Kormakitis

Kormakitis
Kurmajit
Kormakitis is located in Cyprus
Kormakitis
Kormakitis
Coordinates: 35°20′34″N 33°00′39″E / 35.34278°N 33.01083°E / 35.34278; 33.01083
Country Cyprus (de jure)
 Northern Cyprus (de facto)
 • DistrictKyrenia District
Elevation
[1]
168 m (551 ft)
Population
 (2011)[2]
 • Total309

Kormakitis (Cypriot Arabic: Kurmajit; Greek: Κορμακίτης, Kormakítis; Turkish: Kormacit or Koruçam) is a small village in Cyprus. It is under the de facto control of Northern Cyprus. Kormakitis is one of four traditionally Maronite villages in Cyprus, the other three being Asomatos, Agia Marina and Karpaseia.[3] The Maronites of Kormakitis traditionally speak their own variety of Arabic called Cypriot Maronite Arabic (CMA) in addition to Greek and recently Turkish and they follow the Catholic Maronite Church.[4] Cape Kormakitis is named after the village.

All of the remaining Maronite villagers are elderly.[5] The Republic of Cyprus government gives those who stayed in the north pensions of $670 a month per couple and around $430 for an individual. It also pays instructors to teach CMA, and funds week-long summer visits by young Maronites to put them in touch with their communal roots.[6] Maronites also receive help from the United Nations. Every two weeks UN troops make the trip from Nicosia to deliver food, water, fuel and medical supplies across the border to the north's Maronite population. The UN aid convoy is manned by soldiers from the 12 Regiment Royal Artillery. Aid is funded by the Republic of Cyprus government but is delivered by the UN.[7]

During the weekends the population of Kormakitis increases to more than 600 as displaced former residents return to visit relatives and celebrate Mass. Access has been made easier since 2003 when the Turkish Cypriot authorities relaxed rules on visits to Northern Cyprus. Many Maronites who were displaced from Kormakitis have renovated and upgraded the village and homes for weekend use.[4]

  1. ^ "kormacit route in Turkish Republic Of Northern Cyprus, Cyprus". MapMyRide. 30 July 2009. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
  2. ^ "KKTC 2011 Nüfus ve Konut Sayımı" [TRNC 2011 Population and Housing Census] (PDF) (in Turkish). TRNC State Planning Organization. 6 August 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 November 2013.
  3. ^ "Kormakitis". Maronite Community of Cyprus. Archived from the original on 13 November 2013.
  4. ^ a b Papapostolou, A. (23 May 2010). "Maronites in Cyprus try to revive old language". Greek Reporter. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
  5. ^ Leonidou, Leo (19 April 2005). "Government refuses to recognise elected Kormakitis mukhtar". Cyprus Mail.
  6. ^ "Cyprus' Maronites celebrate news of pope's visit". The Washington Times. 24 May 2010. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
  7. ^ Webb, Andrea (May 2006). "Mercy Mission" (PDF). Soldier Magazine. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 August 2013.