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depurple
Warnings : 1
Ministerial
Joined: 06 Dec 2005
Posts: 2880
Location: Australia
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The EOKA lips are sealed: They are like ostriches with their heads in the sand:
BUT believe me their FIRST AIM where the Communists and then the Turkish?Cypriots I know they killed my Uncle and left my Aunt with 6 children!
I don't know why they just don't come out and spill the beans BUT most of them sit back and say what have we done will others say we didn't kill enough!
Fanatics are all the same! Christens OR Muslims! |
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repulsewarrior
Ministerial
Joined: 06 Jan 2006
Posts: 2152
Location: a cypriot in canada
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History of Cyprus, really should go back to its origins, when it got its name from the Egyptians, several thousand years ago, a word which means copper.
Following this line, we can identify a culture which survived many occupations, and grew, even without a state to which it could identify. Let's consider that Cyprus's 'Greekness' stems from the fact that the language Greek was common to many cultures then, much like English today.
Lord Byron and his notions produced the modern Greece, which expanded to take Crete and Rhodes. In this context, it was natural for Greek speakers on the island to turn to Greece as an ally against the colonialistic injustice it suffered from Britain, even though many of the benefits included an organised bureaucracy and good government, the taxes collected and the policies which were introduced served the interests of a foreign power over the interests of Cypriots. This is not to say that Cypriots would have been better off, annexed to Greece, the eventual solution, clearly did not take into account the tensions which were produced by a constitution which was far too restrictive, and complex, for an assimilation into a modern state which was to be inclusive for all its citizenry.
Cyprus was supposed to be a shining example of the kind of world all Mankind wants to evolve to. It is the reason that to this day, from its inception in 1960, that it occupies the interest of the UN. We should take the time to describe its people from its origins, without limiting ourselves to contemporary history, Cold War onward, because that would serve to obscure the real issue, which is that Cypriots teeter on the brink of extinction, disposessed from their patrimony for the first time in all these millenia of survival under the rule of others. |
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The Cypriot
Senior Villager
Joined: 21 Feb 2006
Posts: 429
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| Following this line, we can identify a culture which survived many occupations, and grew, even without a state to which it could identify. Let's consider that Cyprus's 'Greekness' stems from the fact that the language Greek was common to many cultures then, much like English today. |
This is spot on, RW. Greek was the lingua franca of the eastern Mediterranean - the language of commerce and literature. Educated Romans spoke and wrote Greek, as did Jews. It's why, of course, the New Testament was written in Greek.
'Greek' Orthodox then became the religion of the region after the Roman Empire split between east and west.
Cyprus' 'Greekness' therefore is akin to, say, Portugal and Spain's 'Roman'-ness - in that their languages are Romance languages (ie. based on Latin) and their religion is 'Roman' Catholic. (However that doesn't make Spanish people Roman-Spaniards or worse still Italian-Spaniards).
I'd like to put forward the controversial idea that the language indigenous to Cyprus (based, on ancient Greek) is as distinct from Modern Greek as Spanish is to Italian.
More details at:
http://www.cypriotacademy.com/our_language.html |
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Bullika
Warnings : 1
Ministerial
Joined: 29 Sep 2005
Posts: 3025
Location: World
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| The Cypriot wrote: |
| Quote: |
| Following this line, we can identify a culture which survived many occupations, and grew, even without a state to which it could identify. Let's consider that Cyprus's 'Greekness' stems from the fact that the language Greek was common to many cultures then, much like English today. |
This is spot on, RW. Greek was the lingua franca of the eastern Mediterranean - the language of commerce and literature. Educated Romans spoke and wrote Greek, as did Jews. It's why, of course, the New Testament was written in Greek.
'Greek' Orthodox then became the religion of the region after the Roman Empire split between east and west.
Cyprus' 'Greekness' therefore is akin to, say, Portugal and Spain's 'Roman'-ness - in that their languages are Romance languages (ie. based on Latin) and their religion is 'Roman' Catholic. (However that doesn't make Spanish people Roman-Spaniards or worse still Italian-Spaniards).
I'd like to put forward the controversial idea that the language indigenous to Cyprus (based, on ancient Greek) is as distinct from Modern Greek as Spanish is to Italian.
More details at:
http://www.cypriotacademy.com/our_language.html |
I am in total agreement.  |
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The Cypriot
Senior Villager
Joined: 21 Feb 2006
Posts: 429
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It's good that we agree, Bullika. The Cypriot Academy's conclusions have been reached by taking a Pan-Cypriot view of history rather than looking at things from a 'Greek' or 'Turkish' perspective. For doing so only does the island's history - and therefore its people - an injustice.
My view is that were we to take a pan-Cypriot view of the future too, a genuine Cyprus solution would inevitably follow.
'Greek' Cypriots could start by objecting to being labelled by divisive and belittling identifiers that are ethnically, historically and politically incorrect.
'Turkish' Cypriots could then consider whether to follow suit. |
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De_La_Soul
Warnings : 3
Deputy
Joined: 01 Dec 2005
Posts: 1131
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bullshit...the Greekness in Cyprus stems from the fact that it was settled on by Mycaenean Greeks fleeing the Dorian Greek attacks on the mainland of Greece or settling on Cyprus after the Trojan war.
Of course Bullika is going to agree that Cyprus' Greekness stems from the fact that most of the eastern med spoke Greek...because Turks have been taught to discredit legimitimate Greek heritage in Cyprus, so as it try and prove that Enosis was wrong and give Turkey more of a hold on Cyprus because theres this STUPID notion going around that Cyprus was part of Turkey...like they have never heard of Empires and colonies before.
SHIT! Alexander the Greatr ruled the north western Indian peninsular....LETS INVADE AND CLAIM PAKISTAN! |
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Bullika
Warnings : 1
Ministerial
Joined: 29 Sep 2005
Posts: 3025
Location: World
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| De_La_Soul wrote: |
bullshit...the Greekness in Cyprus stems from the fact that it was settled on by Mycaenean Greeks fleeing the Dorian Greek attacks on the mainland of Greece or settling on Cyprus after the Trojan war.
Of course Bullika is going to agree that Cyprus' Greekness stems from the fact that most of the eastern med spoke Greek...because Turks have been taught to discredit legimitimate Greek heritage in Cyprus, so as it try and prove that Enosis was wrong and give Turkey more of a hold on Cyprus because theres this STUPID notion going around that Cyprus was part of Turkey...like they have never heard of Empires and colonies before.
SHIT! Alexander the Greatr ruled the north western Indian peninsular....LETS INVADE AND CLAIM PAKISTAN! |
You`re obviously not a history student Source! Think harder! Much harder! |
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De_La_Soul
Warnings : 3
Deputy
Joined: 01 Dec 2005
Posts: 1131
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| Great response! Im sure you thought long and hard to make such a debate. |
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Bullika
Warnings : 1
Ministerial
Joined: 29 Sep 2005
Posts: 3025
Location: World
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| De_La_Soul wrote: |
| Great response! Im sure you thought long and hard to make such a debate. |
You`re not worthy of any other response. |
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De_La_Soul
Warnings : 3
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Joined: 01 Dec 2005
Posts: 1131
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or maybe your too tired to surf the net to see if im right?
Its a common fact that Greek was vastly spoken language during the times of the Roman Empire...but its also a fact that the Turkish state continuously tries to deny Greek heritage in Cyprus. |
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Bullika
Warnings : 1
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Joined: 29 Sep 2005
Posts: 3025
Location: World
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| De_La_Soul wrote: |
or maybe your too tired to surf the net to see if im right?
Its a common fact that Greek was vastly spoken language during the times of the Roman Empire...but its also a fact that the Turkish state continuously tries to deny Greek heritage in Cyprus. |
Source, Dude, I am a linguist and historian. I studied at three universities, Kings, Leuven and UCL. I have written two thesis on the history of our region and have had access to archives in the British library, Venice, Paris and in Cyprus that is not open to everyone. I dont need to surf the net to form an argument against you, you can believe whatever you feel confortable with. im not going to lose any sleep over it. |
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De_La_Soul
Warnings : 3
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Joined: 01 Dec 2005
Posts: 1131
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| So Indiana Jones, are you saying my facts about the Greek Mycaanean settlement on Cyprus is wrong? |
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Bullika
Warnings : 1
Ministerial
Joined: 29 Sep 2005
Posts: 3025
Location: World
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Well this is what I think.
| Quote: |
| Its a common fact that Greek was vastly spoken language during the times of the Roman Empire... |
**CORRECT but it doesnt mean the Greek speakers were ethnically Greek. Greek was a lingua franca in the Near East used by many Nestorian Christians such as the Coptic Christians of Egypt who are not Greek but Egyptian. Maronites in Lebanon know Greek, as do some Iraqi Christians.
| Quote: |
| but its also a fact that the Turkish state continuously tries to deny Greek heritage in Cyprus. |
**NOT NECESSARILY, they use it for tourism purposes. Greek culture is very fashionable in Turkey now.
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De_La_Soul
Warnings : 3
Deputy
Joined: 01 Dec 2005
Posts: 1131
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| **CORRECT but it doesnt mean the Greek speakers were ethnically Greek |
Woo! Your really on top of your game! lol
No, if it meant that speaking Greek made people ethnically Greek...then I would start saying that most of the middle east was Greek. Most of Europe speaks English...but that doesnt make them Anglo Saxon.
Its widely recognised that Mycanean Greeks who were fleeing from the Dorian Greek tribe, took to their boats and fleed towards the east, settling on the western coast of Asia Minor and Cyprus. There were also many Greeks who settled on Cyprus on the way back from the Trojan war. This doesnt make them invaders either...because many of those areas were uninhabited and Cyprus had a small settlement already but around Kition in Larnaca. The rest of Cyprus was largely uninhabited. |
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Bullika
Warnings : 1
Ministerial
Joined: 29 Sep 2005
Posts: 3025
Location: World
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| De_La_Soul wrote: |
| Quote: |
| **CORRECT but it doesnt mean the Greek speakers were ethnically Greek |
Woo! Your really on top of your game! lol
No, if it meant that speaking Greek made people ethnically Greek...then I would start saying that most of the middle east was Greek. Most of Europe speaks English...but that doesnt make them Anglo Saxon.
Its widely recognised that Mycanean Greeks who were fleeing from the Dorian Greek tribe, took to their boats and fleed towards the east, settling on the western coast of Asia Minor and Cyprus. There were also many Greeks who settled on Cyprus on the way back from the Trojan war. This doesnt make them invaders either...because many of those areas were uninhabited and Cyprus had a small settlement already but around Kition in Larnaca. The rest of Cyprus was largely uninhabited. |
You misunderstood my point despite the fact that I made it so easy for you.  |
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