A song for Grigoris Afxentiou

Χαλάλιν της Πατρίδος μου
ο γιος μου η ζωή μου
τζι αφού εν επαραδόθηκεν
τζι έμεινεν τζιαι σκοτώθηκεν
ας έσιει την ευτζιήν μου

My country is welcome to him
my son, my life
And since he never surrendered
And held true and was slain
Then he has my blessing

Above is a song (Ξύπνα Γληόρη) for Grigoris Afxentiou, with words by the hero’s mother, music by Giorgos Theophanous; and sung by Marinella. Afxentiou was the pre-eminent EOKA hero in the struggle that began on 1 April 1955 to end British colonial rule in Cyprus and unite the island with Greece. He was killed in his hideout near Macheras monastery in March 1957 after a 10-hour battle against overwhelming British forces, who couldn't dislodge the hero and resorted to pouring gasoline into the cave he was holed up in and burning Afxentiou alive. It’s worth stressing that EOKA’s aim wasn’t just to liberate Cyprus for the benefit of Cyprus and Cypriots but also for the benefit of Greece, to expand Greece’s frontiers and horizons, make it a greater country with a presence and influence in the Eastern Mediterranean. Another thing worth remembering, which is perhaps slightly tangential but strikes me as important nonetheless, is that the acronym EOKA stands for Εθνική Οργάνωσις Κυπρίων Αγωνιστών (National Organisation of Cypriot Fighters), i.e. there was no need to call the movement, for example, the National Organisation of Greek fighters of Cyprus or the National Organisation of Greek Cypriot fighters, because, by definition, to be a Cypriot meant to be a Greek, as it always has done and always will. Indeed, the term Greek Cypriot (and Turkish Cypriot) is a neologism, concocted by the British as part of a strategy to elevate the status of the Muslim minority on the island and introduce Turkey as a player in Cyprus’ politics.

Below is a video of the hero’s mother, Antonou Afxentiou, reciting words she composed on the sacrifice of her son; and below is a drama-documentary (in Greek) – The Eagle of Macheras – from 1973 on Grigoris Afxentiou’s life and death in EOKA.