Cyprus-Forum.com

[Colinos]

This is not a thread championing the Turks - no way!

I was talking to my fiancee's uncle, who is Greek Cypriot, did his time in the army etc, and has lived in England before recently moving back to Nicosia.

He was telling me how - in his opinion - there is a problem in Cyprus now, which is that the country has tried far to hard to import the mainland Greek culture as opposed to hanging on to its routs as an island of mixed dynasties and varied traditional culture. He suggested that, under UK occupation, Cyprus was in theory the happiest it's been because road infrastructure etc were built and no one would touch the island at all for fear of the repercussions!

What do other Cypriots think of this? Did the former commonwealth contries miss a trick by not forming an alegience similar to that of the EU when they could have, to look after each other and have trade etc, and form a major power alongside the Americans and Russians? Is Cyprus trying too hard to hang on to its Greekness that its Cyprus-ness (!!) is being lost?

I'd be interested to hear any viewpoints.

[GG]

Is Cyprus trying too hard to hang on to its Greekness that its Cyprus-ness (!!) is being lost?

Give me an example of this?

I think its 'Cyprus-ness' is indeed being lost but just generally lost not lost in favour of Greek-ness.

[Colinos]

Island traditions and lanaguage being replaced by those from mainland Greece.

Do you prefer Chi or tsai?!?!

[GG]

Island traditions and lanaguage being replaced by those from mainland Greece.

Do you prefer Chi or tsai?!?!

Yes but all traditions generally gradually die out, its just part of the world getting smaller and part of a multicultrual society which is what Cyprus is becoming daily.

As for the language, well Cypriot is not a language and cannot be taight in schools therefore will definitely die out. Some of the words Cypriots use on a daily basis cannot even be written because the Greek alphabet doesnt have the letters.

[Simon]

I agree with you GG. Cypriot is not a language, just a dialect of Greek. With globalisation, modernisation etc, the world is getting smaller and traditions unfortunately get lost. You can't blame this on anything to do with being Greek. Traditions die out and language has evolved all over the world.

What about the north Colinos, wouldn't you say that is 'too Turkish.' What about Cypriot traditions dying there? Heard about the latest Cypriot relics being smuggled out onto the black market?

[Sotos]

I agree. World is getting smaller. Languages and traditions of few people will disappear with globalization. This is not the case only with Cyprus. Cyprus dialect remained distinct because we were not connected to the rest of Greece and our dialect developed slower. Thats why it is closer to ancient Greek. But now with globalization everything changed. But we still say chai and not tsai

[EUropean666]

From my point of view;

cyprus has many differences with Greece, in terms of culture, way of doing business and etc. I have worked in cyprus and i noticed many differences. It was good that it business clients were happy to give me their mobile phone and talk about business while greex are ignorant.

this is good for cyprus coz there are many differences with greece. it has formed, in a sense, its own culture

[unique_earthling]

i believe Cyprus is more akin to the arabs, i read a book a long time ago where DNA was done and it was found that there was not any Greek DNA found... Cypriots are mainly very dark and swarthy, unlike true Greeks who are fair skinned and even blonde as in David, so many have occupied the island at different times, and certainly i would guess reproduced from coupling of various cultures that have ruled here, that its obvious to me that Greekness is in the mind and not in the DNA...

[unique_earthling]

now you can shoot me for being a heretic... same as in England they have been invaded by all and sundry, and are a mixture of saxons, celts, romans, picts etc, though the welsh seem to think they are the true british, but hey ho, maybe sheep are in there DNA.. sorry just joshing...

[NeverSayGoodbye]

i believe Cyprus is more akin to the arabs, i read a book a long time ago where DNA was done and it was found that there was not any Greek DNA found... Cypriots are mainly very dark and swarthy, unlike true Greeks who are fair skinned and even blonde as in David, so many have occupied the island at different times, and certainly i would guess reproduced from coupling of various cultures that have ruled here, that its obvious to me that Greekness is in the mind and not in the DNA...

Greeks are those who share a common culture and language rather than those who share a common bloodline.ISOKRATIS