Cyprus-Forum.com

[Swashbuckler]

Hi Natty,

I dont deny anyone anything re their culture.

However, the topic of this thread is "Being a Cypriot is an Honor, Pride & Privilege!". Sourol wrote that "we are more greek than anything else".

I'm honoured, proud and privileged to be a Cypriot. But I'm not Greek at all. Not a bit. So although I'm a Cypriot maybe, by other Cypriots' criteria, they consider me not to be.

The root of the CyProb perhaps.

And possibly the reason why many of those Cypriots not "more greek than anything else" look to Turkey rather than look "more greek" Cypriots as natural compatriots.

(PS I'm honoured, proud and privileged to be a pedant as well ).

[michalis5354]

Greekness is only on the mind!

[andri_cy]

I do not believe Greekness is only in the mind. I do not believe I should have to tell my daughter when she is growing that is only American as she is also Cypriot. Maybe my husband should tell me Cypriotness is only in the mind and force me not to teach her anything about her heritage on my side, like the language or the history. I believe to know where we are going we need to know where we are coming from. I am not Greek. I am a Cypriot that is Greek. If I dont accept that and accept the Cypriot that is Turkish for what he/she is then we are doing something wrong. Saying you are not in any way shape or form Greek or Turkish is as bad as saying you are Greek or Turkish above all. We have Greek elements in our culture and I believe we also have Turkish elements. If we throw those away we are throwing away our identity and that doesnt solve anyone's problem.

[Natty]

We have Greek elements in our culture and I believe we also have Turkish elements. If we throw those away we are throwing away our identity and that doesnt solve anyone's problem

I completely agree Andri! My identity is a fusion of Greek and Cypriot, something that I am very proud of! With this identity I have many things in common with other Greeks all over the world, and with my Turkish Cypriot compatriots....As far as I can tell, the Turkish culture and the Greek culture is quite similar anyway, both throughout the ages influencing each other, so lets carry on influencing each other instead of fighting each other, come on, us Cypriots, when Greeks and Turks were fighting each other and exchanging populations in modern day Greece and Turkey, were living quite peacefully together, all over Cyprus! Something I believe we can do again!

Hi Swashbuckler, I respect your views, and if you feel that you are Cypriot and Cypriot alone than that's your complete right....

I guess what I'm trying to say is, if you take out all the Greek influences in the Greek Cypriot identity, all the similarities we have with other 'Greeks', than what are you left with? (not that you wouldn't be left with anything...that's what I'm trying to say, that it's a fusion of things...) and the same can be said for Turkish....I'm not saying that I am a Greek living in Cyprus, I'm saying that I am a Greek Cypriot living in Cyprus (even though I live in England... ) Okay let me rephrase that, I am a British Greek Cypriot, occasionally living in Cyprus...

I hope I'm making some sort of sense...

Basically I am a proud Greek Cypriot, Cypriot Greek, Cypriot and Greek, Greek and Cypriot...and just because I am doesn't mean that I don't want to live in peace with my fellow Turkish Cypriots compatriots, and that I don't respect them....In Cyprus we should embrace our differences as well as our similarities, and may I say I don't think our differences are that much 'different' anyway....

I see my Cypriot identity as a big fat spider, with it's body being Cypriot, and it's few legs being the differences we have, religion, language, etc...My spider could live if it lost a bit of weight, or if a few of it's legs break off, but you know what? It doesn't want to, it's not what it's used to...not the norm, plus he would be way more comfortable whole! (I'm feeling a bit like a primary school teacher at the moment... )

Got a tad bit 'deep' there...

Anyway, as always, Peace!

[Ascot]

We have Greek elements in our culture and I believe we also have Turkish elements. If we throw those away we are throwing away our identity and that doesnt solve anyone's problem

I completely agree Andri! My identity is a fusion of Greek and Cypriot, something that I am very proud of! With this identity I have many things in common with other Greeks all over the world, and with my Turkish Cypriot compatriots....As far as I can tell, the Turkish culture and the Greek culture is quite similar anyway, both throughout the ages influencing each other, so lets carry on influencing each other instead of fighting each other, come on, us Cypriots, when Greeks and Turks were fighting each other and exchanging populations in modern day Greece and Turkey, were living quite peacefully together, all over Cyprus! Something I believe we can do again!

Hi Swashbuckler, I respect your views, and if you feel that you are Cypriot and Cypriot alone than that's your complete right....

I guess what I'm trying to say is, if you take out all the Greek influences in the Greek Cypriot identity, all the similarities we have with other 'Greeks', than what are you left with? (not that you wouldn't be left with anything...that's what I'm trying to say, that it's a fusion of things...) and the same can be said for Turkish....I'm not saying that I am a Greek living in Cyprus, I'm saying that I am a Greek Cypriot living in Cyprus (even though I live in England... ) Okay let me rephrase that, I am a British Greek Cypriot, occasionally living in Cyprus...

I hope I'm making some sort of sense...

Basically I am a proud Greek Cypriot, Cypriot Greek, Cypriot and Greek, Greek and Cypriot...and just because I am doesn't mean that I don't want to live in peace with my fellow Turkish Cypriots compatriots, and that I don't respect them....In Cyprus we should embrace our differences as well as our similarities, and may I say I don't think our differences are that much 'different' anyway....

I see my Cypriot identity as a big fat spider, with it's body being Cypriot, and it's few legs being the differences we have, religion, language, etc...My spider could live if it lost a bit of weight, or if a few of it's legs break off, but you know what? It doesn't want to, it's not what it's used to...not the norm, plus he would be way more comfortable whole! (I'm feeling a bit like a primary school teacher at the moment... )

Got a tad bit 'deep' there...

Anyway, as always, Peace!

Hello Natty,


The term "Greek Cypriot" was forwarded and adopted by right wing parties on Cyprus that the wanted adamantly "Union with Greece" "Enosis"

"Greek....Cypriot" in other words you are Greek but living in Cyprus so you should demand "ENOSIS with Greece"

The other point i like to make is:

By describing your self as Greek Cypriot you are really discriminated, by telling them (anyone) that you are not Full Blood Greek but some thing in between a Cross. "bastard Greek or something"

Simply you are Cypriot! If someone wants to go one step further then you can say from a Greek decent!

[miltiades]

I'm a Cypriot above all else. My" Greekness " is also Cypriot . The Greeks of Greece are a separate race of people . We learn from an early age the Greek language just as the Australians learn the English language. We have undoubtedly distinct characteristics that put us apart from the Greeks of Greece. The T/Cs have much in common with us than they have with Turkey , and the same applies to us.
We will never reject our historical ties stretching back thousands of years , neither is any one suggesting such an action, but we have to accept that the demographics of Cyprus are changing very fast and its a matter of time before the Brits along with the Eastern Europeans living in Cyprus will become a large minority , as large as our T/C compatriots. Only the Cyprus identity will keep our society free from future conflict .What is the matter with the rejectionists of the Cypriot identity , can they not see that in less than 50 years the Greek Cypriot majority will stand at lower figures that currently Only a Cypriot identity will preserve our island for future generations of Cypriots.

[MARIKKOU]

I'm a Cypriot above all else. My" Greekness " is also Cypriot . The Greeks of Greece are a separate race of people . We learn from an early age the Greek language just as the Australians learn the English language. We have undoubtedly distinct characteristics that put us apart from the Greeks of Greece. The T/Cs have much in common with us than they have with Turkey , and the same applies to us.
We will never reject our historical ties stretching back thousands of years , neither is any one suggesting such an action, but we have to accept that the demographics of Cyprus are changing very fast and its a matter of time before the Brits along with the Eastern Europeans living in Cyprus will become a large minority , as large as our T/C compatriots. Only the Cyprus identity will keep our society free from future conflict .What is the matter with the rejectionists of the Cypriot identity , can they not see that in less than 50 years the Greek Cypriot majority will stand at lower figures that currently Only a Cypriot identity will preserve our island for future generations of Cypriots.

Thank God ...

THE CYPRIOTS ARE STANDING TALL AT LAST!


Miltiade you are welcome to come for coffee in my place anytime

[Natty]

I'm a Cypriot above all else. My" Greekness " is also Cypriot

Hi Miltiades! I agree!! Oh and welcome back!!

[Biker]

...so lets carry on influencing each other instead of fighting each other, come on, us Cypriots, when Greeks and Turks were fighting each other and exchanging populations in modern day Greece and Turkey, were living quite peacefully together, all over Cyprus! Something I believe we can do again!

But at the time Cyprus was a British colony....

[Mickleham]

...so lets carry on influencing each other instead of fighting each other, come on, us Cypriots, when Greeks and Turks were fighting each other and exchanging populations in modern day Greece and Turkey, were living quite peacefully together, all over Cyprus! Something I believe we can do again!

But at the time Cyprus was a British colony....

It is another story!

No one knows what would have been today (our luck) should we had remained a british colony for a few years more.