Kollyva

Name - Origin

Cypriot name of food

Κόλλυβα ή κόλλυφα. Kóllyva or kóllyfa.

Greek name - description

Kollyva consist of wheat which is boiled with various nuts; they are used in memorial services (Petrou-Poeitou 2013, entry Κόλλυβα, 62).

Language remarks

ETYM. < κόλλυβον -a (plural) "sweets made with boiled wheat" (Babiniotis 2005, entry κόλλυβα,τα, 915) < anciant κόλλυβος, which was a small-value coin, sometimes placed in the grave (Babiniotis 2005, entry κόλλυβα,τα, 915; PetrouPoeitou 2013, entry Κόλλυβα, 62).

Processing method

Kollyva are made with boiled wheat, which is mixed with pomegranate, almonds and raisins (Kyprianou 2003, 68).

Functional and symbolic role

Nutritional Value and Importance in the Diet of Cypriots

In church, kollyva are handed out after the service, whenever there is a memorial or a feast. Kollyva are consumed by those present, thus, honouring either a deceased person or a saint (Kyprianou 2003, 68).

Festive Occasions

They used to make kollyva on New Year's Eve and call them Ayios Vasilis' (Santa Claus') kollyva. These would be placed on the table on New Year's Eve so as to be blessed by Ayios Vasilis. Through this custom, householders believed that they were remembering and thanking the souls of the deceased (Kypri - Protopapa 2003, 109-110).

Symbolic uses

Almonds were used in kollyva to symbolise the resurrection of the dead, since the almond tree was deemed to be the first among the trees that blossoms every year (Rousounidis 1988, 11). Pomegranate was added due to the red colour of its seeds which symbolised the blood of the deceased (Rousounidis 1988, 127).

Additional information and bibliography

Time period

20th c.

Bibliography

Kypri Th. - Protopapa K. A. (2003), Παραδοσιακά ζυμώματα της Κύπρου. Η χρήση και η σημασία τους στην εθιμική ζωή, Publications of the Centre for Scientific Research, XVIII, Nicosia.

Kyprianou Th. Ch. (2003), «Το σιτάρι», Λαογραφική Κύπρος 33,53, 64-69.

Babiniotis G. (2005), Λεξικό της Νέας Ελληνικής Γλώσσας. Με σχόλια για τη σωστή χρήση των λέξεων. Ερμηνευτικό, Ορθογραφικό, Ετυμολογικό, Συνωνύμων-Αντιθέτων, Κυρίων Ονομάτων, Επιστημονικών Όρων, Ακρωνυμίων, Centre for Lexicology, Athens, Greece.

Rousounidis A. Ch. (1988), Δένδρα στην ελληνική λαογραφία με ειδική αναφορά στην Κύπρο (Trees in Greek folklore with special reference to Cyprus), Vol. A, Publications of the Centre for Scientific Research, XII, Nicosia.

Petrou-Poeitou E. (2013), Από πού κρατάει η σκούφια τους. Λέξεις και ιστορίες από τον κόσμο της γεύσης, Epiphaniou Publications, Nicosia.

Researcher/Recorder

Varvara Yangou, Dimitra Demetriou, Tonia Ioakim, Argyro Xenophontos