Open Lecture: Milk and Honey: The Hidden Stories of Friendship Between Greek and Turkish Cypriots

Location: Mezzanine Level, The Greek Centre, 168 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne 
Date: THURSDAY 31/5/2018 @ 7:00pm
Presenter: Stephanie Elisabeth Jacobs

Language of Presentation: English | R.M.L.G.*: 0 (No knowledge of Greek Required).
Entry: FREE

Synopsis

An ethnographical and intercultural exploration of the personal and community-level relationships that once existed in the mixed villages of Cyprus shows that, in the 1930s to 1950s, before nationalism and conflict, Greek Cypriots (Christians) and Turkish Cypriots (Muslims) lived peacefully together. On a personal level, strong intercultural practices and traditions, including intermarriages, koumbaroi, milk mothers, and deep friendships existed within many former mixed villages of Cyprus.
Evidence of strong community-level relations included people speaking each other’s language, attending each other’s schools, working together, sharing in each other’s celebrations and entering the religious house of the ‘other’: all of which paint a picture of a once harmonious and integrated society. Many genuine friendships existed and, in many respects, the two groups lived as a single community. Deep connections with the ‘other’ have persisted through decades of conflict, nationalism, propaganda, war and displacement.

Bio

Sponsors

We thank this lecture's donor: In mem of. H. and M. Asproftas.

During the course of the year considerable expenses are incurred in staging the seminars. In order to mitigate these costs individuals or organisations are invited to donate against a lecture of their choice. 

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