Return to Transcripts main page

CNN World Report

Annual Celebration Begins in Cyprus

Aired June 17, 2001 - 14:49   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SHIHAB RATTANSI, CNN ANCHOR: On Saturday, an annual celebration begins in Cyprus. The six-day event features parades, parties, and activities for the young and old alike.

Cyprus' CyBC takes a closer look at this festive.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COSTAS YENNARIS, CYBC REPORTER (voice-over): Fifty days after Easter, the Greek Orthodox church celebrate the communication of almighty Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. Celebrations last for three days, a welcome break just before the long hot summer days begin.

No wonder these celebrations are completely identified with water, and festivities of all sorts are traditionally held in coastal towns. But even in inland towns, people -- especially kids, of course -- play all sorts of games involving water, such as water fights, where everyone is trying to wet everyone else, as it is considered to be bad luck not to get wet on these days.

As in so many other cases, these celebrations derive from antiquity, and later were in fact incorporated into Christianity. Celebrations are more inclined toward popular events rather than religious. In fact, some sort of a competition between coastal towns has developed over the years as to which town will organize the best events, which include concerts by traditional and contemporary artists. Some competitions, especially the chatista (ph), a form of dialogue between competitors by making up songs on traditional tunes as they go long.

What has become part of tradition are the roving vendors that set up their little stands to promote and sell their goods. Years ago, this was an opportunity for the producers themselves to come along and sell their goods, which included -- and still do -- all sort of traditional produce such as dry fruits and grape by-producing.

The various competitions were different then. There was swimming competitions, sailing competitions, and for the family and those not taking part in sailing competitions, organized (UNINTELLIGIBLE). One of the most popular competitions used to walking on a horizontal pole covered in oil. Competitors were requested to balance their weight to the end of pole and pick the flag from there before they could drop into the sea. Not a very easy mission, as many young men have painfully sometimes discovered.

It was then that (UNINTELLIGIBLE) became part of the Holy Spirit celebration tradition. It's a form of small doughnuts fried in boiling oil and then dipped in syrup. Part of the fun is to sit under makeshift tents and eat (UNINTELLIGIBLE) there and quench their thirst with cold water, as (UNINTELLIGIBLE) are really sweet.

These celebrations are enjoyed every year by thousands of locals, but also by thousands of foreign tourists who begin to flood the island in early March.

This is CyBC's Costas Yennaris from Nicosia for CNN WORLD REPORT.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com