Cyprus-Forum.com

[boklu]

The fact is a substantial number of today’s Muslim Turkish Cypriots have a Christian past, and are partly descended from those Venetian, Genovese and French families that had estates on the island who proselytised to Sunni Islam.

Read about it
http://www.toplumpostasi.net/index.php/ ... /Ana_sayfa

[Sotos]

Interesting article boklu. Is it yours?

[Issy1956]

Very interesting article. Thank you for posting it. Being originally from one of those villages mentioned I have oftened wondered why our elders spoke only Greek. It would seem that some of us might be more accurately described as Islamic Cypriots rather than Turkish Cypriots. I wonder if some of the more extreme GC's would still want to pack us all back to Turkey if they could after reading this article or can we stay now that we can show that our forefathers were in Cyprus in 1571?

[Sotos]

Come on brother Issy don't take those few GCs seriously

[saravakos]

we only want the settlers to pack their bags

[Issy1956]

Sotos,
I was only joking. I know that the vast majority of GC are very reasonable people. Unfortunately it is the extremists on either side that poison it for us all.
Interestingly these conversions were not one way. I am told that I have a few GC relatives resulting from a conversion (reconversion?) back to the orthrodox faith. I also have a few GC friends who tell me that one of their grandparents was originally a muslim who in order to marry a christian converted to the orthrodox faith so things are not as clear cut as some people think. I wonder how common this was. Wouldnt it be funny if some of these extremist on either side found out that one of their grand parents was from the other side as it were?

[andri_cy]

Yes it would be hilarious

[Antreis]

Interesting article which is very close to reality.