CYPRIOT CULTURE:

The culture of Cyprus is divided between the northern Turkish and the southern Greek
sections of the country.

Language:

The official languages of the Republic of Cyprus are Greek and Turkish. In the North of
Cyprus, the only language that was made official by the 1983 constitution is Turkish. The
vernacular language (the everyday spoken language) of the majority of the population is
Cypriot Greek and that of Turkish Cypriots is Cypriot Turkish.

Religion:

The two communities have distinct religions and religious cultures, the majority of Greek
Cypriots are Greek Orthodox, around 78% of the total population belong to the Greek
Orthodox Church of Cyprus, and most Turkish Cypriots (18%) are Sunni Muslim. There are
also other minorities as the Maronites and the Armenian Apostolics, Jewish and Roman
Catholics (about 4%). Greek Cypriots have influences from Greece and Christianity, while
Turkish Cypriots have influences from Turkey and Islam.

/There are many Churches in each town and village and each one is devoted to a different
Saint or the Virgin Mary. During the festivities (Christmas, Easter, Weddings, christenings,
funerals or on Sundays) people attend Church./

Food:

Cypriot cuisine is one of the most diverse in the world. Due to cultural exchanges, Greek
Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots have a lot in common in their culture, but also have
differences. Several traditional foods, such as souvla and halloumi, are similar. In both
communities, hospitality and buying or offering food and drinks for guests or others are
common. Cypriot food is very healthy because it is made of olives, olive oil, fresh fruits and
vegetables.

Music:

The traditional folk music of Cyprus has several common elements with Greek, Turkish, and
Arabic Music, which have descended from Byzantine music, including Greek Cypriot and
Turkish Cypriot dances. At traditional feasts and celebrations, a form of musical poetry
(chattista) is performed. The violin, lute, accordion, Cyprus flute, oud, kanonaki, and
percussions are the instruments commonly associated with Cyprus folk music.
Popular music in Cyprus is generally influenced by the Greek Laïka scene.

Literature:
The Cypriot literature is found primarily in Greek, Turkish, and English. One of the first
major pieces composed was an epic poem called Cypria back in the 7th century BC. The
Cypria is one of the very first specimens of Greek poetry. During the Middle Ages, epic
poetry, notably the “acritic songs” flourished. There is an increasingly strong presence of both
temporary and permanent emigre Cypriot writers in world literature, as well as writings by
second and third -generation Cypriot writers born or raised abroad, often writing in English.
Literary traditions are strong on the island itself. ?

Art:

 Folk Art ?

 There is a well-known traditional art that dates from the 14th century: the Lefkara
Lace, it is recognized as a cultural heritage by Unesco. It is characterized by distinct
design patters and its intricate time-consuming production process. It can take
hundreds of hours to be made that why the prices are usually quite high.

Sport :

The most popular sport in Cyprus is football, but there are many other sports practiced by the
Cypriots, as basketball which is also quite popular, Tennis, which receive more attention
recently thanks to Marcos Baghdatis' success. He is the most popular athlete in Cyprus.

Olympic games : The country also participate in the Olympic Games, Cyprus has sent
athletes to every summer or winter Olympic games held since 1980. The country’s first
Olympic medal, a silver medal, was won on 2012 by Sailor Pavlos Kontides, he was
competing in the men's Laser class sailing event.

Cyprus Rally : There is also a rallying competition organized every year since 1970 in Cyprus
: the Cyprus Rally. It is run on the winding gravel roads of the nearby mountains of Troödos.

Some traditions and customs :

· In Cyprus, there is an old-time Greek tradition: the smashing of plates. We can find
this tradition at weddings, parties, and celebrations. Plates are thrown to the floor and
smashed while people are singing and dancing. Previous to the plates, knives were
thrown towards the feet of performing artists on stage, to signify respect to the artist
and enjoyment of their performance but because of the mishaps and injuries, the
practice died out. We can still find plate smashing in some parts of Cyprus but this
tradition has now mostly been replaced with the throwing of flowers.

· Birthdays are not such a celebrated event in Cyprus as they are in the UK. However,
Name Days are very much celebrated. Children typically have the name of the Patron
Saint of their region. The eldest son often takes the name of his paternal grandfather
and the eldest daughter often takes the name of her paternal grandmother.
 · There is an annual carnival, the Limassol Carnival Festival, that takes place at
Limassol in Cyprus. The event is very popular in Cyprus and it was introduced in the
20th century. /je sais pas si on garde/

Sources : https://www.justaboutcyprus.com/traditions/
https://www.cyprusisland.net/cyprus-religion
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyprus#Culture
https://www.commisceo-global.com/resources/country-guides/cyprus-guide