«AETOFOLIA» (EAGLE’S NEST) The hideout of Drinia Paphos
It is a hideout full of history, memories and gravity. AETOFOLIA is the nickname where the leaders of the organization of the liberating fight 1955 – 1999 lived.
It was January 1956, when Stelios Har. Savvides and Antonis Haralambous (brothers) from Polemi and Iakovos Haralambides from Kritou Marotou, decided, in just one night, to execute a mission, which was assigned by the leaders of the organization of the liberating fight 55 -59.Then the fear was much more bigger and the worry more intense. During midnight they loaded two donkeys with woods, zincs, stones boards and set off to execute their mission. In order to carry all the necessary to the hideout, they made this route twice.
In the location of Kamata, on the west of the village and about 2½ kilometres out of the village, between the vineyards they dug the hideout. In order for no one to understand they dug the vine in a small height 10 feet from the ground. The digging kept a whole night. Just to protect the four wanted people from the mouth of the English oppressor. After the digging of the hideout finished, with scantling 13 feet length and 6 feet width and 6 feet depth, they covered it with zincs (that means 2 feet under the ground surface) and then they covered it with muck equal with the ground surface. They covered it and in the mouth of it they put plants of the nature so it would not be perceivable from no one.
The rest of the things in the inside of the hideout were completed on the next day by the wanted people. They fitted it with wood on the inside for humid to be avoided. This hideout was only available for the summer, because during the winter months with the rain it cracked and was considered to be dangerous.
Nobody knew about this hideout just the wanted people and the caterer, Savvides .The English offered five thousand pounds for every wanted person in the one who would deliver him to them. Everything was done with all the precautions and a lot of attention. But there was much mysticism and discretion. At night when the transport was conducted the routes were different to the hideout so they would not leave their traces. Savvides then was married and a father of three children and the caterer of the hideout. He took part in more trivial organisations because he was a family man while the other two Haralambous and Haralambides took part in much more serious and dangerous missions. They took part in explosions ambuscades and guerilla wars.
The catering took place once a day and definitely late at night. Savvide’s wife used to cook and wash the wanted people’s clothes but she did not know where the hideout was. Every night Savvides set off, carrying food and clean clothes for the wanted people. With fear and pain in his soul whether he was being watched, insecure he set off for the feedstuff. They were looking forward to his arrival. This was the time when the wanted people would go out of the hideout for a change, resting and natural needs. For their natural needs during the day they used to have a bucket which they buried out at night. The same thing happened with their food. They ate their food and buried it because the English had dogs which could smell it ad it would be easy to be noticed.
Today the hideout has been erected in solid base and has been put an iron door and it is guarded.The are has been upgraded, new roads have been created that lead to the hideout. Recently the honorary presentation has been conducted in a great ceremony with the presence of the Archbishop of Paphos Hrysostomos .The council of Historical Memory ascribed a big honorary plaque in which the name of all the people who stayed in the hideout were written. This plaque has been placed in the inside of the hideout. Another plaque has been constructed and placed on the external of the hideout in the entrance in blue color with white letters with the names of those people who stayed in this hideout.
There are a lot of people who visit this hideout today, citizens and students.
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