Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU), Faculty of Tourism, Community Involvement Center (CIC) and Tourism Club co-organized an event titled “Olive Harvest, Çakıstes Production and Journey of Olive Oil”. Held with “Olive Culture Begins on the Branch and Comes to Life at the Table” motto, the event featured EMU students visiting Mehmetçik, Ergazi and Kilitkaya villages where they had the chance to explore olive harvesting, ‘çakıstes’ production and local production process of olive oil and tahini, as well as taking a close look at the Cypriot cuisine.
The first stop of the event was the olive groves in the village of Mehmetçik. At the beginning of the event, Erol Adalıer, an Instructor at the EMU Faculty of Tourism, shared an overview of Mehmetçik’s history, from past to present, with the participants. Subsequently, Mehmetçik resident Ersin Şemi and Erol Adalıer provided students with information on olive harvesting, introducing both manual and mechanical harvesting methods. During the visit, participants also learned about olive cultivation in different regions of Cyprus and how harvesting periods vary from one region to another. Mehmetçik residents Nurşen Şemi and Sahra Temiz then demonstrated how to prepare çakıstes, a traditional Cypriot crushed olive delicacy.
The second stop was Yağcıoğlu Olive Oil Factory in the village of Ergazi. During the visit, Selden Yağcıoğlu explained the process of transforming green olives into olive oil, outlining each stage of production. By observing the various stages and how they are interconnected, students gained insight into the olive oil production process. The factory visit also included a practical demonstration of tahini production. Yağcıoğlu also offered students traditional village halloumi and village bread, providing them with an opportunity to become familiar with local products.
The final stop of the program was Garavolli Restaurant in the village of Kilitkaya. Chef Tanya Kilitkayalı, Lecturer at the EMU Faculty of Tourism, highlighted the importance of olives and olive oil in Cypriot culture, explaining their role in local cuisine and everyday life. While students sampled traditional Cypriot oven-baked kebab, some participants also had the opportunity to experience other traditional delicacies of Cypriot cuisine. At the end of the event, Kilitkayalı introduced students to a traditional Cypriot custom by performing a ritual of wafting fragrant incense over the participants using an incense burner. Thus, the journey of production and cultural discovery that began in the olive groves concluded with the sharing of local flavours and traditions.
Chairperson of Community Involvement Center Asst. Prof. Dr. Nazenin Kandemir expressed her pleasure in providing students with such a valuable cultural and educational experience, emphasizing that events of this kind contribute to strengthening students’ connections with the local community and preserving cultural heritage.
Acting Dean of the EMU Faculty of Tourism, Asst. Prof. Dr. İlkay Yorgancı, stated that gaining firsthand experience of local production processes and Cypriot culinary culture makes a significant contribution to students’ education. Asst. Prof. Dr. Yorgancı also extended her appreciation to the local producers and participants who contributed to the event.
The event provided students with an opportunity to interact with local producers, observe production processes firsthand and gain a deeper understanding of Cyprus’ cultural heritage through hands-on experiences. Bringing together olive harvesting, traditional çakıstes preparation, olive oil and tahini production, and Cypriot culinary traditions, the program complemented classroom learning with practical field experience.
