Stories, Ships & Agents used by Cypriots to migrate across the world
THE IMAGES OF THE OCEAN LINERS ARE FROM THE COLLECTION OF BJORN LARSSON
The migration story of Mattheos Mattheou from the village of Akanthou/Tatlisu.
My journey covers two legs. One in September 1959 when we came to Cyprus to stay on a permanent basis and the second leg was in August 1962 when my parents decided to return to England because life was too difficult in the village. My late father Soteris was a tailor in the village of Akanthou/Tatlisu. All I can remember for sure over the two journeys was that I was permanently seasick as were most of the passengers. Only a handful would attend breakfast and other meals for most of the time. There was a young Turkish Cypriot girl on the ship on the way back to England who naturally felt at ease with other Cypriots. She is in two of the photographs that I have attached labelled Messapia 1962. She is the one with her tongue hanging out. I am the only little boy. I am not sure if there were any other Turkish Cypriots on board, - can't tell the difference between us. On the way back to England I remember going through the Corinth canal and across to Bari in Italy. We then sailed north to Venice and caught a train to Genoa. I remember my father buying me a harmonica in Bari which I still have. The low notes made a nostalgic sound similar to the ship's foghorn reminding me of far away places. In Venice I remember the Rialto Bridge and the canals but thats about it apart from the very large figs my father bought us. I don't remember very much else except that in Genoa we caught a train to Calais and across to Dover. We were met at Victoria station by relatives and I was very excited at riding the double decker buses and seeing Trafalgar Square, and Piccadilly Circus again. I'm afraid thats all that I can recall. You may use the photographs as you see fit.
I wish you every success in your very worthwhile project my friend.
Warmest Regards
Mattheos
The following photos have been shared courtesy of Dawn Williamson.
Dawn travelled to the UK from Cyprus on the Messapia in 1965. She has kindly offered to share her family photos on this website. As a nine year old her family photos give us a glimpse of this ship which carried so many people not only from Lurucina but the whole of Cyprus to their final destination and a new homeland. Perhaps others will share what ever recollections they may have of their own migration voyage. This will give us an opportunity to record a momentous period in our history that will never be repeated
Mete Teoman left for Australia from Cyprus in 1969. The following is his recollection of his journey
In February,1969 I left Cyprus International Airport bound for Southampton,England where I and my father boarded SS Australis for the adventure of our lifetime! As Suez was closed at that time we went the long way, via Gibraltar, Capetown, Fremantle, and landed in Sydney on a bright day in March,1969.I turned 18 on that voyage,and I was having such a good time,I did not realise it was my birthday till a few days later when Father remembered it! There was sadness too of course,for I had left my mother and sisters behind,not to mention my civil war torn country,family and friends... We were Cypriots,on the same boat, sailing into an uncertain world and into an uncertain future. On SS Australis,we sat together, ate together, danced together, laughed together and cried together. And when we reached our destination,some of us even found shelter together. Within a couple of months of arrival Father and I were living in a garden flat owned by mainland Greeks who lived in the main house only separated from us by a garden gate! The lady of the house, Maria, took me under her wings, and in the absence of my mother taught me how to shop, cook, wash clothes and dishes! Some years later she wanted me to marry her daughter...but that is another story for another time,perhaps!
Mete Teoman
The following story and photos have been shared by courtesy of Eleni Kouzari, from the village of Xylophagou
Like many Cypriots who yearned and missed their loved ones and homeland, Tsiattista & Biimada (poems and epics) was an escape that often reflected their feelings. Not many however had the talent for tsiattista, to rhyme their feelings in an instant requires a special talent that Eleni's grandfather seemed to have. On leaving Cyprus to search for a new home in Australia Michalis Elia Michael (Eleni's father) was the target of his father's poem. It seems Eleni's grand-father Elias Michail Izamis, (Ηλίας Μιχαηλ Ιζαμης) or sometimes known as Nizami/Νιζαμης,was a well known Tsiattisti in the area around Xylophagu. The following tsattisto is also one of Eleni's favourites.
Ν'αχα στες πλάτες μου φτερά να'μπορα να πετισω
Να ξερα πως εν να χαθω
Θα'ρκουμουν να σε φορτωθω και να σε φέρω πίσω
Γιατι μου στοίχισε πολλά ο αποχωρισμος σου
Κι'αδυνατον πιον να χαρώ πουν είσαι δα να σε χορω στο σπίτι το δικον σου
Στραφου στην Κύπρο σύντομα να μας καθισηχασεις
Τσιαι κοφκω σου που πάνω μου τσιαι τρωεις αν πεινάσεις
Προχτές εις τα χαρτωματα ουλοι ετραγουδουσα
Μα ρωτά τσιαι την μάνα σου, εμένα τσιαι την Άννα σου ιντα ζωή περνούσαν
N'acha stes plátes mou fterá na'bora na petiso.
Na xera pos en na na'bora
Tha'rkoumoun na se fortotho kai na se féro píso
Giati mou stoíchise pollá o apochorismos sou
Ki'athinaton pion na charó poun
eísai da na se choro sto spíti to dikon sou
Strafou stin Kýpro sýntoma na mas kathisichaseis
Tsiai kofko sou pou páno mou tsiai troeis an peináseis
Prochtés eis ta chartomata ouloi etragoudousa
Ma rotá tsiai tin mána sou,
eména tsiai tin Ánna sou inta zoí pernoúsan
Recited by Elias Michail Izamis / Ηλίας Μιχαηλ Ιζαμης. 1947
In Eleni Kouzari's words
The background to the following chatista is this: when my mother was expecting her first child, my father wanted a boy, so Pappou said the following to him,
Θέλω τσιεγω να καμεις γιον, πουλλοου σου να πάρει,
Στα αλλά ούλα να'ν καλώς,
Όμως να'ν ξερωτσιεφαλως,
Να'χεις τσιε σου γωμαρη.
Thélo tsiego na kameis gion, poulloou sou na párei,
Sta allá oúla na'n kalós,
Ómos na'n xerotsiefalos,
Na'cheis tsie sou gomari.
The following was to his son (Eleni's father) before the onset of his travel to Australia in the search for a new homeland in 1947
Πιάσε μελάνι και χαρτί, γράψε 'μερωνιμια,
Ένας που τους λεβέντες σου,
Που τα νερά της Λεμεσου,
Πάει στην Αυστραλία.
Piáse meláni kai chartí, grápse 'meronimia,
Énas pou tous levéntes sou,
Pou ta nerá tis Lemesou,
Páei stin Astralía.
_______________________________________________
Παρακαλώ τον Πλαστήν μου την ώραν που νυκτωννει,
η νύκτα γρονος να γίνει,
όμως να'ν μαύρη σκοτεινή,
να μεν ι-ξημερωννει.
Τζι αν με ρωτισουν, να τους πω ποια είναι η αιτία,
εν τα μαραζια που με τρων
τσαι δεν γιανισκουν με γιατρον,
γιατ'εν' απελπισία.
Τουντον τζαιρον να 'χουμεν νουν, καλά να το σκεφτούμεν,
πρέπει να κλαίμεν ουλοι μας, οι να τραουουμεν.
Με αλλά λόγια, Πλαστη μου, φρόντισε να μας δερεις
τσι σλλαξανα 'τζι αστοσιαν μεν μας ι-ξαναφέρεις.
Parakaló ton Plastín mou tin óran pou nyktonnei,
i nýkta gronos na gínei,
ómos na'n mávri skoteiní,
na men i-ximeronnei.
Tzi an me rotisoun, na tous po poia eínai i aitía,
en ta marazia pou me tron
tsai den gianiskoun me giatron,
giat'en' apelpisía.
Tounton tzairon na 'choumen noun, kalá na to skeftoúmen,
prépei na klaímen ouloi mas, oi na traououmen.
Me allá lógia, Plasti mou, fróntise na mas dereis
tsi sllaxana 'tzi astosian men mas i-xanaféreis.
