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| Eli Jones & The Bells of Sant Baldiri Church, Sant Boi |
Eli Jones. Bell Maker. Cyprus.
I was born in Nicosia, the capital Cyprus, Pygmalion's country, an incredible Mediterranean country which is a cultural border between Occident and Orient. It's not easy living in an island and the most part of its inhabitants emigrate to search a better future. It's not my case. I search fortune in my land because I'm a bell maker and I've found the most precious treasures here: the Cypriots. I like churches and temples, of course, because you can find bells inside them.
-Good morning, Eli Jones, and thanks to attend us.
-Thanks. It's an honour.
-Well, to start with our interview, I would like to ask you if you can explain what is a bell maker.
-Yes, of course. A bell maker is a person who makes bells. A bell has been a basic element in churches and temples since the 12th century because population used it to communicate between towns and villages.
-Communicate?
-Yes. The bells have their own language and with them population created alarm codes to warn about fires, invaders or weather conditions.
-What's the work of a bell maker in the 21st century?
-Basically to restore old bells because nowadays there aren't a lot of churches under construction, although I'm having a lot of work with the Sagrada Família in Barcelona.
-What do you think people know about bell makers?
-I don't know, but I suppose that they think that we work in a job without future because technology is killing artists and manufacturers.
-Is a bell maker a profession of risk?
-All works have risk. Risk zero doesn't exist in life but I have a lot of studies in occupational hazards. They are necessary if you want to work avoiding risks.
-Have you put your life in danger working like a bell maker?
-No, I haven't. Although is not easy to install a bell in a bell tower.
-Which is your favourite bell?
-Well, it's very difficult to choose only one. They are historic bells like Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, the Great Bell of Kyoto, or the Tsar Bell in Moscow but I prefer the Bell of Sant Baldiri Church in Sant Boi. It's a historic bell which was very important during the War of the Spanish Succession in the 18th century and during the Siege of Barcelona between 1713 and 1714. I also love the bells of the Church of Sant Climent de Taüll in the Vall de Boí. In fact, both towns are connected, but in the case of Sant Boi I like, especially, because the city has a bell in its shield.
-How do you feel being a member of The Jones family?
-I feel very well. We're a fantastic family with open minds and a great sense of respect and collaboration, something very important for surviving like a group.
-How is a normal day with The Jones?
-I don't know if we can talk about normal days because first of all we must define normal. If normal means that you're always doing the same routines, well, we aren't a normal family, then. We like innovation, creativity and we have tons of imagination.
-How long have you been studying English?
-Since the school. Cyprus was under British control from 1878 to 1960 when it becomes an independent state. English is a part of our recent culture and although British left the island, we kept their language because it was interesting for us. Remember, English is the world communication language.
-Is English difficult to learn for a Cypriot?
-No, it isn't. In Cyprus, we speak four languages: Greek, Armenian, Arabian and Turkish. As you know, the island is divided in two different zones, two languages, two cultures, two religions... but Cyprus is an important geopolitical place in the Mediterranean Sea and we have been occupied by Mycenae, Egyptians, Phoenician, Greek, Assyrian, Persian, Roman, Byzantine, Arabian, Venetian and British.
-What can you explain about your life with The Jones?
-For me has been a great experience. It has been beautiful share time and experiences with this family and thanks to this I have discovered my sinister origin and how my surname can determinate my origins.
-Which is your best memory with the family?
-A lot of memories but the best was when I came back with my family again after being missing during some days after a boat sinking. It was a terrible experience and be with them again was very excited.
-What's your favourite book?
-I haven't got a favourite one. It's impossible but now I'm reading one about dogs. I want to adopt one and I must learn how to take care of them before having it.
-What do you think about dogs?
-I think they are incredible animals. They are very intelligent and loyal and as the legend says, they are the best man's friend.
-What's your favourite film?
-Well, I have more than one but thanks to our Japanese travel and because I like dogs, I would like to talk about Hachiko: A Dog’s Story.
-Which the plot?
-Hachi is a story of love and devotion between a dog and a man. It's based on the true story of Hachikō, which was an Akita dog born on a farm near the city of Ōdate. In 1924, Hidesaburō Ueno, a professor at the Tokyo Imperial University, took Hachikō as a pet and brought him to live in Shibuya, Tokyo. Ueno would commute daily to work, and Hachikō would leave the house to greet him at the end of each day at the nearby Shibuya Station. The pair continued the daily routine until the day when Ueno did not return. The professor had suffered a cerebral haemorrhage, while he was giving a lecture, and died without ever returning to the train station in which Hachikō waited. Each day, for the next nine years, nine months and fifteen days, Hachikō awaited Ueno's return, appearing precisely when the train was due at the station.
-It's a sad story.
-It's a story about love and loyalty, two of the most important things you obtain from a dog. I would like to obtain the same from people...
-(Laughs) Thank you very much, Eli Jones.
-You're welcome.
You have found him, or he has found you.
Who knows. It is destiny.
Who knows. It is destiny.
Ken Fujiyoshi, Hachiko: A Dog’s Story
