……and an 8 year old girl, though not quite understanding exactly what was going on, knew it was huge. Massively important to those around her, life-changing even. They huddled in astonished, terrified groups, watching on the BBC news what was happening thousands of miles away in their beloved homeland. Watching it being torn down, desecrated, divided. Haunted eyes.
I was that 8 year old girl. And it was happening to my parent’s homeland.
1974 saw Cyprus become an island divided, where neighbour turned against neighbour, friend against friend and separated the island’s two main communities, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, into those who live in the North and those who live in the South.
Thousands, from both sides, lost their homes and became refugees in their own country.
I’m not a politician, nor a historian, so I’m seeing this through my eyes, from the Humanitarian angle, from a woman’s angle.
We are from the South, Greek Cypriots. And until recent years, had never been allowed to visit the North. But with the passing of the years and easing of regulations, we can come and go much more freely. There are those who refuse to venture North, who refuse to believe that they should ever have to show a passport to gain access in their own country. And I am in no doubt there are those in the North who probably feel the same.
Until recently, it’s been very ‘them’ and ‘us’, both sides, no doubt, wary and uncertain of the other. Even I, a Greek Cypriot woman, born in the United Kingdom, has never in all these years had the opportunity to get to know a Turkish Cypriot woman. Though we originate from the same country.
I think we’d be more alike than not.
I’m sure we’d smile and laugh and cry at the same things…
Love our families as much as each other.
A stranger, yet not quite so, for how can a stranger adore my homeland as much as me? They have walked on the same soil and breathed the same air and felt the same salty sea, so it’s theirs as much as mine, not more so, not less.
How can we have such similar food and almost the same music, dance and weddings and still be strangers?
It doesn’t seem right to me.
I’m sure if I looked in a mirror overlooking the deep blue of the Mediterranean sea, I’d see you staring back at me…..
I would rather see the similarities than the differences between us.
I believe we could be friends, if given half a chance. Just by sharing a kitchen.
So here is my offering. Only a small token, but from the heart, a cake that both sides love and recognise as their own.
I have here given it it’s Turkish name:
Shiamali
3/4 cup flavourless vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
1 cup chopped nuts (To either mix in or use to top)
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups coarse ground semolina
3 tsp. Baking powder
Half a cup of Greek Yoghurt
1 tbsp. cinnamon, ground.
3-4 mastic tears, ground to a powder (Optional, but does add authentic flavour and texture)
Syrup:
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar
few drops rosewater.
1. Make the syrup by boiling together the water and sugar for 10 mins, then add the rose water and set aside.
2. Mix together the oil and sugar, then gradually add the beaten eggs.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients, either adding in the nuts to the mixture or spreading the mixture with them.
4. Place in a small, rectangular baking tray (about 9×11″)
5. Bake at Gas mark 4, fan oven 160 deg. C, for about 45 minutes until golden brown. Check with a skewer if it is cooked before removing, it may need 5 minutes more or less than this.
6. When it has cooled down for about 15 minutes, pour the syrup over, it should absorb it greedily.
Serve to welcoming, adoring family and friends!
Kali Orexi.
Afiyet Olsun.
Dedicated to my two gym buddies xx
At Anna’s Kitchen Table 
Anna,What a lovely yet sad post. I personally find issues such as these very difficult to get my head around. I have always (and will always) be of the belief that we are all the same. Putting it simply, I say to my children that we all have different shades of skin, I for one am very white (read blue lol), my children are a different shade of white, they have friends across the world who have the same colored skin and those who have different but at the end of the day we are all the same. Here's to the future and hopefully changes in the right direction. X
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Amen to that Billie! And thank you for your thoughts xx
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A lovely post Anna. I get so frustrated here (I live on the edge of a town with a very large south Asian population) by the number of people, including educated people who should know beter, who are constantly moaning that the town has been ruined by "too many brown faces". Why can't people see that wherever we live, with all our variations of colour and creed, we all have the same basic desires and wishes, and hopes and dreams for our families, our homes, and our children's futures, yet some people are so determined that good fortune should be for their race, and theirs alone.
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That's very true Liz. I think we should all look deep within ourselves regularly, just to double check that we're being the best we can be. X
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Oh such a poignant post Anna. I knew Cyprus was divided and I knew it had its troubles, but I had no idea the country became divided in my life time. It's about time we looked beyond race. Let's hope lots think like you and that things will continue to change for the better and the country can become one again.
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What a beautifully written but sad post Anna. It's just such a shame it had to happen. I just wish people would realise that we are all the same, regardless of colour/creed. The world would be a much happier place if everyone could live together in peace. xx
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What a beautifully written but sad post Anna. It's just such a shame it had to happen. I just wish people would realise that we are all the same, regardless of colour/creed. The world would be a much happier place if everyone could live together in peace. xx
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Very well said, Anna..I've met several Greek Cypriots who share the same feelings with you and I'm pretty sure that the inhabitants of "the other side" would feel the exact same way..A very tasty choice of dessert, we grew up with it in Greece also, having it as a treat when we went to the movies..Lots of memories..Have a great weekend my dear, XO
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Oh Anna, what a magnificently touching post. So heartfelt and honest. And yet I envy you your pride in your homeland. Having lived everywhere except where I come from, I don't have that deep connection to a place. My friends were very recently in Cyprus, the south, and they were explaining about the borders and the divide and I remember thinking if that made any sense. India and Pakistan, you could argue, is of a similar vein. A common thread runs through us all, despite differences in colour, religion or status. You've explained that so beautifully. And the cake looks wonderful!
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What a beautiful, heartfelt post. You literally brought a tear to my eye this morning as I read it! (The cake looks beautiful too, what a lovely gesture).
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that was a ripping, heartfelt post. Thanks so much for sharing that with us. "I would rather see the similarities than the differences in us". That's the wisest thing I've heard today, and I'll keep it to heart.(the cake sounds delicious and a wonderful way to bring together food and friends and family)
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That's a great post Anna :)It doesn't make sense to me either, differences are ok, why do some people have to make a difference a division? They do say if warring factions sat down for tea and cake the world would be a better place, maybe this is the cake for Cyprus! xx
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Beautifully written post, Anna. The cake looks very moist and delicious.
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I am completely and utterly in awe at all these lovely comments. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
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What a lovely post, as others have said.And that cake looks mightily delicious too! Would 'regular' semolina work in it? And I have never heard of mastic tears…
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Hi Kate,I'm sure regular semolina would be ok, it would just have a less grainy texture, which you may prefer anyway. Mastic tears are the resin from a special gum tree, they are available from Greek/Middle Eastern grocers, they lend a particular fragrance and chewiness to recipes, but they are entirely optional. Hope this helps. X
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A lovely post Anna. What a terrible thing to divide up a country. Your cake looks delicious.
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what a beautiful post Anna, so true.
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From the heart. With a heart as kind as yours it's no wonder you cook so beautifully.
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Beautiful words.
You have brought a lump to my throat!
And memories…..
A dear friend lived in Paphos for more than 10 years & I was lucky enough to visit on many occasions.
Our “local” was owned by a man who had fled Famagusta with his family in ’74.
On the wall of the bar was a framed collection of stones with an inscription to say that other than their memories, this was all they had left.
It ended, “I want to go home”
So sad, even more so that he died before getting that chance.
I think I have something in my eye…….
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That’s really sad, Kath 😦
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Reblogged this on Anna's Kitchen Table and commented:
Can’t believe it has been 40 years since the division of Cyprus into North and South, ‘them’ and ‘us’.
Trying to bridge the divide.
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If people were to stop hating others just for being slightly different then the world would be so much of a better place, lovely post Anna, need to make this cake xx
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I think you’d like it 🙂 xx
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