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History & Culture
History and Culture of Cyprus
History
Cyprus can boast a history of civilised life stretching back almost 9,000
years but for most Cypriots the events of the latter half of the 20th
century have more resonance and impact than the Phoenecians, Egyptians,
Romans and Ancient Greeks put together.
The relics of all the past inhabitants of Cyprus are liberally sprinkled
around. A stepping stone for empires, and of strategical import
for trading it was passed around by various invaders. The Myceneans
were the first notable culture to establish themselves here, and the Egyptians
arrived in 1500BC, staying for several centuries, and being joined by
colonies of Cretans and Phoenecians as well as a vast number of Greeks
in around 1200BC, who came fleeing the invading Dorians.
By
the 9th century BC Cyprus was already quite cosmopolitan, and had its
own god, an eastern influenced female deity who eventually became called
Aphrodite. Legend has it she came ashore on the island, born from
the waves, and the temples built in honour of the goddess, such as at
Kouklia counted among the world's foremost religious sites of the time.
The island was divided into city states, and although technically a province
of Egypt, the Cypriot kings had plenty of power. They joined forces with
first the Assyrians, who were defeated by Egypt, and then the Persians
who were victorious. Unfortunately for the Cypriot kings this didn't win
their freedom, but merely made them vassals of the Persian empire instead.
By the 5th century BC the island was being tussled over between the Persians
and the Greeks. Eventually Alexander the Great arrived, and kicked
everyone out. When he died most of Cyprus supported Ptolemy, and albeit
with a few skirmishes among the city states, he brought a period of great
cultural prosperity, based on Hellenic teachings, to the island. In 190BC
politics had descended into aggressive bickering among the sons of Ptolemy
over the line of succession.
Naturally it took the Romans to sort it all out once and for all,
and bring some relative stability to the affair. In 58BC the Empire imposed
its own particular brand of order on the island. It was to be seven centuries
before the European power fully withdrew, but in that time the island
enjoyed relative peace.
The Byzantines and Ottomans came to blows over Cyprus before it had its
first taste of British rule with Richard the Lionheart dropping
in on his way to the ill-advised Holy Crusade in 1191. It was a very brief
visit underpinned with brutality, and Richard sold his new possession
to the influential Knights Templar soon afterwards. The Knights Templar
might not have been the best rulers for the island, forcing their severe
brand of Catholicism on the country and banning the existing faith, but
they were shrewd money-makers who realised the island's trading potential
for the first time.
The
15th century brought the Venetians who built Nicosia's city walls.
However, the Ottomans were hot on their heels and by the mid-16th century had
established rule on the island. When the Ottomans' power began to fade
and eventually collapsed following World War One they handed over the
reins of power to Britain. By now the Cypriots were heartily sick of foreign
rule and began to clamour for change. With strong Hellenic links the majority
of the population wanted unification with Greece. The others, Turkish
in origin, were opposed. Civil unrest led to the formation of the Cypriot
Fighters, a guerilla group which began to attack the British occupying
forces.
Eventually Britain tired of the conflict and, metaphorically washing its
hands of the affair, handed independence to the Cypriots. New President
Makarios wasted no time in forging links with Greece, and by 1964 civil
war was a real threat only averted when the UN stepped in. By 1967 though
the military junta in Greece poured cold water on even the most fervent
supporter of unification.
In 1974 a flash Greek invasion replaced Makarios with a puppet president.
Turkey responded by invading the north of the island. Greece quickly withdrew,
but the Turks refused to relinquish the northern third proclaiming it
the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. The UN maintained its
presence in the country and refused to acknowledge the Turkish Republic,
as does the rest of the international community. The south of the country
once more became the Republic of Cyprus, but the Turkish occupation remains
a bitter pill. Tensions remained high and skirmishes along the border
occurred frequently, especially so as the UN scaled down its peace-keeping
role in the territory.
In the late 1990s Cyprus began the process of accession to the EU which
it achieved on May 1st, 2004. Prior to the attainment of full membership
the country voted on a settlement between the two halves of the island.
While the Greek Cypriots were strongly opposed to unification, the majority
of Turkish Cypriots were in favour, even though for many it meant giving
up homes and livelihoods that they'd built up over many decades. President
Papadopoulos has promised to pursue a settlement over the coming years,
and is keen to assure Turkish Cypriots that the benefits of accession
to the EU will be available for all Cypriots regardless of their roots.
Culture
Cyprus's traditional culture has been somewhat diluted by the vast numbers
of European tourists that flock here year on year. Similarly to the Spanish
Costas and the Balearics, parts of the island have been usurped (at least
seasonally) by other European nations, most notably the resort of Aiya
Napa which for several months each year is thoroughly Anglicised
by hordes of British tourists.
But
the island is working hard to preserve its own character. Its wealth of
history shouldn't be ignored, and shows Roman and classical influences.
The over-riding culture though is Greek in origin and shares many
features of that nation. Consequently you'll find that Cypriot culture
is rather machismo. Traditional gender roles are borne out in male/female
relations. Young men are often show-offs who attempt to impress tourists
and each other with their activities.
The society is firmly rooted in religion, in this case Greek Orthodox,
and you'll find that the basic tenets of hospitality and mutual respect
are adhered to in private life as much as in the religious sphere. Although
tourism has changed much of the island's character, certain parts of it
are still traditionally archaic farming or fishing communities that exist
as they have done for centuries.
Do's and Don'ts
Don't feel obliged to tip if you're dining where the 10% service charge (levied at hotels and restaurants) has already been included in the bill. Otherwise, service operators such as taxi drivers and porters will definitely appreciate a small tip.
Don't let the variable place names confuse you: the government
has introduced official versions of place names based on Latin characters,
but old habits die hard: most places are known by both old and new
names, and even road signs can be inconsistent. To help you out,
here are the official names, followed by the old (and generally
better known) names:
Lefkosia = Nicosia
Larnaka = Larnaca
Lemessos = Limassol
Pafos = Paphos
Agia Napa = Ayia Napa
Do try a few words of Greek: although English is widely spoken as a second language, especially in tourist areas, the use of even a few words of Greek is warmly welcomed. Try kali mera for "good day" and efharisto for "thank you".
Do dress modestly in the churches and monasteries of Cyprus: avoid shorts and sleeveless tops.
Don't take photographs or otherwise linger near military facilities. Signs usually indicate where photography is not allowed, but common sense also comes in very handy. If in doubt: don't.
