Traditions and Customs

Cyprus is a divided country and everything revolves around the split called the Green Line. The northern part follows Turkish and Sunni Muslim beliefs and culture while the south is Greek and Christian Orthodox. The religion, culture, clothes and food show the divide clearly. With the great diversity in food, there are certain dishes that you will find throughout Cyprus such as kleftiko [oven-baked lamb] and mezedes [dips, salads and other appetizers].

Cyprus has a long and proud history that goes back more than 9000 thousand years. The island has seen many rules and wards over the centuries. Today Cypriots concern themselves more with the upliftment of the present day. The north is re-creating them, becoming totally Turkish, and becoming part of the Turkish way of life, while the Republic is asserting its own identity as well.

Tradition and cultural continuation is very important to the Cypriots, both the north and the south. They have special ceremonies and feast days for weddings, birth of a child, when a child starts school and when a child becomes of age. The serving and sharing of food is very important in the Cypriot culture and this is a part of their heritage that they still practice today; their warmth and hospitality that they show their guests,and the importance and age of a guest being upheld.

Cypriot folk art has been upheld throughout the centuries, and in many of the villages today you will find that the traditional handcrafts are practiced for family homes as well as a lucrative income for the people who create beautiful items of high quality.Some villages specialize in specific artwork. Visitors can buy quality wares such as pottery, silver and copperware, basket weaving and tapestries as they travel through Cyprus. Lefkara is famous worldwide for the lacework produced there.

Cyprus has a multitude of festivals taken from the different parts of their history and they uphold these festivals yearly with great enthusiasm, festivals with a Christian origin as well as festivals with their roots in mythology.