Mr. Andreas is today 84 years old [in 2010]. He was not born or raised in a Turkish Cypriot or mixed village. He was born in Marathovounos, a village in Famagusta district, and stayed there until the age of twenty seven when he moved to Ayios Lukas, a village again located in Famagusta district. These two villages were surrounded by other villages that were mixed (like Vitsada and Yenagra) or immiscibly Turkish Cypriot (like Kornokipos and Chados).
When we asked him to recall those memories and moments in his life so many years ago we see that he adopts a very nostalgic visage. We clearly understand from the beginning that despite what happened then, this old man has many nice things to remember.
Q: How did Greek Cypriots behave to the Turkish Cypriots when they were coming to your village?
"The Turkish Cypriots of the nearby villages used to come to ours for commercial purposes. ….”
Q: How were things between the two communities during the period of the English occupation of the island?
Mr. Andreas’ face takes a slight change and we understand that what follows may not be so pleasant. During that period things took an unfavorable turn. “Unions among the Greek Cypriots on one hand, and Turkish Cypriots on the other started to pop out and suspiciousness started to grow between those participating in them. But simple, everyday people continued to mingle and cooperate with the Turkish Cypriots even during the convulsions of 1963-64 and afterwards.”
Q: Do you remember having a particularly friendly relationship with a Turkish Cypriot while you were young?
"Back then, we were working in the crofts. There were many Turkish Cypriots there. I remember playing together and having fun. For us, it didn’t make a difference to spend time either with a Greek Cypriot or a Turkish Cypriot"
"I’ll tell you about an incident I remember that made an enormous impression on me. Before 1955, I took part in the manifestation about the unification with Greece, and next to me there was a Turkish Cypriot, around the same age with me, who was exclaiming “unification with mother Greece” along with the Greek Cypriots. Although a progressional, it seemed odd to me. This event really struck me. I will never forget it."
Q: Do you remember gathering together with Turkish Cypriots in religious affairs or in any feasts in general?
"My village was not mixed, that is there weren’t any Turkish Cypriots. However, in other mixed villages, both Greek and Turkish Cypriots were celebrating many events together. Just like a Greek Cypriot was with a Greek Cypriot, the same was for a Turkish Cypriot with a Greek Cypriot. They were working together, were helping each other, were eating and drinking together, were having fun and were dancing together in Christenings and in weddings. We used to go in Turkish Cypriots’ Christenings and they were giving us “hona” (a Turkish treat). They used to come to the weddings of Greek Cypriots as well. We weren’t different from them and they were not different from us."
Q: If you had the opportunity to have a Turkish Cypriot friend or acquaintance, maybe in your place of work, would you mind?
It didn’t just happen to work or co-operate with a Turkish Cypriot. However, I always considered them as same, for me Greek and Turkish Cypriots were the same. I never said this one is Turk or something. And if I got the chance to co-operate or help a Turkish Cypriot, it wouldn’t make any difference to me; it would be like helping a Greek Cypriot. What is more, I would prefer to help the Turkish Cypriot because he was oppressed.
Q: Do you remember any specific incident which indicates this co-operation and even friendship between the people of the two communities?
. . . Another incident that made an impression on me took place during the second phase of the invasion in 1974. One of my brothers remained in the village along with some other people. One day, a group of Turkish Cypriot soldiers from Chados were asked by Turkish generals to gather the people of Marathovounos. They wanted to judge them and make them pay for the pillages they committed against the properties of Turkish Cypriots of Chados during the incidents of 1964.
"However, when the Turkish Cypriot soldiers saw who these people were, they said to the generals that they had captured the wrong people, because with these people they used to live, work, eat, and have fun together. One of them said: “These people are our brothers. They never hurt us.” Obviously, the nationalists, who probably did these pillages, had already abandoned the village. Also, one of the Turkish Cypriots secretly put a packet of cigarettes in the pocket of a captive. Finally, they convinced the Turkish generals to let them go and thus my brother and the others were spared."
DEMOGRAPHICS
Occupation: Pensioner
Age: 84
Sex: Male
How would you classify your ethnicity? Greek
Nationality: Cypriot
Where now lives (country and city/town): Larnaca, Cyprus
Where lived during the events described during the interview: Marathovounos, Famagusta
Family occupation: Carpenter
Interview conducted Fall 2010 by Alexia, Makis, and Marinos, University of Cyprus Department of English Studies