The Folk Culture within Cyprus

"Folk Culture" is a broad term casing a wide variety of activities that have shaped and defined the Cypriot tradition´s identity and character. So, precisely, one may refer to the material and immaterial culture based on accounts that have subsisted to this day. Folk culture has been testified within a variety of activities:

• traditional folk and dance music
• woodcarving pottery making
• basket weaving
• embroidery
• architecture
• textile and silk production
• silver smithing
• folk poetry,
• and shadow theatre (Karagiozis)

All the above include the fundamentals of Cypriot tradition and bear testimony of the inner world and atmosphere of the Cypriot people. One may witness some of the above-mentioned arts across the island since they have become part of everyday life and living tradition.

The Cyprus Handicraft Service of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism creates and sells high quality examples of folk art whilst specialized workshops offer know-how in specific areas of traditional art and handicraft. At the same time assistance is given in specific areas of the island for the revitalisation of their specialised local arts and handicrafts.

Furthermore, a large number of traditional music and dance groups add greatly to the conservation of Cypriot traditional dance and music through a series of performances in Cyprus and abroad and by establishing and attending meetings and international conventions. In the area of educational research, both the Cyprus Research Centre and the Cultural Services of the Ministry of Education and Culture show a prominent series of specialised publications covering an extended number of our cultural heritage, thus donating both to the knowledge and conservation of the island´s traditional arts and culture. The Nicosia Ethnographic Museum exhibits a collection of folk art and handicraft masterpieces from the whole of Cyprus covering an extended span of the island´s traditional heritage. Another very stimulating collection is that of the local Geroskipou Folk Art Museum in Pafos.

'Tsiattista poetic duelling' establishes an element of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity since the year 2011. They are poetic improvisations of a competitive character that is why they are also known by the name 'tsiattista of fighting' .The 'tsiattistaes' (people who compose tsiattista) are competing in making up two rhyming couplets, in the Greek-Cypriot dialect, often using the iambic fifteen-syllable verse and are accompanied by music (which was played by the violin). Poetry contests of this kind typically took place during festivals, fairs and entertaining events, thus firming links between the contestants and creating a vivid atmosphere.

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Source : articlesbase.com