Performing Peace: Vernacular Reconciliation and the Diplomacy of Return in Cyprus

Abstract The Cyprus conflict is usually described as one between a majority Greek Cypriot and minority Turkish population, with their opposing visions of the island’s future. In that conflict, more than 200,000 Cypriots from both these communities were displaced 1958 1974. Lost in this standard narrative, however, are conflict’s other ‘Others’: smaller Maronite, Armenian, Latin, Roma populations, who also experienced displacement course conflict. This paper concerns Maronite community’s struggle to remain or return historic lands northwest. We examine acts everyday diplomacy that, over past decade, have resulted revival largest village, removal restrictions on rights, most recently partial withdrawal military another village so it may be reopened settlement. use instances what we term ‘vernacular reconciliation’, ways rebuilding coexistence suspend questions sovereignty at heart impasse. argue pragmatic approach calls cultural knowledge patterns through performances turn produce deeply felt senses responsibility reciprocity. Such reciprocity, show, reappropriated context ongoing