Carnival in Cyprus

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Carnival in Cyprus
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History

• Carnival was being celebrated in ancient Greece.
  Celebrations were being organized in honor of god
  Dionissos. Ancient Greeks got dressed in various
  costumes, wore masks and had fun in feasts for
  days. Cypriots kept this custom.

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Town of carnival Limassol
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• The origin of Carnival traces
• back to the very past and is closely
• linked with the history of the Greeks.
• It seems that it is a festivity related
• to classical antiquity the Dionysian
• festivals called Dionysian, during
• which a contest was taking place
• amongst three great tragedians
• of ancient Greece Aeschylus,
• Euripides and Sophocles, three
• dramatists of our history. In ancient
• times, as far as we know and from
• what we read , the actors used to
• wear masques during the dramatic spectacles and
  comedic
• performances. It is obvious that the modern way
  of disguising oneself during the carnivals
  festivities derives from this habit.

1935

• 1953

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• Carnival in Cyprus was associated with the
  beginning of the fasting of Easter. Carnival was
  called Apokries which means in Greek without
  meat. It was celebrated with feasts and
  traditional games. In addition, people got
  dressed in costumes and wore masks in order to
  scare others.

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• Just like many other festivities and cultural
  traditions, Cypriot carnival celebrations
  actually date back to the beginning of the last
  century, when homes in Limassol opened their
  doors and welcomed round friends and family for a
  feast of food and wine. Limassol holds the
  largest annual carnival in the island of Cyprus.
  The Limassol Carnival is an important
  institution a tradition for the Limassolians,
  which remains alive and will survive throughout
  times.

1935
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In Ancient years

• The Limassol Carnival is however a feast that
  all of us expect to enjoy impatiently and
  willingly. It was celebrated in an organized way
  since the past, when groups of merrymakers from
  all the social strata of the city organized in
  their houses meetings and organized parades using
  donkeys, carriages, broughams and bikes. People
  of that area felt a vast satisfaction watching
  their fellow citizens disguised satirizing
  situations, persons and various things directly
  or indirectly linked with everyday life and the
  reality of their times.

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Today

• Carnival is celebrated in towns all over
  Cyprus, but especially in the city of Limassol.
  In our days carnival events start on the Shrove
  Thursday (the last of eating meat) with the
  Carnival King entering the town in a festive
  atmosphere. Then follows, the children's parade,
  the various Serenades' shows and finally the
  Grand Carnival Parade which takes place on the
  last Sunday of the Carnival festivities.

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• Many people in fancy dresses participate to
  enjoy a special razzle-dazzle. Special
  consideration has been given to the decoration of
  the town. All the places where festivities are
  planned, as well as the central key points of the
  town, are decorated in an as ingenious way as
  possible

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• Parties are held and people gather to feast, sing
  satirical songs and play games. The last Sunday
  of the Cheese Week is the highlight of the
  Carnival. This is when the Grand Carnival Parade
  takes place on the last Green Monday or the
  first day of lent.

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• Colourful floats and groups of people, singing
  and dancing, parades in the main roads of
  Limassol create a truly festive atmosphere. The
  open-air celebrations and feasting take place
  throughout Cypriot towns but the Grand Parade in
  Limassol is the peak focus of the Carnival.
  During the Carnival parade large crowds from all
  over the island gather to watch the floats
  accompanied by the serenades and amazing
  costumed groups

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Traditions

• During the cheese or Tyrini week of carnival
  look out for seasonal specialties such as pastry
  bourekia filled with mint flavor cheese and
  ravioli. Also sticky sweetmeats such as
  daktyla and kanteifi

bourekia
ravioli
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Interview from an old person about carnival
customs

• How did you use to celebrate carnival?
• We used to celebrate the festive on Sunday
  evening eating
• kebab in family gatherings because the following
  day was
• Green Monday and we would start fasting.
• Who made the costumes you wore?
• We made the costumes, wearing clothes from our
  daily lives.
• We would borrow clothes from our relatives and
  especially our
• grandparents. Boys used to dress like girls and
  the other way
• around.

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• Which were your activities?
• We used to visit the houses of our neighborhoods
• in disguise, until someone recognized us and then
• we took off our masks to reveal our real face.
• Then the family would treat us something like
• a chocolate or home made sweets.
• Were there any local customs in your village?
• We used to walk around the village and have fun
  until early
• morning. We gathered in squares or the school
  yard and
• satirized politicians and events of every day
  life, wearing our masks. It was
• a way of pointing out our opinion on certain
  things. We made sure that
• important people were invited to watch this.

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Green Monday

• The green Monday is the official end of carnival
  activities and the beginning of fasting. Many
  Cypriots will pack a picnic on Green Monday and
  head for the countryside where their picnic feast
  will include vegetables, olives, bread and salad
  and local wines.

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THE END