You can read full interviews and see snippets from the accompanying film on the Cypriot Diaspora website. An exhibition continues at Bruce Castle Museum until mid September.
I was born in Marathovounos, Famagusta, an agricultural village whose inhabitants, just like all the other poor people of Cyprus, were ‘slaves’ to the money lending few. Agriculture was not really ‘protected’ by the British colonial administration. Climatic conditions dictated whether farmers survived or went under. Farmers were forced to borrow in order to survive hence, the money lenders reigned supreme. ‘Tokoglifoi’ (loan sharks) as they were called were few in number but were extremely ruthless. That is the main reason why youngsters were not able to go to a higher school. There were of course exceptions. I was not among the fortunate ones.
Read more of the archbishop's story here
From Cyprus we took a massive ship and we were on our way into the unknown. We spent a week in Greece and from there we boarded another ship to Italy then by train to a French port. We then crossed “a sea” and from there by train to Victoria Station. I was married here in London. I was impressed by the long rows of houses which really looked the same to me. We faced many difficulties. Both my father and husband were going round the shops and houses trying to sell our ‘ Lefkaritika’ lace, which we had brought with us. They could not make ends meet. So they opened a social club – a ‘kafeneio’ in the West End. Then the war came. A bomb fell more or less on top of us. My husband hid for hours under a table to save himself.
Read more of Mrs Katerina Sentoukari's story here
