may be that now, by violence and through the idiocy of our leadership, that they have become partners in this place, but they lack Cypriot identity. They never belonged culturally to this place. And this explains their negative attitude and behavior towards the culture and history of the country.

The problems of this place are many and go much deeper than is apparent at first. The perception of art and history differ greatly between the two communities. You only have to enter a TC house to feel this. The colors they use , their architecture, are so different from ours and show clearly the cultural differences and the chasm that exists between us.

This chasm is growing with the mass arrival of settlers who have a zero level of culture and no connection with our country. Perhaps it is they who are responsible for the destruction of culture which has been carried out in northern Cyprus. However, neither Denktash nor Talat tried to halt the destruction. The level of the arts and culture generally in northern Cyprus are now at a lower level than they were in 1960. If to this we add the presence of hundreds of hojas and the active islamisation of the place,the problem becomes more acute and the split between the two communities even wider.

I regard this cultural difference the greates danger for partition. Because this difference is the cause for the two communities drifting further apart and for their mutual rejection. Turkish Cypriots culturally are not Cypriots.

Yangos Mikellides"

in Politis newspaper 23-11-2008

The doctor's views surprised me. I wonder what TCs think about his observation of the cultural level being lower today than in 1960.

[Murataga]

Well known Cyprus psychiatrist Yangos Mikellides wrote a surprising article todayl It is a surprise considering his anti Makarios and anti Papadopoulos stance and his deep criticism for their anti TC policies.

Here is a quick translation:

"Culturally the TCs are not Cypriots.


What kills you, what angers you when you visit northern Cyprus is the destruction of culture that you see carried out, either with the active participation of the TC leadership, or with its indifferent acceptance.
Churches of incredible historical and artistic value are in ruins or they have been converted to mosques, stables or are used as tourist attractions- at least now, 30 years later they understood their tourist value. Archaeological sites have been given over to weeds, to plunder and to natural degradation. Generally there is a total denial of the culture of northern Cyprus.

Why? Why are the TCs and the settlers eager to destroy the historic space, the very history of this place?. WHy would they want to erase the imprint of so many centuries' history. Why are they indifferent to the destruction when they apparently want to live in this place?

For one reason: this culture, this history, these monuments, have no connection to them, they represent nothing to them. The ancient world of Cyprus leaves them totally indifferent because they were never part of it. Christian Orthodox monuments have no meaning for them, neither to monasteries and churches.

TCs were never part of the culture of this place. They were conquerors, they came around 1570. Since then they have played the role of feudal lords and large landowners, reinforced by our own linovavmakoi, but they never were part of the creative cultural history of this country. There always were two elements which alienated them from the indigenous population, the language and the religion.

It may be that now, by violence and through the idiocy of our leadership, that they have become partners in this place, but they lack Cypriot identity. They never belonged culturally to this place. And this explains their negative attitude and behavior towards the culture and history of the country.

The problems of this place are many and go much deeper than is apparent at first. The perception of art and history differ greatly between the two communities. You only have to enter a TC house to feel this. The colors they use , their architecture, are so different from ours and show clearly the cultural differences and the chasm that exists between us.

This chasm is growing with the mass arrival of settlers who have a zero level of culture and no connection with our country. Perhaps it is they who are responsible for the destruction of culture which has been carried out in northern Cyprus. However, neither Denktash nor Talat tried to halt the destruction. The level of the arts and culture generally in northern Cyprus are now at a lower level than they were in 1960. If to this we add the presence of hundreds of hojas and the active islamisation of the place,the problem becomes more acute and the split between the two communities even wider.

I regard this cultural difference the greates danger for partition. Because this difference is the cause for the two communities drifting further apart and for their mutual rejection. Turkish Cypriots culturally are not Cypriots.

Yangos Mikellides"

in Politis newspaper 23-11-2008

The doctor's views surprised me. I wonder what TCs think about his observation of the cultural level being lower today than in 1960.

Hitler born a GC couldn`t have expessed what he is saying to the TCs in his article any better: if you are not speaking Greek and if you are not Orthodox Christian, you are not Cypriot.

And, apparently, this is one of your "anti Makarios" and "anti Papadopoulos" people...

[iceman]

Sounds like Dr.Mikellides needs a shrink himself.

[DT.]

Sounds like Dr.Mikellides needs a shrink himself.

Mikellides was on a tv show accepting calls and this woman called up telling him her problem about not being able to get enough sex and always being on the lookout for sex. She was expecting him to give her one of his phsycho-nymphomaniac analysis and asked him what is wrong with her.

He responded by saying
"well basically, you're a slut."

[zan]

I am more worried about Nikitas response!!!!

SURPISE, Nikitas? Not disgust or anger or dismissive?????


"Theres a man works down the chip shop that swears he's Elvis...I know about him but I'm not sure about you!!"

[Get Real!]

Sounds like Dr.Mikellides needs a shrink himself.

Mikellides was on a tv show accepting calls and this woman called up telling him her problem about not being able to get enough sex and always being on the lookout for sex. She was expecting him to give her one of his phsycho-nymphomaniac analysis and asked him what is wrong with her.

He responded by saying
"well basically, you're a slut."

It must be such a pleasure being able to tell a woman that she's basically a slut and then charge her 50 pounds for doing so...

[Get Real!]

For one reason: this culture, this history, these monuments, have no connection to them, they represent nothing to them. The ancient world of Cyprus leaves them totally indifferent because they were never part of it.

TC actions of the last three decades more than verify the above but I don't expect any of our TC friends to admit it...

[Nikitas]

Zan,

I do not have the means to judge whether the level of cultural life in the TC community is lower today than it was in 1960. It was this part of the article that intrigued me and I wanted to know what TCs who live in the north think about this view. The TC commentators I read in translation focus on politics, not culture. The bits of culture I see coming from the north are usually singers or folk dancers. There must be culture beyond these folkloric expressions.

As to the article itself, well it confused me, because in other articles Mikellides tears apart the Makarios legacy and those that are faithful to it. He severely criticises the policies of Papadopoulos because they enforce the division of the two communities. And now he publishes this, which is a surprise.

The name Mikellides is a Cypriot landmark. It is not unusual for GCs to jokingly or even in anger say to one another "you need to visit Mikellides" implying the other is nuts. In fact that very phrase was used on this forum some months back.

[Nikitas]

I am waiting for the other surprise, which will be posted on this thread. I am not saying now what it will be, but something tells me it will come.

[Oracle]

What kind of Psychiatry does he practice?

But I guess all three main schools could benefit the TCs.

Sort their Motherland fixation with a little Freud, correct their collective unconsciousness with some Jung, and derive benefits from some Gestalt towards accepting the concept of a unified whole being greater than the sum of its parts ....