The Halloumi Festival in Melbourne, organised by the Cypriot Community of Melbourne and Victoria (CCMV), kicked off on Saturday, celebrating the national food of Cyprus, halloumi.
The festival is much more than just about the cheese however, as it celebrates the culture of Cyprus with dance, food, music and a narrative on the history of Cypriots in Australia.
Notable guests included politicians, senior clerics of the Greek Archdiocese, consulate representatives and members of Greek and Cypriot community groups.
Neos Kosmos spoke to stall holders and demonstration volunteers and they all shared why they think it’s important to celebrate culture and heritage.
“We’re keeping our culture alive, I love it. Seeing the joy on everyone’s face having a great time, especially the youngies getting involved in our culture,” said Andri, who runs Christian gift store Zantiam.
She had a stall last year and said it was amazing and thought she’d come back.
Pavlina from Crown Imports said this is their second or third time back at the festival.
“This is an amazing festival. The Cypriot community, everybody is so welcoming and lovely, everybody is friendly,” she said.
“I think it’s very important to be here to celebrate the Cypriot heritage, Cypriot culture.
“Everybody has fun… and when it’s on again, I think everybody should come down.”
For Eleni from the halloumi making demonstration, this is her fourth-year presenting.
“I’ve been part of the community for a very long time as part of the dancing group and volunteering for demonstrations every year,” she said.
She said events like this “bring everybody together”.
“We remember and we also learn a lot about our traditions.”
“Over the years, especially with mixed marriages and so forth, traditions are sort of diluted, so it’s really important for us to be able to celebrate. We learn, our kids learn.”
In his speech President of CCMV, Theo Theophanous, thanked all for the successful and peaceful rally at Federation Square last year marking 50 years of division since Turkey invaded northern Cyprus.
“I want to say despite attempts to divide our island, halloumi represents something that unites us,” he said.
He pointed to the cheese receiving international recognition as a protected country of origin product of Cyprus.
“That applies equally to Greek and Turkish Cypriots,” he said, further explaining how this shows the two groups can be united under one free Cyprus.
He also gave an update on the progress on a new multi-story building complex, expected to be supported by the Victorian government, on the same site where the CCMV have their centre on Lygon Street, Brunswick.
High Commissioner of the Republic of Cyprus in Australia, Antonis Sammoutis shared that their now exploring ways to protect the name of halloumi legally in Australia.
He said that halloumi made in Australia, not Cyprus, could possibly be renamed ‘Cyprus cheese’.
Greece’s newly arrived consul general in Melbourne Dimitra Georgantzoglou said the Halloumi Festival and the Antipodes Festival last weekend have given her the opportunity to understand their importance to the preservation of Hellenism in Australia.
“Haloumi Festival is an opportunity for all the Cypriot diaspora, all of us, to come together and celebrate the best and most renowned Cypriot culinary delicacy, the halloumi cheese, but also to follow musical performances and events which constitute an integral part of Cypriot civilisation here in Melbourne,” she said.
Member of Parliament Kat Theophanous said the festival is more than just another event.
“It’s more like a homecoming,” she said.
“We are oceans from our beloved Cyprus, but this festival is a celebration of our identity and shared culture all wrapped up in our favourite squeaky cheese.”
She added that as the state member for Northcote, she is proud to represent a community filled with Greeks and Cypriots.
“I see the strength and depth of that community, the contribution that it makes and how it elevates our entire state.”
President of the Greek Community of Melbourne Bill Papastergiadis also reemphasised that the Greek community stands with and supports the Cypriot community.
To cap off the first night, dancers from the Pegasus Dance Academy re-enacted traditional halloumi making. They lit the “Tunisia – the fire,” put the “chars – the cauldron” on top, and baked the milk. After it thickened, they saw the Halloumi emerging slowly like the white pearl of Cyprus.
The performance also included traditional dances and songs.
