Cyprus-Forum.com

[brother]

The Turkish Cypriot who discovered his mother was Greek
By Jean Christou


A 45-YEAR-old Turkish Cypriot who went to secure a Cypriot ID card was shocked to discover that his 75-year old Turkish Cypriot mother was in fact a Greek Cypriot living incognito in the north for 50 years.

The story, published yesterday in Politis, came to light when Dogan Mustafa went to secure an ID card and found that the details he had on his mother did not match any official records.

When he returned to the north the same day he asked his mother why there had been no record of her on the Greek Cypriot side. He said by now he had realised that there was something in his mother’s past, but he told Politis he could hardly believe what he heard next: “My real my name is Vasiliki Charalambous. I am a Greek Cypriot.”

Vasiliki told him she had been born in Limassol but her parents died when she was ten. She was raised by her siblings and in the early fifties she had fallen in love with Mustafa’s father, even though her family were against the marriage.

She went ahead and married him in 1953 and was disowned. With no other option, she went to live in the north of the island, changing her name, her religion, erasing her past and her origins, and becoming a Turkish Cypriot to all intents and purposes. Her secret was kept by her husband’s relatives, who welcomed her to the family and from that day on she never again spoke of or with any of her own relatives

Mustafa said was in shock to learn that his mother had carried such a secret for so long, even though she had lost her husband only 10 years after they were married. He was killed by a Greek Cypriot during the intercommunal violence in 1963, leaving her with five children to raise alone. He said she was a typical Turkish Cypriot mother and he never heard her utter a word of Greek.

If the checkpoints had not been opened two years ago and Mustafa had not decided to obtain a Cyprus Republic passport, it is likely Vasiliki’s secret would have died with her. Now Mustafa is desperately trying to locate his Greek Cypriot relatives, although he fears he may fail because so many years have passed and he only has the names of his mother’s siblings, all in their eighties by now.

He said his own wife was delighted when she found out, and so were his Greek Cypriot friends.

[cannedmoose]

Just imagine if it was the other way round...

[brother]

Yep and the man in question was our one and only dear friend Piratis, i can only imagine his personal crisis.

[cannedmoose]

Yep and the man in question was our one and only dear friend Piratis, i can only imagine his personal crisis.

Ok, just pissed myself reading that... must have a shower

The horror... the horror...

[brother]

Just come out of the shower i pissed myself writing it, would that not be poetic justice.

[cannedmoose]

Just come out of the shower i pissed myself writing it, would that not be poetic justice.

I'm sure pirati will be delighted to have ruined your jeans brother...

[Piratis]

Don't worry, I know my family tree for many generations. Some others should worry about. Have any of you looked at any pictures of how real Mongolic Turks look like? Only Talat looks kinda original.

(that was a "retaliation" joke. Don't take it seriously )

[brother]

No probs. my friend i know you got a sense of humour, and i have seen many pictures of mongolic turks, you might be onto something there with talat.

[Bananiot]

Despite getting out of a potentially dificult situation by taking a recourse to a joke, Piratis has given enough hints in his three lines, of his horror should such a bizarre situation arise concerning his person. He should have said: So what, I will be still fighting for human rights for for all Cypriots. He chose to tell us not to worry. I think, he is the only one to worry in this case.

[Piratis]

Bananiot, what would you do if you discovered your mom is actually a guy?
If until today you were fighting for the rights of homosexuals, would such development change your beliefs?

Anyways, Bananiot doesn't seem to have a sense of humor. If my opinion was asked on this topic I would have gave it (and it is obvious really). However a joke was made on me instead, so I responded in a similar way.