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Hello
We are at the local council of Vyzakia
speaking with mrs Tsiali
Would you like to tell us the history of the village's naming?
In the old days.. There was a river called 'Elia'
where rocks, the so-called 'Vyzajies' would surface on its banks
and these rocks were used by the locals for building houses
and for this reason the village was called 'Vyzajia'
Is there a version that is connected with the female breast (vyzakia)?
Not at all
..its a little bit...
The first thing we'd like to ask you
to tell us how you pronounce the name of your village
Vy-za-kia
Why did they call it that?
There were a lot of ***!
Lots of ***!
*** like the ones on my shirt?
Yes like this!
We would like to know if there is any confusion
related to the name of your village?
How do you pronounce it?
It is pronounced both 'Vyzakia' and 'Vyzajia'
which version do the locals use?
the older ones prefer Vyzajia
the younger ones prefer Vyzakia
Would you like to tell us how your village's name came about?
I think it comes from the abundance of rocks in the area
Big rocks, like boulders
This is what most people say
Others claim it comes from the fact that women in this area have big ***
Would it be better if the village name was spelled with 'T-Z' on the roadsigns?
Surely.
This way we wouldn't lose the original naming
because after the older generations are gone
the younger generations won't use it at all
and we lose the "JE" from our language
Do you consider then that in 30 or 50 years time
the Cypriot version of the village name might become extinct?
Perhaps, yes.
Thank you
You're welcome.
Bilingualism in Cyprus presented an unprecedented, a-la-carte ideological conflict
Historically, the Cypriot linguistic version engulfed
forms and shapes from other languages
During the 20s, 30s and 40s
which can be characterised as crucial decades in terms of shaping the Cypriot language
there is a prevalence of modernism elements
which will inevitably lead to
the formation of nationalism during the 50s
The riotous 50s and the anti-colonialism battle
which drove the formation of the current republic of Cyprus was
the time which would define the conceptual elements
of the Cypriot language
Nationalism is a way to answer the question of
what connects all these people who inhabit
the borders of this kingdom?
This is the concept of the nation.
When this idea - which completes the sovereign of the state -
expands, it will reach the Balkans in a roundabout way
and reach us since we are a colony
When it reaches us, who are part a colony
it contains a new contradiction
It strives to modernise us against the colonialist oppressor, colonialist power, colonialist governor
while at the same time it contains within it
the notion of the indigenous
you are not worthy
The indigenisation of a population
transforms the Cypriots to indigenous people
unworthy of culture
...with what they have so far...
that need to become civilised
This means
that the language of the Cypriots - this is where language comes into it -
is just peasant speak
Thus, let us consider this double faceted aspect of colonial nationalism
which on one hand expresses a servile identification with the colonial master
- you want to become 'white' -
let me put it this way
whilst at the same time, it offers you an avenue in which to question this same authority
So you question the English authorities but simultaneously
feel that you as a Cypriot are of no value and thus want to associate with either the Greeks or the Turkish
hence your local language becomes inadequate
- but you insist on its existence.
This creates a kind of vacuum
that may lead to the complete disappearance
of the Cypriot dialect and culture
an unlikely possibility
but a possibility nonetheless
This version asserts that if one wants to be acknowledged as a member of this emerging new world society
one needs to become 'white'
One needs to become 'European'
During the 1920's, a clash between
an imported and a local modernism
can be observed
This is easily discernible in poetry
The local population develops an underground
even suppressed kind of modernism of their own
In Cyprus this is expressed initially, I would say,
through Vasilis Michaelides
The guy is obsessed with Greece
He has issues, let's just say he has issues
While all this culture - which we can view today from a contemporary post-modern perspective -
is pushed to the side to create Greeks, Turks, English
we are left with the others.
Vasilis Michaelides decides to write in Cypriot
whilst he could've been writing in Greek
There's a lot to be said about Vasilis Michaelides,
we are talking about a person who writes a national epic poem
for the Greek Cypriots
and includes a Turkish Cypriot positive character
in one of the first verses
Gradually, the Cypriot language instead of becoming extinct
insists on surviving.
Because Cypriot was the instrument used by people on a daily basis
people could create with it
By using a language that you incorporate
which has nothing to do with your everyday life
you can not create
For example when my father went outdoors and observed a gray sky
covering everything, from the rock of Limnitis to Nicosia, and it would be raining
he would say this waters are 'allworldly'
Which means?
It's raining all over the world!
Or, for example from Vasilis Michaelides
Lightning in the East
Thunder in the West
'Lowrumble' at the rock of Limniti
'Lowrumble'...
This word does not exist in any dictionary
nor did anyone make the effort to study the creativity
of the people who wrote these
there are no positions in universities for these people
Monsieur Doumani are a contemporary Cypriot band
formed in 2012, and in 2013
released their first record
'Grippy Grappa'
Something that is very interesting about your work
and I personally think so too
is that it is in Cypriot
you cover Cypriot folk songs
as well as compose your own
which are all in Cypriot
by definition, it is a music record addressed
to a Cypriot speaking audience
By the way, we forgot to ask you
should we speak in Greek or Cypriot now?
Anything you like
In your search for Cypriot songs to cover
what kind of challenges where you faced with? As musicians?
It was our goal from the beginning
to get involved with Cypriot music
this is what we wanted to do
and not only in terms of covering
Cypriot folk music
but also to compose
new Cypriot music
which would be based upon the traditional
and use some elements from it
musical or otherwise
drawn from Cypriot folklore
and attempt to move it forward
to take it a step further
that was the general idea.
How easy would you say it is for a Cypriot musician
who composes and performs in Greek or English
something we often see in Cypriot bands
to write anew lyrics in Cypriot?
I think it is easy
it is a lot easier than you would think
It's just that, for some reason
I'm not sure why exactly - maybe it needs an anthropological analysis -
and even now that we are conversing in Greek
it's this schizophrenia let's say
growing up, going to school we are taught in Greek
when we attempt to speak in a formal manner
we revert to Greek
take this interview for example...
There is something within...
Yes, it is something like acting, there is a staginess to
trying to express yourself in Greek
while in reality
our true means of expression
is in Cypriot
Do you believe that the interference
of Greek language in public speaking
either in politicians speeches
or in the media
creates some kind of confusion to the people?
As in to any active member of society...
Look. It creates...
...I don't think it creates confusion.
What it creates is
an issue of ease
Individuals that do not have
the experience and a good command of the Greek language
are often uneasy when it comes
to public speaking
In the public educational curriculum
we adopted practices
which aim to allow students
to easily transition from one version of Greek to the other
without experiencing any difficulties in expressing themselves in Greek
and without feeling ashamed to express themselves in Cypriot
This approach was misunderstood
by some
who carry with them the old nationalism
and I know that
they have expressed this in the media
and the minister has been approached
as well as the archbishop
To try and convince them that behind this educational practice
there was a hidden intention by the government
to slip the Cypriot dialect 'under the door', as an official language
In reality though, in any school classroom
while the teacher teaches in Greek
to the children
doesn't the Cypriot dialect slip 'under the door' anyway?
Yes, but of course - look
- yes, exactly,
I would like to state in the most official way
that there never was such an intention
The aim of the curriculum
was the good command of Greek
and the ease in transitioning from one version to the other
to the extent that the Cypriot dialect
is still used by many people everyday
Let me give you an example from my grandson
He is 4 years old now and when he started speaking
he was more influenced by us
who converse in Greek
As he started spending more time with his other grandparents
he has started speaking in Cypriot
What is notable is that he uses both words side by side
to be sure that he will be understood
He might tell you for example
"what is this (Cypriot) this (Greek)?"
He understands one thing, others understand another
he uses them side by side
We don't want these kind of phenomena