NICOSIA, Aug. 23 (Xinhua) -- Lefkara, a village 50km south of Cyprus' capital Nicosia, is not only famous for its beautiful scenery, but also for its traditional handmade embroidery craft.
But traditional embroidery, which has been so popular in Cyprus, is on the brink of disappearing because the younger generation shows no interest in learning it.
During a visit to Lefkara recently, many foreign visitors were seen in the village. They said they liked the food, the environment and especially the embroidery.
Mandy from Holland told Xinhua it was the second time her family was visiting Lefkara. "It's nice here with good vibes all around. What I'm impressed most is the lace work," she said.
History has it that when the Venetians ruled Cyprus from 1489 to 1570, they taught the craft of lace embroidery, or Lefkaritiko, to the women of Lefkara village. Since then, the craft has been passed down from one generation to another.
Initially, the women of Lefkara used to decorate their own houses with lacework. Towards the end of the 19th century, they realized the works of art could be sold to decorate the houses of people from other regions as well.
Now Lefkaritiko lace has become world famous and the village has become a popular destination for tourists from home and abroad.
Young girls traditionally learn embroidery from their mothers. In the past, all the women in the village knew how to do Lefkaritiko. To this day, women -- especially older women -- still sit in front of their houses and do embroidery. However, this sight is likely to disappear in the near future since few young girls of the village show interest in embroidery.
Maria is a high school student. She has two elder sisters, but none of them knows embroidery. "It is too difficult, it takes a lot of time to learn and make. I have no time to learn and no interest in making it," she said.
Tasoula learned embroidery when she was 12 years old. She runs a shop where she sells her embroideries. Tasoula said her daughter, who is an accountant, will not take over her business.
"My daughter can do embroidery, but it is only a hobby," she said.
However, Tasoula thinks the craft of embroidery will not disappear even if young women of the village are taking up other jobs. "It will not disappear because it is tradition, something we have to look after. The tourists come here, they buy, so it will not die," she stated.
Rouvis runs the biggest embroidery shop in Lefkara which opened in the 70s. She says hers is the first embroidery shop in the village.
Rouvis said there is no future for the embroidery craft despite the fact that there are more than 60 embroidery shops in the village.
"There is no future for family embroidery. Now the girls prefer studying and having a better career than making a piece of lace for 2 or 3 months and getting 200 to 300 euros for it," she said.
Despite being pessimistic about the future of embroidery, Rouvis is teaching her daughter Elena the craft. Elena, who is 12, takes a keen interest in embroidery.
In order to preserve the traditional craft, the local government of Lefkara has started giving free lessons to teach the girls of the village how to do embroidery.
Stella, an official at Lefkara Municipality, told Xinhua that they organized 4 classes last year with about 20 girls in every class. "We organized 3 classes this year and will organize more in the future," she said.
It is believed that during Venetian rule, the great Italian painter Leonardo Da Vinci visited Lefkara and bought embroidered tablecloth from here. To this day, the embroidery Da Vinci bought is the best-selling item in Lefkara.
A UNESCO video for Lefkara lace or Lefkaritika
These Cyprus stamps below were issued in 2011 to celebrate the history of Cyprus embroidery.
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| Cyprus Embroidery - 2011 Cyprus stamps issued to celebrate Lefkara lace. Available in sets of 2 stamps (as above), on First Day Cover and full sheets of 8 stamps on 2 sheets. Ideal for framing. |
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