| This book describes the village of Vatili, Mesaoria, Cyprus in the District of Ammochostos. It tells about its history, its people and their life and traditions in the period before WW II and the decades that followed when Vatili was still an agrarian society. Farming and animal husbandry were the lifeblood of the people and a different lifestyle based on hard work and family values dominated their lives. It presents a glimpse into the daily lives of the villagers through stories and photographs, some dating to the early 1900’s. The author spends a considerable amount of effort to document the genealogy of some of the most important families of Vatili. The various family trees presented are accompanied with photographs, where available, to give life to the names. The genealogy is brought up to the present to facilitate those searching for their roots who were too young to remember Vatili before the Turkish invasion of 1974 or who were born as refugees in Cyprus and elsewhere. It is hoped that this book will become a reference for those seeking to learn about this very large and beautiful village in the heart of the Mesaoria Plain. |