stories from Limassol’s Mahalla

Το δημοτικόν σχολείον της οδού Αγκύρας

Κιμέτ Αλίμπεϊ: Ξέρεις, τωρά λαλούν την οδόν Αγκύρας; Νναι. Είσ̆εν έναν πολλά παλιό σχολείον τζ̆ειαμαί. Πολλά παλιό. Αλλά όταν ήρτεν η ώρα να πάω στο δημοτικόν, επειδή εγεννήθηκα στες 16, εν με εδέχτηκαν. Γιατί τότε, ο νόμος ήταν ότι η χρονιά έφτανε μέχρι τες 15 του Οχτώβρη. Τζ̆είνους που εγεννιούνταν την ίδια χρονιά στες 16, δεν τους έπιαναν. Έτσι την πρώτη χρονιά δεν με έπιασαν. Έπρεπεν να περιμένω ακόμα έναν χρόνον για να πάω δημοτικόν. Όμως ήμουν η πιο μεγάλη της τάξης.

Εκάθουμουν με μιαν κορούα, όταν επήα τζ̆ειαμαί. Ήμουν εφτά χρονών όταν επήα τζ̆ειαμαί. Η δασκάλα μου επρόσεξε ότι εν εμπορούσα να δω τον πίνακα πολλά καλά. Το μικρόν της όνομαν εν Μουστεϊντέ Χανίμ, ήταν η πρώτη μου δασκάλα. Είπεν το στους δικούς μου τζ̆’ έτσι επήραν με στον γιατρόν τζ̆’ έβαλα γυαλιά. Ήμουν εφτά χρονών τζ̆’ εφορούσα γυαλιά τζ̆’ ούλλοι επεριπαίζαν με. Αποκαλούσαν με τετραπλομμάτα, «έχεις τέσσερα μμάθκια». Τζ̆αι τούτον εσυνέβαινε κάθε φορά που είχαμεν κάτι. Ως τζ̆’ ο αρφός μου έτσι μου ελάλεν άμαν έρκετουν καμιά φίλη μου στο σπίτιν, ελέαν με τζ̆αι τζ̆είνοι τετραπλομμάτα. Τζ̆αι τούτον επείραζε με πολλά. Τζ̆αι ο γιατρός είπεν ότι το έναν μμάτιν εν’ πιο ττεμπέλικο που το άλλον. Τζ̆’ έτσι έπρεπεν να κλείσω το καλόν. Η αρφή μου, που εμείνισκε μαζίν μας, ήταν καλή ράφταινα. Παρόλον που εν χρειάζεται να είσαι ράφταινα, έκαμεν μου έναν μαύρον ύφασμαν για να το βάλω στο μμάτιν μου. Ου, ούλλοι επεριπαίζαν με. Τζ̆αι στο σπίτιν εν εμπορούσα να δω γιατί εν εμπορούσα να το φορώ, αφού οι αρφούες μου τζ̆αι οι ανιψιές μου ήταν συνέχεια τζ̆ειαμαί. Τζ̆’ εν με άφηναν. Ήταν το σ̆ειρόττερον τούτον.

Τζ̆’ είχα τζ̆αι ξαθθά μαλλιά, κατσαρά, τζ̆’ εχτένιζα τα έτσι. Τζ̆αι μετά την κυρία Χανίμ ήρτεν άλλος δάσκαλος, άντρας. Εν θθυμούμαι το όνομαν του γιατί εν τον εσυμπαθούσα. Τζ̆είνος ελαλούσεν με σκούπα. Τζ̆αι ξέρετε, τον παλιό τζ̆αιρόν, οι σκούπες ήταν κίτρινες. Τζ̆αι τούτος ελαλούσεν με σκούπα. Τζ̆’ εμέναν επείραζε με πολλά, εκουμπούσα την τζ̆εφαλή μου πάνω στο θρανίο τζ̆’ έκλαια. Τζ̆αι μετά έρκετουν, αλλά εγώ εν ήθελα να τον δω. Ξέρεις, μερικοί δάσκαλοι εν έτσι. Τζ̆αι, ξέρεις, τα θρανία ήταν διαφορετικά. Ήταν ξύλινα. Τζ̆αι το κάθισμα ήταν έναν μαζίν τους. Τζ̆’ έπρεπεν να πάεις να κάτσεις τζ̆ειαμαί. Τζ̆αι εκάθεσουν σε δυάδες. Θθυμούμαι την επόμενην μου διπλανή, μιαν κορούα που την έλεαν Χατίτσε. Είσ̆εν μεγάλα σ̆έρκα τζ̆αι τα δικά μου ήταν πολλά μιτσ̆ιά. Τζ̆’ έπιαννεν το χέριν μου τζ̆’ έβαλλεν το στο δικόν της τζ̆’ έλεε «τα σ̆έρκα σου εν σ̆έρκα μωρού». Άλλον τούτον. Αρκετά. Τούτα εν’ ούλλα.

Σήμμερα βρίσκεται εκεί το Συμβουλευτικόν Δικοινοτικόν Πολυδύναμο Κέντρον του Δήμου Λεμεσού.

Agkyras Sokağı’ndaki ilkokul

KIYMET ALİBEY: Şimdi Ankara Caddesi dedikleri sokağı bilirmin? Evet. Orda çok eski bir okul vardı. Çok eski. Ama ilkokula gidecek yaşa bastığımda, [ayın] 16’sında doğduğum için, beni almadılar. Çünkü o zamanki yasa, 15 Ekim’e gadar gabul ederdi, birinci sınıf için. O yıl, 16’sında doğanları almazlardı. Onun için beni birinci sınıfa almadılardı. Bir sene daha beklemem gerekdi ilkokula gitmek için. Ama sınıfın en büyüğü da bendim.

Evet, orada bir gızcıknan otururdum, hani, oraya gittiğim zamanlar. Ve öğretmenim fark etti, yedi yaşındaydım oraya giderken. Öğretmenim fark etti ki tahtayı çok iyi görmem. İşte o iletişime geçti – adı Müsteyde Hanım’dı, ilkokul öğretmenimin adı. O fark etti ki tahtayı iyi görmem. Onun için beni doktora götürdüler ve gözlük dakmaya başladım. Yedi yaşında gözlük dakdım ve herkes bana gülerdi. Bana ‘dört göz’ derlerdi, dört gözlü. ‘Sen dört gözlüsün’... bu, onların… bişeyimiz olduğunda... Ve abilerim da bana öyle derlerdi, evde gavga ettiğimiz zaman, onlar da dört gözlü derlerdi bana. Ve benim çok canım sıkılırdı buna. Hatta… Doktor dediydi ki, gözlerimin birinde göz tembelliği varmış. Onun için da iyi olan gözümü kapadılardı. Ve gız gardaşım bizimnan yaşardı ve çok iyi bir terziydi, hani, elbise dikerdi. Da hani, bilin yani, terziye gerek yok, gara bir gumaş parçası goyan oraya (gözünü kapatmak için). Amaaan, herkes bana gülerdi. Ve evde da dakamazdım, çünkü abilerim hem yeğenlerim vardı hep etrafta. Ve beni rahat bırakmazlardı. En fenası da oydu.

Hem sarı saçlarım vardı, gıvırcık, bu gadar büyük, böyle. Ve öyle darardım saçımı. Ve bazıları—Zehra Hanım’dan sonra, başka bir öğretmen geldi, erkek. Adını hatırlamam çünkü sevmezdim gendini. Bana ‘süpürge saçlı’ derdi. ‘Broom’ süpürge demektir. Bilin ya, eskiden, süpürgeler sarıydı. Da işte beni süpürge saçlı diye çağırırdı. Ve bu beni çok üzerdi, başımı masaya dayayıp, ağlardım. Sonra da yanıma gelirdi. Görmek istemezdim gendini. Bilin ya, bazı öğretmenler öyleydi. Hem, bilin, o zamanlar sıra masaları farklıydı. Ahşapdılar. Sandalyelernan bitişiktiler. İçine girip, öyle otururdun. Hem ikili otururdun. Hatırlarım, sıra arkadaşım vardı, adı Hatice’ydi. Gocaman elleri vardı ve benim ellerim güçücükdü. Ve elimi gendi elinin içine goyardı ve derdi, ‘senin ellerin bebek eli gibi’. Bu da bir diğeri. Yeter?

günümüzde, Limasol Belediyesi İki Toplumlu Çok Amaçlı Danışma Merkezi’dir.

KIYMET ALIBEY: You know, now they call it Ankara Caddesi? Yes. There was a very old school there. Very old. But when the time came that I was the age to go to primary school, because I was born on the 16th, they didn't accept me. Because during that time, the law was a year until 15th of October. Those that were born in a year and in 16, they don't take it. So, they didn't take me at the first year. I had to wait for another year to go to the primary school. But I was the oldest one in this class.

Yes, I was sitting with a girl there, you know, when I went there. And then my teacher noticed, I was seven years old when I went there. My teacher noticed that I cannot see the board very close. She got in touch with my- I know her first name is Müsteyde Hanım, was my first school teacher. She noticed that I cannot see the board properly. And so, they took me to the doctor and I started wearing glasses. I was seven years old wearing glasses and everybody was laughing at me. They used to call me four glasses, four eyes, dört gözlü. You have four eyes... that was there… when we had something... And even my brother used to, when we had a quarrel at home, I was dört gözlü for them also. And that was very annoying for me. Even… And the doctor said one eye is lazier than the other one. So, I had to close the good one. And my sister who was living with us, she was a good tailor also, you know, dressmaker. You know, you don't need to be a dressmaker, a black cloth thing to put it here (to cover one eye). Oh, everybody was laughing at me. And at home I couldn't see it because I couldn't wear it because my brothers and my nieces were all around. And they didn't let me do it. That was the worst thing.

And also, I had blonde hair, curly, this size, like this. You know, I used to comb it like that. And then some — After Ms. Zehra Hanım, another teacher, a man teacher came. I don't remember his name because I don't like him. He was saying to me, süpürge saçlı. Süpürge saçlı means broom. You know, in old times, you know that they are yellow. And he was calling me süpürge saçlı. And I was very upset, put my head on his desk and cry. And then he used to come. I didn't want to see him. You know, some teachers are like that. And you know the desks were different. (They were) wooden. And there was a sitting connected to (them). And you have to go in and sit there. And you have to sit two by two. I remember my next schoolmate, you know, a girl called Hatice. She had big hands and my hands (were) very small. And she used to put my hand in her hand and was saying, your hands are baby hands. That was another one. Enough. So that is...

presently is the Advisory Bicommunal Multifunctional Center of the Municipality of Limassol

Η εκκλησία του Αγίου Αντωνίου

Κιμέτ Αλίμπεϊ: Είμαι η Κιμέτ. Το όνομαν του παπά μου εν Ενβέρ. Λεμεσόν. Είμαι που την Λεμεσόν. Εγεννήθηκα στην οδόν Αγίου Αντωνίου στην Λεμεσόν. Το έτος 1944. Ο αριθμός του σπιθκιού μου ήταν 13.

Κατ’ ακρίβειαν, οι παλιές μου αναμνήσεις ήταν που επήαινα στην θάλασσα, επειδή το σπίτιν μου ήταν κοντά στην εκκλησία του Άι-Αντώνη. Τζ̆αι ξέρεις τζ̆είν’ τον μαχαλλά. Εμεγάλωσα τζ̆ειαμαί με Έλληνες. Δίπλα που τους Έλληνες είσ̆εν έναν πολλά παλιό κτίριο, τζ̆ειαμαί στον μαχαλλά, με τοίχους που τούβλα που εχώριζαν τα σπίθκια. Τζ̆αι ήμουν σε τζ̆είνον το σπίτιν. Εμεινίσκαμεν τζ̆ειαμαί με την θεία μου. Η θεία μου είσ̆εν τρία δωμάτια τζ̆αι η μάνα μου είσ̆εν άλλα τρία δωμάτια στον ίδιον διάδρομο. Τζ̆’ έτσι εκάμναμεν φασαρία ούλλα τα κοπελλούθκια. Τζ̆αι δίπλα μας ήταν ο παπάς, ο ιερέας της εκκλησίας με την οικογένεια του. Τζ̆’ ως τα δέκα μας επαίζαμεν με τα μωρά του. Ήμασταν ούλλα μαζίν ανακατωμένα. Εμοιραζούμασταν τα πάντα. Είσ̆εν έναν μεγάλον δέντρο στο τέλος του δρόμου τζ̆’ επαίζαμεν τζ̆ειαμαί χωστό μαζίν με τα ελληνούθκια. Τζ̆αι ξαφνικά ούλλα άλλαξαν.

Κοντά στον Άι-Αντώνη, τωρά τζ̆ειαμαί εν’ η Μαρίνα; Ξέρεις, ο μαχαλλάς ήταν πολλά κοντά στην θάλασσα. Τζ̆’ επηαίνναμεν τζ̆ειαμαί με τα μαγιό μας ακόμα τζ̆’ όταν ήμασταν 15 ή 17, εβάλλαμεν τα μαγιό μας τζ̆’ επηαίνναμεν στην θάλασσα. Ήταν πολλά κοντά, επερπατούσαμεν. Τζ̆αι η αποθήκη ήταν επίσης τζ̆ειαμαί. Η αποθήκη, το τελωνείον. Το τελωνείον. Εβάλλαμεν τα φορτία όταν έρκουνταν οι βάρκες. Είσ̆εν έναν μακρύ πράμαν τζ̆αι οι βάρκες δεν εμπορούσαν να έρτουν. Το πλοίον δεν εμπορούσεν να κοντέψει. Ελαλούσαμεν το μαούνα. τζ̆αι ο παπάς μου ήταν μαουνιέρης, ένας που τζ̆είνους. Εδούλευκε τζ̆ειαμαί. Εντάξει; Έφερναν τα φορτία. Ως τζ̆αι οι επιβάτες έτσι έφευκαν, έρκουνταν τα μεγάλα κρουαζιερόπλοια. Έρκουνταν τα κρουαζιερόπλοια τζ̆αι οι επιβάτες επήαινναν με τες βάρκες τζ̆ειαμαί. Έτσι τζ̆είνον τον τζ̆αιρόν τζ̆αι μετά που εμεγαλώσαμεν λλίον, ο παπάς μου άρχισε να μας φωνάζει, «Βάλτε κάτι πάνω σας γιατί έχει άντρες που δουλεύκουν τζ̆ειαμαί τζ̆’ εσείς πάτε με τα μαγιό σας.» Εβρίσκαμεν τον μπελά μας.

Θθυμούμαι την παιδική μου ηλικία. Είσ̆εν μέσα ωραία βότσαλα. Η άμμος εν ήταν πολλά καθαρή. Αλλά ήταν η αγαπημένη μας θάλασσα. Ξέρεις, επερνούσαμεν τζ̆ειαμαί ούλλη την ημέραν, ακόμα τζ̆αι το πρωίν. Επαίρναμεν μαζίν μας έναν μεγάλον μαστραππά γεμάτον νερόν τζ̆αι λλίον χαλλούμι μέσα, έναν άσπρον ρούχον που πάνω τζ̆αι το πιάτον ανοιχτό, τζ̆’ επέρναμεν το στην θάλασσα. Εβάλλαμεν το μέσα. Επεριμέναμεν τα ψαρούθκια να έρτουν τζ̆’ εκλείναμεν το έτσι. Επαίρναμεν το σπίτιν. Η μάνα μου ετηγάνιζε μας τα για πρόγευμαν. Τούτα ήταν τα καλλίτερα. Τζ̆αι τον χειμώνα - ο παπάς μου είσ̆εν μια μιτσ̆ιά βαρκούα, ψαρόβαρκα. Τον χειμώνα έβαζε την βάρκα στον κήπον μας. Το καλοκαίρι, την άννοιξη, επήαιννε τζ̆’ έπιαννεν μας ψάρια. Ήταν όπως την σοκολάτα. Τζ̆αι μετά εμεγάλωσα.

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Φεριχά Τσαγκίν: Α, τα σαββατοκυρίακα… Οι γείτονες μας εφορούσαν τα καλά τους, εθαύμαζα τα πολλά. Επηαίνναν στην εκκλησία. Φυσικά, στην εκκλησία έψαλλαν ύμνους. Κάποιες φορές εζητούσα που τον παπά μου την άδειαν. «Παπά, άφησ’ με να πάω τζ̆’ εγώ!» επαρακαλούσα τον. «Εντάξει, κόρη μου, πήαιννε!» ελαλούσεν μου. Φυσικά τζ̆’ εμπιστευκούμασταν τους. Οι γείτονες μας ήταν όπως τα αδέρφκια μας. Εννοώ πως είχαμεν υπέροχες αναμνήσεις μαζίν τους. Τζ̆αι θθυμούμαι που επήαιννα στην εκκλησία. Θθυμούμαι τους να ψάλλουν ούλλοι μαζίν. Ποττέ δεν θα ξεχάσω τα υπέροχα ρούχα τους. Τούτη εν ακόμα μια που τες αναμνήσεις μου. Επηαίνναμεν στην εκκλησία του Αγιαντόν… Την εκκλησία του Αγιαντόν.

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Ερτάν Ντεμιράγ: Νναι, τζ̆αι για παράδειγμαν… Ο παππούς μου τζ̆αι η γιαγιά μου… Υπάρχει μια περιοχή Τσερκέζ Τσιφλίκ (Τσιφλικούθκια) στην Λεμεσόν. Τζ̆ειαμαί στο Τσερκέζ Τσιφτλίκ ενοικίασαν πρώτα έναν σπίτιν. Εμετακόμισαν τζ̆ειαμαί. Τζ̆ειαμαί ενοικίασαν μια φάρμα τζ̆’ έκαμναν αγροτικές δουλειές. Τζ̆αι μετά, βλέπεις, επήαμεν τζ̆’ εμείς τζ̆ειαμαί. Τζ̆αι ξέρεις, μετά τα γεγονότα του 1955… Η γειτονιά του Αγιαντόν ήταν μικτή γειτονιά. Τούρκοι, Έλληνες, ήταν μια μικτή γειτονιά, επειδή έχει μιαν εκκλησία τζ̆ειαμαί, την εκκλησία του Αγιαντόν. Όταν οι Έλληνες έφυαν που την γειτονιά… Οι Τούρκοι εμετακόμισαν στην γειτονιά, εννοώντας στα σπίθκια που είχαν αφήσει οι Έλληνες που έφυαν γύρω στο 1955. Στην γειτονιά.. Τζ̆’ εν έτσι που εγκατασταθήκαμεν.

Πού εμείνισκα; Στο σοκάκιν Σεχίτ Φαΐκ Καχίτ Σουρούριν... Αριθμός 44. Το σπίτιν που εμεινίσκαμεν… Πρέπει να το αναφέρω τούτον - εννοώ πως.. Τον τόπον που έφταναν τα φορτία στο λιμάνι της Λεμεσού. Υπήρχαν αποθήκες, σταθμοί… Μόνον έναν ττέλι μας εχώριζε που τούτες τες αποθήκες. Τζ̆αι οι Βρετανοί είχαν έναν πράμαν… Οι Βρετανοί στρατιώτες είχαν έναν μιτσίν στρατόπεδρο δίπλα που το λιμάνι.

Η γειτονιά μας; Γεννικά, ο κόσμος που εμείνισκε στην γειτονιά μας, οι πιο πολλοί ήταν ψαράδες. Μερικοί που τζ̆είνους ήταν ψαράδες… Ήταν μερικοί που είχαν μπακάλικα. Τέλος, ήταν έναν πράμαν δίπλα που την εκκλησία… Κάτι σουβλάκια... Τζ̆ειαμαί που ήμασταν, είσ̆εν θκυο-τρεις ταβέρνες: την ταβέρνα Αγορά, την ταβέρνα του Σαλίχ Νταγί τζ̆αι την ταβέρνα του Οσμάν Νταγί. Ελαλούσαμεν τον, ο κουτσός Οσμάν, είσ̆εν μια ταβέρνα. Έτσι, στην γειτονιά μας ήταν έναν μέρος για να φάεις τζ̆αι να πιεις. Είσ̆εν ανθρώπους που εδούλευκαν ψαράδες. Κάποιοι που τζ̆είνους εδούλευκαν στην ελληνική πλευρά του λιμανιού. Λιμενεργάτες… Μερικοί εδούλευκαν σε ελληνικές επιχειρήσεις. Εννοώ πώς έτσι ήταν οι σχέσεις μας στην Λεμεσόν! Εννοώ ότι δεν είχαμεν που τζ̆είνα τα «Μεν δουλεύκεις στην ελληνική πλευρά!» Ούλλοι εδούλευκαν. Οι Έλληνες… Δεν υπήρχε σύνορο για εμάς. Για παράδειγμαν, θθυμούμαι τα ψάρκα που εψάρευκαν οι ψαράδες. Είσ̆εν έναν Ελληνοκύπριο έμπορο; Τον Θεόδωρο. Τζ̆είνος ο άνθρωπος… Ήξερεν τζ̆αι πολλά καλά τουρκικά. Κάθε πρωίν έρκετουν στην γειτονιά, επερίμενεν να φτάσουν οι ψαράδες, έπιαννεν τα ψάρκα, όσες οκάδες τζ̆αι να ήταν, έγραφε τα τζ̆’ επλήρωνε όσα τζ̆αι να εστοίχιζαν.

Ayandon (Αgios Antonios) kilisesi

KIYMET ALİBEY: Ben, Kıymet. Babamın adı Enver. Limasol- Leymosun’luyum. Leymosun’da, Agios Antonios sokağında doğdum. 1944 yılında. Kapı numaramız 13’tü, orda.

Aslında, en eski hatıralarım denize gitmekdi, çünkü evimiz Agios Antonios kilisesine çok yakındı. O mahalleyi bilin. Orda büyüdüm, Rumlarnan. Rumlarnan yan yana. Çok eski bir binaydı, ordaki mahalle, daş duvarlar evleri ayırırdı. Ben da bu evdeydim. Deyzeymnan yaşardık. Deyzem üç oda kullanırdı, annem da diğer üç odayı kullanırdı, aynı havlıda, anladın? İşte, çocuklarnan yaramazlık yapmaya başladık. Yan gomşumuz da bilin ya, popazdı, kilisenin popazıydı ve ailesiynan galırdı. Ve biz, on yaşımıza gadar onun çocuklarıynan oynadık. Hep garışıkdık. O zamana gadar her şeyi paylaşırdık. Yolun sonunda gocaman bir ağaç vardı ve onun altında saklambaç oynardık hep birlikte, bütün Rum çocuklarıynan. Ondan sonra, ansızın, her şey değişdi. Agios Antonios’e yakın, şimdi Marinadır hani? Bilin, mahalle denize çok yakındı. Mayolarımızı giyerdik, 15-17 yaşımızda bile, mayolarımızı giyerdik ve denize giderdik. Çok yakındı, yürüme mesafesinde. Ve depo da ordaydı. Depo, gümrük binası. Malları orda dutarlardı gemiler geleceğinde. Uzun bir şey vardı, çünkü gemiler yanaşamazdı. Yakına gelemezlerdi. Mavna derdik. Ve babam da mavnaydı, onlardan biriydi. Orda işlerdi. Tamam? Malları getirirlerdi. Yolcular da ordan giderdi, büyük tur gemileri gelirdi. Tur gemileri geldiğine, yolcuları ordan tekneynan götürürlerdi. O zamanlar ve biraz daha büyüdüğümüzde, babam bize bağırmaya başladıydı, “Üstünüze bişey geyin, çünkü orda çalışan adamlar var ve mayoynan geçersiniz ordan.” Biraz sorun olurdu bize. Çocukluğumu hatırlarım. Güzel daşlar vardı orda. Gum çok da temiz değildi. Ama bizim biricik denizimizdi. Anladın ya, bütün günü orda geçirirdik, sabahları bile. Gocaman, su dolu bir maşrapa götürürdük, içinde hellim olurdu. Üstüne da beyaz tülbent geçirirdik. Ve tabağı açardık ve denize götürürdük. Goyardık oraya. Balıkların gelmesini beklerdik, gücük balıkların gelmesini sonra da böyle kapatırdık gendilerini. Eve götürürdük. Annem da bize kahvaltı için balık gızartırdı. Hep böyle şeylerdi. Kışın da babamın güçük bir teknesi vardı, balıkçı teknesi. Kışın, tekneyi bahçede dutardı. Yazın, ya da ilkbaharda da açılırdı ve bizim için balık dutardı. Böyle bir çocukluk. Sonra da büyüdük.

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FERİHA ÇAĞIN: Haa, hafta sonları… komşular hep giyinirlerdi, süslenirlerdi, ben onlara çok özenirdim. Kiliseye giderlerdi. Onların kilisede, tabii, şarkılar söylenirdi. Hatta bazan ben da babamdan izin alırdım. “Baba, n’olur ben de gideyim!” derdim. “Tamam, kızım, git!” derdi. E, güveniyorduk tabii. Komşularımız bizim kardeşlerimiz gibiydiler… Yani, çok güzel anılarımız vardı. Ve kiliseye gittiğimi hatırlıyorum. Orda, hep beraber şarkı söylediklerini, güzel güzel giyindiklerini unutamıyorum. Yani, anılarımdan biri de bu… Ayandon Kilisesi’ne gitmiştik… Ayandon Kilisesi.

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ERTAN DEMİRAĞ: Evet, şey, mesela… Dedeminan nenem … Limasol’da Çiftlikler bölgesi var. Çiftlikler bölgesinde, ev kiraladılar ilk. Oraya daşındılar. Orda bahçe kiraladılar ve bahçecilik yaparlardı. Ondan sonra, işte, biz da geldik. E bilin bu 1955 olaylarından sonra… Ayandon mahallesi garışık bir mahalleydi. Türk-Rum garışığıdı, çünkü orda, şey, kilise var, Ayandon Kilisesi. Rumlar gaçınca mahalleden... mahalleye Türkler yerleşti, yani, bizim galdığımız evler ‘55’lerde terk eden Rumların evleriydi… mahallede… Ve öylece yerleştik.

Nerde yaşardım? Şehit Faik Cahit Sururi Sokak… 44 numara. Galdığımız evi… söyleyim… bu, Limasol Limanı’na gelen malların ambarları, depoları vardı… Tam o depoların… bir tel ayırırdı bizi. İngiliz’in da şeyi vardı…İngiliz askerlerinin da… eski limanın yanında küçük bir kampı vardı.

Mahallemiz? Genelde, bizim mahallede kalan insanlar…çoğu balıkçılıkla… bir kısmı balıkçılık yapardı…eee… Bakkalı olan vardı. Son, kilisenin yanında … şey açıldıydı, bir dönerci restoran… Bizim olduğumuz tarafda, iki üç dane meyhane varıdı: Agora Meyhanesi, Salih Dayı’nın Meyhanesi, bir da Osman Dayı vardı. Topal Osman derdik, onun meyhanesi vardı. Yani, bizim mahalle yeme içme yeriydi… Balıkçılıkla uğraşanlar vardı. Bir kısmı, Rum tarafında, limanda çalışan vardı, liman işçisi… Bir kısmı Rum işyerlerinde çalışırdı. E, bizim ilişkiler Limasol’da, öyleydi! Yani bizde yoğudu…e işte… “Rum’da çalışma!” Herkes çalışırdı. Rum’un… sınır diye bir olay yoğudu bizde. Mesela, ben hatırlarım, balıkçıların topladığı balıkları. Rum bir gamat varıdı. Theodoros. O adam… Güzel da Türkçe bilirdi. Her gün, sabahdan, mahalleye gelir, beklerdi balıkçılar gelsin, alırdı balıkları, kaç kilo-okkaysa…yazardı, parasını verirdi.

KIYMET ALIBEY: I'm Kiymet. My father's name is Enver. Limassol… I'm from Limassol. I was born in Agios Antonios street in Limassol. In the year 1944. My house number was 13 there.

Actually, my old memories are going to the sea now because my house was near Agios Antonios’ church. And you know that mahalla. I was grown up there with Greek. Next to the Greek. it was a very old building, mahalla there, with brick walls separating the houses. And I was this house. We are living with my auntie. My auntie used three rooms and my mother used another three rooms in the same, you know, avli (courtyard)? So, we start making trouble with children. And next door, you know, he was the papa, the priest of the church with his family. And we used to play with his children also until ten years old. We were all mixed. Until we used to share everything. There was a big tree at the end of the road and we used to play under there playing hide and seek, all with the Greek children. And then all of a sudden everything changed.

Near Agios Antonios, now that is Marina? You know, the mahalla was very close to the sea. And we used to put our swimsuits even when we were like 15 or 17, we used to put our swimsuit and go to the sea. Very close, walking distance. And the warehouse was there also. The warehouse, the custom house. The custom house. We used to put their goods when the boats were coming. There was a long thing that the boats could not come. The ship could not come near. We called it mauna (barge). And my father was a ‘mauna’ (barge porter), one of them. Working in there. Okay? They used to bring the goods. Even the passengers used to go, the big cruisers used to come. Cruisers used to come and they used to go by boat to there. So, during that time and then when we were a little bit older, my father started shouting us, “Put something on you because the men were working there and now, you're crossing it with the swimsuits.” We had so trouble. I remember my childhood. They were nice stones in it. It wasn't a very clean sand. But it was our beloved sea. You know, we used to stay all day, even in the morning. We used to take a big maşrapa (tin jug). Full of water and some halloumi cheese inside. A white cloth on top. And the plate open and take it to the sea. Put it there. Waiting the fish to come, little fish to come, and close it like that. Take it home. My mother used to fry for us for breakfast. That was all the things. And in winter, my father has a small boat, fishing boat. In winter he used to take the boat to our garden. In summer, in spring he used to go and catch fish for us. It was this kind of childhood? And then I grow.

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FERIHA CAGIN: Ah, during the weekends… Our neighbours used to dress up in fancy clothes, I used to admire them a lot. They would go to church. Of course, at church they would sing songs. In fact, sometimes I would ask my father for permission. “Dad, please let me go as well!” I would plead with him. “Okay, my daughter, go!” he would tell me. And of course, we trusted them. Our neighbours were like our brothers and sisters… I mean, we had lovely memories together. And I remember going to church. I remember them singing all together. I’ll never forget the wonderful outfits they used to wear. This is another one of my memories. We went to Ayandon (Agios Antonis) Church… Ayandon Church.

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ERTAN DEMIRAG: Yeah, and, for example… My grandfather and grandmother… There’s a Ciflik mahalla (Tsiflikoudia) in Limassol. In the Ciflik area, they first rented a house there. They moved there. There, they rented a farm, and they would do farming. And later on, you see, we came there as well. And, you know, after the whole 1955 incidents… Τhe Ayandon neighborhood was a mixed neighborhood. Turks, Greeks, it was a mixed neighborhood, because there’s a church there, Ayandon Church. When the Greeks left the neighborhood... The Turks moved into the neighborhood, meaning the houses that we lived in were the houses of Greeks who had left around 1955. In the neighborhood… And that’s how we settled in.

Where I lived? Sehit Faik Cahit Sururi sokak… Number 44. The house we were staying in… I’ll tell you… Where goods used to arrive in Limassol Port. There were warehouses, depots… Only a single wire-fence separated us from those warehouses. And the British had a thing… The British soldiers had a little camp next to the port.

Our neighbourhood? Generally, the people living in our neighbourhood, most of them were fishermen. Some of them were fishermen, eehm… There were some who had convenience stores. At the end, there was a thing next to the church… A doner restaurant… Where we were, there were two or three meyhanes (taverns): Agora Meyhane, Salih Dayı’s Meyhane, and there was Osman Dayı. We used to call him Topal Osman, he had a meyhane. So, in our neighbourhood it was a place to wine and dine… There were people working as fishermen. Some of them worked on the Greek side in the port. Dockers… Some worked in Greek owned businesses. I mean our relations in Limassol, that’s how it was! I mean, we didn’t have the whole “Don’t work in the Greek side!” Everyone used to work. The Greeks… There was no such thing as a border for us. For example, I remember the fish caught by the fishermen. There was a Greek Cypriot dealer. Theodoros. That man… He also knew Turkish very well. Every morning he would come to the neighbourhood, he would wait for the fishermen to arrive, he would take the fish, however many okkas it might be, he would write it and give whatever money it costed.

Τα Τέσσερα Φανάρκα

Φεριχά Τσαγκίν: Νναι, νναι, κατακρίβειαν ήταν έναν γιοφύρι που το ονομάζαμεν το Ξύλινον Γιοφύρι, μετά που τα Τέσσερα Φανάρκα. Αλλά τωρά εν κουγκρί. Έτσι έφκαλαν το ξύλο τζ̆’ εσιόνωσαν τσιμέντο, απ’ όσον ξέρω. Επαίζαμεν. Ακόμα, είσ̆εν μιαν κυρία που την ελέαν Μεχπαρέ Χανίμ, θεός μακαρίσει την, είσ̆εν χήνες τζ̆’ εβουρούσαμεν τες που πίσω… Υπήρχαν πολλές χήνες φυσικά. Επινοούσαμεν δικά μας παιχνίθκια όπως τούτον. Αλλά εν ετζύλαν νερόν κάτω που το γιοφύρι. Είσ̆εν στεγνώσει… Έτσι [οι γονιοί μας] δεν ένιωθαν την ανάγκη να μας κάμνουν παρατήρηση.

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Χουσεΐν Αρσάλ: Χουσεΐν Αρσάλ… Χουσεΐν Αρσάλ. Το όνομαν μου ένι Χουσεΐν Αρσάλ. Τζ̆αι είσ̆εν μια γειτονιά με το όνομαν Σοούκ Σου, που σημαίνει κρύο νερόν, στην ποταμωσιά. Η μάνα μας έδινε μας το μεσημεριανόν μας, ό,τι εχε ετοιμάσει για εμάς, τζ̆αι μαζίν με τα άλλα κοπελλούθκια της περιοχής επαίρναμεν το φαΐν μας για να το φάμε μαζίν. Τζ̆αι σε τζ̆είνη την γειτονιά κάθε μάνα ήταν μάνα ούλλων των παιθκιών. Τζ̆αι ήταν… αχ… έναν πράμαν… Ήταν ένας τόπος στην Λεμεσόν που τον ελαλούσαν τα Τέσσερα Φανάρκα, ήταν που τζ̆ειαμαί κάτω.

Dört Fenerler Köprüsü (ta Tessera Fanaria) FERİHA ÇAĞIN: Evet evet, hatta orda bir köprü vardı, Tahtalı Köprü dediğimiz, bir da Tahtalı Köprü vardı. O Dört Fenerlerden sonra. Ama şu anda beton dökdüler. Yani o tahtaları kaldırdılar, beton dökdüler, diye biliyorum. Orda gidip oynardık. Hatta orda Mehpare Hanım diye, Allah rahmet eylesin, onun kazları varıdı ve o kazların arkasında biz koşardık böyle… Çok kazları vardı tabii. Yani böyle bir oyunlar yapardık kendi kendimize. Ama köprünün altından su akmıyordu. Kurumuştu yani … Onun için (annemiz babamız) ikaz etme gereği duymuyorlardı.

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HÜSEYİN ARSAL: Hüseyin Arsal… Hüseyin Arsal. Benim adım Hüseyin Arsal. Bir de Soğuk Su mahallesi vardı… dere yatağının içinde. Bize annemiz öğlen yemeklerini, ne verecekse, bütün mahallenin çocuklarıyla, o yemekleri alıp derenin kenarında yerdik. Yani, birlikte yemek. Ve o mahallede, bütün anneler bütün çocukların annesiydi…Limasol’da Dört Fenerler denen bir yer var, onun altından geçer o.

FERIHA CAGIN: Yes, yes, in fact, there was a bridge we called Wooden Bridge after the Four Lanterns one. But now it’s concrete. So, they got rid of the wood, and they poured cement, as far as I know. We would play. What’s more, there was a lady called Mehpare Hanim, may she rest in peace, she had geese, and we would chase her geese… There were many geese of course. We would invent games like these on our own. But there was no water running below the bridge. It had dried up… So (our parents) didn’t feel the need to warn us.

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HUSEYIN ARSAL: Huseyin Arsal… Huseyin Arsal. My name is Huseyin Arsal. And there was a Soguk su (cold water) neighbourhood… in the river bed. Our mother would give us our lunch, whatever it was she had prepared for us, and along with all the other children in the vicinity, we would take our food and eat it by the river bed, so we’d eat together. And in that neighbourhood, every mother was the mother of all the children. It was… Uggh… Thing… There’s a place in Limassol called Four Lanterns, it’s further down there.

Έναν σπίτιν στην οδόν Γιλντίζ

Φεριχά Τσαγκίν: Στην Λεμεσόν. Εγεννήθηκα στην Λεμεσόν. Ο παπάς μου ονομάζεται Μουσταφά, η μάμμα μου Χενιγιέ. Νναι. Στην οδόν Γιλντίζ… 27… Έξι… Εφτά… Νούμερον. Οδός Γιλντίζ 27. Αχ, πόσα χρόνια έζησα τζ̆ειαμαί. 30 χρόνια.

Απέναντι που το σπίτιν μας ήταν έναν κοινοτικόν κέντρον, Ύστερα έγινεν νοσοκομείον. Μετά τα γεγονότα, το κοινοτικόν κέντρον εμετατράπηκε σε νοσοκομείον. Εν τζ̆ειαμαί που εν θαμμένοι οι μάρτυρες μας. Τούτος ο τόπος λέγεται Λεωφόρος Γιλντίζ, γεφύρι Τέσσερα Φανάρκα, το μεγαλύτερο γεφύρι της Λεμεσού. Το σπίτιν μας ήταν περίπου 50 μέτρα που το γεφύρι. Μετά το γεφύρι, είχαμεν τους Ελληνοκύπριους μας γείτονες, τέλος πάντων… τζ̆αι επίσης, της Φαριγιέ Τακάν, ξέρεις… Ήμασταν γείτονες μιαν εποχή. Εμείναμεν τζ̆ειαμαί αρκετό καιρό. Τζ̆ειαμαί είχαμεν μιαν Ελληνοκύπρια γειτόνισσα, που την ελαλούσαν Τερψού, εν πεθαμμένη τωρά. Είχαν θκυο κόρες, την μια ελαλούσαν την Αντρούλλα τζ̆αι την άλλην Μαρούλλα. Εμοιραζούμασταν έναν μιτσίν τραπέζι. Εφκάλλαμεν το έξω στην αυλή τζ̆’ εκάμναμεν μαζίν τα μαθήματα μας. Φυσικά τα δικά μας ήταν στα τουρκικά τζ̆αι τα δικά τους στα ελληνικά. Επαίζαμεν παιχνίθκια μαζίν. Τούτες εν’ που τες ευχάριστες αναμνήσεις μου. Η παρέα μας… Εμιλούσαν πολλά καλά τουρκικά. Είχαν μάθει που εμάς τζ̆’ επειδή εμιλούσαν πάντα τουρκικά εγώ δεν έμαθα τόσον καλά ελληνικά. Αλλα εμιλούσαν τα καλά. Τωρά η Αντρούλλα εν ζωντανή, η Μαρούλλα επέθανεν απ’ ό,τι φαίνεται. Κάθε τόσον επικοινωνούσα, εν ζωντανή, μεινίσκουν τζ̆ειαμαί ακόμα. Αλλά φυσικά δεν εμπορούσα να τες συναντήσω. Έχουμεν υπέροχες αναμνήσεις.

Yıldız Sokağı, 27 Numaralı ev

FERİHA ÇAĞIN: Limasol. Limasol’da doğdum. Babamın adı Mustafa, annemin adı Heniye. Evet. Yıldız Sokağı… 27 numara... 6? 7 Numara. Yıldız Sokağı, 27 numara. Ha, kaç yıl orda yaşadım: 30 yıl.

Bizim karşı tarafımızda halk evi vardı, sonradan, şehitlik oldu orası, hastaneye çevrildi…olaylardan sonra, halkevi hastaneye çevrildi ve şehitlerimiz orda gömülüdürler. Bu Yıldız Caddesi dediğim, Dört Fenerler Köprüsü, Limasol’un en büyük köprüsü, ona 50 metre kadar uzaktaydı bizim evimiz. Köprüden sonra zaten Rum komşularımız vardı… Bir da bir ara biz, şeyde… Fahriye Tacan’ın, biliyorsunuz… Onlarla komşuluk ettik. Orda oturduk bir ara. Orda bizim Rum komşumuz vardı, Terpsou isminde, şimdi rahmetlik oldu. Onun iki kızı vardı. Birisi Androulla, birisi de Maroulla. Onlarla biz, masa- küçücük bir masamız vardı. Çıkarırdık bahçeye, birlikte derslerimizi, ödevlerimizi yapardık. Tabii, ben Türkçe, onlar Rumca. Birlikte oyunlar oynuyorduk. Bu, benim anılar içerisinde çok güzel anılardır. O birlikteliğimiz… Onlar Türkçeyi çok güzel konuşuyorlardı. Bizden öğrenmişlerdi. Ben de onlar, işte, hep Türkçe konuştuğu için, ben daha az Rumca öğrendim. Ama onlar gayet güzel konuşuyorlardı. Şu anda, Androulla hayatta, Maroulla ölmüş. Arada bir takip ediyorum ben, o hayatta, ayni yerde oturuyorlar. Ama görüşemedim tabii, kendileriyle. Güzel anılarımız vardır.

FERIHA CAGIN: Limassol. I born Limassol. My father’s name is Mustafa, my mother’s name is Heniye. Yes. Yildiz street… 27... 6. 7. Number. Yildiz street 27. How long did I live there... 30 years.

Opposite where we lived there was a community centre. Afterwards, it was a martyr’s cemetery, it was turned into a hospital… Αfter the events, the community centre was converted into a hospital. And that’s where our martyrs are buried. This place I call Yildiz Avenue, Four Lanterns bridge, Limassol’s largest bridge, our house was about 50m away from the bridge. After the bridge, we had our Greek Cypriot neighbours, anyway… uugh… And also, we, in thing… Fahriye Tacan’s, you know… We were neighbours with them for a while. We resided there for some time. There we had a Greek Cypriot neighbour, named Terpsou, now deceased. They had two daughters. One of them, Androulla, and the other Maroulla. With them we had a little table. We would take it out into the garden, and we would do our studies, our homework together. Of course, mine was in Turkish, theirs was in Greek. We would play games together. These are pleasant memories among what I remember. Our togetherness… They used to speak Turkish very well. They had learned from us and because they always spoke in Turkish, I didn’t learn as much Greek. But they spoke rather well. Right now Androulla is alive, Maroulla died, apparently. Every now and then I’ll follow up, she is alive, they live in the same place. But of course I couldn’t meet up with them. We have lovely memories.

Το γραφείον Μπιρλίκ Ταξί Φεριχά Τσαγκίν: Ο παπάς μου… Ο παπάς μου είσ̆εν έναν κατάστημαν ανταλλακτικών. Κατ’ ακρίβειαν, έφερνε μικρά ανταλλακτικά που την εταιρεία Lοcking Κit στην Αγγλία, κατευθείαν. Συνήθως δεν επαραχωρούσαν τέθκοιες άδειες στους Τούρκους, αλλά ο παπάς μου εκατάφερε να την εξασφαλίσει στο δικόν του όνομαν που την εταιρεία Lοcking Κit στην Λευκωσίαν. Εν μπορώ να θθυμηθώ το όνομαν τούντη στιγμή. Με έναν Ελληνοκύπριο. Εισήγαγαν τζ̆’ άλλα προϊόντα. Βασικά είσ̆εν έναν κατάστημαν, εν συντομία επουλούσεν ανταλλακτικά. Επίσης, είσ̆εν τρία ταξί. Είσ̆εν έναν γραφείον ταξί στην Λεμεσόν. Τούτον, μπροστά που το νοσοκομείον, το γραφείον Μπιρλίκ ταξί. Σε τζ̆είνον το γραφείον εδούλευκε τζ̆αι ο θείος μου. Τζ̆’ ένας που τους ανιψιούδες μου. Εννοώ ότι είχα πολλά καλόν εισόδημα.

Birlik Taksi Yazıhanesi FERİHA ÇAĞIN: Babamın… Babamın yedek parça dükkânı vardı. Hatta, İngiltere’den ‘Locking Kit’ firmasından küçük küçük şeyler getirtirdi, direkt. Hani Türklere pek vermiyorlardı bunu, ama babam almıştı onu Locking Kit firmasının…kendi adına getirtiyordu. Lefkoşa’da…şu anda ismini hatırlıyamıycam, bir Rum’la birlikte diğer malları getirtirlerdi. Yani, dükkânı vardı kısacası. Yedek parça satıyordu. Artı, üç tane taksisi vardı. Taksi yazıhanesi açmıştı Limasol’da, şeyin…hastanenin tam önünde, Birlik Taksi Yazıhanesi. İşte, o yazıhanede, amcam çalışıyordu takside. Bir başka yeğenimiz çalışıyordu. Yani, iyi bir geliri vardı babamın.

FERIHA CAGIN: Μy father… My father had a spare parts shop. In fact, he would bring small parts from the Locking Kit company in England, directly. They wouldn’t usually grant this to Turks, but father had managed to secure this from the Locking Kit Company under his own name, uugh, in Nicosia. I can’t recall the name at the moment. With a Greek Cypriot. They used to import other goods. So, I mean, he had a shop, in short he sold spare parts. Plus, he had three taxis. He had a taxi bureau in Limassol. This, right in front of the hospital, Birlik Taxi Office. So, in that office, my uncle worked there as well. One of our cousins worked there too. I mean, I had a very good income.

Το νοσοκομείον

Φεριχά Τσαγκίν: Νναι, θθυμούμαι. Όμως για να ιδρυθεί το νοσοκομείον, έπαιξαν μεγάλον ρόλον οι εισφορές του παπά μου. Του μακαρίτη του παπά μου… Στες βρετανικές βάσεις, συχνά πυκνά, οι Βρετανοί… Μετά που τα εχρησιμοποιούσαν για κάποιον διάστημαν, έβαλλαν τα κρεβάθκια τους, τα στρώματα σε δημοπρασία. Επήαιννε τζ̆ειαμαί ο παπάς μου τζ̆’ εγόραζε κρεβάθκια τζ̆αι στρώματα τζ̆’ εδώριζε τα στο νοσοκομείον, τζ̆’ εσυνείσφερε στο νοσοκομείον. Κατ’ ακρίβειαν, έχουμεν ακόμα το Τιμητικόν Δίπλωμαν. Έχουμεν τα τούτα. Του παπά μου εκάμαν του μιαν επέμβαση τζ̆ειαμαί. Ο κύριος Χαλίμ ήταν ο γιατρός που τον εχειρούργησε. Εκάμαν του σκωληκοειδεκτομή. Η μακαρίτισσα η μάνα μου έπαθε έμφραγμα στα 38 της. Επήραμεν την σε τζ̆είνον το νοσοκομείον. Έχω λυπητερές αναμνήσεις σαν τούτες που το νοσοκομείον. Ήταν η γιατρός Αϊτέν τζ̆ειαμαί. Όπως ξέρεις, η Τζεμαλιγιέ Χανίμ ήταν η Προϊσταμένη, η γυναίκα του κυρίου Χαλίμ. Εν αποδείξεις. Εν αποδείξεις… Βέβαια, βέβαια…

hastane

FERİHA ÇAĞIN: Evet, hatırlarım. Ama hastanenin kurulmasında, babamın çok emeği vardı. Benim rahmetlik babamın… Şeyde… İngiliz üslerinde, zaman zaman, İngilizler, yani… Bir müddet kullanıldıktan sonra, karyolalarını, şiltelerini, açık artırmaya koyarlardı. Ve babam gidip ordan karyolalar, şilteler almıştı ve onları hastaneye bağışladı ve hastaneye bir katkıda bulundu. Hatta, elimde Teşekkür Kağıtları hala yanımızda. Vardır onlar. Babam orda ameliyat oldu. Halim Bey cerrah doktordu. Orda apandisit ameliyatı olmuştu. Rahmetlik annem 38 yaşında kalp krizi geçirmişti. Da onu orda, işte, hastaneye kaldırdık. Böyle acı anılarım da vardır hastaneyle ilgili. Doktor Ayten Hanım vardı orda, biliyorsunuz. Cemaliye Hanım Baş Hemşire idi, Halim Bey’in eşi.

FERIHA CAGIN: Υes, I remember. But in founding the hospital, my father’s contributions played a huge part. My late father… At the British bases, from time to time, the British, I mean… After it (the stuff) was used for some time, they would put their beds, mattresses to auction. And there, my father went and bought beds and mattresses and donated them to the hospital, and contributed to the hospital. In fact, we still have the Certificates of Recognition with us. We have these. My dad had an operation there. Mr. Halim was his doctor surgeon. He underwent an appendectomy. My late mother, had a heart attack at the age of 38. We put her in hospital there. I have sombre memories like these about the hospital as well. There was Mrs Dr. Ayten there. As you know, Cemaliye Hanım was the Head Nurse, Mr. Halim’s wife. It is evidence. It is evidence… Of course, of course…

Το σινεμά Σιαχίν

Μουσταφά Χαλιλσόι: Οκέι. Πρώτα να συστηθώ. Ονομάζουμαι Μουσταφά Χαλιλσόι. Εγεννήθηκα στο χωρκόν του Άι-Νικόλα στην επαρχία Πάφου, αλλά όταν ήμουν εφτά χρονών εμετακομίσαμεν οικογενειακώς στην Λεμεσόν. Ο παπάς μου ήταν οδηγός λεωφορείου στην Λεμεσόν. Έπαιρνε τους στρατιωτικούς, είτε Βρετανούς είτε Έλληνες είτε Τούρκους, στες Βάσεις στο Ακρωτήρι τζ̆αι την Επισκοπή. Έτσι μερικές φορές, όταν ήμουν μιτσής, επήαιννα με τον παπά μου. Τζ̆’ έτσι ξέρω τες Βάσεις στο Ακρωτήρι, το Λέιντις Μάιλ, όπου επηαίνναμεν θάλασσα, το βουνόν της Επισκοπής. Ήταν επίσης οι Βάσεις, οι Βρετανικές Βάσεις. Έτσι που τα εφτά μου επήαιννα σχολείον στην Λεμεσόν. Το σχολείον μας, η περιοχή του σχολείου ήταν μπροστά που το εργοστάσιον της ΚΕΟ, τζ̆’ εμετακομίσαμεν αρκετές φορές στην Λεμεσόν. Όταν επρωτοήρταμεν στην Λεμεσόν, εμεινίσκαμεν σε έναν δρόμον που τον ελαλούσαν οδόν Αρναούτ.

Η περιοχή Αρναούτ… Ο λόγος που την ελαλούσαν Αρναούτ ήταν επειδή είσ̆εν μια ποταμωσιά τζ̆αι πιο κάτω εζούσαν Ρομά, τζ̆’ έτσι είσ̆εν έναν κράμα ανθρώπων. Αρναούτ σημαίνει κάτι σαν ανάμειξη θκυο διαφορετικών κοινωνιών. Γι’ αυτόν νομίζω είσ̆εν τούτον το όνομαν. Τούτοι οι Ρομά ήταν, ένι ξέρω, η καταγωγή τους από όσον ξέρω, ιστορικά, ήρταν που την Ινδία, επήαν στην Αλβανία τζ̆αι που την Αλβανία εσκορπίστηκαν στες γύρω χώρες. τζ̆αι μερικοί που τούτους ήρταν στην Κύπρο. Τούτους ελέαν τους τσιγγάνους, τσιγγάνους. Έτσι θθυμούμαι ότι είσ̆εν μια περιοχή που ανήκε στους τσιγγάνους, κοντά στην οδόν Αρναούτ.

Αν ακολουθήσεις τζ̆είνον τον στενόν δρόμον τζ̆αι φτάσεις ως το τέλος, νομίζω πως έχει έναν τόπον που παλιά ελαλούσαν το σινεμά Σιαχίν. Σινεμά Σιαχίν. Αλλά τωρά, όπως μαθαίννω, ανήκει σε κάποιες κοινότητες Μπαχάι. Εσύ ξέρεις τούντο μέρος; Νναι. Ε τζ̆είν’ το μέρος των Μπαχάι ήταν ακριβώς το σινεμά Σιαχίν μας. Το σίνεμα Σιαχίν. Θθυμούμαι όταν ήμουν μιτσής, ο ιδιοκτήτης του σινεμά Σιαχίν, ήταν ένας πλούσιος άνθρωπος, έφερνε που την Τουρκία μερικούς διάσημους ηθοποιούς. Ήταν όπως το όνειρον που τους εβλέπαμεν στες ταινίες, τουρκικές ταινίες. Αλλά, έτσι ξαφνικά, έρκουνταν οι ίδιοι δαμαί. Το όνομαν τζ̆είνου του ανθρώπου ήταν Ερτουγρούλ Σιαχίν. Γι’ αυτόν ελέαν τζ̆αι το σινεμά Σιαχίν. Έτσι θθυμούμαι ότι σε τζ̆είνον το σινεμά είδα τον Γκιοκσέλ Αρσόι. Έναν που τους πολλά διάσημους Τούρκους ηθοποιούς. Τον Ορχάν Γκιουνσιράι τζ̆αι μερικούς άλλους πολλά διάσημους ανθρώπους. Ήταν καταπληκτικόν να τους βλέπεις στην Κύπρο. Έτσι ήταν οργανωμένον. Τωρά νομίζω πως καταλαββαίννεις ποια περιοχή εν’ η περιοχή Αρναούτ. Ο τόπος τζ̆είνων των Τούρκων μαρτύρων του ’74. Τζ̆αι κοντά, έναν πολλά μικρόν τζαμί. Τα μικρά τζαμιά λέγουνται μεστζίντ. Οι λέξεις εν στα αραβικά. Μεστζίντ σημαίνει μικρόν τζαμί. Όπως στα ελληνικά έχετε εκκλησία τζ̆’ έχετε επίσης παρεκκλήσι. Πιο μιτσίν. Έτσι το μεστζίντ αντιστοιχεί στο παρεκκλήσι. Έτσι, τζ̆είνη η περιοχή εν’ η περιοχή Αρναούτ.

Σήμμερα βρίσκεται εκεί η Αίθουσα Συναθροίσεων των Μαρτύρων του Ιεχωβά.

Şahin sineması

MUSTAFA HALİLSOY: Tamam. Ben o zaman gendimi tanıtayım. Benim adım Mustafa Halilsoy. Baf kazasına bağlı Aynikola köyünde doğdum, ama ben yedi yaşındayken ailece Limasol’a daşındık. Babam, Limasol’da otobüs şöförüydü. İngiliz, Rum ya da Türk memurları Akrotiri ve Episkopi üslerine getirir götürürdü. Onun için, bazen, ben daha küçükken, ben da babamnan giderdim. Dolayısıynan, Akrotiri üslerini, yüzmeye gittiğimiz Lady’s Mile’ı iyi bilirim. Sonra, Episkopi dağı. Üsler vardı, hem İngiliz üsleri. Dolayısıynan, yedi yaşımdan itibaren eğitimimi Limasol’da gördüm. Okulumuz, okulun olduğu bölge, KEO fabrikasının önündeydi ve biz Limasol’da birkaç kere daşındık. Limasol’a ilk geldiğimizde, Arnavut Sokağı’nda galdıydık. Arnavut bölgesi… Bölgenin adının Arnavut olmasının sebebi da…bir dere yatağı varıdı ve onun ötesinde, Romanlar yaşardı, farklı farklı topluluklarnan garışık. Yani, Arnavut demek…iki farklı topluluğun garışımı gibi bişey demektir. Onun için, bence, adına öyle derlerdi. Bu Romanlar, bilmem, yani bildiğim gadarıynan kökenleri… Hindistan’dan, Arnavutluk’tan geldilerdi ve Arnavutluk’tan çıkıp civardaki ülkelere dağıldılar. Ve bazısı da Kıbrıs’a geldi. Onlara çingene derlerdi, çingene. Onun için, hatırlarım, çingenelere ait bir bölge vardı, Arnavut sokağının yakınında.

O dar yolcuğu takip edersan da sonuna gadar giden, galiba Şahin sineması diye bir yer vardı, uzun zaman önce. Şahin Sineması. Ama şimdi, bildiğime göre, bazı Bahai topluluklarına aittir. Orayı bilirmin? Evet. Ha, yani o Bahailerin yerin tam Şahin Sinemasının olduğu yerdi. Şahin Sineması. Ben daha çocukken, hatırlarım, Şahin sinemasının sahibi, zengin bir adamdı, Türkiye’den meşhur oyuncuları getirtirdi. Bu, onları filmlerde, Türk filmlerinde, izleyen insanlar için sadece bir hayaldi. Ama ansızın bakardın, gendileri burda. O kişinin [sinema sahibinin] adı Ertoğrul Şahin’di. Onun için sinemanın adı Şahin idi. Ve hatırlarım, o sinemada Göksel Arsoy’u gördüydüm. Meşhur Türk artistlerden biri! Orhan Günşıray ve daha başka, bir sürü meşhur artistler. Onları Kıbrıs’da görmek inanılmaz bir olaydı. Öyle ayarladılardı. Yani, bence şimdi anladın Arnavut bölgesi neresidir. Bu şehitlik, ’74’deki Türk şehitlerinin yeri… Ve yakınında, güçük bir camii var. Güçük camilere mescit denir. Kelime Arapçadan gelir. Mescit, güçük cami demekdir. Nasıl ki Rumcada ‘kilise’ ve ‘şapel’ var. Daha güçüğü. Yani, mescit, şapele tekabül eder. Ve o bölge da Arnavut bölgesidir.

günümüzde, Yehova Şahitlerinin Toplantı Salon’u

the Shahin cinema

MUSTAFA KHALIL: Okay. So, I may start to introduce myself. My name is Mustafa Khalil. I was born in the village of Agios Nikolaos district of Paphos, but when I was seven years old, we moved as a family to Limassol. My father was a bus driver in Limassol. He was carrying the officers, British or Greek or Turkish, to Akrotiri and Episkopi bases. So sometimes, when I was a young boy, I was going with my father. So I am familiar with the Akrotiri bases, Lady’s Mile, where we are going for swimming. Then Episkopi mountain. It was the bases, British bases as well. So I had my education in Limassol starting from seven years old. Our school, the school area, were located in front of the Keo factory and we moved a few places inside Limassol. First when we came to Limassol, we were living in what was called the Arnaut street. Arnaut area… The reason was that it was called Arnaut area was, there was a river bed and after that there were Romans (Romanis) living and so there was some mixture of people. So, Arnaut means it is something like a mixing of two different societies. So, I think that is why it was called in that name. These Romans were, I don't know, their origin as I know historically, they came from India, they came to Albania, and from Albania they scattered in the surrounding countries. So, some of them came to Cyprus. These were called gypsies, gypsies. So, I remember there was an area that belonged to gypsies, just near the Arnaut street.

If you follow that narrow road and you go to the very end, I think there is a place that was long ago called Shahin cinema. Shahin cinema. But now, as I learn, it belongs to some Bahai societies. Do you know that place? Yes. Ah, so that Bahai place was exactly our Shahin cinema. Shahin cinema. I remember when I was a young boy, the owner of Shahin cinema, he was a rich man, he used to bring from Turkey some famous actors. That it was a dream who were watching them in films, Turkish films. But then, all of a sudden, they came themselves here. The name of that person was Ertugrul Shahin. So that is why the name of the cinema was Shahin. So, I remember I saw in that cinema Goksel Arsoy. One of the very famous Turkish actors. Orhan Gunsiray and some others very famous people. It was amazing to see them in Cyprus. It was organized in that way. So, I think now you realize which area is the Arnaut area. This martyr place of that Turkish 74 martyrs. And near, very small mosque. Small mosques are called mesjid. The words are in Arabic. Mesjid means small mosque. Like in Greek you have church and you have also chapel. Smaller. So mesjid corresponds to a chapel. So that area is the Arnaut area.

presently is Jehovah’s Witnesses Assembly Hall

Ο επιπλοποιός

Κιμέτ Αλίμπεϊ: Ο Μουσταφά Σαλίχ ήταν ένας πολλά διάσημος επιπλοποιός στην Λεμεσόν. Το μαγαζίν του ήταν κοντά στο σινεμά Ταξίμ ή κάπου τζ̆ειαμαί. Ειλικρινά δεν θθυμούμαι αλλά ήταν σε τζ̆είνον τον δρόμον.

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Νιλγκούν Χουσεΐν: Νιλγκούν Χουσεΐν. Λοιπόν, το όνομαν του παπά μου ήταν Μουσταφά. Αλλά προηγουμένως… Κατ’ακρίβειαν, το όνομαν του παπά μου ήταν Μουσταφά. Μετά που επεράσαμεν στον βορρά, εξαιτίας του νόμου του Επωνύμου, το επίθετον μας έγινεν Αρσλάνερ. Εννοώ ότι το πατρικόν μου ήταν Αρσλάνερ. Αλλά το επίθετον του άντρα μου ήταν Οζαντίκα. Θθυμούμαι πολλά για την δουλειάν του παπά μου, επειδή ήταν πολλά μερακλής με την δουλειάν του. Ήταν επιπλοποιός, τζ̆αι τον πιο πολύ τζ̆αιρόν έβλεπα τον να καμαρώννει τα έπιπλα που έφτιαχνε. Έλεα, «παπά, πώς εν δυνατόν να αγαπάς τα έπιπλα;». Έλεε, «κοίτα πόση μαστορκά.» Ο παπάς μου είσ̆εν μεγάλον πάθος για το επάγγελμα του. Σαν παιδίν, θθυμούμαι περιοδικά με έπιπλα για το σπίτιν. Εμεγάλωσα κοιτάζοντας τα. Είσ̆εν πολλούς καταλόγους, τζ̆αι κάθε χρόνον έφταναν καινούργιοι. Δεν ξέρω πού τους έβρισκε, αλλά πάντα ανανεώννουνταν. Εμεγάλωσα κοιτάζοντας τούτα τα περιοδικά.

mobilyacı

KIYMET ALİBEY: Mustafa Salih, Limasol’da çok meşhur bir mobilyacıydı. Dükkânı gene Taksim sinemasına yakın ya da oralarda bir yerdeydi. Vallahi, tam olarak hatırlamam ama o yolun üzerindeydi.

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NİLGÜN HÜSEYİN: Nilgün Hüseyin. Şimdi, babamın adı Mustafa’ydı. Fakat daha evvelden… Daha doğrusu, babamın adı Mustafa. Daha sonra, kuzeye geçince, orda Soyismi Ganun’u çıktı ve soyismi Arslanel diye alındı. Yani, soy ismim, gızlık soy ismim Arslanel’dir. Ama gocamın soy ismi Özantika’dır.

Çok şey hatırlarım babamın işi için, çünkü babam çok meraklıydı işine. Mobilyacıydı ve çoğu zaman eşyaları sevdiğini görürdüm. Da…bazen gülerdim, derdim, “Baba”, derdim, “Eşya sevilir mi?” E, derdi, “Gızım, bak ne güzel işçilik!” derdi. “Çok güzel işçiliği var!” derdi babam. Babam…mesleğine garşı çok büyük bir tutkusu vardı, merağı vardı. Ve ben çocukken, ev eşyaları kataloğu seyrederek büyüdüm. Çünkü babamın katalogları vardı, çok mikdarda, her sene yeni katalog gelirdi gendine. Nerden gelirdi, onu bilmem nerden alırdı o kataloğu, bilmem tabii. Ama, her sene yenilenirdi o kataloglar ve çok katalogları vardı babamın. Ben onları seyrederek büyüdüm.

KIYMET ALIBEY: Mustafa Salih he was a very famous furniture maker in Limassol. His shop again was near Taksim cinemas or something. I honestly don't remember but it was on that road.

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NILGUN HUSEYIN: Nilgun Huseyin. Now, my father’s name was Mustafa. But before… Actually, my father’s name was Mustafa. After crossing to the north, due to the Surname Law, our surname became Arslanel. I mean, my maiden name was Arslanel. But my husband’s surname is Ozantika.

I remember a lot about my father’s occupation because he was very passionate about his work. He was a furniture maker, and most of the time I would see him admiring the pieces he made. I’d say, “Father, how is it possible to love furniture?” He’d say, “Look at this craftsmanship.” My father had great passion for his profession. As a child, I remember home furniture magazines. I grew up looking at them. He had a lot of catalogues, and every year new ones would arrive. I don’t know where he got them, but they were always renewed. I grew up looking through those magazines.

Το σινεμά Ταξίμ

Φεριχά Τσαγκίν: Το σινεμά Ταξίμ… Νναι, νναι… Τα σαββατοκυρίακα έφερναν καινούργιες ταινίες στο σινεμά Ταξίμ. Τζ̆αι φυσικά επηαίνναμεν να τες δούμεν. Επίσης, κατά την διάρκεια της εβδομάδας, εκάμναν τζ̆αι ματινέ για τες γυναίκες. Πρωινές προβολές για τες κυρίες… Επηαίνναμεν τζ̆ειαμαί. Όταν επηαίνναμεν τζ̆ειαμαί, ούλλες έπαιρναν τζ̆αι τα μωρά τους στο σινεμά. Κατ’ ακρίβειαν, εβάλλαν τα μωρά τους στες αμαξούδες, τζ̆είνες που είχαν βρέφη εκάθουνταν στα πλάγια, τζ̆αι τρρρ τρρρ τρρρ έσουζαν τα μωρά μπρος πίσω. Α, τζ̆αι κάποιος εφώναζεν «φέρτε μου καφέ» τζ̆’ επαίρναν τού καφέ. Έτσι ήταν η ατμόσφαιρα στα σινεμά μας. Ήμασταν ευχαριστημένοι.. Φυσικά, τότε ήταν οι ταινίες του Καρτάλ Τιμπέτ, οι ταινίες του Τζουνέιτ Άρκιν, εβλέπαμεν τες τζ̆είνες. Ήταν τουρκικές ταινίες… Η Τουρκάν Σοράι, η Εντίζ Χουν, οι ταινίες τζ̆είνης της περιόδου… Η Εντίζ Χουν, η Τουρκάν Σοράι… Η Φιλίζ Ακίν… Α, δεν μου άρεσκαν τζ̆είνες οι ταινίες που σπάζουν τζ̆αι διαλύουν πράματα. Εγώ απολάμβανα τες δραματικές ταινίες. Έτσι, ελάτρευα τες ταινίες με την Τουρκάν Σοράι.

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Χουσεΐν Αρσάλ: Τωρά… Το σινεμά ήταν πολλά παραπάνω που το να βλέπεις μια ταινία. Τι ήταν; Ήταν ένας τόπος συνάντησης. Έτσι, εδούλευκα μια εβδομάδα κοντά στον παππού μου, είσ̆εν έναν μπακκάλλικον. Δεν εξόδευα τους μισθούς μου. Επερίμενα το Σάββατον ή την Κυριακή, την Παρασκευή, οτιδήποτε. τζ̆αι επήαιννα στο σινεμά τζ̆αι τζ̆ειαμαί έπαιζα τόμπολα. Εννοώ ότι τα σαββατοκυρίακα στο σινεμά στην Λεμεσόν είσ̆εν πάντα τόμπολα. Τζ̆αι τζ̆είνοι που εκέρδιζαν στην τόμπολα εθεωρούνταν οι τυχεροί της εβδομάδας. Αν ήταν να το σκεφτώ με όρους σημμερινού συναλλάγματος, κάποιος που εκέρδιζε 500 λίρες (περίπου 10 ευρώ) εθεωρείτουν τυχερός ή αν κάποιος εκέρδιζε μια γαλοπούλα για την Πρωτοχρονιά εθεωρείτουν τυχερός, έτσι ήταν η Λεμεσός τότε.

Πρώτα τζ̆αι κύρια, πάνω που ούλλα, όταν επηαίνναμεν στο σινεμά Ταξίμ, επροσπαθούσαμεν να μάθουμεν σε ποιον σινεμά ήταν να πάει η φιλενάδα μας ή η μιτσ̆ιά που μας άρεσκε που το σχολείον. Εννοώ ότι επεριμέναμεν έξω που το σινεμά: «Ήρτεν η Αϊσέ;» Αν η Αϊσέ έμπαιννε μέσα, εμπαίναμεν τζ̆’ εμείς. Αν εβλέπαμεν ότι δεν έμπαιννε μέσα, επηαίνναμεν στο σινεμά Σιαχίν, αν ήταν τζ̆ειαμαί η Αϊσέ. Ήταν κάπως… Τωρά έχετε τηλέφωνα: «Γεια σου, Αϊσέ; Σε ποιον σινεμά εννά πάεις; Στο Ταξίμ; Εννά έρτω τζ̆’ εγώ.» Τι εσυνέβαινε; Η αγαπημένη σου ή τζ̆είνη που σου άρεσκε εκάθετουν τζ̆ειαμαί τζ̆’ εμείς καθούμασταν λλίον πιο κοντά, εκοιτάζαμεν ο ένας τον άλλον κάθε τόσον, τούτον μας αρκούσεν.

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Μουσταφά Χαλιλσόι: Ξέρεις, μια μέρα επήα με τον φίλον μου. Είσ̆εν έναν παιχνίδι. Ελαλούσαμεν το τόμπολα. Έναν είδος λοταρίας. Αγοράζεις μια κάρτα. Τζ̆αι κληρώννουν αριθμούς. Τζ̆αι απλώς σημειώννεις. Αν συμπληρώσεις ούλλους τους αριθμούς, κερδίζεις. Είχα κερδίσει. Στην τόμπολα, σε τζ̆είνον το παιχνίδι, εγώ τζ̆’ ο φίλος μου είχαμεν μοιραστεί μια κάρτα. Αλλά εντραπήκαμεν να πάμεν να πιάσουμεν τα λεφτά. Είσ̆εν έναν μιτσή δίπλα μας. Είπα του να πάει τζ̆αι να μας τα φέρει. «Εντάξει» είπεν. Εσηκώθηκεν, επήεν στο μπροστινόν δωμάτιον. Τζ̆ειαμαί ελέγχουν αν το εσυμπλήρωσες σωστά. Ήταν σωστό. Έτσι επήεν, νομίζω πως ήταν τρεις κυπριακές λίρες περίπου. Τζ̆είνη την εποχή ήταν καλά λεφτά. Έτσι τζ̆είνος ο μιτσής έφερεν μας τα λεφτά. Εδώκαμεν του 5 σελίνια φιλοδώρημα. Έτσι έχω τούντην ανάμνηση στο σινεμά Ταξίμ. Ήταν μια απόλαυση. Ξέρεις, το παιχνίδι της τόμπολας, όπως το ελέαμεν. Ήταν μια απόλαυση.

Πάντα, κάθε νύχτα, έπαιζαν θκυο ταινίες. Η πρώτη στα εγγλέζικα, συνήθως ταινία με καουμπόιδες. Σινεμασκόπ, εγέμιζε ούλλη την οθόνη. Τζ̆αι η δεύτερη ήταν τουρκική, εισαγόμενη που την Τουρκία. Έτσι, επηαίνναμεν να δούμεν τους καουμπόιδες. Αλλά η δεύτερη ταινία που ήταν τουρκική, ήταν συνήθως δραματική. Θθυμούμαι την μάνα μου να κλαίει άμαν έβλεπε τουρκικές ταινίες. Ξέρεις. Που ο νεαρός δεν εμπορούσεν να αποκτήσει την κοπέλα. Υπήρχε κάποιου είδους αναχώρηση. Έτσι έβλεπα ούλλες τες μανάδες να κλαίουν. Τζ̆αι τούτες τες τουρκικές ταινίες επουλούσαν τες τζ̆αι στους Έλληνες ιδιοκτήτες των σινεμά. Τζ̆αι οι Έλληνες έβλεπαν τζ̆αι τζ̆είνοι τούτες τες τουρκικές δραματικές ταινίες. Τζ̆αι θθυμούμαι πως είχα ακούσει που έναν Τούρκο φίλον που εδούλευκε στο σινεμά Ριάλτο, τζ̆’ έλεε μας ότι τζ̆αι οι Έλληνες απολάμβαναν να βλέπουν τουρκικές ταινίες, επειδή ήταν μεν στα τουρκικά αλλά μάλλον ήταν μεταφρασμένες στα ελληνικά ή κάτι τέθκοιον. Τζ̆’ έτσι κάθε νύχτα εβλέπαμεν μια καουμπόικη ταινία τζ̆αι μια τουρκική δραματική. Οι μιτσ̆ιοί ήμασταν καουμπόιδες βέβαια, ποττέ δεν ενδιαφερτήκαμεν για τες άλλες τες τουρκικές δραματικές ταινίες, δεν εσήμαιναν πολλά πράματα για εμάς.

Ήταν πολλά συνηθισμένον. Μπροστά είσ̆εν βέβαια μια μεγάλη οθόνη τζ̆αι συνδεδεμένη με την οθόνη ήταν μια εξέδρα, που όταν έρκουνταν επισκέπτες ή καλοί ηθοποιοί επαίρναν τους τζ̆ειαμαί, ώστε ούλλοι να μπορούν να τους δουν τζ̆αι να τους ακούσουν εύκολα. Τζ̆αι θθυμούμαι μια φορά, ένας μάγος ήρθε να κάμει κάτι μαγικά, τζ̆αι ήταν μπροστά που την οθόνη… Έκαμνεν κάτι καταπληκτικά πράματα, δεν μπορώ να θθυμηθώ τα ονόματα τούτων των μάγων. Που τούτα τα άμπρα κατάμπρα. Εχρησιμοποιούσαν πάντα παράξενα ονόματα τούτοι οι ανθρώποι. Αλλά ήταν έναν απίθανον θέαμαν, πολλά εντυπωσιακό. Πώς τα έκαμνεν δεν εμπορούσαμεν να καταλάβουμεν ποττέ! Ήταν καλή διασκέδαση. Τζ̆αι να παίζουμεν τόμπολα, τούτον το παιχνίδι που επαίζαμεν… Ακριβώς μπροστά που την οθόνη είσ̆εν μιαν αρένα ή κάτι τέθκοιον. Τζ̆αι ούλλον τα υπόλοιπον ήταν καρέκλες γεμάτες κόσμον. Τζ̆αι είσ̆εν έναν θεωρείον, θεωρείον με πιο πολλά λεφτά. Εμπορούσες να κάτσεις στο θεωρείον. VΙΡ της εποχής.

Taksim sineması

FERİHA ÇAĞIN: Taksim sineması…Evet, evet… Haftasonları, Taksim sinemasında, yeni filmler geliyordu. Biz tabii, onlara gidiyorduk. Bir de hafta içerisinde, kadınlar için, matine…kadınlar matinesi diye giderdik. Orda, gittiğimiz zaman, herkes çocuğunu da götürürdü sinemaya. Hatta, arabacığa koyarlardı, bebeği olanlar kenara otururdu, orda arabayı ‘cırrrr, cırrrrr’ sallarlardı böyle. Ha, bir başkası derdi, “bir kahve getir bana!” Hade, kahve gelirdi kendisine. Yani, öyle bir ortamdı sinemalarımız. Ve mutlu oluyorduk… Tabii, Kartal Tibet filmleri vardı o zaman, Cüneyt Arkın’ın filmleri vardı. Yani, onları izliyorduk. Türkçe filimlerdi… Türkan Şoray’lar, Ediz Hun’lar, o dönemlerin filmleri. Ediz Hun, Türkan Şοray… Filiz Akın… Ha, ben böyle vurdulu kırdılı filmleri sevmiyordum. Daha çok Salon filmlerini seviyordum. Dolayısıyla, Türkan Şoray’ın oynadığı filmlere bayılıyordum, yani.

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HÜSEYİN ARSAL: Şimdi… sinema, bir filimi görmenin ötesindeydi. Neydi? İnsanların buluşduğu bir yer idi. Yani, ben bir hafta çalışırdım, dedemin yanında, bakkal dükkânı varıdı. Verdiği parayı yemezdim. Beklerdim Cumartesi olsun veya Pazar, Cuma, neyse. Ve o sinemaya giderim ve orda bir tombala oynarım. Yani, sinemalarda hafta sonu Limasol’da, hep tombala olayı vardı. Tombalayı gazananları da o haftanın talihlisi ilan edellerdi. Şimdiki parayla düşünürsan, 500.000 lira, 500 lira gazananları şanslı addeddikleri, yılbaşında bir hindiyi gazananı yılın şanslısı ilan eddiği bir Leymosun’udu o. Her şeyden önce, biz Taksim Sineması’na giderken, kız arkadaşımız ya da beğendiğimiz kız –okulda– onun gideceği sinemaları, sinemayı tespit etmeye çalışırdık. Yani, beklerdik sinemanın önünde, “Ayşe geldi mi?” Ayşe girersa içeri, biz da girerdik. Eğer, bakdık gördük ki girmeyyor, Şahin Sinema’sına giderdik, ordaysa Ayşe. Böyle bir… Şimdi, telefon var: “Alo, Ayşe? Hangi sinemaya gidiyon? Taksim? Ben da geliyorum.” Neydi? Mesela…Sevdiğiniz, beğendiğiniz, hoşlandığınız gız oturur orda, biz da biraz daha yakınına oturursak, ara sıra bakışırık, bu bize yeterdi.

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MUSTAFA HALİLSOY: Bilin, bir gün arkadaşımnan gittim. Bir oyun vardı. Tombala derdik. Lotto tarzı bir oyun. Üstünde sayıları olan bir bilet alırdın. Numaraları çekerlerdi. Sen da işaretlerdin. Bütün numaraları bulursaydın, gazanırdın. Ben gazandıydım tombalayı, bu sefer… arkadaşımnan birlikte, biletimiz ortakdı. Ama utandıydık gidip ödül parasını alalım. Yanımızda duran bir genç oğlan vardı. Ona dedim, git al bu parayı bizim için. “Tamam,” dedi. Bileti aldı, stüdyonun önüne gitti. Çünkü kontrol ederlerdi işaretlenen sayılar doğru mu. Doğruydu. Parayı aldı, galiba 3 Kıbrıs paunduydu. O zamanlar iyi paraydı. Ve o çocuk bize parayı verdi. Biz da onan bahşiş olarak 5 şilin verdik. İşte, Taksim sinemasında böyle bir anım var. Yani, bir eğlenceydi. Anladın, tombala oyunu derdik. Eğlenceydi.

Ha, her zaman, her gece, İki film gösterilirdi. Biri, ilki, İngilizce, genelde kovboy filmi. Sinemaskop, bütün ekranı gaplardı. Ve ikinci film da Türkçe, Türkiye’den gelirdi. İşte, biz kovboyları izlemeye giderdik. Ama Türkçe olan ikinci film, çoğunluknan dram olurdu. Annemin ağladığını hatırlarım Türk filmlerini izlerken. Bilin ya. Ya delikanlı gıznan gavuşamazdı. Yani, hep bir ayrılık söz konusuydu. Ben da bütün annelerin ağladığını görürdüm. Ve bu Türk filmleri, Rum sinemacılara da satılırdı. Ve Rumlar da Türk dram filmlerini izlerdi. Ve hatırladığım, Rialto sinemasında çalışan bir Türk’den duyduğum gadarıynan, bize Rumların da Türk filmlerini beğendiklerini söylerdi, filmler Türkçeydi ama heralde Rumcaya çevirirlerdi ya da öyle bir şey. Onun için, her gece kovboy filmleri izlerdik, hem bir da Türk dramı. Yani, genç oğlanlar olarak biz kovboyduk, tabii, diğer Türk dram filmlerine pek bir ilgimiz yoktu, bize bir anlam ifade etmezlerdi.

Gayet standartıdı … Önünde, tabii, gocaman bir ekran vardı ve ekranın hemen bitişiğinde da misafirler ya da iyi artistler geldiğinde, onların götürüldüğü bir oturma alanı vardı, ki herkes onları görebilsin, golaylıknan duyabilsin. Ve bir kere, hatırlarım, bir sihirbaz geldiydi sihirbazlık yapsın diye ve ekranın önünde dururdu… İnanılmaz şeyler yapardı, o sihirbazların adını hatırlayamaycam. O abrakadabraların. Hep garip bir isimleri olurdu bu insanların. Ama harika bir gösteriydi, aşırı inanılmaz. Nasıl yapardı, hiç anlayamaycam! Yani, o da güzel bir eğlenceydi. Ve Tombala, yani o oyunun kartlarını da alırdık… Ekrandan hemen önce bir arena, ya da onun gibi bir şey, vardı. Ve geriye galan her yerde sandalyeler vardı, hep insan dolu. Ve bir balkon vardı, parası olanların balkonu. Oraya oturabilirdin. O zamanların VIP’si.

the Taksim cinema

FERIHA CAGIN: Taksim cinema…Υes, yes… On the weekends, at Taksim cinema, they would get new films. And of course, we used to go to see them. Also, during the week, for women, they would have matinées. Lady’s matinées (screenings)… we would go there. When we would go there, everyone would take their children to the cinema too. In fact, they would put children into prams, those with babies would sit on the sides, and they used to trrr trrr trrr rock the babies back and forth. Ah, and someone else would shout “bring me a coffee” and then they would bring a coffee for them. So that’s the sort of environment at our cinemas. We were content… Of course, back then there were Kartal Tibet films, Cuneyt Arkın’s films, we would watch those. They were Turkish films… Turkan Soray, Ediz Hun, the films of that period. Ediz Hun, Turkan Sοray… Filiz Akın… Ah, so I didn’t like these films with smashing and crashing things. I enjoyed Salon Films. As such, I loved the films with Turkan Soray in them.

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HUSEYIN ARSAL: Now… Cinema was so much more than watching a film. What was it? It was a place where people met. So, I would work one week, next to my grandfather, he had a convenience store. I wouldn’t spend my wages. I would wait for Saturday, or Sunday, Friday, whatever. And I would wait to go to the cinema, and there I would play tombola. I mean, weekends at the cinema in Limassol, there was always a tombola event. And those who won at tombola were deemed the lucky ones of the week. If we were to think about it in terms of today’s currency, someone who won 500.000 – 500 lira (about 10 euros) was considered lucky, or if someone won a turkey for New Year’s was considered lucky, that was how Limassol was back then.

First and foremost, above everything else, when we were going to Taksim Cinema, our girlfriend or the girl we liked from school, we would try and identify the cinema that she would be going to. I mean, we would wait outside the cinema, “Has Ayse come?” If Ayse went inside, we would go inside too. If we saw that she wasn’t going in, we would go to Sahin Cinema, if Ayse was there. It was like… Now, you have telephones: “Hello, Ayse? Which cinema are you going to? Taksim? I’m coming too.” What was it? Your loved one, or the one you liked or was fond of would sit there, and we would sit a little closer, glance over at each other every now and then, that would suffice for us.

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MUSTAFA KHALIL: You know, one day I went with my friend. There were a game. We called it tombola. Some lottery type of thing. You buy a card with names on it. And they pull from the pole numbers. And you just sign. If you fill all the numbers, you win. I had win. In the tombola, in that game, I and my friend, we shared a ticket. But we were ashamed to go and pick the money. So, there was a young boy near to us. I told him, go and take it for us. “Yes,” he said. He got, he went there to the front studio. So, they control if all the signings are right. It was right. So, he got, I think it was about three Cyprus pounds. By that time, it was a good money. So that boy brought us the money. We gave him five shillings as a tip. So, I had such a memory in the Taksim cinema. So, it was an enjoyment. You know, that game of tombola, we called it. It was an enjoyment.

Ah, always, every night, there were two films played. One, first English, generally cowboy film. Cinemascope, filling all the screen. And the second film was Turkish, imported from Turkey. So, we were going to watch the cowboys. But the second film that was Turkish film, mostly it was drama. I remember my mother was weeping when watching Turkish film. You know. Either the young man could not get the girl. So, there was some departure. So, I watched all the mothers were weeping. And these Turkish films, they are also sold to the Greek cinema owners. And the Greek people also watched those Turkish drama films. And I remember I heard from a Turkish fellow who was working in Rialto cinema and he was telling us that the Greek people also are enjoying to watch Turkish films, because it was in Turkish but probably it was translated into Greek or something, so we were every night we were watching a cowboy film, plus a Turkish drama film. So, we as a young boy we were cowboys of course, we never interested about the other Turkish drama films, it did not mean much to us.

It was a very standard… There was in front of, they are a big screen of course and just attached to the screen there was an area that when there were some visitors or good actors coming he was taken there, so that everyone can see him, can hear him easily. And I remember once, a magic man came to show some magic, and he was in front of the screen… He was doing some amazing things, I may not remember the names of those magicians. Those abracadabras. Always they use strange names, these people. But it was a great show, very amazing. How he did it, we could never understand! So, it was a good enjoyment also. And taking Tombola, that game also that we are taking in that… Just before the screen there was an arena, something like that. And all the rest were chairs full of people. And there was a balcony, balcony with more money. You could sit at the balcony. VIP of the times.

Το Παρκ Γκαζίνοσου

Κιμέτ Αλίμπεϊ: Τζ̆αι μετά, είσ̆εν έναν μεγάλον… Το παλιό κοιμητήριον στο κέντρον της Λεμεσού εμετατράπηκε σε δημόσιο κήπον. Εμετέφεραν ούλλα τα οστά στο καινούργιον. Τζ̆’ έβαλαν φράχτη γύρω του. Τζ̆’ έβαλαν στο ράφι, ξέρεις, ξύλινα αντικείμενα. Τζ̆’ έκτισαν έναν πολλά ωραίον κτίριο τζ̆ειαμαί για τα πράματα των γάμων, εσυνήθιζαν να…

Τζ̆αι θθυμούμαι την κουνιάδα μου, επαντρεύτηκεν μετά που ’μέναν. Ήταν η πιο μεγάλη που ούλλες μας. Αλλά ήταν πολλά διάσημη ράφταινα στην Λεμεσόν, που έραφκε νυφφικά. Ξέρεις, οι γάμοι ήταν πολλά… Δεν ήταν μόνον έτσι. Ξέρεις, πρώτα, οι γάμοι στην Λεμεσόν, πρέπει να ράψεις έναν νυφφικόν, έναν φουστάνιν για την Νύχτα της Χέννας τζ̆’ έναν φουστάνιν για την πρώτη νύχτα, έναν άσπρον. Τζ̆αι μετά που τούτον, είτε θκυο μέρες είτε τρεις μέρες, Δευτέρα, Τρίτη, κάποτε μέχρι την Τετάρτη, ράφκεις διαφορετικά φουστάνια, μακριά φουστάνια πλουμιστά… Τουλάχιστον μέχρι την Δευτέρα - ξέρεις, μερικές φορές δεν είχαν λεφτά για τέσσερα φουστάνια. Έκαμναν μια τελετή σε έναν μέρος με καλεσμένους, εσυνήθιζαν να… Αν δεν είσιες προσκλητήρια, μερικές φορές… Ήταν φτωχοί, δεν είχαν προσκλητήρια. Είσ̆εν μια γυναίκα. Επροσλάμβανες την τζ̆’ επήαιννε σε ούλλα τα σπίθκια: «Ελάτε στον γάμο του τάδε τζ̆αι της τάδε την Κυριακή» στο σινεμά Ταξίμ ή κάπου αλλού ή στο Παρκ Γκαζίνοσου, ήταν το Παρκ Γκαζίνοσου.

Γάμοι, γενέθλια, αρραβώνες, ή οτιδήποτε ήθελαν να γιορτάσουν. Μπορεί γιορτές αποφοίτησης… Είσ̆εν πολλή κίνηση τζ̆αι μετά είχαν επίσης τζ̆είνον το κοινοτικόν κέντρον… Αλλά το κοινοτικόν κέντρον ήταν το νοσοκομείον ύστερα, μετά το ’63 εκάμαν το νοσοκομείον. Δεν ξέρω αν το ανέφεραν, εσύ ξέρεις το; Τζ̆είνον ήταν επίσης κοινοτικόν κέντρον.

*Προγαμιαίο τελετουργικό κατά το οποίο η μέλλουσα νύφη βάφεται με χέννα, για να εγκαταλείψει το οικογενειακό της σπίτι τζ̆αι την ταυτότητά της ως κόρη τζ̆αι να μεταβεί στο νέο σπίτι ως σύζυγος.

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Χουσεΐν Αρσάλ: Έχει έναν πάρκον. Πάρκον… Νναι, νναι, είσ̆εν έναν πάρκον τζ̆ειαμαί. Ήταν κοιμητήριον αλλά το εμετέτρεψαν σε πάρκον. Γκαζίνον, χαχα… Ήταν τζ̆ειαμαί. Τζ̆’ εμείς… Στα νιάτα μας…

Νναι, νναι, νναι, νναι, νναι… Αλλά τωρά, εννοώ… Ο κόσμος της Λεμεσού, κάθε εβδομάδα, χωρίς εξαίρεση επήαιννε κάπου για σουβλάκια: στου Νιαζί, στο Μπριτάνια, στου Μποζόκ… Εννοώ, σίουρα, επηαίνναμεν τζ̆’ εμείς. Αλλά, ποια ήταν η νοοτροπία, το σκεπτικόν που πίσω του; Τωρά, αν πάεις σε έναν εστιατόριο, έχεις το γεύμα σου, έχεις έναν ποτόν, επαράγγειλες τζ̆’ έναν κρασίν τζ̆αι το κρασίν ετέλειωσεν. Οι επιχειρηματίες της Λεμεσού ελέαν σου: «Να σε κεράσουμεν έναν μπουκάλιν, » τζ̆’ εβάλλαν το στην μέση του τραπεζιού. Έτσι ένι!

Τζ̆αι τούτον είδαν τούντα μμάθκια. Αν κάποιος έρκετουν στο μαγαζίν μου, εψούμνιζε, εν υπάρχει τέθκοιον έθιμον πουθενά αλλού, ξέρεις πώς ο πελάτης ’γοράζει λλία πράματα; Εννά πούμεν, «τούτον εν’ που το μαγαζίν.»

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Ερτάν Ντεμιράγ: Το σινεμά Ταξίμ, ωωω! Το σινεμά Ταξίμ… Εκάψατε το! Λοιπόν, τα σαββατοκυρίακα επηαίνναμεν στο σινεμά Ταξίμ. Πρώτα, ήταν να πάμεν στο πάρκον, το Παρκ Γκαζίνοσου, όπου ήμασταν… Σήμμερα διαχειρίζεται το το ΑΚΕΛ. Το Παρκ Γκαζίνοσου… Τζ̆ειαμαί, στην είσοδον, ήταν ο θείος Οσμάν, έκαμνεν γύρον, εγοράζαμεν τους γύρους μας τζ̆’ ετρώαμεν τους. Που τζ̆ειαμαί, ήταν να πάμεν στο σινεμά. Η πρώτη ταινία ήταν συνήθως τούρκικη ή εγγλέζικη. Επειδή έδειχναν θκυο ταινίες κάθε νύχτα. Πηγαίννοντας στο σινεμά, ένι ξέρω, στο αναψυκτήριον του πάρκου, στην γειτονιά μας, την γειτονιά του Αγιαντόν, μέχρι το κτίριο του Ταξίμ… Το καλοκαίρι είχαμεν δύο καφενεία, τα καφενεία του θείου Μοχάμεντ τζ̆αι του θείου Ραζίμ. Τζ̆αι είσ̆εν ταβέρνες στην περιοχή. Τζ̆αι το ιδιαίτερον με την Λεμεσόν ήταν ότι είσ̆εν πολλά εστιατόρια. Ήταν το μπαρ Νew Rοmantic, το μπαρ Οld Rοmantic, ήταν ο Νιαζί, ο διάσημος Νιαζί. Εν’ που την Λεμεσόν, ήταν τζ̆είνον. Ήταν το μπαρ του Χαλίλ Χάμζα. Ήταν το Μοοnlight, ήταν το έναν, το άλλον. Τα σαββατοκυρίακα, τούτα ήταν γεμάτα. Όι μόνον Τούρκοι, αλλά τζ̆αι οι Βρετανοί τζ̆αι οι Έλληνες επηαίνναν τζ̆ειαμαί. Η ζωή στην Λεμεσόν ήταν… Τζ̆είνον ούλλον το «οι Έλληνες εν μπορούν να μπουν, οι Τούρκοι εν μπορούν να μπουν», δεν υπήρχε τίποτε τέθκοιον! Για παράδειγμαν, η τουρκική νεολαία ήταν στες δισκοθήκες τα σαββατοκυρίακα, επειδή εν είσ̆εν καθόλου δισκοθήκες στον βορρά. Πρώτα ήταν να παν’ στο σινεμά. Ήταν να φύουν που το σινεμά, οι νέοι, τζ̆είνοι που ήταν πιο μεγάλοι που εμάς, τζ̆’ ήταν να περάσουν την νύχταν στες δισκοθήκες. Τα φεστιβάλ, για παράδειγμαν. Η διασκέδαση μας. Ήταν το φεστιβάλ του παραλιακού στον Μόλον. Επηαίνναμεν τζ̆ειαμαί. Καρναβάλια… Το Καρναβάλιν, επηαίνναμεν σε τζ̆είνον. Τούτα ήταν τα… Μετά το ’74, μετά που άννοιξαν τα οδοφράγματα, επήα στο Καρναβάλιν μόνον μια φορά. Ξέρεις ποιον εν το έναν πράμαν που δεν επήα; Στη γιορτή του Κρασιού. Όταν επήαμεν την τελευταία φορά, κατά την επιστροφή μας, είχαμεν λάθος ώρα. Επήαμεν… Εμείς επήαμεν στες 5:00 μμ στην είσοδον του ζωολογικού κήπου. Αλλά η γιορτή άρχιζε στες 7:00 μμ, οπότε δεν εμπορούσα να πάω γιατί ήταν να φύουμεν. Εν το μόνον πράμαν που δεν επήα.

Σήμμερα βρίσκεται εκεί η Πλατεία Αναγέννησης, όπου στεγάζεται το Σωματείον Αναγέννησης Προσφύγων.

Park Gazinosu

KIYMET ALİBEY: Ve ardında büyükçe bir… Eski bir mezarlık vardı Limasol’un ortasında, şimdi halk bahçesi oldu. Bütün kemikleri [kalıntıları] yenisine daşıdılar. Ve etrafına tel çektiler. Ve bank koydular, oturmak için, bilin, tahtadan. Ve oraya çok güzel bir bina yaptılar düğünler hem başka şeyler için…

Ve hatırlarım, görümcem, benden sonra evlendiydi. Hepimizden daha büyüktü. Ama Limasol’un meşhur terzilerindendi, gelinlik yapardı. Ya da… bilin, düğünler çok şeydir… sadece gelinlik dikmezdi yani. Bilin, ilk, Limasol’daki düğünlerde, düğün olacağında, bir elbise kına gecesi için ve bir elbise da esas gün için, beyaz bir elbise. Ve ondan sonra, iki yahut üç gün sonra, Pazartesi, Salı veya Çarşamba’ya gadar, başka elbiseler giyerdin, uzun abiyeler, süslü püslü… En azından Pazartesi, bilin, bazen (paraları) olmazdı dört elbise için. Bir kutlama yaparlardı bir yerde ve herkesi davet ederlerdi... Düğün davetiyen yoksaydı, bazan… Fakirsaydılar, davetiyeleri olmazdı. Bir gadın olurdu. Ona para verirdin, o da bütün evleri gezip, “Falan filanın düğününe gelin pazar günü, Taksim sinemasında” ya da başka bir yerde veya Park Gazinosunda, işte Park Gazinosu buydu.

Düğünler, doğum günü partileri, nişanlar, ya da gendileri için kutlama yapmak isteyen herhangi bir durumda... Belki bir mezuniyet partisi… Aktifidi, ve sonradan da o Halkevi da vardı… Ama Halkevi hastaneden sonra, ‘63’den sonra hastaneye dönüştürüldü. Bilmem hiç bahseddilersa, bilin onu? Orası aynı zamanda Sosyal merkez idi.

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HÜSEYİN ARSAL: Park dedin? Park… Ha, ha. Park vardı orda. Eerm… Mezarlığıdı eskiden da park oldu şimdi. Gazino, hah, hah… oradaydı.

Hah, hah… Ama şimdi, yani… Limasol’un insanı, her hafta, mutlaka, bir kebap yerine— Niazi’ye, Britannia’ya, Bozok’un yerine falan— (giderdi). İlla ki biz da giderdik. Ama zihniyet neydi, düşünce? Şimdi bir restorana gidersiniz, yemeğinizi yersiniz, içersiniz, bir da şarap söylediniz…şarap da bitmiştir. Limasol’daki esnaf alır bir şarap, “Bu da bizden” der, goyardı ortaya. Budur!

Ve biz, bunları gördük, bu gözler... Benim işyerime gelirsa biri, alışveriş yapar, başka yerde böyle bir adet yok, bişeyler alır ya? “Bu da bizden,” derik bir tane.

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ERTAN DEMİRAĞ: Taksim sineması, oooh! Taksim sineması… E, yakdınız! E vallahi, haftasonları Taksim sinemasına…önce giderdik Park Gazinosu vardı bizim evin orda… Bugün, şey, AKEL’in kontrolünde olan bir yerdir, Park Gazinosu… Orda, girişinde, bir Osman Dayı vardı, dönerci, alırdık dönerimizi, yerdik. Ondan, sinemaya giderdik. İlk film Türkçe…bazen Türkçe bazen İngilizce… çünkü bir gecede iki film oynanırdı. Cumartesileri bir da dombula çekilişi varıdı…onu da…millet alem yapardı, eğlence yapardı o sinemada. Yani, dönemin insanlarının eğlencesi, işte, sinemaya gitmek, ne bileyim, Park Gazinosuna gitmek…bizim mahallede, Ayandon mahallesinde, Taksim…Bilhassa, o yazın, orda iki dane kahvemiz vardı, Uncle Muhammed Dayı’ynan Rasım Dayı’nın gahvesi. Ve çevrede bulunan meyhaneler vardı. Bir da Limasol’un özelliği, çok restoran vardı. New Romantic Bar vardı, Old Romantic Bar vardı, bu Niyazi var, meşhur Niyazi var… Limasolludur. O vardı. Halil Hamza’nın barı vardı. Şeyin vardı, Moonlight vardı, bilmem ney vardı. Bunlar, haftasonları, dolardı. Yani, sadece Türk değil, İngiliz’i da gelirdi, Rum’u da gelirdi. Limasol’da hayat, şeyidi… Yani… O “Rum giremez, Türk giremez,” şeyi yoğudu! Türk gençleri, mesela, hafta sonu, diskoteklerdeydi, Rum tarafındakı. Çünkü bizim Türk tarafında diskotek olmadığı için. Önce sinemaya gidellerdi. Sinemadan çıkardı gençler, bizim büyüklerimiz, diskoteklere…geceyi geçirirlerdi diskotekde... Festival, mesela, eğlencemiz. Deniz panayırı vardı Limasol’un… Molos’da. Oraya giderdik… Garnavallar… Garnaval, ona giderdik. Bunlar bizim şeylerimizdi… ‘74’den sonra, işte, kapılar açıla- bir defa giddim garnavallara. Tek gitmediğim şey bilin nedir? Şarap festivaline gitmedim… Son gittik Gilan’a da dönüşte, sahatı yanlış bilirler. Gittik … E, şey, saat 7’de açılır. E, biz saat 5’te gittik şeye, hayvanat bahçesinin kapısınamış, girelim, şeye, şarap festivaline. 7’de açıldı ve giremedim. Tek giremediğim şey odur.

günümüzde burası, Anagennisi Limasol Mülteciler Derneği'nin de bulunduğu Anagennisi Meydanı'nın bir parçasıdır.

KIYMET ALIBEY: And later, there was a big… The old cemetery in the middle of Limassol is turned to a public garden. They moved all the bones to the new one. And they put fence around it. And they put the shelf, things to sit, you know, wooden things. And they build a very nice building there for the wedding things, they used to….

And I remember my sister-in-law, he she got married after me. She was older than all of us. But she was a very famous dressmaker in Limassol making wedding dresses. Or, you know, the weddings were very… It wasn't only like that. You know, first, the weddings in Limassol, you know, you have to make one wedding, one dress for the henna night and one dress for the first day, the white one. And after that, either two days, or three days, Monday, Tuesday, sometimes until Wednesday, you make different kind of dresses, long dress with the things on… At least Monday, you know sometimes they don't have (money for) four (dresses). Τhey make one ceremony in a place where they invite people, they used to... Ιf you don't have invitation card, sometimes… They were poor, they don't have invitation cards. Τhere is a woman. Υou hire her, she goes all the houses, “Come to the wedding of these and these” on Sunday in Taksim cinema or in somewhere or the Park Gazinosu, that was Park Gazinosu.

Weddings, birthday parties, engagement parties, or anything is something to celebrate for their own. Maybe graduation parties… It was active and later they have that Halkevi also… But the Halkevi was the hospital later, after ‘63 it turned into a hospital. I don't know if they mentioned, you know that? That one was also as a social centre.

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HUSEYIN ARSAL: There’s a park. Park… Υes, yes, there was a park there. Uuughh… It used to be a cemetery but then they converted it into a park. Gazino, haha… It was there.

Yes, yes, yes yes yes… But now, I mean… Limassol’s people, every week, without exception, would go to a kebab place: Niazi’s, Britannia, Bozok’s place… I mean, for sure, we went as well. But, what was the mindset, the thought behind it? Now, you go to a restaurant, you have your meal, have a drink, and you’ve ordered a wine, and the wine is gone. Limassol’s traders would say, “Here’s a bottle on us” and place it in the middle of the table. This is it!

And this is what these eyes witnessed. If someone comes to my shop, does shopping, there’s no other custom like this anywhere else, you know how the customer buys a few things? We’ll say, “Here’s one on the house.”

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ERTAN DEMIRAG: Taksim cinema, oooh! Taksim cinema… You burned it! Well, during the weekends we would go to Taksim Cinema. First, we would go to the Park, Park Gazinosu where we were… Today it is under the control of AKEL. The Park Gazinosu … There, at the entrance, there was Uncle Osman, the gyro place, we would buy our gyros and eat them. From there, we would go to the cinema. The first movie would usually be Turkish or English. Because they would show 2 films in one night. And on Saturdays they had a lovely tombola night, and with that everyone would have fun at that cinema. I mean, that was the entertainment for people during that time. Going to the cinema, I don’t know, going to the refreshment bar at the park, in our neighbourhood, in Ayandon neighbourhood, by Taksim building… In the summer we had two coffeehouses, Uncle Muhammed and Uncle Rasim’s coffeehouses. And there were taverns around the area. And what was special about Limassol was that there were many restaurants. There was New Romantic Bar, there was Old Romantic Bar, there was Niazi, the famous Niazi… He is from Limassol, there was that. There was Halil Hamza’s Bar. There was Moonlight, there was this and that. These were, during the weekends, they’d be full. Not just Turks but with the British and Greeks would also go to these places. Life in Limassol was, thing… That whole “Greeks can’t enter, Turks can’t enter,” there was none of that! For example, Turkish youth were at the discotheques during the weekends, because there weren’t any discotheques in the north. First, they’d go to the cinema. They’d leave the cinema, the youths, those older than us, they’d spend the night at the discotheques... Festivals, for example. Our entertainment. There was the Limassol Beach Fair… in Molos. We would go there… Carnivals… Carnival, we would go to that. These were our… After ‘74, (after) when the gates (checkpoints) opened, I only went to Carnival once. You know what’s the one thing I haven’t been to? The wine festival… When we last went to Koilani, on the way back, we had the wrong time. We went… It started at 19:00. We went at 17:00 to the entrance of the zoo, why, because there’s a wine festival. But it started at 19:00, so I couldn’t go. That’s the one thing I didn’t go to.

presently the venue is part of Anagennisi Square, where Anagennisi Limassol Refugees Association is based

Το Δημοτικόν Σχολείον Σεντάτ Σιμαβί

Χουσεΐν Αρσάλ: Το Δημοτικόν Σχολείον Σεντάτ Σιμαβί στην Λεμεσόν. Περίμενε έναν δευτερόλεπτον, πώς μπορώ να περιγράψω την τοποθεσία του; Ήταν ακριβώς στο κέντρον της Λεμεσού. Έχει έναν γήπεδο.. Έναν γήπεδο ποδοσφαίρου… Δίπλα του. Τον παλιό καιρό, έπαιρναν πολλά στα σοβαρά ακόμα τζ̆αι την μόρφωση του δημοτικού σχολείου. Όταν εμεινίσκαμεν στο Τσερκέζ Τσιφλίκ, η μάμμα μου έβαλλεν στα καλαθούθκια μας μια τομάτα, έναν αγγουράκιν, μια χούφτα ελιές, έναν κομμάτιν χαλλούμι τζ̆αι άλλα φαγητά για το διάλειμμα. Επαίρναμεν τα καλαθούθκια μας τζ̆’ επερπατούσαμεν μιαν απόσταση 2-3 χιλιομέτρων μέχρι το σχολείον μας. Αλλά ήταν τόσον σοβαρόν ζήτημα, που όταν ήμουν στο δημοτικόν σχολείον, ο παπάς μου εδούλευκε στες αγορές τζ̆’ εγώ έφευκα που τα μαθήματα τζ̆’ επήαιννα στες αγορές.

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Φεριχά Τσαγκίν: Εμ…Δημοτικόν Σχολείον Σεντάτ Σιμαβί, στην Λεμεσόν. Ας μιλήσω λλίον για τους δασκάλους μας. Ο Μεχμέτ Μανάβογλου ήταν ο δάσκαλος μου, τζ̆αι είχαμεν θκυο δασκάλους που τους έλεαν Ματζίτ. Τον έναν ελέαμεν τον, Ματζίτ με τα γυαλιά, ήταν κοντός, τζ̆αι ο άλλος ήταν ο Ψηλός Ματζίτ, έτσι τον ελέαμεν, ήταν ψηλός. Όταν επηαίνναμεν στο σχολείον, αν αργούσαμεν, σαν τιμωρία εβάλλαν μας να σταθούμεν στο έναν πόδιν επειδή αρκήσαμεν. Οι δάσκαλοι μας εν μας έκαμναν πολλά πράματα. Επροσέχαν μας πολλά. Εσυμπεριφέρουνταν μας καλά. Επερνούσαμεν πάντα αρμονικά με τους φίλους μας. Το διάλειμμα επαίζαμεν παιχνίθκια ούλλοι μαζίν. Έχουμεν μερικές πολλά ωραίες αναμνήσεις μαζίν…

Εμ, μετά το δηματικόν, επήα στο Γυμνάσιον της 19ης Μαΐου. Εσπούδαζα τζ̆ειαμαί. Είχαμεν μια δασκάλα τζ̆ειαμαί που την έλεαν Βαχιντέ Αϊσού. Εδίδασκε μας τέχνη μια φορά την εβδομάδα. Είπεν μου ότι είμαι πολλά καλή με τα σ̆έρκα μου, μη συνεχίσεις στο λύκειον, έχει μια σχολή στην Λευκωσίαν… Τότε, η σχολή στην Λευκωσίαν ήταν ινστιτούτο. «Να πάεις τζ̆ειαμαί!» Είπα: «Ένι ξέρω αν θα με στείλει ο παπάς μου». Δεν ήξερα βέβαια. Εμίλησαν του παπά μου. Ήταν να μείνω σε έναν κοιτώνα φυσικά. Εδέχτηκεν. «Αν η κόρη μου έχει τέθκοια ταλέντα, ας την στείλουμεν, » είπεν. Τζ̆αι επήραν με στους κοιτώνες στην Λευκωσίαν. Εσπούδασα τζ̆ειαμαί δύο χρόνια. Μετά που δύο χρόνια ήταν να κάμουν εξετάσεις για την Τουρκία, για να πάμεν στην Τουρκία. Μια που τες φίλες μου είπεν: «Ξέρουμεν ποιες εννά παν’ τζ̆ειαμαί, δεν έχει νόημαν να δώσουμεν τες εξετάσεις». Τζ̆’ εγώ επίστεψα το. Δεν έδωσα τες εξετάσεις. Ο παπάς μου ήταν έξαλλος: «Γιατί δεν έδωσες εξετάσεις;» Αλλά μετά που τούτον ήταν οι διδασκαλικές εξετάσεις, για να γίνεις δασκάλα στα σχολεία θηλέων στα χωριά. Πρώτα επήα στην Μαλλιά. Ένι ξέρω αν ξέρεις την Μαλλιά… Μαλλιά τζ̆αι Καντού. Εδίδασκα σε δύο χωριά ταυτόχρονα. Τον δεύτερον μου χρόνον εστείλαν με στο Εβδίμ, την Αυδήμου. Πριν τα γεγονότα του ’65. Έδωσα ξανά την εξέταση τζ̆’ επήα να σπουδάσω στην Τουρκία. Εσπούδασα τζ̆ειαμαί τέσσερα χρόνια. Όταν επέστρεψα, εδιορίστηκα στο Τεχνικόν Λύκειον ως δασκάλα. Έκαμα υπέροχες αναμνήσεις.

Σήμμερα βρίσκεται τζ̆ειαμαί το 18ο Δημοτικόν Σχολείον Αγίου Αντωνίου.

Sedat Simavi İlkokulu

HÜSEYİN ARSAL: Sedat Simavi İlkokulu, Leymosun’da. Bir tayka okulun yerini nasıl anladabilirim? Yani, tam Leymosun’un göbeğinde olan… Saha var orda… Futbol sahası… Onun yanında. Eskiden, ilkokul eğitimi bile çok çok ciddiye alınırdı. Biz Çiftlik’lerde otururken, annemiz bize bir sepete bir domates, bir hiyar, bir avuç zeytin, bir parça hellim, bir katık goyardı. O sepetçiklerimizi alırdık, belki da 2 kilometreden fazla veya 3 kilometre kadar mesafede, yayan giderdik okulumuza. Ama o kadar ciddiydi ki, ben ilkokulda, babam panayırcıydı. Ve okuldan kaçarak, babamla panayıra giderdim.

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FERİHA ÇAĞIN: Sedat Simavi İlkokulu, Limasol. Öğretmenlerimizden bahsedelim… Mehmet Manavoğlu öğretmenimdi, iki tane de Macit isimli öğretmenimiz vardı. Birisi, Gözlüklü Macit diyorduk, kısa boylu… diğeri de Uzun Macit diyorduk, o da uzun boyluydu. Okula gittiğimiz zaman, eğer geç kalırsak, ceza olarak tek ayak üzerinde duruyorduk, geç kaldığımız için. Fazla bize şey yapmıyordu öğretmenlerimiz. Çok ilgiliydiler. Gayet iyi davranıyorlardı. Arkadaşlarımızla hep uyum içerisindeydik. Teneffüslerde hep birlikte oyunlar oynuyorduk. Güzel anılar biriktirdik…okulda…

Eerm, ilkokuldan sonra, 19 Mayıs Lisesi’nde orta okulu okudum. Orda, Vahide Aysu diye bir öğretmenimiz vardı. Bize el becerileriyle ilgili haftada bir gün derse giriyordu. Bana demişti ki, “Senin el becerilerin çok iyidir. Sen liseye devam etme, Lefkoşa’da bir okul vardır…” O zaman, enstitüydü, Lefkoşa’daki…. “Oraya yönlen!” Dedim, “Babam gönderecek mi beni?” Bilmiyordum, tabii. Babamla konuştular. Yurtta kalmıştım ben, tabii. Kabul etti babam. “Tamam, madem ki kızımın bu yönde becerileri vardır, gönderelim,” dedi. Ve beni yurda getirmişti, Lefkoşa’da. İki yıl orda okudum. İki yıldan sonra, Türkiye sınavları olacaktı… işte, Türkiye’ye gitmek için… Arkadaşın birisi dedi ki, “Gidecek olan bellidir, boşuna biz sınava girmeyelim.” Ben de inandım. Sınava girmedim. Babam buna çok kızdı, “Niye girmedin?” diye. Fakat arkasına bir öğretmenlik sınavı açılmıştı, Köy Kadın Kursu öğretmeni olarak. Ben önce, şeye…Malya…bilmem biliyorsa Malya’yı… Malya’yla Kandu’ya. İki köye birden öğretmenlik yaptım. İkinci sene, Evdim’e gönderildim… Bu’65 olaylarından önce… Tekrar ben sınava girdim ve Türkiye’ye okumaya gittim orda. Dört yıl da orda okudum. Geldikten sonra, Meslek Lisesi’ne öğretmen olarak tayin oldum. Çok güzel anılarım oldu…

günümüzde Ayandon’un 18. İlkokulu’dur.

the Sedat Simavi Primary School

HUSEYIN ARSAL: Sedat Simavi Primary School in Limassol. Hold on one second, how can I describe its location? It was right in the middle of Limassol. There’s a field… Α football field… Next to that. In the old days, even a primary school education was taken very seriously. When we were staying in the Cerkez Ciflik, my mother would place in our baskets, a tomato, a cucumber, a handful of olives, a piece of hellim and other foods eaten with break. We would take our baskets and we would walk, on foot, a distance that was perhaps 2–3km to our school. But it was such a serious endeavour, that when I was at primary school, my father worked at the fairs, so I used to skip school and run away to the fairs.

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FERIHA CAGIN: Umm… Sedat Simavi Primary School, Limassol. Let me talk a bit about our teachers… Mehmet Manavoglu was my teacher, and we had two teachers named Macit. One, we called him, Macit with glasses, he was short, and the other was Tall Macit, that’s what we called him, he was tall. When we went to school, if we were late, as a punishment, we were made to stand on one leg because we were late. Our teachers didn’t really do a lot of things to us. They were very attentive. They would treat us well. We were always in harmony with our friends. During recess, we would play games all together. We’ve accumulated some lovely memories together…

Umm, after primary school, I went to 19th of May Gymnasium. I studied there. We had a teacher called Vahide Aysu there. She would have a class once a week on crafts. She told me that I was very good with my hands, don’t continue with high school, there is a school in Nicosia… Back then, the school in Nicosia was an Institute. “Go there!” I said: “I don’t know if my father will send me.” I didn’t know, of course. They spoke to my father. I stayed in a dormitory, of course. He accepted. “If my daughter has talents in this way, let’s send her,” he said. And he brought me to the dorms in Nicosia. I studied there for two years. After two years, they were going to hold exams for Turkey, to go to Turkey… One of my friends said, “We know who will end up going there, there’s no point in taking the exams.” And I believed this. I didn’t take the exam. My dad was furious, “Why didn’t you sit the exam?” But following that there was the Teacher’s Exam to become a teacher, of Village Women Courses. I first went to Malia. I don’t know if you know Malia… Malia and Kantou. I taught at two villages at once. In my second year, I was sent to Evdim (Avdimou)… Before the ’65 incidents… I retook the exam and went to study in Turkey. I studied there for four years. After I returned, I was appointed to the Vocational High School as a teacher. I made wonderful memories…

presently is the 18th Primary School of Agios Antonios

Το Γυμνάσιον τζ̆αι Λύκειον 19ης Μαΐου

Ερτάν Ντεμιράγ: Το όνομαν μου εν Ερτάν Ντεμιράγ. Ερτάν Μεμντούγ Ντεμιράγ. Χρησιμοποιώ επίσης το όνομαν του πατέρα μου.

Το Γυμνάσιον 19ης Μαΐου ήταν μέχρι… Ήταν τούτες οι ελληνοκυπριακές δημοτικές κατοικίες απέναντι… Στον δρόμον της Πάφου… Είσ̆εν ελληνοκυπριακές δημοτικές κατοικίες… Οι παλιές ελληνοκυπριακές δημοτικές κατοικίες, εστρίφκαμεν που τζ̆ειαμαί μέσα, ήταν αδιέξοδο. Τέλος πάντων, γύρω που το σχολείον… Κατ’ ακρίβειαν, ευθεία απέναντι, ήταν έναν παλιό διώροφο σπίτιν, όπου ήταν η ελληνοκυπριακή αστυνομία. Τζ̆ειαμαί ήταν το σχολείον. Το Γυμνάσιον 19ης Μαΐου ήταν περικυκλωμένον που… Ελληνοκυπριακές οικογένειες έμεναν τζ̆ειαμαί. Ελληνοκύπριοι έμεναν στες δημοτικές κατοικίες τζ̆αι κάποιες οικογένειες. Κατ’ακρίβειαν, όταν εμαγείρευαν στο σπίτιν, όταν ήμασταν στην τάξη, εμπορούσαμεν να μυριστούμεν - αχά, ό,τι μαγείρευαν στο σπίτιν. Ελέαμεν, «ωωωχ μαειρεύκουν φασόλια στο σπίτιν.» Τι άλλον να σας πω; Για παράδειγμαν, μπορώ να σας πω… Τούτον… Είχαμεν ποδοσφαιρικούς αγώνες με τα παιθκιά των Ελληνοκύπριων που έμεναν στες δημοτικές κατοικίες. Κατ’ ακρίβειαν, μια φορά… Είσ̆εν έναν τόπον που τον έλεαν Μπάνγκο στον δρόμον για τα τσιφλίκια. Είχαν κτίσει θκυο γήπεδα. Έτσι, εμείς οι Τούρκοι, επαίζαμεν ποδόσφαιρο στο κάτω γήπεδο τζ̆αι πάνω, ήταν ένας γέρος με μια γυναικεία ομάδα, ομάδα ποδοσφαίρου. Τζ̆’ έτσι ο γέρος είπεν, «θέλετε να παίξετε έναν ματς;» Τζ̆’ έτσι επαίξαμεν ματς με την ελληνοκυπριακή γυναικεία ομάδα ποδοσφαίρου. Ήμασταν μόνον δευτέρα ή τρίτη δημοτικού.

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Κιμέτ Αλίμπεϊ: Αποφοίτησα που το Λύκειον 19ης Μαΐου στην Λεμεσόν. Κατ’ ακρίβειαν, η επιστήμη τζ̆αι η λογοτεχνία ήταν χωριστά. Εμέναν ενδιέφερε με πολλά η επιστήμη. Τζ̆’ έτσι επήα στην επιστήμη, αλλά ήμουν πολλά καλή τζ̆αι στην λογοτεχνία. Μερικές φίλες μου που την τάξη της λογοτεχνίας έρκουνταν τζ̆’ εζητούσαν μου να γράψω την έκθεση τους ή να κάμω σχέδια. Τα σχέδια μου ήταν επίσης πολλά καλά. Ο μεγάλος μου γιος τωρά εν έτσι. Κάμνει πολλά καλή δουλειά, αλλά ο μιτσής μου όι. Τέλος πάντων, έτσι ετέλειωσα. Αλλά ετέλειωσα το 1963. Νναι, το 1963, ξέρεις, τον Ιούνιο, αποφοίτησα που το λύκειον. Αλλά ο παπάς μου είπεν, «Δεν θα σε στείλω στην Τουρκία πανεπιστήμιον, επειδή δεν έχω αρκετά λεφτά.» Εν τω μεταξύ, όταν επηαίνναμεν στο λύκειον, στην δευτεροβάθμια εκπαίδευση, έπρεπεν να πληρώσουμεν. Δεν ήταν δωρεάν. Πώς να σου εξηγήσω τωρά το λύκειον; Χμ, τωρά αλλάξαν τα ούλλα. Το εργοστάσιον της ΚΕΟ. Τζ̆αι στην βόρεια πλευρά του εργοστασίου, μεγάλη έκταση, ήταν τα γυμνάσια, τα δημοτικά. Ακόμα τζ̆’ όταν αποφοίτησα, επήα τζ̆ειαμαί ως προσωρινή δασκάλα για πέντε χρόνια στο νηπιαγωγείον, επειδή ο παπάς μου δεν με έστειλε… Ήμασταν 17 μαθητές όταν ετελειώσαμεν το λύκειον, τον κλάδο της επιστήμης. Τζ̆αι ξέρεις, είχα καλούς βαθμούς τζ̆ειαμαί.

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Μουσταφά Χαλιλσόι: Λοιπόν, φυσικά, όπως βλέπετε, εμιλούσαμεν για πολλά απλά πράματα που ούλλοι μπορούν να ζήσουν, τέθκοια πράματα. Ήμουν μαθητής στην Λεμεσόν στο Λύκειον 19ης Μαΐου. Έμαθα να διαβάζω, να μελετώ τζ̆αι να είμαι επιστήμονας στην Λεμεσόν. Όπως θθυμούμαι, ήμουν καλός μαθητής στο λύκειον. Ήμουν 16, 17 χρονών τζ̆’ επαράγγελλα βιβλία μαθηματικών πολλά προχωρημένου επίπεδου που την Αγγλία. Πολλά προχωρημένου επίπεδου, που σπουδάζουν στα πανεπιστήμια. Θθυμούμαι που έστελλα λεφτά, ας πούμεν μια ή θκυο λίρες, τζ̆αι η εταιρεία εταχυδρομούσεν σου το. Επήαιννα να παραλάβω την αλληλογραφία μου. Ο ταχυδρόμος, ένας Τούρκος, ο κύριος Αλί, δεν εμπορούσεν να πιστέψει ότι το πακέτο ανήκε σε ’μέναν. Είπεν μου, «τούτον εν’ πολλά προχωρημένον βιβλίον. Εσύ είσαι έναν κοπελλούιν.» Είπα του, «προσπαθώ να διαβάσω τζ̆αι να καταλάβω». Έτσι η αγάπη μου για την επιστήμη τζ̆αι το να είμαι επιστήμονας εξεκίνησαν στην Λεμεσόν. Γι’ αυτόν αγαπώ την Λεμεσόν. Μετά που πολλά, πολλά χρόνια νομίζω πως είμαι ένας αξιοσέβαστος επιστήμονας σε ολόκληρον τον κόσμον, στο πεδίον μου. Μπορείς να πάρεις μια ιδέα αν μπεις στο ίντερνετ με το όνομαν μου. Έχω συνεισφέρει πολλά στην επιστήμη. Αλλά η πρώτη φλόγα για την μάθηση, την μελέτη, την κατανόηση τζ̆αι την συνεισφορά στην επιστήμη εξεκίνησε στην Λεμεσόν. Γι’ αυτόν αγαπώ την Λεμεσόν.

Σήμμερα βρίσκουνται τζ̆ειαμαί το Γυμνάσιον τζ̆αι το Λύκειον Αγίου Αντωνίου.

19 Mayıs Lisesi

ERTAN DEMİRAĞ: İsmim, Ertan Demirağ… Ertan Memduh Demirağ. Babamın ismini da ben gullanırım.

19 Mayıs Lisesi … Bu… Rum Belediye Evleri vardı, karşı…Baf yolu üzerinde… Rum Belediye Evleri vardı. Eski Rum Belediye Evlerinden, ordan içeriye girerdik, çıkmaz bir sokak. Zaten, okulun çevresi… Hatta, garşıda, eski, iki-gatlı bir ev vardı, orda da Rum polisi varıdı. Ordaydı okulum. 19 Mayıs Lisesi’nin etrafı hep şeydi… Rum aileler galırdı, belediye evlerinde yaşayan Rumlar. Hatta evde yemek bişirdiği zaman, biz sınıfta, ne bişirdiğinin kokusunu alırdık. Demek ki, “Haa, fasulya bişiriyor evde.”

Daha ne anladayım? Mesela, şeyi anladabilirim… Bu… Belediye evlerinde, Rum çocuklarnan biz maç da yapardık. Hatta, bir defasında bu… Bango dediğimiz bölge var, çiftliklere giden yolun üzerinde. İki dane saha yapdılardı. E, biz Türkler, alt sahada maç yapardık, üst tarafda da yaşlı bir adam ve bir bayan takımı vardı, futbol takımı. Yaşlı adam rica etti, “Maç yaparsınız?” Şey…Rumların o bayan takımıynan futbol maçı yaptıydık. Biz o zaman daha orta 2 orta 3’üdük.

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KIYMET ALİBEY: Limasol’da 19 Mayıs Lisesinden mezun oldum. Aslında, fen ve edebiyat [sınıfı] ayrıydı. Ben fene ilgiliydim. O yüzden fene gittiydim, ama edebiyatım da iyiydi. Edebiyat sınıfındaki bazı arkadaşlarım gelip benden onlara kompozisyon yazmamı yahut bir şeyler çizmemi istellerdi. Çizimde da çok iyiydim. En büyük oğlum da öyledir. Çok güzel işleri var, ama en gücük oğlum öyle değil. Herneysa, okulu bitirdim. Ama 1963’de bitirdim. Evet, 1963’de, işte, Haziran’da, liseden mezun oldum. Ama babam bana, “Seni Türkiye’ye üniversiteye yollamaycam” dedi, “çünkü paramız yetmez.” Bu arada, lise gittiğimizde, orta okula, para ödememiz gerekirdi. Beleş değildi.

Sana lisenin yerini nasıl anladabilirim? Hmm, şimdi her şey değişti da. KEO fabrikası. Ve KEO fabrikasının kuzeyinde gocaman bir tarla…ortaokul ordaydı, ilkokul ordaydı. Ben mezun olduktan sonra da beş yıl orada geçici olarak öğretmenlik yaptım anaokulunda, çünkü babam beni yollamadıydı… İşte, liseyi bitirdiğimize, fen sınıfından, 17 öğrenciydik. Ve işte, iyi bir notnan bitirdiydim.

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MUSTAFA HALİLSOY: İşte, tabii, bildiğin gibi, basit şeylerden gonuştuk, herkesin deneyimleyebileceği şeyler. Limasol’da 19 Mayıs Lisesinde öğrenciydim. Limasol’da okumayı, çalışmayı ve bilim insanı olmayı öğrendim. Yani ben, hatırladığım gadarıynan, lisedeyken iyi bir öğrenciydim ve 16-17 yaşlarındaydım ve İngiltere’den ileri seviye matematik kitapları sipariş ederdim. Baya ileri seviye, üniversite seviyesinde. Para yolladığımı hatırlarım, 1-2 paund gibi ve şirket sana postalardı. Postaynan gelen paketlerimi almaya gittiydim. Postacı, Türk bir adamıdı, Ali Bey, inanmadıydı ki o kitaplar benim içindi. Bana dediydi, “Bu çok ileri seviyede bir kitap. Sen daha çok gücüksün.” Ben da ona dedim ki, okuyup anlamaya çalışırım. Böylece, benim bilime olan sevgim ve bilim insanı olma yolculuğum Limasol’da başladı. İşte, bunun için Limasol’u severim. Yıllar sonra, şimdi, alanımda saygın bir bilim insanı olduğuma inanırım dünya çapında. İşte, internete girip adımı arasan bir fikir edinebilin. Bilime çok katkıda bulundum. Ama öğrenme, çalışma, anlama ve bilime katkıda bulunma kıvılcımı ilk Limasol’da başladı. İşte, bu yüzden Limasol’u severim.

günümüzde, Ayandon Ortaokulu ve Lisesi.

the 19th May Gymnasium and Lyceum

ERTAN DEMIRAG: My name is Ertan Demirag… Ertan Memdug Demirag. I use my father’s name as well.

19th May Gymnasium was by… This… Τhere were these Greek Cypriot Municipal Housing opposite… On the way to Paphos… There were Greek Cypriot Municipal Houses. The old Greek Cypriot Municipal houses, we would turn in from there, it was a cul de sac. In any case, around the school… Ιn fact, straight across, there was an old, two-story house, where you had the Greek Cypriot police. That’s where the school was. The 19th of May Gymnasium was surrounded by thing… Greek Cypriot families used to live there. Greek Cypriots living in Municipal housing and some families. Ιn fact, when they would cook at home, when we were in class, we could smell – ahahaa, what they were cooking at home. We would say, “Oooh, they’re cooking fasulya at home.”

What else can I tell you? For example, I can tell you… This… We used to have football matches with the Greek Cypriot children staying in the municipal houses. In fact, this one time… There’s a place called Bango on the way to the tsifliks. They had built two fields. So, us Turks, used to play matches in the lower field, and above, there was an old man with a women’s team, a football team. So, the old man requested, “Could you play a match?” So we played a match with the Greek Cypriot’s Women’s Team. We were only in the 2nd or 3rd grade of secondary school.

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KIYMET ALIBEY: I was graduated on the 19th May Lyceum, in Limassol. Actually, it was science and literature separated. I was very interested in science. So I went to science, but I was very good with literature also. Some of my friends from literature class used to come and ask me to write their composition or make drawings. My drawings were very good also. So, my elder son is the same now. He does very nice work, but not the youngest son. Anyway, so I finished. But I finished in 1963. Yes, in 1963 on, you know, in June, I graduated from lyceum. But my father said, “I'm not going to send you to Turkey for university because I don't have enough money.” By the way, when we used to go to Lyceum, to secondary school, we need to give some money. It wasn't free.

How can I explain you now on the lyceum? Hmm, now they changed all the things. KEO factory. And on the north side of the KEO factory, big land, it was the secondary schools there, primary schools there. Even when I graduated, I went there as a temporary teacher for five years in the infant school because my father didn't send me… We were 17 students when we finished the, you know, lyceum, the science part. And you know, I had a good mark there.

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MUSTAFA KHALIL: Well, of course, you see, we talked all very simple things that everyone can experience, these kinds of things. I was a student in Limassol in 19 May Lyceum. I learned to read, study, and be a scientist in Limassol. So, I, as I remember, I was a good student in the high school, and I was 16, 17 years old, and I was ordering very advanced level of mathematic books from England. Very advanced level that they study in universities. I remember I sent money, let us say one or two pounds, and the company mails it to you. I went to pick my mail. The mailman, a Turkish man, Mr. Ali, he could not believe that that packet belongs to me. He said to me, “This is a very advanced level book. You are a small boy.” I told him, I am trying to read and understand. So my love of science, and being a scientist, started in Limassol. So that is why I love Limassol. After many, many years, now I think I am a respectable scientist in the whole world, in my field. So you can get some idea if you go to internet with my name. I have contributed much to science. But the first flame that I got of learning, studying, understanding, and contributing to science started in Limassol. So that is why I love Limassol.

presently are Agios Antonios Gymnasium and Lyceum

Το γήπεδο ποδοσφαίρου

Χουσεΐν Αρσάλ: Φυσικά, εκτός που τούτον, στην Λεμεσόν υπήρχε μια θαυμάσια αθλητική δραστηριότητα που απολάμβαναν ούλλοι οι Λεμεσιανοί: το ποδόσφαιρο. Οι λεμεσιανές ομάδες ήταν καλές. τζ̆αι τα ματς που εγίνονταν μεταξύ των ομάδων εσυζητητιούνταν για πολύ καιρό μετά που ετέλειωναν. τζ̆αι μετά το τέλος του ματς, οι νικητές… Υπήρχε έναν είδος φυτού, ενδημικού στην Λεμεσόν, που το έλεαν κουρτουνιά. Δεν είσ̆εν καμιά χρήση απολύτως, τζ̆’ επειδή δεν είσ̆εν χρήση, έβαλλαν κουρτουνιά μπροστά που τα σπίθκια τζ̆είνων που είχαν χάσει.

Κοντά στο σχολείον. Το σχολείον της Λεμεσού. Επίσης, τι έγινεν μια φορά; Μια ομάδα εκέρδισε. Η άλλη ομάδα έκαμεν έναν φέρετρο, έβαψε το κίτρινον τζ̆αι μπλε τζ̆’ επερπάτησε μες στες γειτονιές ψάλλοντας προσευχές τζ̆αι μετά έκαψαν το φέρετρο.

Τουρκ Οτσάγκι, Ντογάν Τουρκ Μπιρλιγί… Τουρκ Οτσάγκι, Ντογάν Τουρκ Μπιρλιγί… Η Τουρκ Οτσάγκι εκέρδισε την Ντογάν Τουρκ Μπιρλιγί, επιάσαν έναν γάρον, έβαλαν έναν κιτρινομπλέ ρούχον που πάνω του, ήταν η Χαλαγίκ Τζεμαλιγιέ, μαύρη άσιλα… Έκατσεν πάνω στον γάρον τζ̆αι όπως τον εχτυπούσεν, ο γάρος εβάδιζε σε ούλλη την Λεμεσόν.

Γιατί σου τα λέω τούτα; Για τους Λεμεσιανούς υπήρχε μια κουλτούρα ανεκτικότητας. Τωρά, τούτους τους καιρούς, μπορείς να φανταστείς πόσον επικίνδυνον θα ήταν να κάμει κάποιος έτσι πράμαν; Την άλλην μέρα οι θκυο πλευρές εγελούσαν τζ̆’ έπαιζαν. Έτσι, οι άνθρωποι της Λεμεσού ήταν ανεκτικοί, είχαν μια νοοτροπία που τους έκαμνεν να σηκώννουν αστεία.

futbol sahası

HÜSEYİN ARSAL: Tabii, bunun dışında, Limasol’da çok hoş ve bütün halkın hoşlandığı bir spor olayı vardı: futbol. Limasol’un takımları iyiydi ve aralarında yapılan maçlar da maç bittikden sonra çok uzun zaman anlatılırdı. Ve maçlardan sonra kazananlar… Limasol’a has olarak gurtunya denen bir çeşit ot varıdı— hiçbir işe yaramayan— yaramadığı için gurtunya, gurtunya keserek o mağlup olan takımın evlerine, önüne gonurlardı. Okulun yanında. Limasol’un okulu. Hem, bir defa da noldu? Bir takım yendi... Diğeri taput yaptı— rengi godu sarı lacivert— ve yürüdüler doalar okuyarak. Sora da o taputu yakdılar.

Türk Ocağı, Doğan Türk Birliği… Türk Ocağı, Doğan Türk Birliği…bir tane daha söyleyim: Türk Ocağı, Doğan Türk Birliğini yendi. Bir eşek aldılar, sarı lacivert, şey, goydular, bez goydular üzerine. Bir Halayık Cemaliye vardı, resmen halayık… O eşeğe bindi, değneği aldı vura vura bütün Leymosun’u gezdiydi.

Bunu niçin anlattım ben? Orda, Limasollularda, bir hoşgörü kültürü vardı. Şimdi, bu zamanda, böyle bir şeyler yapılmasında ne tehlikeler olduğunu düşünebiliyor musunuz? Ertesi gün, iki taraf birbiriynan güler oynardı. Yani, Limasol’un insanı hoşgörülü, şakaya, şeye, kabullenen bir zihniyet söz konusuydu.

HUSEYIN ARSAL: Of course, other than this, in Limassol, there was a lovely sporting activity that all Limassolians would enjoy: football. Limassol’s teams were good. And matches that took place between them would be talked about even long after they had finished. And after the match was over, the winners… There was a type of plant indigenous to Limassol called kourtounia. It had absolutely no use, and because it had no use, they would put kourtounia in front of the homes of those who had lost.

Near the school. Limassol School. Also, this one time, what happened? A team won... The other team built a coffin, painted it yellow and navy, and walked through the streets saying prayers and then they burned the coffin.

Türk Ocağı, Doğan Türk Birligi… Türk Ocağı, Doğan Türk Birliği… Türk Ocağı beat Doğan Türk Birliği, they took a donkey, put a navy-yellow cloth over it, there was Halayık Cemaliye, truly black… She sat on the donkey and whilst hitting the donkey, the donkey walked all around Limassol.

Why am I telling you this? For Limassolians, there was a culture of tolerance. Now, in current times, can you imagine what dangers would lie in doing something like this today? The next day, the two sides would laugh and play. So, the people of Limassol were tolerant, they had a mindset that could take a joke.