From: eerginel@unix.amherst.edu (ERDEM ERGINEL)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.greek
Subject: Linovambakoi
Date: 23 Jan 93 21:14:14 GMT
Organization: Amherst College
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL7]


I guess this article would be pretty out-dated by now, considering how
fast topics change in soc.culture groups. Yet, I think this issue is
interesting and I have something to say.

The racial origins of the people of Cyprus, both Greek and Turkish, is 
very interesting issue. Being from the north, I was exposed to the
various origins of the people who call themselves Turkish Cypriots. I believe
similar stories can be found in the south as well. As some of the posters
explained before, it is impossible to find racially pure societies in the
Middle East and, in fact, there is no point in looking for such people.
So long as one believes one is Greek, Turkish, Arab etc. there is no reason
one should continue questioning this issue. However, leaving the political
implications aside, I think the origins of Cypriots is an appealing issue.

The geography of Cyprus obviously caused many peoples of the Mediterranean
basin to influence the demographic composition of the island. Cyprus' being
on the trade routes, plus several invasions must have brough all sorts
of different people to the island. The structure of the Ottoman rule on
the island probably had some implications that can be more easily traced
than the demographic changes of the Byzantine period.

It is no secret that being a muslim had many advantages under the Ottoman
rule. When the Ottomans took the island, many Christians, especially 
Catholic Venetians, saw that the only alternative to slavery was to accept
Islam and live as "Turks" on the island. This issue is of interest because
until the end of the British colonial period, the main differciating factor
between the Turks and the Greeks was the religion. In the eyes of the Greeks
of the island, anyone accepting Islam "turned Turk" and the Turkish Cypriots
believed that any muslim accepting christianity became a "gavur", a term
used to mean "Greek" (literally "without a faith"). Thus, I have met 
people in north Cyprus who can trace their family back not only to
Turkey, Iran and Egypt, but also to the Venetian and Lusignan families
that used to be in Cyprus.

One of the most curious cases of this ethnic confusion is that of the
village of Potamia (currently in the south). The inhabitants of this village
were almost entirely of French (Lusignan). After the Lusignan period ended
on the island some of the inhabitants "chose" to become Greeks. Yet after
the Ottoman conquest, some others preferred to become Turks. However, their
common ancestry always kept the "Turks" and "Greeks" of this village close
to eacy other. Throughout the centuries, Potamia was the only village where
intermarriages could occur without any problems. Even during the British
period the daughter of the Christian Priest was married to a Turk (Thus
she became a Turk). Also there were many people who would be proud of their
Turkishness but at the same time have Greek uncles. As a result of this
unclear border between the two communities, the inhabitants of Potamia
were not seen as "proper Greeks" by the general Greek Cypriot community and
the Turkish Cypriots were also suspicious of the Turkishness of the
Potamia Turks. (My ex-girl friend's family is from this village on her mother's
side, and it is interesting how western European they look, with blond hair
and blue eyes.) As a result of the close relations between the Turks
and the Greeks in this village, there was never a conflict even in the
"hottest" periods, and after 1974 the Turks of the village predominantly chose
to stay there, and today they constitute part of the Turkish population
of South Cyprus. (Yes, there are some political aspects of the question
of how they are being treated, but I won't get into it here.)

So, finally coming to the issue of Linovambakoi. First of all, I thought
they were called Linobambaki - close enough. As far as I know they were
only three villages in the Famagusta area. Everybody knew their story,
i.e. the fact that they pretended to be muslims, but they secretly 
practiced their Christian traditions. Thus by the general Turkish Cypriot
community they were not seen as "real Turks". These crypto-christians,
were not large in number, several hundred at most. As I mentioned their
story was known; they had accepted Islam in order to take advantage of
the Ottoman system, yet they were Christians at heart. Thus after the Ottoman
rule was over, nobody ever heard of them, and I believe they reverted back
to Christianity and took their positions in the Greek Cypriot community.
In short, I don't believe that there was a great number of Greeks who
converted to Islam and then became internal parts of the Turkish Cypriot
society. The claim that they constitute "the majority of the Turkish
CyhCypriots", as was claimed certain sources, especially the Greek Cypriot
churc, is far from truth.

There is also the flip side of the coin: There were many Turkish Cypriots
who converted into Christianity and thus became Greeks. This mainly happened
through the efforts of the church. The priests actively looked for isolated
Turkish Cypriot villages, especially during the British era, and built 
schools there and gave education to the local population. Much neglected by
the Ottoman authorities, these people were happy to accept the church's
services. Such education, eventually led to religious one, which, in case
of several villages resulted in the complete christianization of the villages.
A most notable example I saw, was this woman, orriginally from Paphos and
a very devout muslim, whose four brothers were Greeks. Although they
were all from the same parents, the brothers, through the efforts of the church
, had converted to Christianity and thus become Greeks. I believe they
still write to each other and send letters through the British people on the
island who can travel to both sides. I don't have information about the
langugage they use :-).

The issue of racial origins of Cypriots is a large one and can by now means
be covered in one article. Yet I believe that the issue is interesting
and there are many more examples than those I have written above. As the topic
comes up again, I will try to write more.

Regards,

Erdem Erginel

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E-mail : eerginel@amherst.edu