ISTORIES TOU CWRKOU

SENTONIA METAXWTA

Kaqe Megalh Paraskeuh, osa zeugaria etelesan ton gamon touV, dia prwth fora sthn cronia, apo thn prohgoumenh Megalh Paraskeuh kai eican bebaia thn oikonomikh dunamh kai thn qelhsh, proseferan sthn Ekklhsia tou SwthroV tou cwriou thV AkanqouV, apo ena n duo sentonia metaxwta.

Ta metaxwta auta sentonia, estrwnan oi IereiV tou Naou, panw sthn Agia Trapeza prin apo thn tafh tou Cristou. Esumbolizan de ta sentonia auta, to “”” sindoni kaqara ” pou o euschmwn Iwshf, etulixe to swma tou Cristou kai ” en kainw Mnhmeiw apeqeto ”.

                                                                         FwthV K.PapafwthV

O PORTOS KAI TO ONEIRO

PolleV hsan oi gunaikeV tou cwriou, adkeiasereV kai grheV, pou sunhqizan, exw apo to xeporti tou spitiou twn kai malista mesa ston dromon, Auto sunebaine idiwV to kalokairi kai malista otan edrosize. Sunecizotan de polleV foreV mecri kai ta mesanukta.

Koubentiazan dia panta. Dia ton tade kai thn tade, dia to paqhma kai to kako pou brhke ton tade dia ton gamon thV tade kai ta proikia thV , dia ta mallwmata ( tsakwmouV ) twn oikogeneiwn metaxu twn, dia teV kthmatikeV diaforeV pou uphrcan kai dia alla polla.

Ena apogeuma kalokairiou kata teV 4 - 5 meta to meshmeri, perase o m. L... apo ena steno dromo tou cwriou. Kaqwtan apo exw apo to spiti thV, kai malista mesa ston dromo, mia gunaika pou mou fanhke gnwsth tou, oute kai suggenissa tou. H gunaika koubentiaze me alleV gunaikeV kai fainotan agouroxupnhmenh.

Kai stamata ton m. L... kai tou legei “ ”re L... se eblepa oneiro, kai malista aschmon. Hsoun ekei makrua konta stou Grhgorh potamon kai oloi mazeuamen teratsia ( caroupia ) se mia stigmh se blepw na katrakulaV kai epeseV mesa ston potamon pou htan gematon nero”

Thn diakoptei ameswV o m. L... kai thV legei ” Mh procwrhseiV parakatw. OpwV blepeiV den pnighka ston Grhgorh potamon kai xerw ti efageV to meshmeri. EfageV porto ( pilafi pourgouri ) kai barustomaciaseV”
Kai sunecise ton dromon tou, proV to kafeneion. Oi geitonisseV egelasan diakritika.

                                                                               FwthV K. PapafwthV

H SCINIA & OI SCINOI

H scinia einai autofuhV qamnoV sthn ghn thV akanqouV. Einai gemata ta cwrafia kai ta oreina.

PolleV einai oi wreV ergasiaV, pou oi gewrgoi exodeuan na xekouzoulisoun teV scinieV apo ta cwrafia touV, gia na mh ” koraka “” to uni tou arotrou h ta unia tou trakter, panw steV kouzouleV ( rizeV) thV sciniaV. Oi kouzouleV ( rizeV contreV me akanonisto schma) hsan crhsimeV, dia thn ”nhstia” (estia) h to kazani dia to brasimo tou nerou, dia ton fournon dia to fournisma tou ywmiou, h dia to kamini twn karbounwn.

Alla kai o karpoV thV sciniaV htan perizhthtoV. MikroV, strogguloV, mauroV kai laderoV otan wrimash, ecrhsimeue sthn etoimasian thV scinnophttaV. Oi gewrgoi kai alloi cwrianoi thn etrwgan san paximadi kata thn apascolhsin twn
PolleV hsan kai oi oikogeneieV pou apascolounto me to mazema twn sciniwn. Polousan oti emazeuan kai epairnan crhmata.

Alla kai oi maqhteV tou dhmotikou agapousan touV xeramenouV scinouV. Oi de megaloi maqhteV xegelousan touV mikrouV, bazontaV scinouV sto stoma touV kai maswntaV touV scinouV, estriban thn muth touV, pote aristera kai pote dexia, xegelwntaV touV mikrouV oti ”tsakra” h muth touV.

Oi nearoi maqhteV enqousiasmenoi, edokimazan kai autoi thn muth touV, alla cwriV epitucia. Oi de megaloteroi apantousan stereotupwV ”eisai mikroV akomh. Prepei na faV kai alleV kofinieV ywmia” .

Alla kai ladi ebgazan merikoi, kai touto ecrhsimeue dia thn kataskeuh ”prasinou sapouniou”.

SapounarhV sthn Akanqou htan o PierhV G. CatziPierhV. Thn de tecnh kataskeuhV emaqen apo kapoion Mikrasiathn Ellhna, to Dhmhtron, apo to Ahbali, thV MikraV AsiaV, apenanti apo thn nhson Lesbon.Alla kai sta cwriatika loukanika, oi scinoi edinan murwdia.

Oloi mikroi kai megaloi, endiaferotan dia touV scinouV. Kai oloi parakalousan na einai kalocronia gia na ecoun kalh esodeia scinwn kai to maurisma twn karpwn na ginh grhgora

Gia auto, kai otan apeqnhske kapoioV IereaV ( PapaV) akoueV, ” epecane o papaV (tade) kai grhgora qa maurisoun oi scinoi”
Auto to akousa gia prwth fora, otan apeqane o pappouV mou PapafwthV KarpasithV ( ton Ioulion 1946). Den enqumoumai omwV an oi scinoi ”emaurisan grhgora”

                                                         FwthV K. PapafwthV

ENA PORTOKALI THS SUTZIAS

Mpainei o m. L... sto kafeneion tou m. Kalorkwth kai diatassei ena portokali thV sutziaV.
O en panti kairw kai epi pantoV antirrhsiaV tou cwriou, m. B... exaptetai, qumwnei, den shkwnei exupnh koubenta, kai ta bazei kuriolektika me ton m. L... Me teV fwneV tou kai teV ceironomieV tou, egemisen h plateia thV fountanaV ( brushV) tou Aresth, me kosmon, mikrouV kai megalouV, pou parakolouqousan ton kabka ( kabga)
Epimenei o m. L... kai perimenh ton m. Kalorkwth na tou ferh to portokali thV sutziaV. OmwV o kafetzhV yhnei kafedeV kai argei na bgh apo to mikro spitaki tou kafeneiou, opou eice to outzaki tou, pou eyhne touV kafedeV. Epimenei omwV kai o m. B..., pou den shkwnei koubenteV, oute kai decetai na akoush gnwnh, antiqeth proV thn dikh tou.

Peio poluV kosmoV sunkentrwnetai exw apo to kafeneion kai sprwcnwntaV prospaqoun na maqoun kai na doun poioi mallwnoun.
Bgainei kai o m. KalorkwthV gia na serbirh touV kafedeV pou eyhse. Stamata mprosta ston m. L... kai tou prosferei ton disko me to portokali thV sutziaV, kai o m. L... ton erwta. Apo pou agoraseV ta portokalia k. Kalorkwth.
Apanthsh: “apo ton Nikola tou Papanikola“
Erwthsh: “kai pou einai oi portokalieV tou Papanikola;“
Apanthsh: “Sthn sutzia“-(mia perioch sta anatolika thV Lemesou)
O m. B... shkwqhke, kai grhgora ebghke apo to kafeneion kai anhforhse dia to spiti tou
Oi de apexw kai mesa sto kafeneion, egelasan me thn kardia touV.

                                                                                 FwthV K. PapafwthV

O peteinoV pou den eyhneto

TaktikoV sthn Ekklhsia kaqe Kuriakh o m. L.... Pantote omwV efeuge prin thn apolush.

Etsi kai thn Kuriakh authn, efuge enwriV, ephge sthn agoran, paraggelei to kreaV tou kai ustera araxe sto kafeneion dia ton kafe tou.

H kafetzhna akouse thn paraggelian tou m. L... kai ameswV ton erwthse. “Re L...., ti kamnoun to spiti sou otan den yhnnetai o peteinoV, apo to prwi ton ebala kai brazei kai ecei twra 2 wreV kai tipote akomh”, kai amesh htan h apanthsh tou m. L....

OpwV allasseiV to zoumi ( nero) twn fasoliwn mecri na yhqoun, etsi na kamnhV pantote otan kati den yhnnetai grhgora. Kai efuge afou eipie sta grhgora ton kafe tou.

H kafetzhna akolouqhse pistwV, teV odhgieV tou. Allaxe 3-4 foreV to zoumi tou peteinou kai kata to meshmeri o peteino yhqhke.

H idia perimene ton andra thV kai mazu kaqhsan sto trapezi na fane. O andraV thV omwV dokimaze kai prosektika xanadokimaze to kreaV tou peteinou kai den euriske kamia gluka sth geush tou peteinou kai oute kai to faghto tou qumize kotopoullo. Auto pou trwme einai acuro kai oci peteinoV fwnaxe kai esprwxe to piato makrua apo konta tou.

Amesh omwV htan kai h antidrash thV kafetzhnaV.
“An den htan o L..., na mou paraggeilh pwV na brasw ton peteinon, oute kai mecri thn nukta qa etrwgamen”
“Kai ti sou paraggeile, eimai periergoV na akousw”.

Kai h kafetzhna me thn megaluterh afelia apanthse. “Allasa kaqe toson to zoumi tou kai ebaza neron kaqaron, opwV kamnoumen me ta fasolia”.

O andraV thV, anaye kai thV apanthse. “Asugcwrhth kai akouseV tou L.... Den eice geitonissa na rwthshV na sou ph ti prepei na kameiV AllaxeV kai xanallazeV to zoumi tou, kai o peteinoV ecase thn geush tou kai egine san acuro”
Apo tote h kafetzhna den xanarwthse ton m. L....

                                                               FwthV K. PapafwthV

Olofwta ta nekrotafeia

Kaqe Megalo Sabbato kai malista protou paixei (ktuphsh) h kampana thV ekklhsiaV tou Crusoswthrou AkanqouV dia ton Kalon Logo eblepeV kai akoueV AkanqiwteV, andreV kai gunaikeV, neouV, meshlikeV, gerouV, grheV na anhforizoun proV to Nekrotafeion, thV Ag. BarbaraV, pou eurisketo sta Notia tou cwriou sta piza tou bounou LukoV.
( Na anaferwmen edw pwV to ekklhsaki thV Ag. BarbaraV uphrxe kai to prwto scoleion thV koinothtaV. Akomh sto nekrotafeion, o Auxentiou exepaideuse arketouV akanqiwteV). Kai oci mono. Alloi tosoi AkanqiwteV pashV hlikiaV kathforizan proV to nekrotafeion thV Ag. FwtouV ( thV KarpasitissaV-eortaze kaqe 2 Augoustou) pou eurisketo sta boreia-anatolika tou cwriou.
Kai oloi autoi me ena monon skopo, “Na anayoun ena keri sto mnhma kaqe peqamenou” dia na kamh kai o nekroV “CristoV Anesth” otan o CristoV katebh ston Adh.

Kai akoueV mesa stouV dromouV ta grhgora perpathmata twn cwrianwn ton cairetismo pou antallasan kai teV fwneV pou fwnazan touV suggeneiV h kai gnwstouV touV gia na pane mazu sto nekrotafeion.
“Paw qkeie” kai h qkeia apantouse.
“Ephen o qkeioV sou kai se kartera”.
Auta akoua kaqe Megalo Sabbato apo thn exadelfh mou Antzelou S Papafwth thn qeian mou Annousa P. Koufou kai thn Mhtera mou.
Mesa se mish wra kai ta duo nekrotafeia hsan olofwta kai fwtizan ta gurw touV

                                                                       FwthV K. PapafwthV

Leukwsia-LemesoV dia qalasshV

Pampolla einai ta peiragmata tou m. L....,kai anastatwnoun oci mono ton m. B... alla kai pollouV allouV. Alla kai ta mikra sticakia tou, pollouV ekamnan na noiwqoun aneta. Oute gelouse me ta peiragmata kai teV exupneV koubenteV tou pou oi akroateV kuriolektikwV “eskazan” apo to geloio
EnwriV to apogeuma, epestreye apo to taxhdi tou sthn Leukwsia kai suntoma katefqase sto kafeneion tou m. Kalorkwth. Ekei kaqotan kai o m. B.... Meta ton kafe kai teV alleV koubenteV tou, dia to “gunaikopazaro”””” thV LeukwsiaV, kai ta nea ufasmata pou arcisan na kukloforoun sthn agoran, o m. L.... epetaxe kai thn “koubenta” tou, pou toson polu perimenan polloi qamwneV.
“Xerete oti apo thn Leukwsia sthn Lemeson pasi (phgainoun) dia qalasshV; auto akousa na lene polloi sthn Leukwsia”.

Kai poioV epiane kai poioV apantouse ston M. B... ApanthseiV edide kai erwthseiV ekamne sunecwV ton m. L... Ceironomouse, fwnaze elege thn gnwmhn tou fenakta, alla xenh fnwmh den decotan. O de m. L.... ataracoV kai agelastoV epanelambane to peiragma tou. Oi qamwneV (pelateV) tou kafeneiou, emenan siwphloi, kai monon o m. B... htan sunecwV sta “macairia” me ton m. L....
MerikeV gunaikeV pou eftasan sthn fountana (brush) tou Aresth gia na gemisoun teV korhpeV “stamneV” me nero, kontostaqhkan kai akouan teV fwneV, enw eprospoiounto oti milousan metaxu twn. Alla kai polloi andreV kontostaqhkan, apexw apo to kafeneion kai akouan teV fwneV . Alla kai merikoi alloi pou odhgousan ta zwa touV (bodia kai gadarouV) gia na ta potisoun sthn bourna thV fountanaV tou Aresth, staqhkan kai akouan camogelwntaV.
Kai san ouranokatebatoV, efqase thn stigmhn pou h “atmosfaira” phre fwtia kai o m. P... taktikoV, scedon kaqhmerinoV siwfer, epibathgou lewforeiou gai thn Leukwsia. Se erwthsh tou m. L... o m. P... ebebaiwse oti apo thn Leukwsia gia thn Lemeso phgainoun dia qalasshV.

Tou m. B... den ton cwrouse pia o topoV. Pollh pelateV tou kafeneiou gelousan me teV ceironomieV kai teV fwneV tou, dioti polloi antelhfqhsan oti prokeite gia mia nea exupnh koubenta tou m. L... Den mporouse na antexh allo kai o m. B.... ebghke trektoV apo to kafeneion kai anhforise dia to spiti tou, mourmourizontaV kai ceironomwntaV.
Kai o m. L.... exhghse oti apo thn Leukwsia phgainoun sthn Lemeson mesw AqalasshV dhladh di’ AqalasshV. Osoi antelhfqhkan thn “koubenta” egelasan me thn kardia twn.
                                                                                     FwthV K. PapafwthV

**Jokes & Folk Life stories**

Until the Day we can Return to our Homeland Akanthou we have to keep the memories of our village alive in our memory and within our children. It would be nice for our children to know about their roots and how life was like back then for their parents and grandparents.

If any of you would like to share their memories or funny jokes & situations or stories from the folk life of Akanthou please send or E-mail them to Pantelis Pantelides

Address: 628 Holloway Road, London N19,

E-mail: pantelis@angloakanthou.co.uk

Lets teach our children about their roots , our roots we have the duty to, before it is too late, it is our responsibility.

Trying to run this website takes up a lot of manpower and lots of hours of hard work, I need help from other Akanthiotes both here in the UK , Cyprus and from other parts of the World. Your help will be very much appreciated.
You might have old photographs, or

You might know why places around Akanthou were given their names?
Why has the church of Akanthou has so much property?
Why does somebody owns olive & carob (Haroupies, CaroupieV) trees in somebody elses’s property?
When did electricity first come to Akanthou?
Who had the first television set in Akanthou ?
How was haloumi made?
I know that my grandfather Yiorkis Rousou who was a shepherd , used to take his sheep and encourage them to swim in the sea ( I used to go with him ), do you know of other shepherds who used to do the same and to which area did they take the sheep?
There are so many ways to help to contribute to this web site
when you arrived in the UK all those years ago what was life like in those days
You are a child of the 2nd or 3rd generation , did you have problems trying to keep your parents traditions alive and at the same time trying to do your thing?
How can Anglo-Akanthou Aid Society help and become more involved in the every day life of the AngloAkanthiotes.
Now that Anglo-Akanthou owns a very nice building in North London, in which way do you think it can help our community?
Well, you get the message there are so many other topics that we can cover

So anything you have on your mind or any suggestions get in touch with me Mr Pantelis Ph. Pantelides at the above addresses, Thank you.