Paper short abstract:

Interviews of elderly Greek and Turkish Cypriots who grew up in the former mixed villages of Cyprus reveal that cross-religious milk-kinship existed through the widespread practice of wet-nursing. Such relationships were common prior to nationalism and conflict which saw the division of the island.

Paper long abstract:

First-hand narratives of elderly Cypriots from former mixed villages show that close, rather than superficial, relations existed between Greek (Christian) and Turkish (Muslim) Cypriots at both community and personal levels. Many genuine friendships existed and, in many respects, the two groups lived as a single harmonious and integrated community. The most striking example, described by twenty-six interviewees, of personal level relationships that existed in Cyprus throughout the century leading up to the 1974 war, is the practice of cross-religious milk kinship. The joining together of two families of different religions through the practice of wet nursing demonstrates a level of real intimacy between Christians and Muslims. It appears that the religious meaning understood by Turkish Cypriots grew into a shared cultural practice adopted by Greek Cypriots - as a form of cultural appropriation. Milk kinships survived decades of conflict and division in Cyprus. When the checkpoints between the North and South of the island opened in 2003, after 29 years, many of Greek and Turkish Cypriots reported visiting, or being visited by, their milk mother or milk siblings from the 'other' group.