Some of the traditional professions which have survived in Skarinou are as follows:
Salesmen (Agioyiates)
The “agoyiates” would transfer goods using camels, donkeys, mules or carriages. They would cover long distances and therefore had to make stops to rest and have a meal in various inns and other premises such as the station of Skarinou. More on the station: Skarinou Station
Horseshoe blacksmith or “Kallikas”
The horseshow blacksmith or “kallikas” would fit horseshoes to the hooves of animals, donkeys and mules which were used as means of transport or assistants in agricultural tasks by the villagers. The maintenance of the animals’ hooves was done once or twice a year and it was necessary because, as Iona explains, “their nails would otherwise grow thus causing them to stumble during walking”.
Olive-mill Miller
Theolive-millmillerwas responsible for the operation of the mill and consequently the extraction of the olive-oil. Quite often, the miller would agree with the olive producer that the mill would keep a small percentage of the produced olive-oil, as well as the production waste called “zivana” which, as Ionas states, was used as raw material for the production of soap, or even as lubricant manure.
Quarryman
The quarrymanwas the worker who would undertake the extraction of rock from the quarries in order to be used for the construction of various buildings. The quarryman would proceed with the extraction of rock according to the contractor’s order.
Builder
The profession of the builderis one which has survived up until recently. Learning the art of construction would begin from a very young age and more specifically from the age of around 11-12 years old. When writing about Skarinou, Karouzis distinctively mentions: “Fine builders must have lived in the village because the rocks used in the constructions and the levels or clay and pebbles in between are examples of fine work and not many villages present this fine, remarkable and rare building quality”* (p.162).
Shoemaker
The shoemakerwas the person who made and fixed the villagers’ leather boots. If one wanted to learn the art of the shoemaker there had to be an experienced craftsman next to them so that they could be their apprentices.
Sources:
*GiorgosKarouzis, Strolling around Cyprus, Larnaca, City and District, Nicosia 2007
Ioannis Ionas, Traditional Cyprus Professions, Nicosia 2001
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