ABSTRACT
The best description of a place is that provided by its own people, its indigenous population. This description can be used and evaluated in a scientific manner. The ESLAND Project provided us with the opportunity to approach people from the indigenous population of Cyprus. Cyprus is a particular case study because it is a divided island. Due to the turbulent political situation that led to the Turkish invasion in 1974, to date 40% of the island’s territory (northern part), is occupied. This research has been carried out in the southern part of the island, which is under Republic of Cyprus government control with no questionnaires taken in the occupied part of the island but with a few interviews taken with people who used to live in the northern part of Cyprus and who were displaced after 1974.
