"English Halt, Ermu ve Çağlayan'dan hatıralar..."
Sevgül Uludağ
Rahmetlik anneciğim vefat etmeden birkaç ay önce, bahçede gancellinin yanında annemin her zaman oturmayı sevdiği yerde oturup kahve içmiştik...
Aylardan Şubat sonu ya da Mart'tı, yıl 2005'ti... O yıl Şubat ayında havanın çok sıcak olduğunu hatırlarım... Annem gancellinin yanında, mandarin ağacımızın biraz ötesindeki bu noktada oturmayı severdi kışın çünkü rüzgar almayan bir yerdi, güneşin en fazla ısıttığı noktaydı...
Orada açılıp kapanan sandaliyelerimizde oturmuştuk... Kahve içip fallarımıza bakmıştık...
Rahmetlik anneciğim Türkan Uludağ, zaman zaman bana eski hatıralarından söz ederdi...
O gün de "English Halt" denen ve Mağusa'da bulunan bir bölgedeki evlerinden söz etmişti...
Ermu Caddesi'nden, oradaki evimizden, Çağlayan'daki bu evimizden...
O günlerde bir yazı kaleme almıştım, bu yazı 6 Mart 2005'te ALITHIA gazetesinde yer almıştı...
Rahmetlik annemi bu yazıyı kaleme aldıktan beş ay sonra, 23 Ağustos 2005'te kaybettim... Ağustos ayının ilk günlerinde aniden rahatsızlanıp hastaneye kaldırılmıştı... Ancak üç hafta dayanabilmişti...
THE ENGLISH HALT... İNGİLİZ DURAĞI...
Sevgili anneciğimin hatırasına, bu yazıyı siz okurlarımla da paylaşıyorum... Şöyle yazmıştım bundan 19 sene önce:
"... 'English Halt' yani "İngiliz Durağı" denen bir yerde bir evdi... Bu sözcükler bana David Lynch'in "Mulholland Drive" (Mulholland Yolu) adlı filmini hatırlatıyordu... Filmin içeriğiyle ilgili değildi bu anımsatma elbette, yalnızca o sözcükler ve onu söyleme biçimiydi bana bu filmin adını hatırlatan: "İngiliz Durağı"...1944 yılında bu ev tek başına, Mağusa'nın beş mil dışında, öylece duruyordu... Açık alanlar vardı, gözünüzün gördüü yer yer ovaydı ve Lefkoşa ile Mağusa arasında gidip gelen tren de işte tam burada duruyordu: Tam da "İngiliz Durağı"nda...
LİMANIN ARKASINDA BİR EV...
Annem Türkan ile babam Niyazi evlendiklerinde, Mağusa'da, limanın arkasında bir ev kiralamışlardı..."O eski evlerden biriydi" diye anlatıyor annem... "İki oda varıdı yukarıda, alt katta ise karşılıklı iki oda ve odalar arasında bir hol... Niyazi, Mağusa'da polisti. Polisin savcılık görevünü yapmaktaydı, "çavuş" idi, yakaladıkları suçluları mahkemeye çıkarıyordu – yani sarhoş olup rahatsızlık yaratanları, hırsızları ve bu gibi suçluları... Eşim Mağusa'da polis olduğu için orada yaşıyorduk... Ancak bir gün evin sahibi eşimi ziyaret etmiş ve onu, kendilerinin de bu eve gelip kalmaya ikna etmişti. Bir hizmetçileri vardı ve bu hizmetçinin ilk bebeğimiz İlkay'a bakmasına ve evde bize yardım etmesine söz vermişlerdi. Ev sahiplerinin gelip bizim onlardan kiralamış olduğumuz evde bizimle birlikte yaşamaya başlayacaklarını duyunca gerçekten bozulmuştum ama yapabileceğim bir şey yoktu..."
BİR ZAMANLAR HASTANEYMİŞ...
"Sonrasında bu evde ev sahipleriyle birlikte dayanılmaz olmuştu... Başka bir ev aramaya başlamıştık... Niyazi'nin polisteki komutanı Bay Hassabi ona "İngiliz Durağı"ndaki evi önerdi. Bu ev bir zamanlar bir hastaneydi, sonra bir takım hırsızlıklar olmuş ve evin kapıları ve pencereleri bile çalınmıştı. Ancak kira ödemeyecektik, hükümete aitti bu ev, böylece eve taşındık... Çalınmış olan pencereleri tahta plakalarla çakmışlardı... Kendinizi tümüyle yalnız hissedeceğiniz bir yerdi burası..."
GARABET'İN ÇİFTLİĞİ...
"Çevrede başka hiçbir ev yoktu, yalnızca zaman zaman buradan geçen trenin sesini duyuyordunuz... Ve uzakta bir yerde bir Kıbrıslıermeni'ye ait bir çiftlik vardı, "Garabet'in Çiftliği" diyorduk buna. Bu çiftlikte pek çok Kıbrıslıtürk ve Kıbrıslırum çalışmaktaydı...Gün boyunca evde yalnız kalıyordum, bazan eşim Niyazi görev başında olduğunda geceleri de yalnız kalıyordum. Hiçbir şeyden korkmuyordum. Ancak bir gece bir ses duydum... Niyazi'nin çok kuvvetli bir el feneri vardı, bunu göreve çıktığında kullanırdı. Bir keresinde bu fener, onun hayatını kurtarmıştı... Birileri onu başka bir şahısla karıştırıp öldürmeye çalışmıştı, çok kötü yaralanmıştı ancak bu fener ölmesini engellemişti..."
"KORKUP KAÇMAYA BAŞLAMIŞTI..."
"Bu el fenerini aldım ve pancurların arasından baktım, bir çift göz bana bakıyordu... Niyazi'yi öldürmeye gelmişti bir adam fakat ben avazım çıktığı kadar bağırmaya başlayınca korkmuş ve kaçmaya başlamıştı... Çizme, siyah pantolon ve siyah bir palto giyiyordu... Seneler sonra öğrenecektik ayrıntıları: E... adlı birisiydi, Lefkoşa'da arabacıkta kebap yapıp satıyordu. Pek çok kereler sarhoş olup sokaklarda bağırıp çağırdığı için tutuklanmıştı. Bir gün Niyazi onu mahkemeye çıkarmıştı ve kamu huzurunu bozduğu gerekçesiyle 5 lira ödemeye mahkum edilmişti. Bu adam o kadar sinirlenmişti ki Lefkoşa'ya geri döndüğünde evini vekalete vererek bir silah satın almıştı Niyazi'yi öldürmek için. Ve o gece evimize gelmişti, o beni, ben de onu korkuttuğum için kaçmıştı... Garabet'in Çiftliği'nde Kostaki, çığlıklarımı duymuş ve o da kuyuya inip saklanmıştı! Silahı bir çantada taşıyan bu adamı görmüş ancak karşısına çıkarsa kendisinin de öldürüleceğinden korkup saklanmıştı..."
"LEFKOŞA'YA TAŞINIYORUZ..."
"İşte böylece aniden, "İngiliz Durağı"ndaki bir ev benim için bir kabusa dönüşmüştü... Geceleri yalnız kalmıyordum... Ağlıyordum ve hastalanıyordum... Asaplarım o kadar bozulduydu ki bir gün intihar etmeyi bile düşündüydüm... İşte böylece 1945 yılında Lefkoşa'ya taşındık, önce Tahtagala Mahallesi'ne, sonra da Ermu Caddesi yakınında teyzemin bana verdiği eve..."
KEBAPÇILIK YAPAN BİR ADAM...
"Yıllar sonra 1958'de sana hamile olduğumda yeni çarşaflar satın almak için çarşıya gitmiştik. Niyazi bana E... adlı bu adamı gösterdi, arabacıkta kebap yapmaktaydı... Niyazi bana dönerek, "İngiliz Durağı'ndaki evimize gelen adam kimdi bilir min? İşte oydu" diye bu adamı işaret etti. Gidip ona vurmak istedim ancak eşim bana engel oldu, "Rahat bırak kendini... Layığını bulacak... Herkes eninde sonunda layığını bulur" dedi... Ona baktım ve gözleriyle saçlarından onu tanıdım...Bir gece gene sarhoş olup gene tutuklanmıştı ve hücresinde tirtir titriyordu... Niyazi ona acımış ve gardiyana iki battaniye getirmesini söylemişti. Sonrasında E... gardiyana, "Onu öldürmeye gittiğimi bilmez, üşüdüğüm için bana iki battaniye verir bu adam" demişti... Daha sonra gardiyan eşime bunu anlatmış ve böylece Niyazi'yi öldürmeye gelen şahsın o olduğunu öğrenmiştik..."
ERMU CADDESİ'NDE KARMA YAŞAM...
"Böylece Ermu Caddesi'nde yaşamaya başladık... Canlı bir yerdi, karma bir sokaktı – komşularımız da hem Kıbrıslıtürkler, hem de Kıbrıslırumlar'dı... Magis vardı, "Demirci" dediğimiz bir diğer Kıbrıslırum vardı... Bazı sandaliyeciler vardı ki bunlar Kıbrıs sandaliyeleri yaparlardı. Bir Kıbrıslıtürk aile vardı ve tek kızları, Kıbrıslırum sandaliyecilerden birine aşık olmuş ve hamile kalmıştı... Kızın babasının bu konudan hiç haberi yoktu... Bir gün kızının çığlıklarını duydu, kızı evde doğum yapıyordu! Neler olduğunu sorduğunda durumu anlattılar kendine, oracıkta yere yığılıp hastalandı..."Benim kızım evli bile değil, nasıl hamile olup çocuk doğurur..." diyordu. Annesi bir Kıbrıslıtürk, babası da bir Kıbrıslırum olan o çocuk ilerleyen yıllarda bir sendika lideri olacaktı, uzun boylu, zayıf, sarışın birisiydi... Bir başka komşumuz da bir Kıbrıslıtürk kadındı ve bir Kıbrıslırum adamla birlikte yaşamaktaydı... EOKA ve TMT harekete geçtiği zaman, Ermu Caddesi'nden ayrılmaya karar verdik. Sağlığım da çok iyi değildi, tüberkülöz olmuştum ve doktorumuz eşime, "Onu Lefkoşa'nın dışına, açık alanların bulduğu yerlere çıkar... Bahçeli bir yer olsun, nefes alabileceği bir yer" demişti..."
ÇAĞLAYAN'DA BAHÇELİ BİR EV...
"Böylece Çağlayan'daki arsayı satın almıştık, Niyazi'nin maaşından her ay 7 lira taksit ödeyerek. Çağlayan'daki arsaya bir ev yaptık ve 1956 yılında bu eve taşındık... Çağlayan bölgesindeki eski, güzel evlerin çoğu Kıbrıslırum ustalar tarafından yapılmıştı, o nedenle bu kadar güzeldiler...Artık Çağlayan'daki evimizin güzel bir bahçesi vardı ve çiçekler, ağaçlar, sebzeler ekmeye girişebilecektim buraya...Mahallemizden .... adlı şahsı bilin... Nenesi bir Kıbrıslırum'du, bir Kıbrıslıtürk'e aşık olmuştu. Adı Melani idi... Mahallemizde bir işyeri sahibi olan bu Kıbrıslıtürk'ün her iki nenesi de Kıbrıslırum'du... O günlerde bu tür aşk hikayeleri olağandı ve pek çoğunu bilirim ben..."
Bahçede annemle oturup sohbet içiyor, fallarımıza bakıyor, Dalmaçyalı köpeğimizle oynuyoruz... Geçmişi konuşmak için bir alan yaratıyoruz – Lefkoşa eskiden nasıldı, "milliyetçilik" öncesinde Kıbrıslılar'ın ilişkileri nasıldı ve şimdi nasıl değişti bu ilişkiler... Benim henüz doğmamış olduğum yıllardan söz ediyoruz... Annem 87 yaşında, çok şey görmüş ve onun içgüdülerine güveniyorum... Bu nedenle birlikte onun hatıralarından söz ediyoruz, bunları Lefkoşa'nın geçmişte nasıl olduğu hakkında hiç bilgisi olmayan evlatlarımıza aktarmak için..."
Kaynak: "English Halt, Ermu ve Çağlayan'dan hatıralar..." - Sevgül Uludağ
https://www.yeniduzen.com/english-halt-ermu-ve-caglayandan-hatiralar-22410yy.htm
*** Once upon a time life in Cyprus…
Memories from "The English Halt", Ermou and Chaghlayan…
Sevgul Uludag
caramel_cy@yahoo.com
Tel: 99 966518
It was either February or March back in 2005… We had sat down together with my mother at a spot that she preferred to sit, next to the gandjelli, near the tangerine tree… She liked to sit there in winter months since there was no breeze at this spot and it got a lot of sun… So we had sat in folding chairs, drinking coffee, reading our cups and talking about the past…
Sometimes my late mother Turkan Uludagh would talk about her memories from the past… That day, she had told me about her memories from "The English Halt" in Famagusta and her memories of the Ermou Street in Nicosia, as well as her memories of Chaghlayan…
I had written an article back in March 2005 then, without knowing that I would lose her after five months… At the beginning of August 2005 she would fall ill and we would take her to the hospital… She would only survive three weeks there and we would lose her 19 years ago on the 23rd of August 2005… In her memory, I want to share the article I had written in March 2005:
HOUSES IN FAMAGUSTA AND ENGLISH HALT…
"…When they got married, my mother Turkan and my father Niyazi Uludagh had first rented a house in Famagusta, behind the port.
`It was one of those old houses` my mother explains, `There were two rooms upstairs and two rooms facing each other downstairs, between the rooms, a hall… Niyazi was a policeman in Famagusta. He was the persecutor for the police, he was a `chavush` and therefore he would bring to court the criminals they would catch – those who got drunk and disturbed the peace in public, the thieves and so on… That's why we were living in Famagusta… But then, one day the owner of the house visited Niyazi and convinced him to allow them to come and live in the same house with us. They had a maid and had promised to help look after our first baby, Ilkay and help in the house. When I heard the news that they were coming, I was really pissed off but couldn't do much… But then it became unbearable living in the same house with the owner."
"THE ENGLISH HALT…"
"So we were looking for another house when Niyazi's chief at the police, Mr. Khassabi offered him the house at `The English Halt`. This house with five rooms was supposed to become a hospital but then there was a burglary when even the doors and windows were stolen! But we would pay no rent because it belonged to the government and we moved in… They had nailed wooden boards in place of the stolen windows when we moved in… It was a place where you felt completely lonely… There were no other houses around, only the passing train from time to time… And a farm, far off, that belonged to an Armenian Cypriot, `Garabet'in Chiftlighi' as we called it. Many Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots worked there…"
It was a house at `The English Halt`, a name reminding me of a David Lynch movie called `Mulholland Drive`… Nothing to do with the content of the movie of course, just the name and the way you say it: `The English Halt`.
Back in 1944, the house was standing alone, 5 miles outside Famagusta… Open spaces, fields as far as you can see and sometimes the train working between Nicosia and Famagusta would stop here: right at `The English Halt`.
My mother would continue to tell the story:
"I was staying alone in the house all day long and sometimes during the nights when Niyazi was on duty… I was not afraid of anything. But one night I heard a noise… Niyazi had a very strong flashlight that he used to carry when he was on duty… I took this flashlight and looked through the shutters and I saw a pair of eyes staring at me… A man had come to kill Niyazi but when I started shouting very loud, he got frightened and started running away… He was wearing boots, black trousers and a black coat… Years later, we would find out the details: his name was E… and was selling shish kebap (souvlakia) on a cart in Nicosia. Many times he got arrested for getting drunk and shouting in the streets. One day Niyazi had brought him to court and he had to pay 5 pounds for disturbing the peace and quiet in public. The guy got so angry that he went back to Nicosia, had his house mortgaged and got a gun to kill Niyazi. Then he came to our house that night but we both frightened each other so he ran off. In the `Garabet Chiftlighi` Costakis heard my cries and went inside the well to hide! He saw the guy carrying the pistol in a bag and was afraid he might get killed if he confronted him…"
MOVING TO NICOSIA…
"So all of a sudden the house at `The English Halt` became a place for horror for me… I did not want to stay alone at night… I was crying and getting sick… I even wanted to commit suicide one day… So that's how we moved to Nicosia in 1945 to the Tahtakala neighbourhood first, and then to the house that my auntie gave me as a present at the Ermou Street.
Years later when I was pregnant with you in 1958, we went to the market to buy new sheets. Niyazi showed me the man called E…, he was with a cart making kebap. Niyazi said, `You know the guy who came to our house at `The English Halt`? That's him!` I wanted to go and hit him but Niyazi said `Leave him alone… He will get what he deserves… In time, everyone gets what they deserve…` So I looked and saw the eyes and the hair and recognized him… One night he had got drunk and got arrested again and he was shivering in the cell… So Niyazi felt pity and ordered the guardian to bring two blankets. Later E… spoke to the guardian, saying `He does not know that I went to kill him and gives me two blankets not to feel the cold!` Later, the guardian told my husband the story and that's how we found out who he was…"
LIFE IN ERMOU STREET…
"And so our life at Ermou Street began… It was a lively area, a mixed street – our neighbours were both Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots… There was Magis and there was this Greek Cypriot whom we called `Demirdji`… There were some carpenters who made chairs… There was this Turkish Cypriot family whose single daughter fell in love with one of the Greek Cypriot carpenters and got pregnant… The father did not have a clue… One day he heard cries, she was delivering the baby in the house! He asked, and when they told him, he fell to the floor, getting sick…
`How can my daughter get pregnant, she's not even married!` he was saying… That boy whose mother was a Turkish Cypriot and the father a Greek Cypriot, later became a trade union leader, a tall, thin, blond guy… The other neighbour was a Turkish Cypriot woman living together with a Greek Cypriot…"
MOVING OUT OF ERMOU…
"When EOKA and TMT began, we decided to move out of Ermou Street… We built a house in Chaghlayan and moved here in 1956… Most of the old, beautiful houses in Chaghlayan were built by Greek Cypriot constructors, that's why they were so good… And now we had a beautiful garden in our house in Chaghlayan where I could plant lots of flowers and vegetables…
And do you know X in our mahalle? His grandmother was a Greek Cypriot woman who fell in love with a Turkish Cypriot. Her name was Melanie… Both his grandmothers were Greek Cypriots and they lived in our mahalle!
And do you remember XXX? Her grandmother was also a Greek Cypriot woman… During those times, love stories like these were common and I know many…"
We sit in the garden with my mother, drinking coffee, reading cups, playing with our dalmatian dog… We create a space to speak of the past – how Nicosia was in old times, how relations among the Cypriots were before the times of `nationalism`, how it has changed now… We speak of the times before I was born… She is 87, having seen a lot and I trust her intuition… That's why we search together memories of the past to retain for our kids who have no idea about how Nicosia had been in the past…"
Μια φορά κι έναν καιρό η ζωή στην Κύπρο...
Αναμνήσεις από το «English Halt», την οδό Ερμού και το Chaghlayan...
Sevgul Uludag
caramel_cy@yahoo.com
Τηλ: 99 966518
Ήταν Φεβρουάριος ή Μάρτιος του 2005... Είχαμε καθίσει μαζί με τη μητέρα μου σε ένα σημείο που της άρεσε να κάθεται, δίπλα στο καντζέλι, κοντά στη μανταρινιά... Της άρεσε να κάθεται εκεί τους χειμερινούς μήνες, αφού στο σημείο αυτό δεν φυσούσε αεράκι και είχε πολύ ήλιο... Είχαμε καθίσει λοιπόν σε πτυσσόμενες καρέκλες, πίνοντας καφέ, διαβάζοντας τα φλιτζάνια μας και μιλώντας για το παρελθόν...
Μερικές φορές η αείμνηστη μητέρα μου Turkan Uludagh μιλούσε για τις αναμνήσεις της από το παρελθόν... Εκείνη τη μέρα, μου είχε πει για τις αναμνήσεις της από το «English Halt» στην Αμμόχωστο, τις αναμνήσεις της από την οδό Ερμού στη Λευκωσία, καθώς και τις αναμνήσεις της από το Chaghlayan...
Τότε, το Μάρτιο του 2005, είχα γράψει ένα άρθρο, χωρίς να ήξερα ότι θα την έχανα μετά από πέντε μήνες... Στις αρχές Αυγούστου του 2005 αρρώστησε και την πήραμε στο νοσοκομείο... Επέζησε μόνο τρεις εβδομάδες εκεί και την χάσαμε πριν από 19 χρόνια, στις 23 Αυγούστου 2005... Θέλω να μοιραστώ στη μνήμη της το άρθρο που είχα γράψει τον Μάρτιο του 2005:
Σπίτια στη Αμμόχωστο και το English Halt…
«…Όταν παντρεύτηκαν, η μητέρα μου Turkan και ο πατέρας μου Niyazi Uludagh είχαν αρχικά νοικιάσει ένα σπίτι στην Αμμόχωστο, πίσω από το λιμάνι.
«Ήταν ένα από εκείνα τα παλιά σπίτια», μου εξηγεί η μητέρα μου, «Υπήρχαν δύο δωμάτια στον πάνω όροφο και δύο δωμάτια κάτω, το ένα απέναντι στο άλλο, και ένα ανάμεσα τους ένα χολ. O Niyazi ήταν αστυνομικός στην Αμμόχωστο. Ήταν ο εισαγγελέας της αστυνομίας, τσαούσης κι επομένως αυτός που οδηγούσε τους εγκληματίες στο δικαστήριο: αυτούς που μεθούσαν και διατάρασσαν την ησυχία σε δημόσιους χώρους, τους κλέφτες, κτλ. Γι αυτό ζούσαμε στην Αμμόχωστο. O ιδιοκτήτης, όμως, του σπιτιού ήρθε μια μέρα κι έπεισε τον Niyazi να του επιτρέψει να έρθει με την οικογένεια του να μείνουν στο ίδιο σπίτι μαζί μας. Είχαν μια υπηρέτρια και υποσχέθηκαν ότι θα βοηθούσαν στο σπίτι και με το πρώτο μας παιδί την Ilkay. Όταν άκουσα ότι θα ερχόντουσαν, θύμωσα πολύ, αλλά δεν μπορούσα να κάνω τίποτα. Αργότερα, όμως, δεν μπορούσαμε να ζούμε στο ίδιο σπίτι με τον ιδιοκτήτη.»
«Το English Halt…»
«Αρχίσαμε λοιπόν να ψάχνουμε για άλλο σπίτι, όταν ο αρχηγός της Αστυνομίας, ο κ. Xασάπης πρόσφερε στο Niyazi το σπίτι στο English Halt. Το σπίτι αυτό με πέντε δωμάτια θα γινόταν νοσοκομείο, όμως μετά από μια διάρρηξη και κλάπηκαν ακόμα και οι πόρτες και τα παράθυρα! Δεν πληρώναμε όμως ενοίκιο διότι ανήκε στην κυβέρνηση και μετακομίσαμε... Είχαν καρφώσει ξύλινες σανίδες στη θέση των κλεμμένων παραθύρων όταν μετακομίσαμε... Ήταν ένα μέρος όπου ένιωθες εντελώς μόνος... Δεν υπήρχαν άλλα σπίτια τριγύρω, μόνο το τρένο που περνούσε από καιρό σε καιρό... Και ένα αγρόκτημα, μακριά, που ανήκε σε έναν Αρμένιο Κύπριο, «το τσιφλίκι του Garabet» όπως το λέγαμε. Εκεί δούλευαν πολλοί Τουρκοκύπριοι και Ελληνοκύπριοι...»
Ήταν ένα σπίτι στο «English Halt», ένα όνομα που μου θυμίζει μια ταινία του David Lynch με τίτλο «Mulholland Drive»... Καμία σχέση με το περιεχόμενο της ταινίας φυσικά, μόνο το όνομα και ο τρόπος που το λες: «The English Halt».
Πίσω στο 1944, το σπίτι στεκόταν μόνο του, 5 μίλια έξω από την Αμμόχωστο... Ανοιχτοί χώροι, χωράφια μέχρι εκεί που μπορείς να δεις και μερικές φορές το τρένο που εκτελούσε δρομολόγια μεταξύ Λευκωσίας και Αμμοχώστου σταματούσε εδώ: ακριβώς στο «English Halt».
Η μητέρα μου συνέχισε να διηγείται την ιστορία:
Έμενα μόνη στο σπίτι όλη την ημέρα και κάποτε και τις νύχτες, όταν ο Niyazi ήταν σε υπηρεσία… Δεν φοβόμουνα. Μια νύχτα όμως άκουσα ένα θόρυβο. O Niyazi είχε ένα πολύ δυνατό φανάρι που χρησιμοποιούσε όταν ήταν σε υπηρεσία… Πήρα λοιπόν το φανάρι, κοίταξα από τα παντζούρια και είδα δύο μάτια να με κοιτάζουν... Ήρθε κάποιος να σκοτώσει το Niyazi, αλλά όταν άρχισα να φωνάζω δυνατά, φοβήθηκε κι άρχισε να τρέχει… Φορούσε μπότες, μαύρο παντελόνι και μαύρο παλτό... Χρόνια αργότερα, μάθαμε τις λεπτομέρειες: Το όνομα του ήταν Ε... και πουλούσε σουβλάκια σε ένα καρότσι στη Λευκωσία. Πολλές φορές συνελήφθη επειδή μεθούσε και φώναζε στους δρόμους. Μια μέρα ο Niyazi τον είχε οδηγήσει στο δικαστήριο και έπρεπε να πληρώσει 5 λίρες για διατάραξη της τάξης σε δημόσιο χώρο. Ο τύπος θύμωσε τόσο πολύ που επέστρεψε στη Λευκωσία, έβαλε υποθήκη το σπίτι του και πήρε ένα όπλο για να σκοτώσει τον Niyazi. Στη συνέχεια ήρθε στο σπίτι μας εκείνο το βράδυ, αλλά φοβηθήκαμε και οι δύο μας και έτσι έφυγε τρέχοντας. Στο «Τσιφκλίκι του Garabet» ο Κωστάκης άκουσε τις φωνές μου και μπήκε μέσα στο πηγάδι για να κρυφτεί! Είδε τον τύπο που κρατούσε το πιστόλι σε μια τσάντα και φοβήθηκε μήπως τον σκότωνε αν προσπαθούσε να τον αντιμετωπίσει…»
Μετακόμιση στη Λευκωσία…
«Έτσι ξαφνικά το σπίτι στο «English Halt» έγινε τόπος τρόμου για μένα... Δεν ήθελα να μένω μόνη μου τη νύχτα... Έκλαιγα και αρρώσταινα... Ήθελα ακόμα και να αυτοκτονήσω μια μέρα... Έτσι μετακομίσαμε στη Λευκωσία το 1945 πρώτα στη γειτονιά Ταχτακαλά και μετά στο σπίτι που μου δώρισε η θεία μου στην οδό Ερμού.
Χρόνια αργότερα, όταν ήμουν έγκυος σε σένα το 1958, πήγαμε στην αγορά για να αγοράσουμε καινούργια σεντόνια. Ο Niyazi μου έδειξε τον άνθρωπο που λεγόταν Ε..., με ένα καρότσι και έφτιαχνε σουβλάκια. Ο Niyazi είπε, «Ξέρεις τον τύπο που ερχόταν στο σπίτι μας στο «English Halt»; Αυτός είναι!» Ήθελα να πάω να τον χτυπήσω, αλλά ο Niyazi είπε: «Άφησέ τον ήσυχο... Θα πάρει αυτό που του αξίζει... Με τον καιρό, όλοι παίρνουν αυτό που τους αξίζει...» Έτσι τον κοίταξα και είδα τα μάτια και τα μαλλιά και τον αναγνώρισα... Ένα βράδυ είχε μεθύσει και τον συνέλαβαν πάλι και έτρεμε στο κελί... Έτσι ο Niyazi τον λυπήθηκε και διέταξε το δεσμοφύλακα να φέρει δύο κουβέρτες. Αργότερα ο Ε... είπε στο δεσμοφύλακα «Δεν ξέρει ότι πήγα να τον σκοτώσω και μου δίνει δύο κουβέρτες για να μην νιώσω το κρύο!» Αργότερα, ο δεσμοφύλακας διηγήθηκε στον άντρα μου την ιστορία και έτσι μάθαμε ποιος ήταν...».
Η ζωή στην οδό Ερμού…
«Και έτσι άρχισε η ζωή μας στην οδό Ερμού... Ήταν μια ζωντανή περιοχή, ένας μικτός δρόμος – οι γείτονες μας ήταν και Τουρκοκύπριοι και Ελληνοκύπριοι... Υπήρχε ο Μάκης και υπήρχε ένας Ελληνοκύπριος που τον λέγαμε «Demirdji»... Υπήρχαν κάποιοι ξυλουργοί που έφτιαχναν καρέκλες... Υπήρχε μια τουρκοκυπριακή οικογένεια της οποίας η ανύπαντρη κόρη ερωτεύτηκε έναν Ελληνοκύπριο ξυλουργό και έμεινε έγκυος... Ο πατέρας δεν είχε ιδέα... Μια μέρα άκουσε φωνές, γεννούσε το μωρό μέσα στο σπίτι! Ρώτησε, και όταν του είπαν, έπεσε στο πάτωμα, αρρωσταίνοντας...
«Πώς μπορεί η κόρη μου να μείνει έγκυος, δεν είναι καν παντρεμένη!» έλεγε... Το παιδί αυτό, του οποίου η μητέρα ήταν Τουρκοκύπρια και ο πατέρας Ελληνοκύπριος, έγινε αργότερα συνδικαλιστής ηγέτης, ένας ψηλός, αδύνατος, ξανθός νέος... Η άλλη γειτόνισσα ήταν μια Τουρκοκύπρια γυναίκα που συζούσε με έναν Ελληνοκύπριο...»
Μετακομίζοντας από την οδό Ερμού…
«Όταν άρχισε η ΕΟΚΑ και η ΤΜΤ, αποφασίσαμε να μετακομίσουμε από την οδό Ερμού... Χτίσαμε ένα σπίτι στο Chaghlayan και μετακομίσαμε εδώ το 1956... Τα περισσότερα από τα παλιά, όμορφα σπίτια στο Chaghlayan είχαν χτιστεί από Ελληνοκύπριους εργολάβους, γι αυτό και ήταν τόσο καλά... Και τώρα είχαμε ένα όμορφο κήπο στο σπίτι μας στο Chaghlayan όπου μπορούσα να φυτέψω πολλά λουλούδια και λαχανικά...
Και ξέρετε το Χ στο μαχαλά μας; Η γιαγιά του ήταν μια Ελληνοκύπρια που ερωτεύτηκε έναν Τουρκοκύπριο. Το όνομά της ήταν Μέλανη... Και οι δύο γιαγιάδες του ήταν Ελληνοκύπριες και ζούσαν στο μαχαλά μας!
Και θυμάσαι την ΧΧΧ; Η γιαγιά της ήταν επίσης Ελληνοκύπρια... Εκείνη την εποχή, τέτοιες ιστορίες αγάπης ήταν συνηθισμένες και ξέρω πολλές...»
Καθόμαστε στον κήπο με τη μητέρα μου, πίνουμε καφέ, διαβάζουμε φλιτζάνια, παίζουμε με το σκύλο Δαλματίας μας... Δημιουργούμε ένα χώρο για να μιλήσουμε για το παρελθόν – πως ήταν η Λευκωσία τα παλιά χρόνια, πως ήταν οι σχέσεις μεταξύ των Κυπρίων πριν από την εποχή του «εθνικισμού», πως άλλαξαν τώρα... Μιλούμε για την εποχή πριν γεννηθώ εγώ... Είναι 87 χρονών, έχει δει πολλά και εμπιστεύομαι τη διαίσθηση της... Γι αυτό αναζητούμε μαζί αναμνήσεις του παρελθόντος για να τις διατηρήσουμε για τα παιδιά μας που δεν έχουν ιδέα για το πως ήταν η Λευκωσία στο παρελθόν...».
https://politis.com.cy/apopseis/stiles/838360/mia-fora-ki-enan-kairo-i-zoi-stin-kypro
PHOTOS:
My mother on the far right at the wedding of her brother Kazim Soyer with İsmet Hanım, on the far left my sister İlkay... I was not born yet when this photo was taken...
(Thanks to Aycan Mavigözlü Yükseliş for this precious photo that I had never seen)...
Other photos from the internet: Life in Ermou and when Ermou was being divided at the end of 1950s...
No comments:
Post a Comment