Immigration Learn about life in Cyprus: On this small and affluent island, the local customs are extremely simple and honest. Cypriots are sociable, treat others with sincerity and generosity, and do not stand on ceremony. As long as they show you goodwill, they will treat you like an old friend immediately; there is no need to be overly modest, otherwise, it may cause displeasure to the other party.
They are particularly enthusiastic toward visitors. Sometimes when you are drinking in a tavern, a stranger might pay for your drink, then smile and wave goodbye. If a Cypriot invites you to a meal, it is best not to refuse unless there is a special reason.
There is a saying on the island: "It is impolite to leave before the coffee has cooled."
Cypriots eat black bread, olives, and yogurt daily, sometimes supplemented with cheese, tomatoes, and cucumbers. The main seasonings are olive oil and herbs, and meat is only consumed on Sundays, holidays, and at banquets. A banquet for guests has a special name: "Meze," which consists of twenty to thirty dishes.
Wine and coffee are common beverages for Cypriots. Regarding street culture in Cyprus, while there are many modern residences in large cities, people in rural areas still live in traditional homes. Rural architecture has hardly changed compared to dwellings from the late Neolithic period.
Houses are generally built with adobe, stone, and ordinary timber, and roofs are mostly flat to allow for drying agricultural products and sleeping. A house typically has three rooms: one for dining and sleeping, one as a storage room, and another for keeping livestock. In the middle of the house is a patio, and under the grape trellis in the yard, there is a well, a beehive-shaped earthen stove, and an outdoor toilet. The yard is surrounded by lemon trees, and not far from the residence are the family's own fields, making the farmhouse appear exceptionally quiet and beautiful.
Cypriot marriage has long-standing traditions. When courting, a young man must sing a "hundred-line love song" to the young woman. The lyrics are very long, and the young man must be proficient in the lyrics and sing them beautifully to touch the girl's heart. The wedding day must be chosen on the first Sunday after the full moon.
The most distinctive part of the wedding is the mattress-stuffing ceremony, where 7-9 married young women sit on straw mats and sew the mattress with red thread to the accompaniment of a band. After it is sewn, the master of ceremonies brings in a beautiful little boy, wraps him in the new mattress, and turns him in all directions to wish the newlyweds an early birth of a child. When the mattress is placed on the bed, an open pair of scissors is placed underneath to ward off evil and slander. The wedding ceremony is held in a church, and the newlyweds ride horses accompanied by relatives and friends from their respective villages to the church, while people scatter cotton seeds, beans, and small copper coins at them, wishing them happiness and fulfillment. The priest prays for them, and the couple exchanges rings and receives blessings.
On the third day of the wedding, people dance and celebrate together, bringing the wedding to a climax. Newlyweds generally live in the house provided as the bride's dowry and do not live with their parents.
For Cypriots, a daughter's marriage is a very important matter, and it is customary to provide one or more new residences. If the parents cannot afford the dowry, the daughter may never get married.
The most important and popular arts in Cyprus are music and dance, with many songs retaining many primitive forms of ancient Greece. At wedding dances, men dance vividly and powerfully, while women's movements are gentle and delicate.
Turkish-Cypriot dances are more common, and the "Karsilamas" dance is a household name. Both its steps and movements reflect the style of Turkish dance. However, there is also a strong Greek influence in narrative song and dance.
Cyprus has many holidays, including national ones as well as those specific to the Greek and Turkish communities.
For example, New Year's Day is a holiday shared by all.
The Epiphany on January 6th is a holiday for the Greek community. On this day, farmers place bowls of water and plates full of seeds on the table, ask a priest to chant scriptures, and then wrap the seeds up to be planted during the sowing season, believing this will lead to a bumper harvest.
The Fire-Jumping Festival on June 23rd is also a holiday for the Greek community. In the evening, people light bonfires in their yards and dance barefoot, singing as they jump over the fire: "Fleas begone, bedbugs perish, Saint John will kill and drive away all pests."
Legend has it that Saint John is the messenger of fire and light, and it is believed that the Fire-Jumping Festival can ward off evil and disasters, ensuring peace throughout the year. The Turkish community follows Islam, so they observe holidays such as Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha according to the Hijri calendar.
In addition, there are local festivals, such as the Orange Festival in Famagusta, the Carnival and Wine Festival in Limassol, and the Flower Festival in Paphos.
Due to the strict restrictions of their respective religious doctrines, the Greek and Turkish communities maintain their own national characteristics and do not intermarry or assimilate.
The Greek community speaks Greek and follows the norms of the Greek Orthodox Church; the Turkish community speaks Turkish and maintains Muslim customs.
Despite this, the two communities have lived intermingled for hundreds of years, coexisting harmoniously, with Christian churches and Islamic mosques standing side by side, never having experienced serious religious conflict.
Until the 1950s, they even fought side by side to resist colonialism together.
However, since the late 1950s, under the instigation and incitement of imperialist colonial policies, the two communities have clashed and turned against each other for their respective national interests, leading to the current de facto north-south division and the Cyprus problem in international politics.
