More than 8,000 visitors made it to the first Halloumi Festival this November, where they had the opportunity to try a range of halloumi-based dishes, learn how the famous Cypriot cheese is made, and enjoy some colourful traditional folk dancing.
“I am more than excited; I think we achieved something miraculous," Steve Angelodemou, the event organiser and president of the Cyprus Community of Melbourne and Victoria told SBS Greek. "So many young people and not only from our community got heavily involved with this festival and that makes us extra happy."
Moreland City councillor Lambros Tapinos told SBS Greek that “it is really important to see our multicultural community come out here at the Cyprus Community’s festival to enjoy halloumi and the culture that comes with it.”
Halloumi production on the island of Cyprus is always a social activity. Families and neighbours unite in cooperatives to produce enough cheese for the next season, as George Kyprianou, treasurer and representative of Panagrotikos (the Farmers Union) of Cyprus, told SBS Greek, noting high demand for the hallowed cheese.
“It is Cyprus’ number one export and in the last ten years, we are struggling to find enough cheese to make the halloumi, but we are trying to find ways to overcomes this problem,” Kyprianou said.
Volunteers of the Cyprus Community of Melbourne and Victoria at the Halloumi Festival Source: SBS Greek/Argyro Vourdoumpa
Better cultural understanding, through cheese
These kinds of events bring people together, says Robin Scott, Victoria's Minister for Multicultural Affairs, who attended the official opening of the festival.
“We have a better understanding of other people's culture, and we can break down stereotypes easily," Minister Scott told SBS Greek. "When you start sharing your food culture, you start to engage with the broader community."
Martha Mavrommatis, the High Commissioner of the Republic of Cyprus in Australia, who was in Melbourne for the festival, says that halloumi is definitely a multicultural cheese, and points out that halloumi is a uniquely Cypriot product.
“Cultural diplomacy starts from the stomach," she says. "In the case of Cyprus, halloumi united all our communities; Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Latins, Armenians, Maronites. Because, as you know, half of our island is occupied by the Turkish Army for the past 44 years and we’re struggling under the Occupation and trying to unify our country,” Mavrommatis says.
Halloumi Makers, Halloumi Festival, Melbourne Source: SBS Greek/ Argyro Vourdoumpa
Importing multicultural products
There are also important economic and industrial aspects to the hallou-mania. Halloumi has been exported from Cyprus in huge quantities for years, and that industry appears likely to grow even further.
“Halloumi is a product that we want to be , like all the member-countries of the European Union doing with their unique products,” says Mavrommatis.
Australia and the European Union (EU) launched negotiations for a free trade agreement in June 2018. As a bloc, the EU is Australia's second largest trading partner, third largest export destination, and second largest services market. The EU was Australia's largest source of foreign investment in 2017.
Dimitrios Michalopoulos, the Consul General of Greece in Melbourne, says that Cyprus and Greece are struggling to get their products into to the Australian market.
“It will be easier as soon as the free trade agreement will be signed," says Michalopoulos. "It will take some time but the agreement will bring more multicultural products in Australia."
The United Kingdom is the world's biggest halloumi importer, while exports in Australia are also growing quickly. It comes of little surprise then that many British citizens living in Australia attended the festival.
”It is an honour for us to bring all the people from so many different cultures here under our house, and that makes me very proud," Angelodemou said. "As far as we know, almost every restaurant in Victoria uses halloumi in their menus, and that is very encouraging.”
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