RIVISTA DI FOLKLORI E LITTIRATURA SICILIANI

A R B A S I C U L A

JOURNAL OF SICILIAN FOLKLORE & LITERATURE

Diritturi-Editor

GAETANO CIPOLLA

CUNSIGGHIERI Ô DIRITTURI EDITORIAL BOARD

Michael Badalucco Antonio Pagano Salvatore Bancheri Salvatore Riolo Gaetano Basile Giovanni Ruffino Alissandru Caldieru (Co-founder) Antonino Provenzano Louisa Calio Giuseppe Quatriglio Nicolò d’Alessandro Florence Russo Salvatore Di Marco Marco Scalabrino Arthur V. Dieli Federico Vaccaro Marisa Frasca Justin Vitiello Mario Gallo Jana Vizmuller-Zocco Giovanna Jackson

VOLUMI XXXVII, NUMIRA 1 & 2, PRIMAVERA E STATI 2016 VOLUME XXXVII, NUMBERS 1 & 2, SPRING & SUMMER 2016 © Copyright 2016 by ARBA SICULA, ISSN 0271-0730 Design and Camera-Ready Text by LEGAS ARBA SICULA è l’organu ufficiali dâ società siculu-americana dû stissu nomi ca si proponi comu obbiettivu principali di prisirvari, studiari, e promoviri a lingua e a cultura siciliani. ARBA SICULA è normalmenti pubblicata na vota l’annu in doppiu volumi versu settembri. Pi comunicari direttamenti cû diritturi, pi mannari materiali pâ rivista, pi l’abbunamenti e pi informazioni supra a nostra società, scriviti a Gaetano Cipolla, PO Box 149 Mineola, New York 11501. I materiali ricivuti non si restituisciunu si nun si manna puru na busta affrancata cû nomu e l’indirizzu.

ABBUNAMENTI Cu si abbona a la rivista, diventa automaticamenti sociu di Arba Sicula. Cu n’abbunamentu annuali i soci ricivunu du nummira di Arba Sicula (unu, si pubblicamu un numiru doppiu) e dui di Sicilia Parra. Arba Sicula è na organizzazioni senza scopu di lucru.

Abbunamenti fora dî Stati Uniti $40.00 Abbunamentu regolari $35.00 Anziani e studenti $30.00

ARBA SICULA is the official journal of the Sicilian-American organization by the same name whose principal objective is to preserve, study, and promote the language and culture of Sicily. ARBA SICULA is normally published once a year, in the Fall. To communicate with the Editor, to submit materials for publication, to subscribe and to obtain information on our organization, write to Gaetano Cipolla, PO Box 149, Mineola, New York 11501. The materials received will not be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

SUBSCRIPTIONS Those who subscribe to the journal automatically become members of Arba Sicula. Annual dues entitle the members to two issues of Arba Sicula (or one if a double issue) and two of Sicilia Parra. Arba Sicula is a Non-Profit Organization.

Subscription outside USA $40.00 Regular Subscription $35.00 Seniors and Students $30.00

Unless otherwise indicated, all unsigned articles are by the Editor. A R B A S I C U L A A Non-Profit International Organization Promoting the Language and Culture of Sicily

Languages and Literatures Department St. John’s University 8000 Utopia Parkway Queens, New York 11439 E-mail [email protected]

CUMITATO ESECUTIVU EXECUTIVE BOARD

GAETANO CIPOLLA, Ph.D. President and Editor ANTONINO PROVENZANO Vice President FLORENCE RUSSO, Ph.D. Treasurer ROSARIA PIPIA, Ph.D. Secretary

CUNSIGGHIERI ADVISORY BOARD

Salvatore Bancheri, Ph.D. Rev. Anthony Failla. Alissandru Caldieru (Co-founder) Gaetano Giacchi (Co-Founder) Enzo Carollo, M.A. Robert Marchisotto, Ph.D. Ursula Cottone, Dott. John Randazzo Attention Arba Sicula Members! Our address has changed

While Arba Sicula’s official address remains the same as before, our mail- ing address from now will be: Arba Sicula/Gaetano Cipolla P. O. Box 149 Mineola, New York 11501

As Professor Cipolla will go to St. John’s University sporadically, please send all your communications, dues and other materials, to Arba Sicula at this address. This will avoid delays and make communication more efficient. We will still hold our events at St. John’s University.

Acknowledgments The Editor expresses his gratitude to Carolina Scarito Heffley and to Prof. Charles Giordano for their careful proofreading of the journal. Their help is invaluable in eliminating annoying errors that inevitably occur.

Printed and bound in Canada ARBA SICULA VOLUMI XXXVII, NUMIRA 1 & 2, PRIMAVERA E STATI 2016

VOLUME XXXVII, NUMBERS 1 & 2, SPRING & SUMMER 2016

Indici / Table of Contents

DICHIARAZIONI DI LU SCOPU / DECLARATION OF PURPOSE...... 8

Puisia siciliana/Sicilian Poetry Sulu un capitulu/Only a Chapter, di/by Joseph Tusiani...... 14 A fuddia di la vicchiania/ The Madness of Old Age, di/by Gaetano Capuano...... 16 Alivi/ Olive Trees, di/by Aldo Tambellini...... 18 La minnitta/ The Revenge, di/by Alessio Di Giovanni...... 20 C’era ‘na vota.../One Upon a Time, di/by Maria Nivea Zagarella...... 22 Ludamu a Diu/ Let Us Praise God, di/by Frank Piazza...... 24 La atta e la fimmina/ The Cat and the Woman, di/by Nino Martoglio...... 26 Lu non-so-chi/ The Don’t Know What, di/by Giovanni Meli...... 28 U ciaramitaru/ U Ciaramitaru di/by Alex Caldiero...... 30 Nun ponnu/They Cannot, di/by Nino Provenzano...... 32 Lamentu di piscaturi/The Lament of a Fisherman, di/by Enzo Vitale...... 34 Li vantaggi di la rivoluzioni in Sicilia di l’annu 1860/ The Advantages from the 1860 Revolution in Sicily, di/by Pasquale Fulci...... 36 Narrativa siciliana / Sicilian Fiction Lu visiunariu di Chiazza Marina, Palermu/ The Visionary of Piazza Marina, Palermo, di/by Carlo Puleo...... 38

Lu purtusu/The Hole di/by Francesco Lanza...... 46 Pinocchiu in sicilianu/Pinocchio in Sicilian, di/by Maddalena Buscaino...... 54 Saggistica /Essays Arricampannu muddichi: Canepa, Turi Lima e Salvu Maltisi / Collecting Breadcrumbs: Canepa, Turi Lima and Salvu Maltisi, di/by Marcello Messina...... 64

Lu vangelu secunnu Matteu/The Gospel According to Matthew, di/by Alessio Patti...... 72

Arti siciliana /Sicilian Art Li cosi duci siciliani: Na storia nteressanti di Rodo Santoro/Sicilian Sweets: An Interesting Story by Rodo Santoro...... 82

La storia siciliana illustrata: Adorno-Madè-Basile/Sicilian History Illustrated: Adorno-Madè-Basile...... 92

A nostra lingua /Our Language A Sicilian Reading Lesson/Peppi di/by Berto Giambalvo...... 106

I nostri tradizioni / Our Traditions Sicilian Onomastics: Nicknames and Towns’ Stereotypes...... 113 L’anticu Carnaluari di la Cuntea di Modica/The Ancient Carnival in the County of Modica, di/by Natale Lo Gatto...... 118

Recensioni /Book Reviews Donna H. DiCello, Psy.D. and Lorraine Mangione, Ph.D., Daughters, Dads, and the Path Through Grief: Tales from Italian America Reviewed by Nino Provenzano...... 128

Nino Provenzano, Pirati supra la nivi/Footprints in the Snow, Reviewed by Marisa Frasca...... 130

An Italian Symphony.:The Autobiography of Rosina San Paolo, Reviewed by Joseph Canepa and Fran Schaefer...... 134

Libbra ricivuti/ Books Received...... 142

Recommended Books...... 144

6 Arba Sicula XXXVII Annunciu/Announcement

Arba Sicula is sponsoring the presentation of Nino Provenzano’s new book of poems Pirati supra la nivi/Footprints in the Snow, published by Legas in 2016.

The event will take place at

St. John’s University,

Queens Campus

Marillac Terrace

on September 24 at 6:15 PM.

The book will be presented by Gaetano Cipolla. Nino Provenzano, of course, will recite some of his poems.

Refreshments will be served after the event as usual.

The event is free as always.

Arba Sicula XXXVII 7 DICHIARAZIONI DU SCOPU DA NOSTRA ASSOCIAZIONI

“ARBA SICULA, prima di tuttu, la riflissioni in ritardu, di na nicissità sintuta di na cumunità etnica stabiluta nni li Stati Uniti d’America pi difiniri, prisirvari e diffunniri la nostra antica eredità p’assicurari la so vera supravvivenza. Mentri ca l’orientazioni nostra è littiraria, lu nostru mètudu è storicamenti evucativu cu l’intinzioni di nun passari supra nuddu aspettu di la cultura Si- ciliana comu indignu di la nostra esaminazioni e anàlasi. Lu scopu di stu sforzu è, allura, di riscupriri zoccu è ligittimamenti nostru ntra tuttu lu sintasi d’un populu isulanu pussidennu ràdichi nni l’espirienzi storichi Siciliani, Italiani e Americani e macari ligami chiù antichi cu tutti li nazioni di lu Meditirraniu. Circamu la canuscenza d’un senzu di cuntinuazioni ntra nui stissi, e picchissu amu pigghiatu un simbulu anticu di li Siculi (la stirpi principali in

Sicilia prima di lu stabilimentu di li Grechi) pi suttaliniari la seriità di lu nostru scopu e pi marcari nni li menti di la juvintù nostra un signu di l’antichità di la so eredità. Nui semu, prima di tuttu, intirissati ca la chiavi di l’arma Siciliana (la lingua di li nostri avi) fussi cunsirvata e studiata cu preggiu e attinzioni. Pi la fini di rializari st’intinzioni, ARBA SICULA invita a tutti ca ponnu vantari armenu un avu Sicilianu, a unirisi cu nui in un sforzu culittivu pi au- mintari la canuscenza di la nostra stissa eredità. Stu disignu è pigghiatu di na midagghia d’urnamentu ca nchiudi na specia di cruci dicurativa. Un esemplari si trova nni lu Museu di Siracusa. Fu truvata a San Cataldu e fa parti di l’Adrano Hoard, la chiù granni cugghiuta d’uggetti di brunzu ca à statu truvata in Sicilia. Lu disignu è di circa 1300 anni avanti Cristu, di la civilità Sicula.” Ristampammu ntâ pagina precedenti a dichiarazioni dû scopu accussì comu fu scritta ntô primu numiru di Arba Sicula ntô 1979. A copiammu esat- tamenti comu fu scritta senza fari currezioni. Comu si vidi, a lingua canciau nanticchia; semu forsi chiù attenti a comu scrivemu in sicilianu, ma mi pari

8 Arba Sicula XXXVII STATEMENT OF PURPOSE FOR OUR ORGANIZATION

“ARBA SICULA is, above all else, the overdue reflection of a felt need by an established ethnic community of the United States of America to define, preserve and disseminate our ancient heritage in order to assure its undistorted survival. While our orientation is literary, our approach is historically evoca- tive and intended to overlook no aspect of Sicilian culture as unworthy of our examination and analysis. The purpose of this effort is, therefore, to rediscover what is legitimately ours within the composite synthesis of a displaced island people possessing immediate roots in the Sicilian, Italian and American his- torical experiences, as well as far more ancient linkages to every nation of the Mediterranean.

We seek recognition of a sense of continuity within ourselves and for that reason have chosen an ancient symbol of the Sikel people (the predominant strain in Sicily prior to its settlement by the Greeks) both to underscore the seriousness of our intent and to stamp upon the minds of our youth a sign of the antiquity of their heritage. We are, above all, concerned that the key to the Sicilian soul (the language of our forefathers) be preserved and studied with attentive appreciation. To the end of fulfilling these declared intentions, ARBA SICULA extends to all and any able to claim at least one Sicilian grandparent, an invitation to join us in a collective effort to increase our consciousness of our common heritage. This design is taken from an ornamental pendant enclosing a sort of cross decoration from the Sikel civilization. A sample is in the Museum of Syracuse. It was found at San Cataldo and is part of the Adrano Hoard, the largest collec- tion of bronze objects ever found in Sicily. The design dates from about 1300 before Christ.” We reprinted on these pages the statement of purpose published in the first issue of Arba Sicula twenty one years ago. We reproduced it exactly as it

Arba Sicula XXXVII 9 ca in linia di massina amâ statu fidili a l’ideali espressi nta sta dichiarazioni. Si canciau l’edituri, non canciau u disidderiu di travagghiari pi ddi stissi motivi ca ficiru nasciri a nostra società. Forsi avissi a fari na brevi storia da nostra associazioni pî soci ca sunu novi e oramai sunu sparsu in tuttu u munnu. Arba Sicula fu funnata ntô 1979 di un gruppittu di siculo-amiricani di Brooklyn tra cui Gaetanu Giacchi, Joseph Palisi, Alissandru Caldieru, Sebastianu Passioni, Mons. Santi Privitera e Mons. Anthony Failla e autri ca si riunevanu ntâ parrocchia di St. Finbar’s a Brooklyn. Chisti si putissiru cunsiddirari i soci funnaturi dâ società, anchi si giustamenti u titulu di funnaturi spetta a Gaetanu Giacchi ca fu ô principiu chiddu ca chiù di tutti travagghiò pi purtari avanti l’organizzazioni. I prisidenti dâ nostra associazioni hannu statu chisti: Joseph Palisi, 1979- 1980; Gaetanu Giacchi, 1980-1987; Mons. Santi Privitera, 1987; Charles Cappellino, 1987-8; e Gaetano Cipolla, dû 1988-finu a ora. L’edituri di Arba Sicula hannu statu sulu dui: Alissandru Caldieru dû 1979 fina ô 1986 e Gaetano Cipolla dû 1987 finu a oggi. L’autra nostra pubblicazioni, Sicilia Parra, ca durau pi na para d’anni, fu edita di John Randazzo, dâ sedi di Los Angeles. A secunna serii di Sicilia Parra cuminciau ntô 1989 e cuntinua finu a ora cu Gaetano Ci- polla comu diritturi e Henry Barbera comu Co-diritturi, fina ô 2000. Comu sapiti, Henry muriu u 24 di settembri dû 2000. Ntô 2003 i rispunsabbilità di Gaetano Cipolla foru alliviati un pocu di Giuseppe Provenzano ca fu numi- natu Edituri Associatu di Sicilia Parra. Sfortunatamenti, Giuseppi si trasfiriu in Europa na para d’anni arreri e ora, comu prima, a responsabbilità pi Sicilia Parra è di Gaetano Cipolla. Ntâ prima fasi, Arba Sicula ebbi assai successu organizzannu reciti di puisii e programmi nta li chesi e nta li scoli. Però u numiru di soci non superau mai 700-800 pirsuni. Ci fu un piriudu di decadenza a causa di malatii e di autri cosi ca misi in piriculu l’organizzazioni ntô 1985-7. Arba Sicula fu salvata grazzii a Mons. Santi Privitera e a Charles Cap- pellinu ca l’aiutarunu finanziariamenti e grazzii a Gaetano Cipolla ca prima si pigghiaiu a direzioni dâ rivista facennula maturari non sulu dû puntu di vista dâ grafica usannu u computer (i primi numiri si stampavanu cu na machina di scriviri manuali) ma anchi pû cuntinutu e pâ lingua, e poi ntô 1988 pigghiau a direzioni di l’organizzazioni comu Prisidenti. Arba Sicula ha crisciutu assai nta trentasetti anni, non sulu pû numiru di l’abbunati, ma puru pi l’ottima riputazioni ca godi ntô munnu. A società havi soci ca si trovanu principalmenti ntâ zona metropolitana di New York, ntâ California e poi ntâ tutti i Stati Uniti, macari nta l’Alaska e l’isuli Hawai. Tra i rivisti italiani, Arba Sicula è a rivista chiù populari d’America. A niautri nni pari picca cosa aviri quasi 2.000 abbunati, picchì pinsamu ca i

10 Arba Sicula XXXVII appeared without any corrections. As you can see, our language has changed a little. We are perhaps a bit more conscious of how we write in Sicilian, but I think that we have remained faithful to the ideals that prompted our predeces- sors to found this publication. If the editor has changed, the desire to work toward the achievement of the same goals that spurred our foundation has not. Perhaps I ought to provide a brief history of our association for the mem- bers who are new to it. Arba Sicula was founded in 1979 by a small group of Sicilian-Americans living in Brooklyn composed of Gaetano Giacchi, Joseph Palisi, Alissandru Caldiero, Sebastianu Passione, Mons. Santi Privitera, Mons. Anthony Failla and others who met monthly in the basement of St. Finbar’s Church. These people can be considered founding members of the organiza- tion, even though the title of founder belongs rightly to Gaetano Giacchi, who at the beginning was the one who did the most to promote the organization. The presidents of our society have been the following: Joseph Palisi, 1979-80; Gaetano Giacchi, 1980-86; Santi Privitera 1987; Charles Cappellino 1987-88; and Gaetano Cipolla 1988-present. The editors of Arba Sicula have been only two: Alissandru Caldieru from 1979 to 1986 and Gaetano Cipolla from 1987 to the present. Our other publication, Sicilia Parra was originally edited by John Randazzo of our Los Angeles Branch, and it was published for a few years. A new series of Sicilia Parra began in 1989 and continues to the present with Gaetano Cipolla as editor. Henry Barbera was Co-editor until 2000. As you may know, Henry passed away on Sept. 24, 2000. Gaetano Cipolla’s responsibilities of producing the newsletter were alleviated by the appointment of Giuseppe Provenzano as Associate Editor in 2003. Unfortunately, Giuseppe moved to Europe a few years ago, and now it’s again Gaetano Cipolla who is mainly responsible for Sicilia Parra. During the first phase, Arba Sicula was very successful in organizing recit- als and performances in churches and schools, but its membership never rose above 700-800. Then there was a period of stagnation because of illness and other reasons which jeopardized the organization (1985-7). Arba Sicula was saved thanks to Mons. Santi Privitera and Dr. Charles Cappellino, who helped with donations, and thanks to Gaetano Cipolla who first assumed the duties of editor of the journal, making it more mature not only from a graphic point of view by introducing the use of computers and laser printers (the first issues ofArba Sicula were printed using a manual typewriter), but in its content and language. In 1988 Prof. Cipolla assumed the duties as President of the organization. Arba Sicula has grown a lot in thirty-seven years, not only in the numbers of subscribers, but also for the excellent reputation it enjoys all over the world. While we may think that our list of slightly less than 2,000 subscribers is small because we know that there are many Sicilian-

Arba Sicula XXXVII 11 Siciliani d’America sunu assai numirusi e n’avissimu aviri 10,000 almenu! Ma l’autri rivisti specializzati si cunsiddiranu furtunati si hannu 300-400 abbunati. Nautra cosa: tanti rivisti stannu in circulazioni dui, tri anni e poi fallisciunu. Arba Sicula chist’annu fa trentasei anni di vita, di travagghiu pi dari n’idea chiù giusta dâ cultura siciliana e dî so contributi ô munnu. E’ un traguardu ca attravirsamu cu umiltà e cu granni cumpiacenza pi chiddu c’avemu fattu, ma puru câ spiranza ca putemu rializzari ancora assai dicchiù nta l’anni dû terzu millenniu. Arba Sicula ha statu n’ispirazioni pi tanti Miricani d’origini siciliana. Annu dopu annu am’â prisintatu u megghiu dâ cultura siciliana, dannucci mutivi di essiri orgugliusi di essiri Siciliani. Autri società siciliani hannu statu funnatu nta stu paisi e guardanu a niautri pi ispirazioni e sustegnu. Arba Sicula câ so luci illuminau a Sicilia e ê Siciliani facennucci canusciri a tutti u megghiu latu d’iddi. Senza piccari di superbia, nta sti anni u nostru pisu s’ha fattu sentiri e pi chissu putemu essiri orgugliusi dî nostri contribbuti.

12 Arba Sicula XXXVII Americans out there, and we should have ten thousand subscribers, we are the most popular journal of Italian studies in this country. Other specialized Italian journals struggle along with 300-400 subscribers. Furthermore, many of them fold after two or three years. Arba Sicula has been an inspiration to many Sicilian-Americans. It has made available to them the best of Sicilian culture, and year after year has of- fered them reasons to be proud of their heritage. Many other Sicilian organiza- tions have been founded throughout the country, and they look to us as for inspiration and support. Without fear of sounding immodest, Arba Sicula, by shining a truer light on Sicily and Sicilians, has made a difference and can be proud of its contributions.

Arba Sicula XXXVII 13 Puisia siciliana*

Sulu un capitulu Di Joseph Tusiani tradotta in sicilianu di Gaetano Cipolla

Granni na vota mi sinteva, ora nicareddu, Lu munnu pussideva, ora ‘un haju nenti. E puru na cosa auta ancora resta in mia, zocch’era pena è ora un innu ‘i gioia. S‘ a terra trema, i palazzi crollanu, si lu mari ngrossa, l’unni avanzanu, a terra scumparisci, ma u suli veni poi, squillannu la so trumma stralucenti.

Chi nomu hê dari a sti timpesta e paci, a stu scuru ca va, sta limpidizza ca resta? Chi hê capiri di la me scunfitta e gloria? Nenti. M’aju a cunvinciri ca chistu è un cuntu di tutti i jorna, sulu un capitulu di na storia umana.

*All poems, unless otherwise indicated, are translated by Gaetano Cipolla.

14 Arba Sicula XXXVII Sicilian Poetry

Only a Chapter by Joseph Tusiani

I felt so great and now I feel so small, I owned the world and now I nothing own, And yet there’s something in me still so tall, It is a paean what was just a moan. If the earth trembles, up are buildings blown; If the sea swell and surging tidelands fall, No shore remains in sight, and yet the sun Waits to explode with its bright clarion call.

How shall I name this tempest and this peace, This dark that goes, this limpidness that stays? What shall I make of my defeat and glory? Nothing. I will convince myself that this Is but a tale of ordinary days, Only a chapter of a human story.

Arba Sicula XXXVII 15 A fuddia di la vicchiania Di Gaetano Capuano

Di un annu a n’avutru U tiempu pari nun passa mai Ma a ottantacincanni È picca picca assai.

Vidiri un patri Ca di cersa immuruta Spampina ramagghi Di tannu a quannu Aggrancicannu minnulera

E alivara scattiava u cori si fa nicu nicu Capulianu i carni.

Ci parri o talefunu E è un filu di ciatu Cunta, babbia Cu tinirizza stracunta

Jorna, minnuti e secunni Nall’aspittanza di l’ura Ca gghica pô figghiu u ritornu… Ma ogni tantu sparracia

Ô catusu ci rapi a nappetta L’azzizzi di varva e capiddi Ci allazzi i scarpi E c’un vastuni ntê manu Scuncichi ô passiu Ammi sdisiccati e fiacchi

U talì, ti malupigghi lastimii e nun ti raccapizzi Isi i spaddi, nun ietti l’armi E mentri tuttu pari suttancapu Cavarca stizzusa A fuddia dâ vicchiania.

16 Arba Sicula XXXVII The Madness of Old Age By Gaetano Capuano

From one year to the next Time never seems to pass. But when you’re eighty-five, Your time is short indeed.

Seeing a father who was once a knotted oak leafing through brushwood from when he climbed

almond and olive trees with energy and vim the heart grows faint, the flesh is torn apart.

You talk to him by phone, And with a breath of voice he tells stories, jokes, recounting with great tenderness

days, minutes and seconds until the time arrives for the return of his son… Once in a while he is delirious.

In the bathroom you undo his pants You cut his hair and beard, And tie up his shoelaces; You offer him a cane Inviting him to take a walk With his frail and bony legs.

You look at him, you’re hurt You curse and cannot understand; You shrug your shoulders But you do not give up And while all seems upside down The madness of old age Rages on angrily.

Arba Sicula XXXVII 17 Alivi Di Aldo Tambellini

Alivi Assitati tiniti firiti Dû tempu dintra li radichi circannu vita nta terra nfunnu Di l’acqua suttirrania

Alivi L’ogghiu sacru Dû to fruttu Iluminau Lu tempiu S’ammiscau Cû manciari Dî travagghiaturi

Alivi U to truncu stortu Suffirenti Pruteggi Nta li so cavi interni Natura servaggia

Alivi L palumma janca Firuta Porta ntô so beccu U to ramu virdi di paci

Alivi Cu odia la paci O ni fa fausa pritisa Ti scippa di la terra Li radichi sangunianti E cû focu di la guerra Ti distrudi.

18 Arba Sicula XXXVII Olive Trees By Aldo Tambellini

Thirsty Olive trees You keep Your wounds of time Within your roots Seeking life deep In the subterranean water.

Olive trees The sacred oil Of your fruit Enlightened the temple And was mixed with the sweat In the food of the workers.

Olive trees Your contorted And suffering trunk Protects Wild nature In its inner folds.

Olive trees The wounded white dove Carries in its beak Your green branch Of peace.

Olive trees He who hates peace Or makes of it A false pretense Tears out the earth Your bleeding roots And with the fires of war Destroys you.

Arba Sicula XXXVII 19 La minnitta Di Alessio Di Giovanni

Nisciu di lu pagghiaru E s’appustò ddassutta la trazzera: Eccu du cani…doppu un picuraru.

Po’ mancu n’arma… Na vampa a lu punenti, e pi lu celu quarchi nuvula russa…Ni la carma

Di la cuddata Li pirnici cantavanu a li poja, e, a la timpa, na mennula annacata

Quannu sì e no Di lu ventu, muvia li rrami stanchi. Di ddà quarcunu ‘ncugna lentu e po’

Si ferma, ascuta, risorvi e scinni…N’arma nun si vidi. Lu lustru va spirennu, e doppu astuta

Nuvuli e vaddi. Ddà ‘n funnu, lu punenti resta apertu Comu ‘n occhiu ca spia… “Te’ sti du baddi,

Te’!...ni lu cori!...” Grida ddocu na vuci…Na lustrura, Na botta…un sgriddu: ahjai! Na vuci: mori!

E lu punenti Chiuji…Spunta la luna e talia tutta Scantata unu ca scappa, e poi… cchiù nenti.

20 Arba Sicula XXXVII The Revenge By Alessio Di Giovanni

He came out from the hut and took position down by the path: Behold two dogs, a shepherd after them.

Then not a soul… In the west a flame and in the sky some reddish cloud…In the quietude

Of the sunset Partridges were singing in the knolls and in the ramp, an almond tree

From time to time swayed its tired branches in the wind. From there someone approaches slowly

and then he stops to listen; he makes his mind up and comes down… There’s not a soul in sight. The light is fading and then is gone.

Clouds and valleys. Down there, the west lays wide open like a spying eye… “Take these two bullets!

Take them…in the heart…” At that a voice cries out…. A flash, A shot…a moan: ahiajai! A voice: I’m dying!”

And the west closes …The Moon appears and gazes in horror at someone fleeing and then…nothing more.

Arba Sicula XXXVII 21 C’era ‘na vota... Di Maria Nivea Zagarella

U cinima Sicilia e ‘u cinima Trinacria (21) ‘ccu l’Arena ianchi ‘ i muri e... cilesti Nicu ‘u paisi era ma ‘i lucali gghini ri genti ca vulìa attintari Rumpeunu ‘u caruseddu ‘i picciriddi: na prima fila (scuru e silenziu...!) ‘mpassuluti rocchi, ri calia s’addubbaunu e simenza, mpicusi ‘i masticogna e licurizia calacausi spunticaunu o ‘llicca-’llicca U fumu ro tabaccu cci attassava l’occhi, la faccia, l’abbitu, ‘i capiddi ma ‘u fasciu ‘i luci storii cuntava megghiu ri n’ariddu...

Poi frabbicaru l’ Astor; era spiciali! Scali, scaliddi, tribbuna e bar, tirrazzu sutta ‘ i stiddi... parevunu ‘i pillicoli pittati ali ri pappagghiuni fini fini e lu tiluni nu stinnardu stisu supra li casi ca taliavanu affisu...

Doppu vutaru ‘i tempi suttasupra, cinima nunn arristavu mancu unu trubbuli ora li storii. tutti sfausi; scumputa la so’ genti lu paisi pari ca persi vogghia no campari e li picciotti stanu a cannileri: senza vita suciali cci varagghia ‘u pinzeri

22 Arba Sicula XXXVII Once Upon a Time By Maria Nivea Zagarella

There was the Sicilia movie house And the Trinacria With the Arena White and blue walls. The town was small But the places were always full of people Who wanted to listen. The children broke their piggy banks; In the first row (darkness and silence) With wide opened eyes stuffing themselves with seeds and chickpeas, Their fingers stuck with chewing gum and licorice, Munching on nuts or licking lollypops

The smoke from cigarettes burned our eyes, our faces, our clothes and our hair, But the swath of light told stories Better than the cricket.

Then they built the Astor. It was special! Staircases, big and small, An orchestra, a bar, A terrace under the stars… Movies looked like transparent painted wings of butterflies and the curtain seemed a flag unfurled above the houses watching engrossed.

Then the times were turned upside down, Not even one movie theater remained, The stories now are troublesome, out of tune; The town, having lost its people, Seems to have lost the will to live And the young men just hang around Without a goal, their thoughts a yawn.

Arba Sicula XXXVII 23 Ludamu a Diu Di Frank Piazza

Putenza chi guverni l’universu, principiu e fini, spiritu divinu, faru chi duni luci a un munnu persu, gran patri eternu di saggizza chinu, pirdunami si aiu fattu lu riversu. Di ora mpoi ti vogghiu vicinu, ora chi capivi lu to versu; Pirdunu e grazzia speru di cuntinu.

Damucci lodi a Diu ch’è sapienti, degnu di adurallu cu amuri, chinu di gloria, verbu stralucenti, suffriu la cruci pi lu piccaturi; amamulu cu firi veramenti, nun ni lagnamu mai di lu Signuri. Iddu è tuttu e nui semu nenti; fomu criati di terra e lurduri.

24 Arba Sicula XXXVII Let us Praise God by Frank Piazza

Power that governs all the universe, beginning and ending, divine spirit, Light that illuminates the world that’s lost great Eternal Father full of wisdom forgive me if I have acted wrongfully. From this point forward I want you near to me, now that I understood what your way means, I hope to have your grace and pardon for all time.

Let us give praise to God who’s wise, worthy of our love and adoration, full of glory, a translucent word who suffered on the cross for us sinners; let us love him with faith that is sincere, let us not ever complain about the Lord. He is all things and we are nothing, we were created out of earth and dirt.

Arba Sicula XXXVII 25 La ’atta e la fimmina di Nino Martoglio

Ju sugnu la ’atta chi allicca e po’ ’ratta, chi ridi e ti ’ncugna e poi azzicca l’ugna. Tu si’ lu surcittu, scantùsu e affrittu.

Pri spassu, pri pocu, ti fazzu lu jocu; ma quannu su’ stanca po’ stennu la vranca, t’afferru, t’aggranciu, ti sfardu, ti manciu!

Ju sugnu la ’atta chi allicca e po’ ’ratta, chi ridi e ti ’ncugna e poi azzicca l’ugna.

La fimmina sugnu, chi amuri ti dugnu, la donna, chi duna di spini la cruna. Tu si’ l’omu amanti, sinceru e custanti.

Ti stennu li trizzi, ti fazzu carizzi... ma fatti li cunti po’ sciunnu li punti, ti chiudu li porti, ti dugnu la morti.

La fimmina sugnu chi amuri ti dugnu, la donna chi duna di spini la cruna.

26 Arba Sicula XXXVII The Cat and the Woman by Nino Martoglio

Ah, cat is my name, I lick and I maim I laugh and I wink, my claws then I sink. You are a poor mouse who is frightened, confused.

As a game for a while, I play you in style, but when weary I grow, I strike with my claw. I catch you and beat you, I scratch you and eat you.

Ah, cat is my name, I lick and I maim; I laugh and I wink, my claws then I sink.

Ah, woman’s my name, with love I inflame. A female am I who makes lovers cry. Your loving’s sincere, you’re a man, that is clear.

I let down my tresses, I give you caresses, but weighing my prize, I loosen our ties; I bid you good bye, I cause you to die.

Ah, woman’s my name, with love I inflame: A female am I I make lovers cry.

Arba Sicula XXXVII 27 Lu non so-chi di Giovanni Meli

In riguri, viiuledda, bedda bedda nun ci sì; ma in tia regna, in tia privali certu tali non-so-chi, pri cui misa a beddi accantu, d’iddi, oh! quantu, spicchi chiù. Si sù chisti vaghi stiddi, suli in iddi splendi tu. È la rosa un arricrìu pri lu briu, la maistà; sta vaghizza l’occhi abbagghia, la plibbagghia curri ddà; ma in un cori dilicatu lu to ciatu, oh quantu pò! Quali ciamma, quali affettu svigghia in pettu un guardu to! È simpaticu, è gentili, nè virili cori c’è, chi ‘un si senta risbigghiari li chiù cari e duci ohimè.

28 Arba Sicula XXXVII The Don’t Know What by Giovanni Meli

To be frank, my violet a true beauty you are not, but in you prevails and reigns, a most certain don’t know what, so when standing next to beauties you outshine them all by far. If they are resplendent stars, like the sun more bright you are. For their might and majesty roses are a great delight and their brightness blinds the eye whereto flies the vulgar throng, but on men with gentle hearts your breath starts a greater song. Oh what flame, what jubilance can one glance from you engender! It is charming, it is tender, you will find no manly heart that will fail to feel the rise of soft moaning and sweet sighs.

Arba Sicula XXXVII 29 U ciaramitaru* di Alex Caldiero tradotta in sicilianu di Alex Caldiero

Quann’era carusu scavava fossi e facìa finta d’essiri mortu.

Tannu u mòriri era un jocu e jucari ca terra piacìa: e piacìa acchianari supra ‘n arvulu d’alivi e vìdiri a vigna e a nostra casa cô tettu di ciaramiti e chiù luntanu l’omini c’azzappavanu.

E mi parìa di sapillu pirchì eranu ddà e chi facissiru...

Ora taliu i me manu lisci e penzu ê manu caddusi di l’omini dû me paisi c’azzappanu fossi pi vurricaricci i so peni.

Ma la terra ‘un ni vo’ peni, e li cancia a simenza di ciuri.

* Nomu dâ nostra vigna vicinu a Licudia Eubea.

30 Arba Sicula XXXVII U ciaramitaru di Alex Caldiero

When I was a boy, I dug holes and made believe I was dead.

Then dying was a game and it felt good to play with the earth; and it felt good to climb an olive tree and see our vineyard and our house with the tile roof; and further out, the men digging.

And I thought I knew why they were there and what they did...

Now I look at my smooth hands and think of the calloused hands of the men in my town who dig holes to bury their sorrows in.

But the earth doesn’t want sorrows, and changes them into the seeds of flowers.

* Name of our vineyard on the outskirts of Licodia Eubea.

Arba Sicula XXXVII 31 Nun ponnu* di Nino Provenzano

Li spuntuna di li zabbari, li spini puntuti di pali di ficurinia, li ruvetti, l’areddara, nun ponnu punciri, grattari sfardari o firiri lu carattari di li petri, li rocchi e li scogghi di st’isula chiamata Sicilia.

Nè chissi o autri ponnu calunniari o avviliri sta terra ginirusa antica, chi cu lu suli d’oru li nutrica. Nun ponnu accusari lu celu, l’acqua di lu mari, l’alitu di lu ventu.

Nè spini o spuntuna, nè l’armi di li cunquistatura hannu pututu canciari li biddizzi di natura di st’isula magica, tranquilla, tragica…. Bedda!!! comu lu surrisu di na picciotta cu li capiddi scioti a lu ventu, chi osserva l’orizzonti dunni lu celu, la terra, lu mari, si funninu abbrazzati in un attu d’amuri eternu.

*Pubblicatu pi curtisia di Legas dû libru di Nino Provenzano, Pirati supra la nivi/ Footprints in the Snow (2106).

32 Arba Sicula XXXVII They Cannot* by Nino Provenzano

The long spikes of the agaves, the sharp needles on the prickly pear leaves, the thorn bushes and the ivy, cannot prick, scratch, wear out or harm the character of stones, the cliffs and rocks of this isle we call Sicily.

Neither these nor others can vilify or discourage this generous and ancient land that nurtures them with its golden sun. They cannot accuse the sky, the water of the sea, the breath of the wind.

Neither thorns nor pointed spikes, nor the weapons of the conquerors have been able to change the natural beauties of this magical isle, peaceful, tragic, beautiful, just like the smile of a young woman with her hair blowing in the breeze, looking at the horizon where sky, land, and sea blend in embrace in an act of everlasting love.

*This poem is published courtesy of Legas from Nino Provenzano’s recently published book, Pirati supra la nivi/Footprints in the Snow (2016).

Arba Sicula XXXVII 33 Lamentu di piscaturi di Enzo Vitale

Lu mari sbattulìa ‘mmènzu li scògghi, fa “va e veni “, attùnna e rivùgghi ; la scuma, bianca comu fussi nivi , pari ‘na surgìva di ballùna ; e àrca e rrìzzi e pezzi di truncùna assùmmanu e scumpàrinu a li rivi .

La varca sularìna ristàu arràssu di la scugghièra : ‘nfòra ‘un po’ jìri e terra ‘un po’ pigghiàri ; lu maistràli è forti , e cu’ tri gìra affùnna la varcùzza nta lu mari .

Di ‘ncàpu lu timpùni èu talìju, e sentu lu mè cori mmurmuriàri : “Si anchi all’istanti finissi ‘stu castìu, bunàzza cchiù pì mmìa nun po’ turnàri “.

34 Arba Sicula XXXVII Lament of the Fisherman by Enzo Vitale Translated into English by Nino Provenzano

The wave of the sea splashes over the rocks. It comes and goes, it swirls and boils the white foam as it were snow. It all seems a spring of bubbles of sea weeds, sea urchins, and chunks of tree trunks appearing and disappearing at the beach.

The lonely small boat remains far from the rocky shore. Further out it cannot go and close to land it cannot come. The north wind is too strong and after spinning three times down it goes to the bottom of the sea.

From the top of the hill I observe, and I hear my heart muttering. “If only at this instant this punishment could end. Calm sea for me cannot return.

Arba Sicula XXXVII 35 Li vantaggi di la rivoluzioni in Sicilia di l’annu 1860 di Pasquale Fulci*

Lu fanatismu di l’Italia una ccu la lusinga di la libertati, tutti ridussi schiavi ‘ncatinati senz’eccezioni di nudda pirsuna. Accussì piaci a la genti bircuna, a li settarii vili scelerati, dannusi tonu di sciinziati, facennu fiaschi, fiaschetti e fiascuna.

E và chiamati medici, ammarrati! Di la nazioni nui simu lu schifu, simu tutti di chiaghi carricati; nun mai pi lu cholera, e pri lu tifu, ma sulu pri li gran minchiuniati, ca canciammu lu porcu pri lu scifu.

Stu sonettu fu scrittu d quacchi annu doppu ca la Sicilia divintau taliana e rivela comu na parti di la popolazioni siciliana reagiu davanti a la nova situazioni politica di l’isula. Stmpamu stu sunettu di Archivio nisseno Anno IX, N. 16 Gennaio Giugno 2015.

36 Arba Sicula XXXVII The advantages of the Revolution in Sicily in 1860 by Pasquale Fulci*

The fanatical goal of one Italian nation which promised liberty to everyone reduced us all to slaves tied up in chains without exception for a single man. That is how some real scoundrels wanted it; Those cowardly, depraved sectarians Parading as real scientists who made not just small failures but humongous flops.

Come now, call doctors, bring us some relief! We are the lowest people of the nation. We are all covered by most painful sores, Not from the cholera or deadly typhus But just because of the great foolishness That we exchanged a pig for a trough.

*This sonnet was written not long after Sicily became part of Italy. It reveals how many people reacted to Sicily’s new political situation after the unification. We reprint this poem from the Archivio Nisseno, Year IX, N. 16 Jan-.June 2015.

Arba Sicula XXXVII 37 Narrativa Siciliana

Lu visiunariu di Chiazza Marina, Palermu

Di Carlo Puleo Tradottu in sicilianu di Gaetano Cipolla

“Vinissi, prufissuri! Oggi ci sunnu nuvità.” Chista è la frasi di li vinni- turi di cosi antichi. Era na duminica di fini giugnettu, doppu na simana ca lu cauddu afusu dû sciroccu s’avia allintatu, lassannu un velu di rina sahariana a ognibbanna. C’era poca genti a Chiazza Marina versu li ottu e li vinnituri si priparavanu a sistimari li so cianfrusagghi, espunennuli lu megghiu pussibili pi attirari la curiosità di li clienti. A dda ura si vidinu di solitu sulu cullezionista e li patiti di l’anticu ca cercanu quacchi pezzu mancanti. Dda matina c’eranu tutti a cuminciari dû cullezionista di riloggi vecchi a chiddu di cartulini e immagini sacri, e li patiti di libbra e manuscritti. Iddi si fermanu raramenti a parrari, un salutu a malappena e subbitu si tuffanu a taliari. Doppu c’hannu fattu lu giru di tutti li bancareddi si ntrattenunu ntra d’iddi a cummintari li oggetti accat- tati. Quannu ucchìanu ddu pezzu ca c’interessa nun si ntusiasmanu, facennu finta di nenti, continuannu a circari cu aria dilusa. Fussi un grossu sbagghiu fari capiri a lu vinnituri ca truvaru un oggettu ntirissanti picchì a ddu puntu iddu si nni approfitta pi aumintari lu prezzu. Fannu finta di nun aviri truvatu nenti e cumincianu a irisinni ma poi ritornanu e dumannanu lu prezzu in manera casuali. Li vecchi vinnituri ca canusciunu i so clienti stannu a lu jocu e fannu finta di nun capiri. Li visitaturi occasionali e li turisti arrivanu doppu li novi doppu ca li habituè hannu taliatu tuttu. Pi garantiri ca iddi ritornanu cci prumettinu di purtari cosi novi la simana ca veni. Lu prufissuri Minutella furriava cu l’aria dilusa quannu un vinnituri lu chiamau: “Prufissuri, vinissi, haju na cosa mpurtanti pi Lei. Minutella s’avvicinau â bancaredda cu la solita flemma e senza ntusiasmu. Taliannusi attornu, facennu attenzioni a nun dar na l’occhiu nisciu un pacchittu di na busta e lu rutulau lentamenti. Ni nisciu na grossa sirratura rozza. “Prufissù, la taliassi bona: è fatta a manu, ferru battutu senza sardaturi, sulu perni. È di l’ottucentu.” Dissi, circannu di pruiriccilla. Lu prufissuri s’alluntanau nu pocu, nun vosi tuccarila, sia pi la ruggini ca pâ purviri. Ci desi na taliata e cu garbu cuntrullatu dissi ca iddu nun praticava ddu tipu di cullezzioni e ca era ntirissatu sulu a libbra, quatri e curnici antichi. Ma l’omu turnau a la carica: “Prufissuri, sta sirratura è speciali, havi un valuri storicu pirchì veni di lu Palazzu Lampidusa, la casa di chiddu ca scriviu

38 Arba Sicula XXXVII Sicilian Narrative

The Visionary of Piazza Marina in Palermo

by Carlo Puleo Tranlasted into English by Arthur Dieli

“Over here professor, we have some new items today.” This is the usual come-on of the venders at flea markets. It was a Sunday towards the end of July, a week after the sultry sirocco had lessened during the night, covering everything with a thin film of Saharan sand. There were few people stirring around Piazza Marina. The sellers were busy arranging their odds and ends in a manner that would arouse the curiosity of the visitors. The usual visitors in the first few hours were only collectors of old, coveted items. That morning they were all there; from collectors of old watches, to those of post cards and religious prayer cards with pictures, as well as collectors of books and manuscripts. They rarely stopped to talk, a quick greeting and then a plunging ahead to the next display of rummage. After having made the rounds of all the stalls, they com- miserated among themselves about their acquisitions. When they see an “item of interest,” it is their habit not to demonstrate any enthusiasm, pretending no interest and continuing to rummage with a disappointed air. It would be a big mistake to let on that they had found something of interest because the seller would then make use of that interest to raise the price. Pretending not to have found anything of interest, they begin to leave, after which they turn back and nonchalantly ask the price. The old sellers, who know the regulars and their strategies very well, play along and pretend not to notice. The occasional visitors and the tourists flock in after nine, when they have by now rummaged through all the regulars, at which the sellers, in order to grab their attention, promise other new items to be available the following week, obtained from the current giveaways. Professor Minutella was wandering around with a disappointed air when one of the sellers called, “Professor, come over here, I have something important for you.” Minutella approached the stall with his usual apathy and skepticism. The vendor, with a show of circumspection, looked around and then slowly took out of an envelope a very old and rusted door lock. “Professor, take a good look, it’s hand made, wrought iron without any welding, using only pins.” And he added, “It’s from the eighteen hundreds,” as he attempted to sell it. The professor backed away, not wanting to touch it, be it for the rust or the dust. He gave it

Arba Sicula XXXVII 39 Il gattopardo.” Lu prufissuri lu taliau nta facci e poi dumannau: “Tu comu fai a stabbiliri chissu?” Lu vinnituri, nanticchia risintutu rispunniu: “Lei sapi ca lu palazzu fu bummardatu nta l’urtima guerra. Me patri ca tannu abbitava in via Bara a l’Ulivedda, la truvau ntâ stata ntra li macerii. Avia a essiri la sirratura di nu magazzenu o di na stadda. Me patri era unu ca amava li cosi antichi. Si la tinni appinnuta comu na reliquia. Jo dicidiu di vinnirila pi bisognu. Mi facissi n’offerta. Lei è omu di cultura e sapi valutarila.” “Taliassi, signur Alfonsu,” rispunniu lu prufissuri, “Jo sugnu luntanu di stu tipu di cosi e nun sapissi chi diricci. Prima o poi truvirà un amaturi ca si l‘accatta a bon prezzu.” E doppu na mossa a modu di salutu cuminciau a irisinni. Un cani lordu e spilacchiatu furriava attornu a la bancaredda e iu a li- sciaricci li jammi a lu prufissuri. Iddu, scantatizzu, s’alluntanau pinzannu ca era lu solitu cani affamatu. “Prufissuri, nun si scantassi, è lu me cani, è bonu. Havi na simana can nun mi lassa un secunnu. Mi scigghiu iddu. Lu chiamaiu Scillo. Lu taliassi bonu nta l’occhi. Nun ci pari ca havi lu sguardu umanu?” A la risposta negativa dû prufissuri, l’autru junciu: “Mi cridissi, havi lu stissu sguardu di me matri ca muriu sulu deci jorna arreri. Stu poviru armali runfa propriu comu a me matri.” Lu prufissuri junciu: “Ma daveru? Lei allura cridi a la riincarnazzioni?” ”Ora, sì! Cridu ca mi lu mannau me matri pi tinirimi cumpagnia.” Mi- nutella lu scutava e a lu stissu tempu sfogghiava na rivista e di tantu in tantu taliava a l’omu e a lu cani. Chistu, accorgennusi ca lu stava studiannu junciu: “Prufissuri, Lei nun cridi a sti cosi. Taliassi ca jo sugnu unu assai sensibbili. La vidi dda culonna ntô jardinu? Ddà vicinu vinevanu giustizziati li cunnannati di l’Inquisizioni. Ci cunfessu ca certi jurnati sentu puru i so lamenti e vidu ummri ca furrianu attornu.” “E tu chi ffai quannu senti ddi lamenti?” “E chi pozzu fari, prufissuri? Mi cridi o nun mi cridi?” “Mah, è tuttu un misteru. Sti cosi ti li nsonni puru di notti?” Alfonsu capiu chiddu a chi vuleva alludiri lu prufissuri e cu n’espressioni risintuta muviu la testa pi diri di no. Si vutau e circau di mettiri ordini a li so cosi. Lu prufissuri si spustau a la bancaredda accantu china di libri e vecchi rivisti e cuminciau taliarili, ripitennu ntâ so testa: “Nenti, na matinata persa.” Nta l’urtimi tempi avia divintatu sempri chiù raru truvari quacchi cosa di nti- rissanti. Prusiguiu cu l’aria nichiata, si firmau nanticchia a curiosari ntra ddi migghiara di stampi, quatretti appinnuti a la nfirriata dâ villa. Vitti na bancarella cu computer e telefonini di tutti li formi. Ormai puru sti cosi avianu ntrasutu nta lu repartu dû modernariatu. Ncuntrau un vecchiu canuscenti, ca taliava na tazza aggirannusilla nta li manu. Quannu ci dummannau pi curiusità, “Chi ti nni fai di na sula tazza?”

40 Arba Sicula XXXVII a cursory look and with a restrained politeness replied that he did not collect that type of object. He was rather interested in antique pictures, books, and frames. But the man continued his pitch: “Professor, this door lock is special, it has an historical value, it comes from the Lampedusa Palace, the home of the one who wrote The Leopard. The professor looked him square in the eyes and asked, “How do you know that?” The seller, with a resentful tone replied, “Surely you know that the palace was bombed during the last war. My father, who was living on Via Bara at Olivella, found it in the street among the ruins. It had to have been the lock of a storeroom or a stable. My father, who was an avid lover of antiques, put it aside as a relic. Out of necessity I’ve decided to sell it, make me an offer. You’re a man of culture, and you know how to appraise it.” In rebuttal the professor said, “Look here Mr. Alfonso, I am far removed from this type of collectable, and I don’t know what to tell you. You’ll see that sooner or later you’ll find an avid collector disposed to pay, even pay well, for it.” After waving good-by, he started to leave. A dog, unkempt and mangy, came out from around the stall and began rubbing himself between the professor’s legs. Startled, the professor backed away thinking this was the usual hungry stray. “Professor, don’t be afraid, it’s a dog and he’s good. It’s been a week since he hasn’t left me for a second. He himself chose me. I’ve named him Scillo. Look carefully at his eyes, don’t you think they look human?” To the disbelief of the professor he went on, “I think he has the same look as my mother, the poor woman died ten days ago. This poor animal snores just like my mother.” The professor added, “Really? Then you believe in reincarnation?” “Now yes, I believe he was sent to me by my mother to keep me company.” Minutella listened while he unfolded a journal and glanced at the dog and the man from time to time. Aware that he was being studied he added, “Professor, do you not believe in these things, be aware that I’m psychic. Do you see that column in the garden? That’s near where the condemned were judged during the inquisition, I tell you that on some days I hear their laments and see their shadows moving about.” “And what do you do when you hear their laments?” What can I do Professor? Do you believe me or not?” “Well! It’s all a mystery. Do you dream about these things at night?” Alfonso perceived what the professor was alluding to, and with a resentful expression he shook his head to signal no. Then he turned and busied himself with tidying up his merchandise. The professor moved to the next stall, filled with books and old journals and set about rummaging, repeating to himself, “Nothing, a lost morning.” The last few times it has become much rarer to find something of interest. He contin-

Arba Sicula XXXVII 41 l’autru rispunniu meravigghiatu: “Chi minni fazzu? N’aju nautri cincu a casa comu a chista. Mi nni mancava una pi cumplitari lu sirvizziu e sunnu anni chi la cercu e oramai nun pinzava di truvarrinni una la stissa.” Arrivatu davanti a lu granni ficus, propriu davanti a l u Palazzu Steri, taliau a un gruppu di curiusi ca furriavanu attornu a la bancaredda di na coppia di vinnituri ca trattava cartulini e oggetti di bigiotteria ca facevunnu iddi stissi. La coppia stava sciarriannusi. La fimmina ca pareva nisciuta di un film di Fellini, era vistuta in manera eccentrica e purtava certi trampuluni ca quannu caminava pareva tali e quali comu un pupu sicilianu. Pussideva un frasariu originali, chinu di neologismi assai culurati ca ci mannava cu vuci sguaiata a lu so cumpagnu. Iddu nun ristava nnarreri e rispunneva cu un accentu tipicamenti palermitanu ncarcatu. Na bona parti di li spittaturi pigghiava la parti di la fimmina; chiddi ca partiggiavanu pi l’omu assumevanu n’espressioni vagamenti divirtuta. La scintilla ca era la causa di la scerra nasceva quannu avianu a sistimari la mircan- zia supra la bancaredda. Nun ievanu d’accordu supra comu l’avianu a mettiri. Avianu gusti e criteri diversi. Quannu si misiru d’accordu però si vidiva ca tanti spittaturi cuntinuavanu a stari ddà a taliari e maniari la mircanzia. Pi chissu Minutella suspittava ca ddi scerri eranu programmati e cuncurdati a lu scopu di attirari l’attenzioni di li visitaturi. Quannu pareva ca li dui stavanu pi pig- ghiarisi a lignati c’era sempri quaccadunu ca vineva pi carmari l’acqui e mettiri la paci. Lu prufissuri nun rinisceva a capiri si lu pacieri era unu accattaturi o un visitaturi ginirusu. Lu prusfissuri si spustau versu la bancaredda di un vinnituri unni ogni cosa era iccata a l’urvisca. Na bona parti era misa dintra a scatuluni ca di tantu in tantu vinevanu sdivacati supra lu tavulu in modu di teniri li visitaturi ntirissati e sullecitari la so attenzioni. Minutella furriava na muntagnedda di libbra, e truvau un vecchiu numiru di la rivista “Arenaria” ca cci mancava. Passau nautra para d’uri pi cumplitari lu so giru. Passannu vicinu a la bancaredda di Alfonsu, vitti ca stava trattannu cu du turisti. Minutella si firmau a poca distanza pi nun ntirrumpiri la trattativa e si misi a scutari chiddu ca dicevanu. “Vi garantisciu ca sta sirratura pruveni dû Palazzu Lampidusa, propriu dû palazzu dû principi, chiddu ca scriviu lu romanzu Il gattopardo. Me patri, la bonarma, la truvau ntâ strata ntra li macerii doppu lu bummardamentu. L’haju tinutu comu na reliquia pi tant’anni ma ora mi nni privu pi bisognu.” Li du turisti si misiru a parrari ntra d’iddi a vuci bascia. Minutella capiu di l’accentu ca eranu lummardi. Doppu un tira e molla supra lu prezzu, una d’iddi nisciu sittanta euro dâ so burzitta e ci li desi a Alfonsu. Iddu avia l’esspressioni di unu ca fu custrettu a vinniri na cosa cara a prezzu basciu. Ammugghiau la sirratura e cci la desi strincennuci la manu. Quannu li du fimmini s’avianu al-

42 Arba Sicula XXXVII ued his tour with an air of annoyance, lingering to look through myriad prints and small paintings hanging on the iron grating of the villa. They amounted to the usual painted imitations and prints of little to no value. He noticed one stall with computers and telephones of all shapes and styles that had also made their way into the so-called department of modern art. He ran into an old acquaintance who was admiring a cup that he was turning in his hands. When, out of curiosity, he asked, “What can you do with a single cup?” The other, in his turn looked at him in amazement and said, “What am I going to do? At home I have another five, I was lacking one to complete the set. I’ve been searching for years and I had lost hope of ever finding a match.” Next to a big Ficus directly in front of the the historical Palazzo Steri, he saw a circle of onlookers around a stall where a couple of vendors, one who dealt with postcards and the other who dealt with hand-made jewelry items, were involved at that moment in an argument. The woman with a cat-like ap- pearance, wore high heels that gave her movements typical of Sicilian puppets. The man read from a phrase book packed with colorful newly coined phrases which he hurled at her in his coarse voice. Unintimidated, she, flaunting a noticeable Palermo jargon, replied carrying on with vigor. A good part of the onlookers sided with the woman. On the other hand, those who sided with the man appeared to be somewhat amused. The spark that set off the argument was at the time they were arranging the merchandise on the table and hardly ever coincided with their tastes and criteria. Finally reaching an agreement, it could be seen that several bystanders continued to linger and rummage. Therefore, Minutella suspected that the arguments were planned precisely in order to at- tract the attention of the visitors. When it seemed that the two were about to come to blows, there was always someone who intervened, sparing no effort to calm them down. The professor did not manage to determine whether the peacemaker was a confederate or an obliging visitor. The professor then moved on to a stall, where everything was piled up in bulk. A large part of the merchandise was stored in big boxes that, from time to time, were emptied on to the table calculated to keep the shoppers waiting and arousing their curiosity. Minutella, rummaging in a pile of books, found an old issue of the magazine “Arenaria” / Sandstone, that he was missing. It took him about two hours to complete his round. As he re-approached Alfonso’s stall he noticed Alfonso talking with two tourists. Minutella stood a short distance away so as not to interfere with the negotiations but close enough so he could listen. “I guarantee that this lock is from the Palazzo Lampedusa, precisely the palace of the prince who wrote The Leopard. My dear departed father found it in the street, among the the rubble, after the bombardment. For many years

Arba Sicula XXXVII 43 luntanatu cu ddu prizziusu caricu, lu prufissuri s’avvicinau comu si nun avissi vistu nenti e cci dumannau: “Signour Alfonsu, comu iu la vinnita oggi?” Iddu ci rispunniu in manera lapidaria taliannu versu lu celu: “Prufissuri, c’è me matri ca m’assisti.” Calau la testa e ci fici na carizza a lu cani.

44 Arba Sicula XXXVII he kept it as a relic, now I have a need to sell it. The two tourists whispered among themselves. Minutella could tell from their accent that the two women were from Lombardy. After a give and take on the price, one of them took seventy Euros out of her purse and handed them to Alfonso. He took on the expression of someone who was constrained to give

up something that was particularly dear to him. He wrapped the lock and gave it to them with a handshake. After the two women had left with their precious cargo, the professor with an air of not having seen or heard anything asked, “Mister Alfonso, how have sales gone today?” He raised his eyes in a quick glance to the sky while tersely replying, “Professor, my mother is there assisting me.” He bent down and caressed the dog.

Arba Sicula XXXVII 45 Lu purtusu

Di Francesco Lanza Tradottu in sicilianu di Gaetano Cipolla

omu Paluddu divintau granni e grossu, so patri, lu Castrjannisi, ci Cdissi—Ora t’à maritari. E Paluddu rispunniu, “e vui maritatimi.” Lu Castrjannisi si nni iu nni la signura Tuzzidda ca era la prima mizzana dû quarteri e cci fici: “Am’à dari na mugghieri a Paluddu. N’ô viditi comu si fici beddu e grossu, lu porcu!” La signura Tuzzidda si passa na manu supra a vucca pi sciucarisilla: “O nca vostru figghiu l’avi la cucca? comu a vui?” Lu Castrjannisi s’incazzau furiusu e iccau la coppula nterra du voti:” Pi cui mi pigghiastuvu? Nun lu sapiti ca a me figghiu lu fici jo? La prima cosa ca ci appiccicaiu fu la cucca, vi lu pozzu diri iu!” La signura Tuzzidda calau la testa e dissi: “Allura ora ci damu na bedda picciotta in modu ca iddi ponnu jucari nzemmula.” Doppu na para di jorna truvau la picciotta ca era la figghia dâ signura Catina, la mugghieri dû massaru Ancilu Mantegna. Lu Castrjannisi dissi a Paluddu:

Ora la zita la truvammu E tu â essiri lu jaddu dâ casa E poi cavalcari supra la vutti E iccari lu jaddu ntrâ sudda.

Paluddu si rattau la testa: “Dicu, ci haju ad essiri prisenti puru iu?” Lu Castrjannisi sta vota la coppula la iccau nterra deci voti. “E chi ci haju ad essiri iu, figghiu di dda matri? Non è la to zita chidda? Ti l’ha pigghiari tu o mi l’ê pigghiari iu? Ci hai a satari ncoddu tu o ci haju a satari ncoddu iu?” Paluddu s’â scappau e comu fu luntanu gridau a so patri: “Va beni, nun vi ncazzati, si haju a satari supra la vutti, voli diri ca ci sautu iu. Si haju a fari lu jaddu fazzu chic- chiricchì comu vi piaci a vui.” La sira si visteru di festa e si nni ieru a canusciri la zita ca era bianca e biunna comu l‘oru, cu du occhi grossi comu nuci e lu nasu ca ci stava d’incantu. Lu Castrjannisi dissi “La vidi? Chista è la to zita. Ti piaci?” Ma Paluddu si misi a ridiri. “E chi nni sacciu iu? Vui l’occhi l’aviti megghiu di mia.” Lu Castrjannisi la taliau di tutti li banni dda bedda picciotta e ci misi li manu supra lu pettu pi vidiri si eranu di stuppa; la fici caminari davanti a iddu pi taliaricci li jammi ca eranu dritti comu li fusi e dissi: “Chista pi tia ti basta e ti suverchia; nautra comu a chista nun la poi truvari nta tutta Castrujiuanni, mancu a Fundrò.” Paludddu calau la testa e si misi a fari comu a so patri pi vidiri si eranu di stuppa; ma chidda ci desi na manata ca quasi quasi lu stinn-

46 Arba Sicula XXXVII The Hole

By Francesco Lanza Translated into English by Gaetano Cipolla

s Paluddu grew big and tall, his father, a man from Castrogiovanni, Asaid to him: “It’s time for you to get married.” And Paluddu replied: “So go ahead and marry me!” The man from Castrogiovanni went to neighbor Tuzzidda who was the first marriage-broker in the neighborhood and said to her: “We have to find a wife for Paluddu. Can’t you see how that pig has grown big and fat!” Neighbor Tuzzidda wiped her mouth with her hand and she asked: “Your son Paluddu, does he have the bird? Like yourself?” The man from Castrogiovanni got furi- ous and hurled his cap to the ground twice: “What do you take me for? Don’t you know that I made him myself? The bird was the first thing I stuck on him, I’m telling you!” Neighbor Tuzzidda lowered her head and said: “So then we will find him a beautiful girl so they can play together.” After a few days she found the girl. She was neighbor Catena’s daughter, the wife of farmer Angelo Mantegna. The man from Castrogiovanni said to Paluddu:

“Now that I’ve found you a bride You will be the rooster in the house And over the barrel you will sway And the rooster you’ll thrust in the hay.”

Paluddu scratched his head: “Hmmm, do I have to there, too?” The man from Castrogiovanni hurled his cap on the floor ten times in a row. “Do you expect me to be there too? Won’t she be your bride? Who has to take her, you or me? You’re the one who has to jump on her, not me.” Paluddu ran away and when he was some distance away he yelled back: “All right, don’t get mad, if I have to jump over the barrel, it means I will jump over it, and if I have to play the rooster I will sing cock-a-doodle-do as much as you like.” That night they put on their Sunday best and went to meet the bride to be who was white and blond like gold, with a pair of eyes as big as walnuts and a nose that fit her to a tee. The man from Castrogiovanni said “Do you see her? This is your girl. Do you like her?” But Paluddu started to laugh: “What do I know? You have eyes that are better than mine.” The man from Castrogiovanni examined that beautiful girl from all sides and he placed his hand on her breasts to see if they were not stuffed with straw. He made her walk in front of him to see her legs

Arba Sicula XXXVII 47 icchiau. “Stativi fermu, chi nun vi appartegnu ancora.” Paluddu si stesi fermu ma doppu un pocu cci dissi: “Ora iu sugnu lu jaddu dâ casa e haju a satari supra la vutti e haju a mentiri lu jaddu ntra la sudda.” La picciotta si scantau e ci dissi a l’aricchia: “Ancora no, ca nun semu maritu e mugghieri, ma quannu veni lu tempu iu fazzu zoccu vuliti vui.” Paluddu calau la testa e s’acchiappau li cosci cu ddi so manazzi e si misi a taliari comu un cuccu, masticannusi la calia. Ma la matina di lu matrimo- niu lu patri ca sapeva quantu era minchiuni ci fici la predica: “Nun ha manciari a lu to solitu. comu un lupu. Nun ci fari vidiri ca hai la panza comu setti parmenti, sinnò la zita nun ti voli chiù. Hai a manciari pocu, quantu basta.” Paluddu fici u mocculu: “O chi nni sacciu iu quantu basta? E ssi mi manciu nu vuccata chiossai, chi nni pozzu sapiri iu, figghiu di mamma? “ Lu Castrjannisi stava pi iccari nterra la coppula, ma s’addunau ca era chidda nova e si la lassau ncapu. “Bestia! Figghiu di dda bona matri!” Poi ci misi li manu supra li spaddi e cci sciusciau supra la vucca: “Sì chiù bestia di mia ca sugnu to patri. Ma si avissi saputu, nun ti avissi fattu mancu la punta di lu nasu, o avissi canciatu purtusu.” Cuminciau a pistaricci li pedi a la dispirata e cci dissi: “Sta attentu, quannu ti pistu li pedi a tavula, voli diri basta. Mi capisti? E si dicunu mancia! Mancia! Tu ci rispunni, gnornò ca iu manciu pocu a me casa. Mi capisti?” Paluddu c’avia li pedi tutti pistati calava la testa e nun videva l’ura di irisinni, ma so patri si lu misi davanti comu un porcu: “Ma chi nun vidi ca hai li scarpi boni tutti lordi, figghiu di dda bona matri? Paluddu si li vuleva scip- pari pi pulizziarili ma lu Castrjannisi stavota iccau nterra la burritta e si misi a satari comu un pazzu. “ Nun vidi ca pirdemu tempu? Mi voi fari mancari a l’appuntamentu? Camina.” E si lu tirau dappressu cu lu brazzu. Avianu apparicchiatu na tavula comu a chidda di di li dudici apostuli e c’era manciari pi centu. La matina avianu scannatu un purceddu e ci avianu stiratu li coddi a du jaddini e li bucali di vinu ievanu e vinevanu. Ddu jornu c’era

48 Arba Sicula XXXVII that were straight as a pole and he said: “This girl is enough for you and more, you can’t find another one like her in the whole of Castrogiovanni, not even in Fundrò.” Paluddu lowered his head and he started to act like his father to see if the breasts were not stuffed with straw, but the girl gave him a slap that nearly sent him to the floor. “Stay away, for I don’t belong to you yet!” Paluddu stood quietly but after a while he said to her: “Now I am the rooster in the house, and I will jump over the barrel and I will thrust the rooster in the hay.” The girl got scared and whispered in his ear: “Not yet, because we are not husband and wife, but when the time comes I will do what you want.” Paluddu lowered his head and he grabbed his legs with his large hands and remained there like an owl chewing on toasted seeds. The morning of the wedding the father who knew what a glutton the son was preached to him: “You cannot eat like a wolf, as you usually do. You can’t let on that your stomach is a bottomless pit, otherwise your bride will not want you any more. You have to eat little, just enough to satisfy you.” Paluddu whimpered: “Oh, what do I know about how much is enough and if I eat one extra spoonful, how am I to know it, me, a poor mother’s son!” The man from Castrogiovanni was ready to hurl his cap to the ground but he realized it was the new one and left it on his head. “Dummy, son of a good mother!” Then he placed his hand on his shoulders and shouted in his mouth. “You are dumber than I am, who am your father. If I had known I would never have made you a nose or I would have switched holes.” He started to step on his feet in desperation and said to him: “ Be care- ful, when I step on your feet like this under the table, it means you have had enough! Do you understand? And if they tell you to eat some more, you reply, ‘No, ma’am! I don’t eat much not even at home.’ Do you understand?” Paluddu, whose feet were sore from all the stepping, lowered his head and was eager to run away, but the father pulled him in front of him like a pig: “What, can you see that your shoes are all dirty, son of a good mother that you are!” Paluddu wanted to take them off to clean them, but the man from Castro- giovanni hurled his cap to the floor this time and started to jump like a madman: “Can’t you see we’re wasting time? You want me not to show up for the appoint- ment? Go on, walk!” and he pulled him by the arm behind him. They had set the table like the one for the twelve apostles and there was enough food for a hundred guests. They had slaughtered a pig in the morning and they had killed two hens. The pitchers of wine kept coming and going. That day was a feast even for the dogs who were barking in glee around the bride and groom, as though they understood what was happening, poor animals! But Paluddu had not even eaten one forkful of macaroni when one of the dogs stepped over his foot. He dropped his fork and pushed his chair away. “I

Arba Sicula XXXVII 49 festa puru pi li cani, ca abbaiavanu cuntenti attornu a li ziti, comu si capissiru puru iddi, poviri bestii. Ma Paluddu nun ‘s’avia calatu mancu na furchittata di maccarruni nta vucca quannu unu di ddi cani ci passau supra un pedi. Iddu allura lassau la furchetta ntô piattu e alluntanau la seggia. “Nun ni vogghiu chiù. Iu manciu pocu a me casa.” Ma tutti lu tiravanu versu lu piattu: “Mancia! Mancia! Chi voi ristari a panza vacanti?” Puru la zita ci incheva la furchetta di pasta e ci la ficcava nta vucca stritta a forza: “Manciativi chista, pi amuri di mia!” Ma iddu duru comu un mulu. “Gnornò! Iu manciu pocu. Si manciu ancora mi fa dannu.” Lu Cas- trjannisi che non ne sapeva ci gridau puru iddu: “E mancia, minchiuni! Nun vidi ca oggi è festa? Na festa comu a chista capita na vota sula ntâ vita, e nun comu la signura Teresa Mingrino ca ha svurricatu quattru mariti.” La signura Tuzzidda c’avia l’ochiu finu si ricurdava sempri di lu so beddi tempi cuminciau a schirzari pi fari crisciri l’allegria: “Stativi zitti! Nun viditi comu ci mancia a ddi poviri giuvini, menrti niautri ni la spassamu?” Nuddu si tineva chiù pi li risati e Paluddu ca si sinteva lu stomacu latrari pi la fami, fu a puntu di iccarisi sutta la tavula pi fari comu a so patri ca rideva câ vucca china di carni, ma stavota la zita ci fici tantu di mussu e alluntanau lu piattu. L’autri nun caperu nenti e ridevanu a scattari a vidirla d’accussì. Ma lu Castrjannisi ca già sinteva di vuliricci beni a la picciotta si iazzau e iu ad abbracciarla di darreri acchiappannucci lu pettu davanti, doppu s’alluntanau di cursa tuttu scantau gridannu: “Mamma mia, chi tuccaiu! Mammuzza bedda, chi truvaiu!” Allura puru a zita si manciau ddu mussu c’avia e ci scappau a ridiri comu a l’autri. Lu trattamentu lu ficiru nta la stanza di li sposi unni c’era priparatu lu lettu granni pi la notti, autu quantu n’artaru cu tri cuscina unu supra a l’autru pi ogni capizzali e la signura Tuzzidda vuleva iccarisi supra lu lettu cu lu Cas- trjannisi pi vidiri comu si stava. Puru li fimmini schetti ci furriavanu attornu cu l’occhi lucenti e taliavanu a li masculi e facevanu la prova nta li so testi tantu eranu coddiati dda jurnata di lu vinu bonu e li palori ditti. Nta l’autru muru c’era la vutti cu lu vinu novu e a li travi di lu tettu c’eranu rappa di racina bi- anca ca annigghiavanu la vista. Paluddu comu isau l’occhi in autu cominciau a masticari cu l’acquolina nvucca e si misi a taliari ammiccannu attornu, ma l’autri caperu ca vulissi parrari di la so zita: “Oh comu è bedda, bianca e biunna! Nun vidu l’ura ca si fa scuru, cent’anni mi pari ca restu sulu!” tutti ridevanu e lu Castrjannisi gridau…* [....} La notti passau d’accussì: e lu vinu quannu nun ci nni fu chiù nta la vutti nun ni nisciu chiù fora. La mattina lu lacu nta la stanza e Paluddu ca runfava comu na piula supra

50 Arba Sicula XXXVII don’t want any more. I don’t eat much at home.” But everyone pulled him toward his dish: “Go on, eat! You want to remain with an empty stomach?” The bride too filled up the fork and tried to feed him through his closed mouth. “Eat this, for the sake of my love?” But he stubborn like a mule, said: “No, Ma’am, I don’t eat much! If I eat more it, will make me ill.” The man from Castrogiovanni, who knew nothing of the dog’s stepping, yelled at him too: “Go on, eat, you fool! Can’t you see that today is a feast? A feast that happens but once in a lifetime, not like our neighbor Teresa Mingrino who buried four husbands.” Neighbor Tuzzidda who had a sharp eye and recalled the good times of her youth began to speak, trying to promote good cheer: “Be quiet, can’t you see how those poor youngsters are itching, while we’re having fun?” Nobody could hold back the laughter any more and Paluddu who felt his stomach yelping from hunger, was about to hurl himself under the table and eat like his father who was squirming with a mouth full of meat, but the bride this time had put on a frown and pushed her dish away from her. They did not pay attention and continued laughing heartily on seeing her like that, but the man from Castrogiovanni who had already developed a feeling of affection for the girl got up and went to embrace her from behind, and with his paws he grabbed her breasts, where the goodies were. Then he moved away in fright yelling: “Holy mother of God, What did I touch? Dear Mother of God, what did I find?” At that point the bride swallowed her long face and began to laugh like the others. The reception was held in the couple’s bedroom where they had set up the large bed for the night. It was high like an altar with three pillows one on top of the other for each side and neighbor Tuzzidda wanted to throw herself on it together with the man from Castrogiovanni to check how it felt. The single girls, circled the bed with gleaming eyes and looked at the men and as they Arba Sicula XXXVII 51 la vutti. La tavula era sutta supra e lu lumi ruttu e la zita ca ancora chianceva sula ntâ lu lettu, chiù sana di prima. “O chi succidiu?” Dumannarunu chiddi cu la vucca aperta. “Nun lu viditi chi succidiu? Vui aviti datu la ghianna a cui nun ni mancia e lu fenu a cui nun ni voli. Oh amaru a mia! Ca ristaiu peggiu di la zita di Troina e si vogghiu livarimi la fami haju a circari lu pani fora di casa comu facia la signura Tuzzidda ê so tempi pirchì me maritu nun mi duna pani!” E chistu fu lu matrimoniu di lu Castrjannisi.

*Nni lu manuscrittu a stu puntu mancanu paggini. Ma la parti finali du cuntu fa pinzari ca li cosi nun ienu comu avianu a ghiri pirchì lu giuvini nun capiu chi vuleva diri so patri quannu ci dissi c’avia a “cavarcari la vutti e fari lu addu nta lu jaddinaru.” Ci parsi forsi ca avia a cavarcari la vutti veramenti. Infatti, quannu si svigghia la matina lu videmu a cavaddu di la vutti.

52 Arba Sicula XXXVII were excited that day by the wine and by the words they had heard, they tried the bed in their heads, too. The barrel with the new wine was set against the other wall and hanging from the beams of the ceiling were bunches of golden grapes that were a sight to behold. Looking up at the sight, Paluddu began to chew on the saliva of craving for them and he started to wink and look around, but the people thought that he was referring to his bride instead of the grapes: “Oh beautiful she is, so white and blond. I can’t wait for darkness to come. It feels like a hundred years before I am alone!” Everybody was laughing and the man from Castrogiovanni yelled…* […] The night went by like that, and when there was no more wine in the barrel, it stopped pouring. In the morning they found a lake in the room and Paluddu was snoring over the barrel like an owl; the table was overturned and the lamp broken, while the bride was crying alone in her bed, even more intact than before. “Oh, what happened?” they asked with their mouths hanging. “Don’t you see what happened? Don’t you see that you’ve given acorns to one who can’t eat them and the hay to one who does not want it. Ah, wretched me! I am left worse off than the bride of Troina and if I want to sate my hunger I must look elsewhere like our neighbor Tuzzidda in her day, for my husband at home does not provide me with bread.” And this was the wedding of the man from Castrogiovanni.

*The manuscript is missing one or more pages at this point. But the con- clusion suggests that things did not go the way they were supposed to, perhaps because the young man did not understand what his father meant about “riding the barrel and being the rooster in the chicken coop”. He probably took the words literally and the fact that he wakes up riding the barrel in the morning is an indication of how things went.

Arba Sicula XXXVII 53 Pinocchiu in sicilianu

Carlo Collodi Traduzione di Maddalena Buscaino

na di li accusi ca normalmenti si sentunu diri pi riguardu a lu sicilianu Uè ca nun è na lingua, ma un dialettu, vali a diri na forma di cumuni- cazjoni nfiriuri a li lingui veri e pi sustiniri sta idea s’appuntanu supra lu fattu ca lu sicilianu oggi si usa sulu pi scriviri puisii. Mancanu, a diri di sta genti, testi di prosa scritti in sicilianu ca parranu di autri cosi. Niautri di Arba Sicula sapemu nveci ca li cosi non sunnu ‘accussì e ca tanti testi di prosa, rumanzi, nuvelli, cummedii sunnu scritti in sicilianu. Li soci di Arba Sicula hannu ricivutu, pir esempiu, un libru ntitulatu Simenzi di l’arma/Soul Seed/Semi dell’anima, un libbru di aforismi di Carolyn Mary Kleefeld scrittu originalmenti in ngrisi e tradottu in sicilianu e talianu. Nta la prefazjoni lu tradutturi scrissi ca avia fattu la traduzjoni pi dimustrari a tutti ca lu sicilianu po’ essiri usatu pi esprimiri tutti li sentimenti ca l’omu po’ immaginari. Putissimu, vulennu, fari na lista di opiri in prosa tradotti o scritti originalmenti in sicilianu. Mi veni a menti, pir esempiu, lu capulavoru di Alessandro Manzoni, I promessi sposi ca fu tradottu in sicilianu, e Alessio di Gjovanni ca scrissi rumanzi direttamenti in sicilianu ntitulati La racina di Sant’Antoni and Lu fattu di Bbissana. Tempu fa riciviu na copia di nautru libru assai famusu ca fu tradottu in siciianu. Si tratta di li piripizzii di Pinocchiu, pubblicatu ntô 2002 a Trapani di Maddalena Buscaino. Secunnu la traduttrici Pinocchiu ha statu tradottu nta 120 lingui diversi. E ora ca idda fici la traduzjoni siciliana sunnu 121. Cu pirmissu pubblicamu un capitulu di la traduzioni ringraziannu a la signura Buscaino pi avirini mannatu la copia dû libru. Si vulti fari un rialu graditu ê vostri figghi o niputeddi puti accattaricci na copia di Li piripizzi di Pinocchiu in sicilianu. Scriviti a CARTOGRAM@ libero.it pi infurmazoni supra comu urdinari lu libbru ca costa 20 euro.

Capitulu I

Come ju chi mastru Cirasa) falignami(mastru d’ascia)) attruvau un pezzu di lignu chi chiancia e riria comu un picciriddu

Cc’era na vota…. Un ‘rre - arrispunninu subitu i picciriddi chi legginu ... No, picciriddi, sbagliastivu.

54 Arba Sicula XXXVII Pinocchio in Sicilian

by Carlo Collodi Translated by Maddalena Buscaino

ne of the accusations that we hear often as regards the Sicilian lan- Oguage is that it is not a language, but a dialect, that is, an inferior form of communication compared to real languages. To sustain this theory people base their conclusion on the fact that Sicilian today is used only in poetry. To listen to them, Sicilian lacks texts written in prose about various subjects. We at Arba Sicula know, however, that things are not so because many prose texts exist in Sicilian such as novels, short stories and plays. The members of Arba Sicula received, for example, a book entitled Simenzi di l’arma/Soul Seeds/Semi dell’anima, a book of aphorisms written by Carolyn Mary Kleefeld in English and translated into Sicilian and Italian. In the preface, the translator said that he had done the translation into Sicilian to show that it is a medium that can express all the sentiments that can be imagined by man. We could list, if we wanted to, many works of prose that have been translated into or written directly in Sicilian. The masterpiece by Alessandro Manzoni, I promessi sposi, comes to mind, for example, or La racina di Sant’Antoni and Lu fattu di Bbissana by Alessio di Giovanni, to name just a few. A while back I received a copy of another well-known text translated into Sicilian. It is Li piripizzii di Pinocchiu (The Adventures of Pinocchiu), written by Carlo Collodi, which according to the translator has already been translated into 120 languages. Therefore, why not Sicilian? We welcome the translation originally published in 2002 in Tra- pani by Maddalena Buscaino and we reprint one chapter of the book. Many thanks to the author for sending us a copy and for the permission to reprint. We invite our readers who may want to make a gift of it to their grandchildren or children to inquire at [email protected] to see how to order a copy. The book costs 20 euros.

The English translation is by Carol Della Chiesa

Chapter I

How it happened that Mastro Cherry, carpenter, found a piece of wood that wept and laughed like a child.

Centuries ago there lived— “A king!” my little readers will say immediately.

Arba Sicula XXXVII 55 C’era ‘na vota un pezzu di lignu. Nun era un lignu spiciali, ma pezzu di lignu di nuddu valuri, di chiddu chi no ‘nvernu si mettinu ne stufe e ne cufularu pi addumari lu focu e pi quariari li cammari. Nun sacciu comu fu... certu e chi ddu pezzu di lignu capitau ‘na la pu- tia di un vecchiu mastru d’ascia chi si chiamava mastr’Antoniu ma chi tutti chiamavanu mastru Cirasa picchi avia la punta di lu nasu sempre lustra e russa comu ‘na cirasa matura. Appena mastru Cirasa vitti un pezzu di lignu, si fici tuttu letu e fricannusi li manu pi la cuntintizza, rissi a mezza vuci: - Stu lignu capitau a puntu giustu vogghiu fari na amma di taulinu. Subbitu, pigghiau l’ascia bedda ammulata pi cuminciari a livarici la scorcia e affinallu ma quannu stava dannu lu primu corpu arristau cu vrazzu nall’aria, picchì ntisi ‘na vuci fina fina, chi dissi: - Nun ci iri forti! - Pinsati comu arristau ddu vecchiareddu di Mastru Cirasa! Girau l’occhi di ccà e di ddà pi sentiri di runni vinia la vuci e nun vitti a nuddu! Taliau sutta lu vancu e nuddu, taliau rintra l’armadiu chi stava sempre chiusu e nuddu, taliau no’ panaru di l’aschi e da sirratura e nuddu, rapiu la porta di fora di la putia pi dari ‘na taliata anchi na la strada e nuddu ... Dunqui? Lu capivi - rissi allura rirennu e rattannusi la parrucca - si viri chi dda vuci fina fina mi l’immagginai jo. Va’ mittemuni a travagghiari. Pigghiau arrè l’ascia e tirau un gran colpu supra lu lignu ... - Ahi ... tu mi facisti mali! - a solita vuci si misi a vuciari.

56 Arba Sicula XXXVII “No, children, you are mistaken. Once upon a time there was a piece of wood. It was not an expensive piece of wood. Far from it. Just a common block of firewood; one of those thick, solid logs that are put on the fire in winter to make cold rooms cozy and warm. I do not know how this really happened, yet the fact remains that one fine day this piece of wood found itself in the shop of an old carpenter. His real name was Mastro Antonio, but everyone called him Mastro Cherry, for the tip of his nose was so round and red and shiny that it looked like a ripe cherry. As soon as he saw that piece of wood, Mastro Cherry was filled with joy. Rubbing his hands together happily, he mumbled half to himself: ‘This has come in the nick of time. I shall use it to make the leg of a table.’ He grasped the hatchet quickly to peel off the bark and shape the wood. But as he was about to give it the first blow, he stood still with arm uplifted, for he had heard a wee, little voice say in a beseeching tone: “Please be careful! Do not hit me so hard!” What a look of surprise shone on Mastro Cherry’s face! His funny face became still funnier. He turned frightened eyes about the room to find out where that wee, little voice had come from and he saw no one! He looked under the bench—no one! He peeped inside the closet—no one! He searched among the shavings—no one! He opened the door to look up and down the street—and still no one! “Oh, I see!” he then said, laughing and scratching his wig. “It can easily be seen that I only thought I heard the tiny voice say the words! Well, well—to work once more.” He struck a most solemn blow upon the piece of wood. “Oh, oh! You hurt!” cried the same far-away little voice. Mastro Cherry grew dumb, his eyes popped out of his head, his mouth opened wide, and his tongue hung down on his chin. As soon as he regained the use of his senses, he said, trembling and stut- tering from fright: “Where did that voice come from when there is no one around? Might it be that this piece of wood has learned to weep and cry like a child? I can hardly believe it. Here it is—a piece of common firewood, good only to burn in the stove, the same as any other. Yet—might someone be hidden in it? If so, the worse for him. I’ll fix him!” With these words, he grabbed the log with both hands and started to knock it about unmercifully. He threw it to the floor, against the walls of the room, and even up to the ceiling. He listened for the tiny voice to moan and cry. He waited two minutes— nothing; five minutes—nothing; ten minutes—nothing.

Arba Sicula XXXVII 57 Sta vota mastru Cirasa arristau comu un baccalà, cull’occhi fora di la testa pi lu scantu, cu la vucca sbarrachiata e cu la lingua a pinnuluni finu a lu varvarottu comu na mascara di petra ... Appena potti parlari, trimannu pi lu scantu dissi: - Ma cu fu chi dissi: ohi? Eppuru ccà, nun cc’è nuddu, neci chi fu stu pezzu di lignu chi chianci e palla comnu un picciriddu? Nun ci pozzu cririri. - Stu pezzu di lignu - e un pezzu di lignu pi abbruciari comu tutti l’autri pezzi - pi fari vugghiri ‘na pignata di fasoli ... ma chi cc’è ammucciatu quarcunu rintra? Si è veru ora l’arrangiu jo!- E mentri parlava, affirrau cu tutti rui i manu ddu pezzu di lignu e ac- cuminciau a sbattillu a muru di ccà e di ddà ... Poi si misi a sentiri si quarcunu si lamintava ... Aspittau du’ minuti e nenti; cincu minuti e nenti; deci minuti e nenti!- U capivi - rissi rirennu a mala pena e grattannusi la parrucca ... si viri chi dda vuci la criai jo!- Mittemuni a travagghiari!... e pi farisi curaggiu si misi a cantari ... Intantu, pusata l’ascia, pigghiau mmanu lu lignu e un chianozzu e quannu vosi allisciari lu lignu ‘ntisi arrè ddi vuci. - - Ehi! lu sai chi mi cattigghi? Sta vota, Mastru Cirasa cariu nterra di colpu e arristau allampatu ... La so’ facci era stralunata e lu nasu cchiù russu anzi quasi blu pi lu granni scantu. -

Capitulu II

Mastru Cirasa arriala ddu pezzu di lignu a mastru Geppettu chi si lu pigghia pi fari un pupazzu “di lignu” chi avia a sapiri fari tanti cosi Arrivatu a stu puntu, tuppuliaru a la porta. - Trasiti - rissi u mastrurascia senza aviri la forza di susisi di ‘nterra. - Trasiu na la putia un vicchiareddu tisu tisu chi si chiamava Geppettu, ma i piccjotti, pi fallu arraggiari lu chiamavanu Polendina pi la parrucca chi purtava gianna comu li coccia di lu granuni. Geppettu siria ‘npizzu - guai a chiamallu Polendina - S’infuriava peggiu di na bestia, nuddu lu putia teniri. - - Bonjornu mastru Antoniu - rissi Geppettu - chi faciti assittatu ‘nterra? - Insignu l’alfabetu ê firmiculi - Faciti bonu! - Chi vuliti di mia, cumpari Geppettu. - - Vinni pi addumannarivi un favuri. -

58 Arba Sicula XXXVII “Oh, I see,” he said, trying bravely to laugh and ruffling up his wig with his hand. “It can easily be seen I only imagined I heard the tiny voice! Well, well—to work once more!” The poor fellow was scared half to death, so he tried to sing a gay song in order to gain courage. He set aside the hatchet and picked up the plane to make the wood smooth and even, but as he drew it to and fro, he heard the same tiny voice. This time it giggled as it spoke: “Stop it! Oh, stop it! Ha, ha, ha! You tickle my stomach.” This time poor Mastro Cherry fell as if shot. When he opened his eyes, he found himself sitting on the floor. His face had changed; fright had turned even the tip of his nose from red to deepest purple.

Chapter II

Mastro Cherry will give the piece of wood to his friend Geppetto, who will take it to make himself a marionette that will dance, fence, and turn somersaults. In that very instant, a loud knock sounded on the door. “Come in,” said the carpenter, not having an atom of strength left with which to stand up. At the words, the door opened and a dapper little old man came in. His name was Geppetto, but to the boys of the neighborhood he was Polendina, (Cornmeal mush) on account of the wig he always wore which was just the color of yellow corn. Geppetto had a very bad temper. Woe to the one who called him Polendina! He became as wild as a beast and no one could soothe him. “Good day, Mastro Antonio,” said Geppetto. “What are you doing on the floor?” “I am teaching the ants their A B C’s.” “Good luck to you!” “What brought you here, friend Geppetto?” “My legs. And it may flatter you to know, Mastro Antonio, that I have come to you to beg for a favor.” “Here I am, at your service,” answered the carpenter, raising himself on to his knees. “This morning a fine idea came to me.” “Let’s hear it.” “I thought of making myself a beautiful wooden marionette. It must be wonderful, one that will be able to dance, fence, and turn somersaults. With

Arba Sicula XXXVII 59 - Eccumi ccà, subitu vi servu - dissi u falignami - mittennusi addritta. - Stamatina mi vinni un pinzeri ... - Sintemu ... - Pinsai di fari un beddu pupazzu di lignu, unu beddu - ‘na maravigghia - chi sapi abballari, tirari di scherma e fari sauti mortali. Cu iddu vogghiu girari u munnu pi abbuscarimi un tozzu di pani e un biccheri di vinu, chi vi ‘nni pari? - - Bravu, Polendina! - a solita vuci si misi a vuciari e non si sapia di dunni scia ... A sentisi chiamari Polendina, cumpari Gippettu addivintau russu comu na piparedda pi la stizza e vutannusi versu u falignami ... ci rissi tuttu arrag- giatu: - Picchi m’ affinniti? - Cu è chi v’ affenni! - Vui, mi diricistivu Polendina. - Vi giuru chi nun fu jò. - Talia, dici chi nun fu iddu ... Vui fustu?- -No ... - Sì ... - No ... - Sì ... E quariannusi a picca a picca passaru da li paroli a li fatti - s’attrapparu, si ciunnaru, si muzzicaru e si ficiru lu leccu. - Quannu fineru di sciarriarisi Mastr’ Antoniu avia mmanu a pilucca gianna di Gippettu e Gippettu arristau di stuccu quannu vitti chi avia mmucca a pilucca muschiata dû mastrurascia. - Dammi a pilucca mia - dissi Mastru Antomu. - E tu dammi chidda mia e facemu paci. Li dui vicchiareddi, dopu chi si pigghiaru ognunu a so’ pilucca si stringeru a manu e ficiru u giuramentu di nun sciarriarisi cchiù e di essiri bboni amici pi tutta la vita.- - Dunca, cumpari Gippettu - rissi u mastrurascia - soccu vulivu di mia? - Vulia un pezzu di lignu pi farimi un pupazzu ... mi lu rati? Mastru Antomu tuttu cuntentu, iu a pigghiari ddu pezzu di lignu chi avia supra lu vancuni e chi l’avia fattu scantari. Ma quannu allungau la manu pi dari lu lignu a Gippettu ... u lignu ci scappau di mmanu e ju a sbattiri na li ammi ill Gippettu chi l’avia sicchi sicchi. - Ahi ... comu siti accussì garbatu, Mastru Antomu, e accussì chi rigalati li vostri cosi? - A momenti mi rumpivu li ammi ... - Vi giuru chi nun fu jo. - E cu fu ... iu!...

60 Arba Sicula XXXVII it I intend to go around the world, to earn my crust of bread and cup of wine. What do you think of it?” “Bravo, Polendina!” cried the same tiny voice which came from no one knew where. On hearing himself called Polendina, Mastro Geppetto turned the color of a red pepper and, facing the carpenter, said to him angrily: “Why do you insult me?” “Who is insulting you?” “You called me Polendina.” “I did not.” “I suppose you think I did! Yet I KNOW it was you.” “No!” “Yes!” “No!” “Yes!” And growing angrier each moment, they went from words to blows, and finally began to scratch and bite and slap each other. When the fight was over, Mastro Antonio had Geppetto’s yellow wig in his hands and Geppetto found the carpenter’s curly wig in his mouth. “Give me back my wig!” shouted Mastro Antonio in a surly voice. “You return mine and we’ll be friends.” The two little old men, each with his own wig back on his own head, shook hands and swore to be good friends for the rest of their lives. “Well then, Mastro Geppetto,” said the carpenter, to show he bore him

Arba Sicula XXXVII 61 - No, a culpa è di stu pezzu di lignu. - Lu sacciu chi è di lignu ma fustu vui chi mi lu sbattistu ‘ne ammi ... - Jo nun vi lu tirai ... - Munzignaru ... - Gippettu nun m’ affinniti ma si nno vi chiamu Polendina! - Sceccu! - Polendina - Sceccu! - Polendina - Lariu! Scimmia! - Polendina ... - Quannu si ‘ntisi chiamari Polendina pi la terza vota - Gippettu nun ci vitti cchiù di l’occhi e si ittau supra lu mastrurascia e si li rettiru arrè ... tantu di inchiri un saccu e na sporta ... - Quannu fineru. Mastr’Antomu avia du ciunnuna supra u nasu e l’autru du buttuna ascippati no gileccu. Dopu chi si li retturu boni boni, si stringeru a manu e giuraru di arristari amici pi tutta la vita. Poi Gippettu si pigghiau u pezzu di lignu e dopu aviri ringraziatu a Mastr’Antoniu si nni ju, zuppiannu, ‘ncasa sua.

62 Arba Sicula XXXVII no ill will, “what is it you want?” “I want a piece of wood to make a marionette. Will you give it to me?” Mastro Antonio, very glad indeed, went immediately to his bench to get the piece of wood which had frightened him so much. But as he was about to give it to his friend, with a violent jerk it slipped out of his hands and hit against poor Geppetto’s thin legs. “Ah! Is this the gentle way, Mastro Antonio, in which you make your gifts? You have made me almost lame!” “I swear to you I did not do it!” “It was I, of course!” “It’s the fault of this piece of wood.” “You’re right; but remember you were the one to throw it at my legs.” “I did not throw it!” “Liar!” “Geppetto, do not insult me, or I shall call you Polendina.” “Idiot.” “Polendina!” “Donkey!” “Polendina!” “Ugly monkey!” “Polendina!” On hearing himself called Polendina for the third time, Geppetto lost his head with rage and threw himself upon the carpenter. Then and there they gave each other a sound thrashing. After this fight, Mastro Antonio had two more scratches on his nose, and Geppetto had two buttons missing from his coat. Thus having settled their ac- counts, they shook hands and swore to be good friends for the rest of their lives. Then Geppetto took the fine piece of wood, thanked Mastro Antonio, and limped away toward home.

Arba Sicula XXXVII 63 Arricampannu muddichi: Canepa, Turi Lima e Salvu Maltisi1

di Marcello Messina

emu tutti pari fora. Cchiòssai circamu r’arricupigghiari u liàmi cc’a Snostra identitati, e cchiú-ppicca tempu avemu ppì-ffarilu – reci jorna, na simana all’annu, e ni nn’amu a sturnari novamenti. A st’anno accùcchiu reci anni ca sugnu fora râ Sicilia, mi nni ji nô 2006, prima fui a Turinu ppí n’annu, appoi nâ Nglaterra, na l’Australia, e aora sugnu nô Brasili. Nta sti reci anni aiu circatu ri canùsciri a nostra storia, e a-ppicca a-ppicca aiu ncuntratu ggenti ca m’anu nzignatutanti cosi mpurtanti. Nô 2011, nô misi ri giugnu, mi nni ji a Murazzu Ruttu, na cuntrada ri Rannazzu unni s’arriuorda ogni annu a morti ri Antonio Canepa, Carmelo Rosano e Giuseppe Lo Giudice, i militanti ri l’EVIS (Esercito Italiano per l’Indipendenza della Sicilia) ca ddhocu foru ammazzati rê carabbineri nô 1945. Ddhocu ncuntrài n carusu ca m’arrialau n libru, na ristampa rô scrittu ri Canepa “La Sicilia ai Siciliani” (firmatu nô-nnomu ri Mario Turri): stu carusu si chiamava Turiddu Lo Casto, e era canusciutu macari comu Salvu Maltisi. U ncontru ccù-Ssalvu Maltisi fu mpurtanti, picchì u libbru ca m’arrialau mi fici canusciri megghiu u pinzeri ri Canepa, stu cummattenti mistiriusu ca luttau assai, nun sulu ppâ Sicilia nnipinnenti ma macari e suprattuttu contr’u fascismu, e cc’arresta suntanziarmenti nâ l’ùmmira râ storia. Su ppì-Tturi Giulianu ficiru libbra, canzuna, documentari, e macari filmi ri Hollywood, ppì-Ccanepa n confrontu c’è picca e-nnenti.2 Dopu quarchi annu rô me ncuntru ccù-Tturiddu Maltisi, nta stati rô 2013, nta na chiazza ri Catania attuppai nta na bancareddha ri libbra, canuscì a-Nnello Gurgone, n libbraru ca mi vinnìu n volumi ri Natale Turco, L’essenza della questione siciliana. Na ddhu libbru, comu epìgrafi c’era sta puisìa, scritta ri n certu Turi Lima:

Lu to coddu, matri, si torci mentri gridi di figghi marturiati spàccanu li petri di li munti. Stinnuti supra n-lettu di spini lu Dirittu e la Storia. Lu sangu di Canepa abbiviràu la terra di Randazzu, cori di Sicilia. E lu ventu ccu mia

64 Arba Sicula XXXVII Collecting Breadcrumbs: Canepa, Turi Lima and Salvu Maltisi1

by Marcello Messina

e are all abroad. The more we try to recuperate the ties with our Widentity, the less time we have to do it – ten days, one week per year, and then we have to get back again to where we live and work. This year it is ten years I have been away from Sicily: I left in 2006 and stayed in Turin for a year, then England, Australia, and now Brazil. In these ten years I have tried to learn about our history, and little by little, I have met a few people who taught me some important things. In June 2011, I went to Murazzu Ruttu, a rural suburb in the town of Randazzo. In Murazzu Ruttu people commemorate every year the death of Antonio Canepa, Carmelo Rosano e Giuseppe Lo Giudice, the militants of the EVIS (Voluntary Army for Sicilian Independence) who were killed there by the carabinieri (Italian military police) in 1945. There I met a man who gave me a book, a reprint of Canepa’s pamphlet “La Sicilia ai Siciliani” (authored under the pseudonym of Mario Turri): his name was Turiddu Lo Casto, also known as Salvu Maltisi. The encounter with Salvu Maltisi proved important, as the book he gave me helped me familiarize myself with Canepa’s political thought. An enigmatic militant, Canepa fought a lot of battles, not only for the independence of Sicily, but also, and most notably, against fascism. Despite all of this, Canepa remains a marginal figure in official history. Whereas Salvatore Giuliano inspired books, songs, documentaries and even Hollywood movies, there is almost nothing about Canepa.2 A few years after my encounter with Salvu Maltisi, in the summer of 2013, I was in a piazza in Catania, and stumbled upon a bookstand. I met Nello Gurgone, a bookseller who sold me a volume by Natale Turco, L’essenza della questione siciliana (The Essence of the Sicilian Question). As an epigraph to that book there was a poem, written by someone called Turi Lima:

Your neck, mother, bends while cries of tortured children crack the stones of the mountains. Laid on a bed of thorns are Law and History. Canepa’s blood soaked the land of Randazzo, Arba Sicula XXXVII 65 grida giustizia. (Turi Lima)3

Accussì m’addhunai ri stu pueta, na vuci, macari chissa, scurdata, urricata sutta a munzignarìa ri na Sicilia sempri estragna â sò storia, sempri addurmis- ciuta. Nun sulu-ll’avemu, na storia, ma avemu macari pueti e cantastorij ca â cuntaru, sta storia, e-cc’arrestunu ammucciati ccù iddha. Sta puisìa ri Turi Lima parra ggiustu ggiustu ri sta quistioni, rô fattu ca a nostra storia, i nostri battagghij, e macari i nostri morti, ponu jittari schigghi ri rintra “li petri di li munti”, ma nuddhu i senti, menu râ nostra “matri” terra, ca si vota turcennu u coddhu ppì scutarili, e menu rô “ventu”, ca “grida giustizia” nzemmula ccô pueta e ccu na pocu ri nuatri. Nô mentri ca jittamu schigghi, e nuddhu ni scuta, a nostra terra arresta assappanata ri sangu, e i nostri diritti arrestanu “stinnuti supra n-lettu ri spini”, comu rici a puisìa. Nâ sta manera zzoccù ni tuccassi ppì-ggiustizzia su spartunu ni quarchi autra banna. Ogni tanticchia quarcunu fa a vuci rossa supra u fattu ca avemu nu Statutu, m-pattu ri paci ccù-ll’Italia varagnatu macari e suprattuttu ccô sangu ri Canepa, e ca u Statu Talianu, allocu r’arrispittari stu Statutu, n’arrobba ogni annu n munzeddhu ri miliardi. Ma macari facennu a vuci rossa nun si cunchiuri nenti. Anzi, sempri cchiòssai ni cuntunu ca semu nuatri c’arrubbamu, mentri ni lassunu senza survizzi e nfrastrutturi, strati, treni, e ni levunu macari i scoli e i spitali. E semu tutti pari fora, appress’ô travagghju. Turiddu Maltisi stava n Calabria ppì-ccircari ri nun stari troppu fora râ Sicilia e travagghjava nê campi ppì-ppicca sordi. Morsi ca n’aveva mancu 40 anni, ri na malatìa ê purmuna, nta nu spitali ri Palermu, nâ primavera rô 2014. A sò saluti ava mpijuratu ri quarchi annu macari ppô fattu ca era tantu poveru. Ccù-ttuttu ca era malatu, Turiddu ieva sempri nê manifestazzioni ppâ nnipinnenza râ Sicilia, nzinu a quarchi simana prima ri mòriri, ccù-ddui bummuli r’ossiggenu appressu e i tubba pp’arrispirari. Turiddu luttava ppâ só terra iarmatu sulu ra sò “povertà combattente”.4 Pinsannu ê versi ri Turi Lima, un mi pari ri sbagghiari su-ddicu ca c’è macari u sangu ri Turiddu Maltisi, nzemmula ccù cchiddhu ri Canepa e-ddi tanti autri, ca abbìvira a nostra terra.

Nascivi e sugnu carni di sta terra e si moru non mori la me terra Ccu li so’ granni vrazza - matri simenza vita – idda m’abbrazza e ju diventu terra e dugnu acqua a li ciumi e linfa a la sipàla e civu all’aceddi

66 Arba Sicula XXXVII hearth of Sicily. And the wind, with me, cries for justice. (Turi Lima).3

In this way I came to know about this poet. Again, it is a forgotten voice, buried under the lie of a passive Sicily, constantly extraneous to its history. Not only do we have a history, we also have poets and storytellers who con- stantly narrate this history, and that constantly remain neglected. This poem by Turi Lima addresses precisely this issue, i.e., the fact that our history and our struggles remain relegated to oblivion, and that our dead might as well scream from inside “the stones of the mountains,” but nobody listens, except our motherland that turns towards them, and except the wind, that “cries for justice” together with the poet and a few others. While we scream, and while nobody listens, our land remains soaked in blood, and our rights remain “laid on a bed of thorns”, as in the poem. In this way, what would be due to us by right gets sent somewhere else. Every now and then someone raises his voice about the fact that we have a Statute of Autonomy, a peace treaty with Italy gained also with Canepa’s blood, and that Italy, instead of abiding by this Statute, steals a few of billions from us every year. But even raising one’s voice does not have any effect. If anything, we get more and more told that we are the ones who steal, while they leave us without infrastructure, roads, trains, and shut down more and more hospitals and schools. And thus we are all away, in search of work. Salvu (Turiddu) Maltisi lived in Calabria to stay closer to Sicily, and worked in the fields for little money. He died from a lung disease in Palermo, in spring 2014, less than 40 years old. His health had worsened in the last years of his life, also due to his limited income. Even with his illness, Turiddu kept turning up at meetings, rallies and demon- strations with oxygen tanks and a nasal cannula to breath, up until a few weeks before his death. Turiddu fought for his land, equipped only with his “militant poverty”.4 Thinking about Turi Lima’s verses, it is perhaps not inappropriate to say that Turiddu Maltisi’s blood is there too to soak our land, together with that of Canepa and many others.

I was born and I am the flesh of this earth and if I die my land does not die. With her big arms – mother seed life – she embraces me and I become earth and give water to the rivers and lymph to the plants

Arba Sicula XXXVII 67 e nivi alla muntagna e restu vivu nzemi alla me terra. (Turi Lima)5

U funirali ri Turiddu Maltisi si celebbrau a Misilmeri, nâ sò citati natali. U só tabbutu era cummigghjatu nta na bannera siciliana, gialla e russa, ccâ Tr- inacria. Tanti cumpagni ri-bbattagghia ri Turiddu, presenti nô funirali, macari sbintuliavunu banneri siciliani ppì-ssalutallu, nzemmula macari a banneri di l’EVIS e banneri sardi.

U funirali ri Turiddu Lo Casto a Misilmeri, 30/04/2014.

Quarchi-mmisi arreri m’ncuntrai ccù-Mmario Di Mauro, rô Muvimentu Terra e Liberazione, ca pubblica macari nu ggiurnali ccô stissu nnomu. Mario mi resi nu-nnùmmuru rô ggiurnali Terra e Liberazione rô misi ri jinnaru rô 2000, addidicatu interamenti ê puisìi di Turi Lima. Ri ddhocu addicidì ri partiri ppì- ccircari ri junciri n’edizzioni critica e integrali rê sò puisìi. Attruvari nformazioni supra a Turi Lima è-ddifficili e i sò ddui libbra ri puisìi, “Ju, peddi scura” e “Fora”, non s’attrovunu a nuddha banna. Mario Di Mauro cunta ca “malgrado [Lima] abbia vinto decine di premi e ricevuto non poche proposte editoriali, ha sempre pubblicato le sue cose stampandosele col caro vecchio ciclostile”. 6 U veru nnomu ri Turi Lima era Venero Maccarrone, collaborau ccù-Ccanepa na l’anni ’40,7 e funnau u Centro Studi Storico-Sociali Siciliani e a radio Antenna Trinacria nzemmula ccù-Nnatale Turco.8 Morsi no dicemmuru do 1996, a st’annu fanu vint’anni. Suddhu arrinesciu a purtari avanti stu proiettu ri edizzioni critica ri Turi Lima, u vogghiu fari nâ mimoria ri Turiddu Maltisi. Comu Canepa e Lima, Turiddu morsi cuntinuannu a luttari isulatu, ppì na giustizzia ca a-ppicca genti cci antaressa. Comu Canepa e Lima, e comu na pocu ri autri, si misi nu nnomu ri bbattagghia, e ccù stu nnomu cummattíu appiddaveru nzinu â so morti. A

68 Arba Sicula XXXVII and food to the birds and snow to the mountain and I stay alive together with my land (Turi Lima)5

Turiddu Maltisi’s funeral was celebrated in Misilmeri, his hometown. His coffin was wrapped in the Sicilian flag, red and yellow, with the Triskelion. Many of Turiddu’s comrades, who were at the funeral, waved Sicilian flags too, together with Sardinian and EVIS flags, in homage to him.

The funeral of Turiddu Lo Casto in Misilmeri, 04/ 30/2014.

A few months ago I met Mario Di Mauro, leader of the movement Terra e Liberazione, which also publishes a bulletin with the same name. Mario gave me an issue of the bulletin from January 2000, entirely dedicated to Turi Lima’s poetry. That was when I decided to try to redact a critical edition of Lima’s poems. Finding information on Turi Lima’s two poetry collections, “Ju, peddi scura” and “Fora”, is very difficult. Mario Di Mauro reports that “although [Lima] won many prizes and received several editorial proposals, he always self-published his work using the good old mimeograph.”6 Lima’s real name was Venero Maccarrone; he collaborated with Canepa in the 1940s,7 and founded the Centro Studi Storico-Sociali Sicilani and the radio station Antenna Trina- cria together with Natale Turco.8 Lima died in December, 1996, twenty years before this year. If this project of a critical edition of Lima’s poems goes through, I want to dedicate it to the memory of Turiddu Maltisi. Like Canepa and Lima, Turiddu kept fighting until his death for a cause that only matters to a few people. Like Canepa/Turri, Lima and a few others, he picked a battle pseudonym and kept fighting under this name. For now, all that is left to us is the mere consolation

Arba Sicula XXXVII 69 nuatri, ppaccamora, n’arresta sulu u cunottu ri cummigghiari i tabbuti rê nostri morti ccâ nostra bannera.

Ccà ogni petra è un chiantu, ogni chiantu è un ciuri, ogni ciuri è na spina, ogni spina è na lancia chiantata nta lu cori: ogni cori è carni scippata a sta terra ca batti, pàlpitu, n-sintunìa ccu la me ànima, ca voli amuri, ca voli giustizia (Turi Lima)9

(Notes) 1 “Arricampu / muddichi” è u cumenzu ri na puisìa ri Turi Lima chiamata “La me língua”. Turi Lima, “La me língua”. Terra e Liberazione, anno XV, jinnaru 2000, p. 2. 2 A parti n romanzu ri Silvana La Spina, L’ultimo treno da Catania. Bompiani, Milanu, 1992. E macari dduj libbra novi ri Salvo Barbagallo: Antonio Canepa. Ultimo atto. Bonanno, Acireale e Roma, 2012, e L’uccisione di Antonio Canepa. Bonanno, Acireale e Roma, 2012, e picca autri cosi. 3 Turi Lima, “E lu ventu”. In Natale Turco, L’essenza della questione siciliana: storia e diritto, 1812-1983. Centro Studi Storico-Sociali Siciliani, Catania, 1983, p. 17. 4 Terra e Liberazione, “Salvatore Lo Casto”. 2014 https://terraeliberazione. wordpress.com/2014/05/02/salvatore-lo-casto/ 5 Turi Lima, “E restu vivu”. Terra e Liberazione, anno XV, jinnaru 2000, p. 17. 6 Mario di Mauro, “Turi Lima: un cantu novu pâ patria siciliana”. Terra e Liberazione, anno XV, jinnaru 2000, p. 2. 7 Ibidem. 8 Orazio Vasta, “Turi Lima come Aristofane”. Siciliamedia.com. http://www. siciliamedia.com/memories/radio/catania/antennatrinacria/antennatrinacria.htm 9 Turi Lima, “Ccà ogni petra è”. Terra e Liberazione, anno XV, jinnaru 2000, p. 4.

70 Arba Sicula XXXVII of wrapping our dead in our flag.

Here every stone is a cry, every cry is a flower, every flower Is a thorn, every thorn Is a spear stuck in the heart: every heart is flesh pulled from this land that beats, this pang, in tune with my soul, that demands love, that demands justice (Turi Lima)9

Notes 1 “I recover / breadcrumbs” [“Arricampu / muddichi”] is the incipit of a poem by Turi Lima, “La me língua”. Terra e Liberazione, year XV, January 2000, p. 2. 2 Notable exceptions are a novel by Silvana La Spina, L’ultimo treno da Catania. Bompiani, Milanu, 1992. And two recent books by Salvo Barbagallo: Antonio Canepa. Ultimo atto. Bonanno, Acireale; Rome, 2012, e L’uccisione di Antonio Canepa. Bonanno, Acireale; Rome, 2012, 3 Turi Lima, “E lu ventu”. In Natale Turco, L’essenza della questione siciliana: storia e diritto, 1812-1983. Centro Studi Storico-Sociali Siciliani, Catania, 1983, p. 17. 4 Terra e Liberazione, “Salvatore Lo Casto”. 2014 https://terraeliberazione.wordpress.com/2014/05/02/salvatore-lo-casto/ 5 Turi Lima, “E restu vivu”. Terra e Liberazione, year XV, January 2000, p. 17. 6 Mario di Mauro, “Turi Lima: un cantu novu pâ patria siciliana”. Terra e Liberazione, year XV, January 2000, p. 2. 7 Ibidem. 8 Orazio Vasta, “Turi Lima come Aristofane”. Siciliamedia.com. http://www.siciliamedia.com/memories/radio/catania/antennatrinacria/ antennatrinacria.htm 9 Turi Lima, “Ccà ogni petra è”. Terra e Liberazione, year XV, January 2000, p. 4.

Arba Sicula XXXVII 71 Lu Vangelu secunnu Matteu

di Alessio Patti

’annu passatu un giuvini miricanu mi dumannau si sapeva si la Bibbia Lavissi statu tradotta in sicilianu. Sapennu ca li Siciliani mpararu lu catechismu oralmenti ascutannu li parrini c’avianu libbra scritti in talianu pi iddi e in sicilianu pi li parrucchiani, pinzaiu ca la Bibbia ca è lu libbru chiù tradottu ntô munnu, avissi a esistiri in sicilianu. Ma ammatula fici tanti ricerchi nun ni potti truvari una. Però facennu sta ricerca truvaiu un libbru ca duna un mpurtanti contribbutu a lu sicilianu. Si tratta di Lu Vangelu di secunnu Matteu, tradottu di Alessio Patti e pubblicatu di Algra Editore a Viagrande (Catania). Lu libbru costa 15 eruro e fu stampatu in formatu bilingui (Sicilianu/Talianu). Nta li misi passati haju avutu modu di comunicari cu Alessiu ca traduciu lu libbru nun sulu comu servizziu a tutti chiddi ca amanu sta lingua, ma puru comu attu di carità pi li picciriddi dû munnu. Infatti li sordi ricugghiuti di la vinnita dû libbru sunnu dunati a dda granni rganizzazioni ntirnaziunali “Save the Children” (Sarvamu li picciriddi.) D’accussì cu s’accatta na copia dû libbru nun sulu mpara la palora di Gesu Cristu in sicilianu ma cuntribbuisci puru a na bona causa. Chiddu chi segui ora è na brevi recenzioni dû libru e poi un capitulu sanu di lu Vangelu secunnu Matteu, precisamenti lu capitulu 5, Li Biatitudini. Nta lu jornu di Pasqua, 27 aprili, 2016, pigghiò vita la pubbli- cazioni di Vangelu secunnu Matteu - Algra Edizioni - Traduzioni di lu testu di la Cunfirenza Episcopali Italiana (C.E.I.) in lingua siciliana a cura di Alessio Patti, pueta, drammaturgu e cummediografu sicilianu. La Parola di Diu è allibirtata. Di stu mumentu la putemu lèggiri e ascutari puru nta la lingua siciliana, augurannu chi prestu ogni àutru populu pozza ascutarila e liggirila nta la propria lingua. Ha statu nicissariu pi l’omu vecchiu ascutari la Parola di Diu nta la propria lin- gua, pirchì Diu è accussì chi sa fa capiri e ama parrari a l’omini, nta la so lingua. Puru pi l’omu novu è nicissariu scupriri la Palora di Diu nta la propria lingua; ascutannula oggi nta lu sicilianu illustri, nta la lingua di li nostri patri e di li pueti, ci allinghi d’emozioni li sensi e lu spiritu, alluminannu di novu spirluciu la nostra fidi. La Palora, liggiuta e ascutata nta sta nova luci, duna a li siciliani (e non sulu ad iddi) nova càlimi all’arma, spingennu lu Credu a chiù àuti cumprensioni. Riligennula nta la lingua nativa pirmetti a tutti di tràsiri in cunfi- denza e ntimità cu lu sèntiri di Diu, di òtteniri lu sbriu attraversu cui Diu parra e si duna pi raggiungiri senza distinzioni ogni omu. Nta la Prifazioni, lu Prufissuri Giovanni Vecchio scrivi:

72 Arba Sicula XXXVII The Gospel According to Matthew

by Alessio Patti

ome time last year a young man asked me if I knew of a Sicilian Bible. SKnowing that Sicilians in the past learned their catechism orally from the priests who had books written in Italian for them and in Sicilian for the parishioners, I concluded that the Bible, the most translated book in the world, had to have been translated into Sicilian. But in spite of my efforts to find a translation, my search proved to be fruitless. However, in my research I did find a book that is an important contribution to Sicilian. It is the Gospel According to Matthew, translated into Sicilian by Alessio Patti and published by Algra editore, in Viagrande (Catania). The book costs 15 euros and is in bilingual form (Sicil- ian/Italian). I have been communicating with Alessio Patti who translated the book as an act of service not only to those who love the Sicilian language, but also as an act of charity for the children of the world. In fact, the proceeds from the sale of the book will be donated to the international organization “Save the Children.” Thus if you want to buy the book, you will also be contributing to a good cause. What follows is a brief review of the book and then the full chapter five of the Gospel According to Matthew that contains the Beatitudes in Sicilian. We have added a standard English translation. The publication The Gospel According to Matthew was completed on Easter day, April 27, 2016. It was published by Algra Edizioni with the translation of the text by the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI) in a Sicilian language version translated by Alessio Patti, a Sicilian poet and playwright. The word of God has been freed. From this moment on we can read it and hear it also in Sicilian, and we hope that soon all other people of the world can listen to it and read it in their own languages. It was important for men of old to hear the word of God in their own language because this was the way that God liked to communicate with people and make himself understood. But it is also necessary for modern man to discover the word of God in his own language; listening to it today in the illustrious Sicilian, in the language of our ancestors and of the poets, fills our senses and our souls with emotions, illuminating our faith with new brightness. The Word, read or heard in this new light, brings Sicilians (and not only Sicilians) a new calm in their souls, heightening their understanding. Reading the Word again in one’s native tongue, allows everyone to enter a sphere of trust and intimacy with God’s sentiments. In the preface, Professor Giovanni Vecchio writes:

Arba Sicula XXXVII 73 “…A liveddu popolari, nonostanti l’apprittanti forma di lu linguaggiu di li media, oggi resta fermu particolarmenti nta taluni zoni di la nostra Isula, e specialmenti tra li adulti e anziani, l’usu di lu dialettu nta li so’ varii articolazioni locali. Però la lingua utilizzata da Alessio Patti nta sta traduzioni di lu talianu a lu sicilianu spingi a dari na dimensioni comunicativa a lu linguaggiu chi sùpira i particolarismi p’accustàrisi a na liniari purizza littiraria chi assicura la piacevulizza di la scrittura e di la littura”.

E ancora iddu scrivi:

“Priparamuni, dunca, cu animu sinceru a rileggiri la vita di Gesu Cristu, tramiti Matteu, nta la nostra lingua siciliana; ni ricivemu sicuramenti tantu beni spirituali, ma puru vivemu di novu lu cuntu ripigghiannu puru la nostra identità di abitanti di st’Isula, senza provincialismi, anzi spalancati a li valuri universali”.

Matteu- Capitulu 5

2. Discursu Evangelicu: Li Biatitudini

[l]Vidennu tutta dda genti, Gesù acchianò supra a la muntagna e s’assittò. Ad iddu s’allataru li so’ discepoli. [2]Allura accuminciò a parrari e ad ammaistrari dicennu: [3]«Biati li poviri in spiritu, pirchì di iddi e lu regnu di li celi. [4]Biati l’afflitti, pirchì sunnu cunsulati. [5]Biati i mansi, pirchì ereditanu la terra. [6]Biati chiddi chi hannu fami e siti di justizia, pirchì veninu saziati. [7]Biati li misiricordiusi, pirchì attrovanu misiricordia. [8]Biati li puri di cori, pirchì vidunu a Diu. [9]Biati l’opiraturi di paci, pirchì sunnu chiamati figghi di Diu. [10]Biati li pirsicuitati pi causa di la justizia, pirchì di iddi e lu regnu di li celi. [l1]Biati vuatri quannu vi nsultanu, vi pirsecutanu e, dicennu munzignarii, sintenzianu ogni sorta di mali contru di vuatri pi causa mia. [12]Ralligrativi e prijativi, pirchì granni è la vostra ricumpensa nta li celi. D’accussì nfatti hannu pirsicutatu li prufeti prima di vuatri. [13]Vuatri siti lu sali di la terra; ma siddu lu sali pirdissi lu sapuri, cu chi cosa lu si putissi renniri salatu? A nenti sirvissi si non ad essiri jittatu e scarpisatu

74 Arba Sicula XXXVII “At the popular levels, today, in spite of the fact that there is a movement for the language to become more uniform thanks to the media, the use of the dialect in all its various forms and local differences, remains strong, especially among the older generations and adults. But the language used by Alessio Patti in this translation from Italian into Sicilian tried to follow a communicative goal which goes beyond the local differences to achieve a certain linear literary purity that ensures enjoyment and understanding of the text.”

Furthermore, professor Vecchio writes,

“Let us prepare ourselves with a sincere heart to reread in our Sicilian idiom the life of Jesus Christ, according to Matthew; we will certainly receive valuable spiritual insights, but we will also relive the story of Christ, recapturing our own identity as inhabitants of this island without chauvinism, but opened to universal values.”

Matthew- Chapter V

The Beatitudes

1. AND seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: 2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. 10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. 13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt has lost its savour, wherewith

Arba Sicula XXXVII 75 di l’omini. [14]Vuatri siti la luci di lu munnu; non po ristari ammucciata na cità situata supra a ‘n munti, [15]né s›adduma na lumera sutta a la vutti, ma supra a lu lucernali pi fari luci a tutti chiddi chi sunnu ntra la casa. [16]D’accussì splenni la vostra luci davanti a l’omini, pirchì vardinu li vostri boni opiri e renninu gloria a lu Patri vostru chi è nta li celi.

Lu cumpimentu di li leggi

[17]Non pinsati chi ju vinni ad abuliri la liggi a li Prufeti; non vinni p’abuliri, ma pi dari cumpimentu. [18] In verità vi dicu: finu a quannu non passunu ec lu e terra, non passa mancu na spilagghia a ‘n signu di la liggi, senza chi tuttu è chiumputu. [19]Cu’ dunca non ubbidisci a unu sulu di sti pricetti, puru minimi, e nsi- gna a l’omini a fari lu stissu, veni cunsidiratu minimu nta lu regnu di li celi. Cu’ nveci li prattica e li nsigna a l’omini, è cunsidiratu granni nta lu regnu di li celi.

76 Arba Sicula XXXVII shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

The Fulfillment of the Laws

17 “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the

Arba Sicula XXXVII 77 La nova justizia supiriuri a chidda antica

[20]Giacchì ju vi dicu: siddu la vostra justizia non supira chidda di li scribi e di li farisei, non trasiti nta lu regnu di li celi. [21]Sapiti zoccu dissiru a l’antichi: Non accidiri; cu accidi è suttapostu a giudiziu. [22]Ma ju vi dicu: cu’ s’arraggia contru lu propriu frati, è suttapostu a giudiziu. Cu’ dici poi a so frati: scunchiudutu: è suttapostu a lu sinedriu; e cu› ci dici: foddi, è suttapostu a lu focu di la Geenna. [23]Siddu dunca prisenti la to offerta supra a l’altaru e ddà t’arricordi chi to frati avi qualchi cosa contru di tia, [24]lassa ddà lu to donu davanti a l›altaru e va’ prima a rappacificariti cu to frati e poi torna a prisintari lu to donu. [25] Mettiti prestu d’accordu cu lu to nimicu mentri si’ pi strata cu iddu, pirchì lu nimicu non ti cunsigni a lu giudici e lu giudici a lu vardianu e tu veni jittatu nta na prigiuni. [26] In verità ti dicu: non nesci di ddà finu a quannu tu non hai pavatu finu a l’ultimu spicciulu! [27]Aviti ntisu chi fu dittu: Non cummettiri adulteriu; [28]ma ju vi dicu: cu’ varda na donna pi disiddirarila, ha già cummessu adulteriu cu idda nta lu so cori. [29]Siddu lu to occhiu drittu ti prucura scannulu, scippulu e jittalu luntanu di tia: cunveni chi mori uno di li to’ organi, chiuttostu ca tuttu lu to corpu veni jittatu ni la Geenna. [30]E siddu la to manu dritta ti prucura scannulu, tagghiala e jettila luntanu di tia: cunveni chi mori unu di li to’ organi, chiuttostu ca tuttu lu to corpu veni jittatu ni la Geenna. [31] Fu puru dittu: Cu’ rifiuta la propria muggheri, ci dassi l’attu di rifiutu; [32] ma ju vi dicu: cu’ rifiuta a so muggheri, eccettu lu casu di concubinatu, l’esponi a l’adulteriu e cu’ sposa na ripudiata, cummetti adulteriu. [33]Sapiti zoccu dissiru a l’antichi: Non spirgiurari ma sudisfa cu lu Signuri li to’ giuramenti; [34]ma ju vi dicu: non giurati mai: né pi lu celu, pirchì e lu tronu di Diu; [35]né pi la terra, pirchì e lu sgabellu pi li so’ pedi; né pi Gemsalemmi, pirchì e la cità di lu granni re. [36]Non giurari mancu pi la to testa, pirchì non hai lu putiri di renniri jancu 0 niru ‘n sulu capiddu. [37]Lu vostru parrari ha essiri sì, sì; no, no; lu chiù veni di lu malignu. [38]Sapiti chi fu dittu: Occhiu pi occhiu e denti pi denti; [39]ma ju vi dicu di non risistiri a lu malvagiu; anzi si unu ti duna na 78 Arba Sicula XXXVII kingdom of heaven.” A Superior Righteousness

20 “For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. 21 Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, ‘Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:’ 22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, ‘Raca,’ shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. 23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; 24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. 25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whilst thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. 26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing. 27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, ‘Thou shalt not commit adultery’: 28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. 29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 31 It hath been said, ‘Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement’: 32 But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery. 33 Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, ‘Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths’: 34 But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne:

Arba Sicula XXXVII 79 vastunata nta mascidda dritta, tu dacci puru l’autra; [40]e a cu’ ti voli chiamari in giudiziu pi livariti la tunica, tu lassici puru la mantella. [41]E si unu ti custringi a fari ‘n migghiu, tu fanni cu iddu dui. [42]Da a cu’ t’addumanna e a cu’ disiddira di tia ‘n prestitu non ci vutari li spaddi. [43]Sapiti chi fu dittu: Ama lu to prossimu e odia lu to nimicu; [44]ma ju vi dicu: amati Ii vostri nimici e prijati pi cu’ vi pirsecuta, [45]pirchì siti figghi di lu Patri vostru cilesti, chi fa jisari lu suli supra a li malvagi e supra a li boni, e fa chioviri supra li giusti e supra li non giusti. [46]Nfatti si amati a chiddi chi vi amanu, quali meritu n’aviti? Non fannu d’accussì puru li pubblicani? [47]E si dati lu salutu sulu a li vostri frati, chi cosa faciti di straordinariu? Non fannu d’accussì puru li pagani? [48]Siti dunca pirfetti com’è pirfettu lu vostru Patri cilesti.”

80 Arba Sicula XXXVII 35 Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. 36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. 37 But let your communication be, ‘Yea, yea; Nay, nay’: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. 38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth’: 39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.. 40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. 41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. 42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. 43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.’ 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans dothe same? 47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? Do not even the publicans so? 48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”

Arba Sicula XXXVII 81 Li cosi duci siciliani: na storia nteressanti di Rodo Santoro

Prima di riciviri na copia dû libbru di Rodo Santoro, Dolce e sacro: Storia dei dolci siciliani, jo canusceva l’opira di Santoro pirchì iddu avia fattu li illust- razioni pi La cucina siciliana di Gaetano Basile ca jo avia tradottu e pubblicatu pi Arba Sicula na para d’anni fa. Lu libbru fu mannatu a tutti li soci di Arba Sicula comu supplementu a la rivista. Lu novu libbru di Santoro rivela nautru aspettu di stu artista di tanti talenti. Mentri lu libbru è illustratu di immagini ca si ricanusciunu subbitu comu opira di Santoro pi lu so stili ca nun si pò cunfunniri cu autri e pi l’usu di culuri brillanti, lu testu scrittu rivela un scritturi

Li cosi duci eranu ufferti a li dei pi otteniri quacchi grazzia e avevanu puru valuri comu midicinali.

82 Arba Sicula XXXVII Sicilian Sweets: An Interesting Story by Rodo Santoro

Before receiving a copy of Rodo Santoro’s new book, Dolce e sacro: storia dei dolci siciliani, I was familiar with his work as he had illustrated the book Sicilian Cuisine by Gaetano Basile that I had translated and published for Arba Sicula some years back. The book was sent to all members of Arba Sicula as a supplement to the journal. Santoro’s new book reveals another aspect of this multitalented artist. While the book is also illustrated with images that are easily recognizable as Santoro’s because of his unmistakable style and use of vivid colors,

Honey was the most common sweetener of the ancient world. Naturally they used also cinnamon, as well as the fructose of fruits. It was believed to possess curative powers.

Arba Sicula XXXVII 83 accativanti ca parra cu na vuci forti li cui opinioni sunnu sustinuti di ricerca cunvincenti. Rodo Santoro scrissi un’opira riflessiva ca genera riflessioni ca avissi a essiri liggiuta di tutti i Siciliani, ma forsi avissi a essiri liggiuta chiù di l’autri e specialmenti di chiddi ca nun sunnu siciliani ca hannu sempri ricevutu na versioni di la storia siciliana di l’urtimi 160 anni nun basata supra li fatti ma supra li pregiudizzii e nterpretazioni sbagghiati. Nta la prefazioni, Santoro menziona du punti mpurtanti ca ci servunu comu guida pi arrivari a la ricostruzioni storica dû so suggettu: cu lu primu metti in dubbiu la pritisa ripituta tanti voti ca i Siciliani nun hannu fattu mai nenti di testa so e ca tuttu chiddu ca ha statu fattu in Sicilia ha statu fattu di forzi esterni. Chista è la lezzioni ca ci hannu nzignatu di sempri a li Siciliani. Tuttu chiddu ca di beddu esisti nta l’isula, secunnu sta lezzioni, fu criatu di autri ca nun eranu siciliani. La lista di li nvasuri e colonizzaturi si ripeti ad nauseam: Greci, Santoro dedicates much space to the role of the nuns in the Rumani, Bizzantini, creation of Sicilian sweets. Arabi, Normanni ecc. Fu lu so geniu ca pro- duciu li granni cosi ca si vidunu nta l’isula, almenu comu cunta la storia. Santoro contra- bbatti sta opinioni di- cennu ca è fausa pirchì i Siciliani hannu cun- tribbuitu assai a lo so civilizzazioni. (Si mi pozzu pirmettiri di junciri un riferimentu a lu me travagghiu, pozzu diri ca nta na para di articuli comu chiddu supra “La Gre- cia e la Sicilia” haju dimustratu ca la strata dâ cultura nun fu in sensu unicu di la Gre- cia versu la Sicilia. I Siciliani contribbueru assai a la cultura greca. I Greci ca vinniru in Sicilia divintaru sicil-

84 Arba Sicula XXXVII the text revealed an en- gaging writer who speaks with a strong voice and buttresses his opinions with convincing re- search. Rodo Santoro has written a thoughtful and thought-provoking book that ought to be read by all Sicilians, but perhaps it should be read more by everyone else, especially non-Sicilians, who have been presented by writers of the past 160 years with a history that is often not grounded on facts, but on prejudice and inac- curate interpretations. In the preface, Santoro makes two im- portant points that will guide him through the historical reconstruction of his subject: in the first he takes issue with the often repeated claim that Saint Joseph and the sfinci that are usually served to Sicilians have never been commemorate his feast. the masters of their fate and that everything they have managed to build has been given to them by external forces. This is the lesson that Sicilians have been taught throughout. Everything that is beautiful and good on the island, according to this lesson, was produced by other than Sicilians. The list of invaders and colonizers is repeated ad nauseam: Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, etc… It was their genius that produced the great things that one can see around the island, as the story goes. Santoro takes issue with this premise which he considers false because Sicilians have contributed a great deal to their civilization. (If I may be permitted an aside and refer to my own work, I have tried to show in a number of essays such as “Sicily and Greece” that the road of culture was not on a one- way street from Greece to Sicily. Sicilians contributed greatly to Greek culture

Arba Sicula XXXVII 85 iani comu dissi Ermocrati di Gela quannu ntô 424 AC dichiarau, “Niautri nun semu né Ionii né Dorii: niautri semu siciliani!”, mentri travagghiavanu pi lu trattatu di paci cu li Greci.) Tutti li cosi granni ca i Siciliani hannu fattu e la cui validità storica ha statu ricanusciuta di l’UNESCO dichiarannuli lochi di retaggiu dû munnu—ca sunnu chiù numirusi in Sicilia di tanti autri reggioni taliani—cunfermanu ca i Siciliani hannu raggiuni di essiri orgugliusi di zoccu hannu costruitu. Santoro scrivi ca i novi guverni unitarii ca vinniru doppu l’annessioni dâ Sicilia nta lu statu talianu nta lu 1860 eranu cunvinti ca i Siciliani eranu bar- bari sangunarii, banditi ca avianu a essiri ammaistrati cuminciannu di zeru. Li rivoluzioni dû 1820 e 1848, ca foru animati di di lu disidderiu di ndipinnenza, puru l’avvinturi garibaldina ca tanti sustenniru pirchì pinzavanu ca avissi purtatu sullevu e la fini a l’oppressioni, la rivoluzioni di luSetti e menzu, ca fu la riazioni contru li promissi mai mantinuti, avianu cunvinciutu a li invasuri nordici ca i Siciliani eranu sarvaggi e avianu a essiri rieducati pi viviri nta na sucietà moderna. Lu cannolu sicilianu veni assuciatu cu la festa di Carnaluari e Santoro manteni ca nta li havi ovvii connotazioni erotichi. urtimi 160 anni i Siciliani hannu suffertu na cam- pagna cuntinua miranti a cancillari la so pirsunalità storica. Santoro la chiama “espropriazioni” e dici ca tocca ogni aspettu dâ cultura siciliana.Niautri di Arba Sicula putemu certamenti cunfirmari ca la lingua siciliana ca è lu mezzu chiù mpurtanti tramiti lu quali si esprimi la cultura, ha statu at- taccata di quannu la Si- cilia divintau taliana. Lu fattu ca i Siciliani criaru lu primu muvimentu pueti- cu in Italia tramiti la Scola Siciliana e nvintaru un novu linguaggiu littirariu veni rapprisentatu mali e spissu mancu minzi- unatu. Mentri la maggior

86 Arba Sicula XXXVII as well. The Greeks who came to Sicily became Sicilians as Hermocrates of Gela said in 424 BC, “We are neither Ionians nor Dorians, we are Sicilians,” as they were negotiating a peace treaty with the Greeks.) All the great things that Sicil- ians were able to accomplish and whose historical value has been validated by the numerous citations as UNESCO World Heritage sites —more numerous in Sicily than most other regions of Italy— confirm that Sicilians have reasons to be proud of what they have built. Santoro writes that the new unitarian governments that followed the an- nexation of Sicily into the Italian State after 1860 were convinced that Sicilians were bloody barbarians, bandits that had to be educated from scratch. The revo- lutions of 1820 and 1848 that were animated by a desire for independence, even the Garibaldian venture, which many supported because they thought it would bring relief and an end to oppression, the revolt of the Sette e mezzo, which was a reaction against the broken promises, had convinced the northern invaders that Sicilians were savages that needed to be retrained to live in a modern society. Santoro argues that Saint Lucy of Siracusa is celebrated by making the cuccìa, and Saint in the last 160 years Agatha of Catania with the sweet buns known as minni di virgini. Sicilians have been subjected to what he calls a campaign aimed at erasing the historical per- sonality of Sicily. Santoro calls this an “expropriation” which touches ev- ery aspect of liv- ing in Sicily. We at Arba Sicula can certainly confirm that the Sicilian language, which is one of the most important medi- ums through which that culture is ex- pressed, has been under attack since Sicily became Ital- ian. The fact that

Arba Sicula XXXVII 87 parti ammetti lu primatu dû sicilianu (lu stissu Dante dissi ca pi li primi 150 anni dâ littiratura taliana, cu scrissi puisia la scrissi in sicilianu), la lezzioni ca si tramanna nta li scoli è ca i Fiorentini raffinarunu lu sicilianu e criarunu na lingua chiù eleganti e cultivata di la quali vinni poi lu talianu. L’espropriazioni culturali ca ha statu fatta riguardu l’identità storica dî Siciliani e dâ so lingua ha statu praticata puru pi quantu riguarda la cucina reg- gionali. Santoro cunta ca nta l’anni 50 e 60 dû seculu passatu si unu ntraseva nta un risturanti a Palermu, o a Missina o a Catania, ci davanu a manciari chidda ca lu cocu lucali chiamava “cucina toscana”, ca era ovviamenti un modu di ammettiri ca la cucina siciliana era troppu scarsa pi putirilla serviri a visitaturi dû continenti. Un turista ca avissi vulutu canusciri la vera cucina siciliana avia a scuprilla nta li casi dâ genti, manciannu chiddu ca manciavanu iddi, senza ca iddi circassiru di fari bona fiura uffrennu piatta sofisticati, priparati usannu lu libbru di Pellegrino Artusi comu guida. Santoro afferma giustamenti ca i Siciliani hannu sempri saputu assai supra l’arti di cucinari. Duranti l’ebbica di l’imperu rumanu, un Rumanu riccu nun si puteva cunziddirari mpurtanti si nun avia cochi siciliani ntâ so casa. Nun c’è bisognu di ricurdari ca li primi libbra di cucina foru scritti di Siciliani. Cu tuttu chissu, la cucina siciliana fu vittima di dda campagna di cancillari lu passatu. La cucina siciliana fu riscuperta attornu a l’anni 70. Un bon numiru di libbra mpurtanti foru pubblicati in Italia supra lu manciari e supra li cosi duci pir cui la Sicilia è oramai famusa nta lu munnu. Scrivennu stu libbru, l’obbiettivu di Santoro ha statu di dari nfurmazioni chiù precisi riguardu la vita sociali e cummirciali di l’isula ca hannu avutu un rolu mpurtanti nta l’evoluzioni di li cosi duci siciliani. Lu libbru è divisu in dui capitoli: “Lu munnu anticu” chiamatu “l’età di lu meli” e “Lu novu munnu” ca iddu chiama “l’età di lu zuccaru”. Lu filu conduttori ca unisci è la ducizza dû manciari ca a lu principiu fu priparatu nun sulu pi dilettari lu palatu, ma puru pi uffririccillu a li dei. La prima parti offri n’analisi nteressanti dû rolu di li cosi duci nta la religioni, prima pi lu munnu anticu e doppu pi lu munnu cristianu. Li cosi duci eranu offerti a li dei pagani pi otteniri quacchi cosa e la pratica cuntinuau nta l’ebbica cristinana. Oltri a li so cunnessioni riligiusi, li cosi duci eranu cunziddirati comu midicinali ca putevanu curari varii malatii. Lu meli ca fu lu ngridienti primariu pi tanti cosi duci era cunziddiratu efficaci pi curari disfunzioni sessuali di l’omini e malincunia, mentri promuveva la fertilità di li fimmini. Pi la festa di Demetra e Cori, canusciuti comu li Tesmoforii, si sirveva na specia di fucaccia chiamata Mylloi ca avia la forma di l’organu sessuali fimminili cu ovviu riferimentu a la fertilità. Quaccaduna di sti tradizzioni resisti ancora puru ca lu significatu originali oramai si pirdiu. Pir esempiu Santoro cunta ca a Erici si servunu ancora sti fucacci ca iddi chiamanu Millidi duranti li matrimonii, probabilmenti senza addunarisi di la cunnessioni cu lu disidderiu di prupiziari

88 Arba Sicula XXXVII Sicilians created the first poetic movement in Italy through the Sicilian School, inventing a new literary language is often disregarded and misrepresented. While most acknowledge the primacy of the Sicilian language (Dante himself said for the first 150 years of Italian literature all poetry written in the country was written in Sicilian), the lesson taught in school is that the Florentines improved the Sicilian and created a more elegant and cultivated language that eventually became the Italian language. The cultural expropriation that has taken place as regards the historical identity of Sicilians and their language has occurred as well in regard to the regional cuisine. Santoro relates how in the 50’s and 60’s if someone went to a Sicilian restaurant in Palermo, Catania or Messina, he would be served what the local chefs called “cucina toscana,” which obviously implied that Sicilian cooking was not good enough to serve to a visitor from the continent. A visitor who wanted to know something about Sicilian cooking had to discover it in the homes of local people, eating what they ate normally without trying to impress their guests with fancier dishes that were concocted using Pellegrino Artusi’s cook book. Santoro rightly points out throughout his book that Sicilians have always known a great deal about the art of cooking. During the great days of the Roman empire, a wealthy Roman would not be considered important if he did not have Sicilian cooks serving his meals. We need not recall that the first cook books were written by Sicilians. Nevertheless, Sicilian cooking, like the other aspects of Sicilian culture, was a victim of the campaign to eradicate the past. Sicilian cuisine was rediscovered slowly beginning in the1970’s. A number of important books were published in Italy that focused on the traditional food and on the sweets for which Sicily has justly become famous. Santoro’s goal in writing this book was to clarify some historical facts relat- ing to the social and commercial life on the island that have played an important role in the evolution of Sicilian sweets. The book is essentially divided in two chapters entitled: “The Ancient World” which he calls “The Age of Honey” and “The New World,” which he calls “The Age of Sugar.” The thread that binds the book is obviously the sweetness of the food, which at the beginning was prepared not only to please the palate but also as an offer to the gods. The first part offers an interesting analysis of the role of the sweets as regards religion, first in the ancient world and then in the Christian world. Sweets were offered to the divinities of old to obtain something and the practice was continued in the Christian era. In addition to their religious connections, sweets were seen as having powers to cure a number of maladies. Honey, which was the key ingredient in many sweets, was thought to be effective as a cure for sexual disfunctions in men and for promoting fertility in women. In the feast in honor of Demeter and Kore, known as Tesmoforie, a kind of focaccia was served called

Arba Sicula XXXVII 89 la fertilità. Nta l’ebbica cristiana li tradizioni antichi nun scumpareru e foru adattati a la nova religioni. I cosi duci ca prima eranu assuciati a li dei pagani foru assuciati a li santi e a li festi cristiani. Lu Cucciddatu, c’havi la forma di na curuna ca si pripara pi lu 25 di dicembri rapprisintava la curuna ca si mitteva lu Mpiraturi mentri assumeva lu rolu di “Sol invictus”, vistu ca lu Mpiraturi era lu rapprisintanti di Cristu nterra. Lu fattu ca la festa si faceva lu 25 di dicembri cunferma l’assuciazioni. La famusa Cassata rapprisenta la festa di la Resurrezioni; a Catania li Minni di virgini richiamanu lu fattu ca a Sant’Aita ci tagghiaru li minni; A Siracusa si pripara la cuccìa pi la festa di Santa Lucia ricurdannu comu a idda ci scipparu l’occhi. Lu frummentu bugghiutu assumigghia a li pupiddi di l’occhi. La sfincia è na frittedda ca si pripara pi San Giuseppi e la cosa duci ca si servi pi Carnaluari è lu cannolu ca havi ovvii connotazioni comu simbulu fallicu. Si sapi ca pi Carnaluari ogni fuddia vali e ca la genti si pirmetti di fari cosi ca normalmenti sunnu tabù. Stu libbru offri n’analisi accurata dî fatturi storici e suciali ca hannu fattu dâ Sicilia un postu unni li cosi duci sunnu di qualità suprema. Cunteni na gran quantità di fatti nteressanti e di spiegazioni ca dimustranu nun sulu la granni ricerca fatta di l’auturi ma anchi la so abbilità di cumunicarila so ricerca in manera piacevuli e nteressanti. Comu dissi a lu principiu, chistu è un libbru ca tutti li Siciliani s’avissiru accattari. Sfortunatamenti, lu libbru è scrittu in talianu, ma forsi putemu esplorari la possibilità traducirlu in nglisi.

90 Arba Sicula XXXVII mylloi shaped like the female organ as an obvious reference to fertility. Some of these practices continue to this day even though the original connections are no longer made. For example, Santoro points out that at weddings in the area of Erice they still serve a biscuit made with honey named millidi, probably not realizing that the original mylloi was a form of propitiation for fertility. In the Christian era the ancient customs did not disappear and became adapted to the new realities. Sweets become associated with certain Christian festivities. The Cucciddatu, a wreath-like sweet that is made on December 25, originally represented the wreath placed on the head of the Emperor as he assumed his role as a figure of Christ as “Sol invictus” (Unvanquished Sun). The Emperor of the Eastern Empire was Christ’s representative on earth. That the feast is celebrated on December 25 confirms the association. The famous Cassata rep- resents the Feast of the Resurrection; in Catania the Minni di virgini recall how Saint Agatha’s breasts were cut off; in Siracusa, the Cuccìa, which is a boiled grain that resembles human pupils, recalls how Saint Lucy’s eyes had been gouged out. Thesfincia is a fritter served for the feast of Saint Joseph, and the sweet associated with Carnevale is the cannolo for its obvious connotations as a phallic symbol. As is well-known, Carnevale was a feast during which people were allowed freedoms normally forbidden at other times. This book contains an accurate analysis of the historical and social factors that have contributed to making Sicily an island where sweets are supreme. It contains a wealth of interesting facts and explanations that show not only the author’s extensive research into the literature, but also his uncanny ability to relate them in a captivating manner. As I said at the beginning, this is a book that all Sicilians should own. Unfortunately, the book is in Italian, but perhaps we can explore the possibility of translating it into English.

Arba Sicula XXXVII 91 La storia siciliana illustrata: Adorno-Madè-Basile

Nta li tour annuali dâ Sicilia cu li soci di Arba Sicula avemu sempri oc- casioni di canusciri genti dû munnu artisticu, politicu e d’intrattenimentu. Sti ncontri spissu cumportanu scanci di riali tra mia e i rapprisintanti lucali. I riali generalmenti sunnu libbra, sculturi, fotografii, placchi cummemorativi e autri cosi ca doppu m’ê purtati a casa a li Stati Uniti, spissu custrincennumi a fari scerri ca l’Alitalia a causa di lu pisu extra di li valiggi. I libbra sunnu di lu tipu ca normalmenti si mettunu supra li tavulini di lu salottu e pisanu assai e spissu passa un pocu di tempu prima ca aju l’occasioni di assitarimi pi leggirli. Ma prima o doppu cercu di onurari li riali e li pirsuni ca mi li desiru sfugghiannuli e liggennuli, si penzu ca l’argumentu pozza essirri di nteressi pi li litturi di li nostri pubblicazioni. Inevitabilmenti, i cuntinuti di li libbra parranu di cultura siciliana. Certu, i politici siciliani nun mi rialanu libbra supra a Michelancilu o Tizianu! D’accussì è naturali ca un beddu numiru di articuli pubblicati in Arba Sicula ha statu ispiratu di sti libbra. E accussì è pi st’articulu ca mi priparu a scriviri supra un libbru ntitulatu La triscele di l’arcobaleno: Dai Fenici agli Ara- gonesi, di Pippu Madè, cu testi di Piero Adorno e di Gaetano Basile, pubblicatu ntô 2005 di Walter Farina Editore. Lu libbru di cui staiu parrannu mi lu desi Pippu Madè nta unu di giri di Arba Sicula. Nun mi ricordu l’annu esattamenti, ma mi ricordu ca nni ncun- trammu a na rapprisintazioni a lu tiatru dî pupi siciliani ca si trova davanti a la cattidrali di Palermu. Lu pitturi Madè avia statu nvitatu di la presidentessa dû COES p’assistiri a lu spittaculu e canusciri a niautri. L’artista, ca jo canusceva di fama, mi rialau lu libbru. Ci desi na taliata veloci e visti tanti beddi illustrazioni cu li culuri vivi e forti e mi prumittii di leggirlu cu attenzioni a la prima occasioni. Lu libbru, disignatu cu eleganza, cunteni illustrazioni pittati di Pippu Madè di mumenti assai mpurtanti nta la storia dâ Sicilia. C’è na introduzioni ca discrivi l’arti di Madè scritta di Piero Adorno e ogni illustrazioni è accumpa- gnata di testi ca dannu na spiegazioni di la situazioni storica a cui si riferisci lu pitturi, scritti di l’amicu Gaetano Basile. Chista pi mmia, nun avennu nutatu ca li testi narrativi eranu di Gaetano, fu na piacevuli surprisa pirchì iddu rinesci sempr, e macari nta li testi curti comu a chisti, a dari nutizzii di granni nteressi ca arricchisciunu e chiarisciunu l’argumentu studiatu cu na manera ca pozzu definiri unica. Prima di parrari di l’illustrazioni vulissi diri du palori di li testi scritti di Basile ca a quantu mi pari di capiri, nun foru scritti pi cummintari li illustrazioni di Madè in manera specifica. L’artista e lu scritturi parranu dû stissu argumentu

92 Arba Sicula XXXVII Sicilian History Illustrated: Adorno-Madè-Basile

During my yearly tours of Sicily with the Arba Sicula members, we always have opportunities to meet important people from the world of the arts, politics and entertainment. Such encounters often entail exchanges of gifts between local representatives and me. The gifts for the most part are books, sculptures, photographs, plaques to commemorate the encounters and other objects that I have to bring back to the United States, often fighting with the airlines for the extra weight of my suitcases. The books often are the coffee table type which means that they weigh a lot and often a long time passes before I have a chance to sit down and read them. Eventually, however, I try to honor the gifts and the person who gave them to me by actually leafing through them and read- ing them if I think that the subject matter could be of interest to the readers of our publications. Inevitably the books’ contents deal with Sicilian culture. Why would Sicilian politicians or artists give me a book about Michelangelo or Titian? Thus it is natural that a number of articles published in Arba Sicula have been inspired by these books. And so it is with the article that I am about to write now on a book entitled La triscele dell’arcobaleno: Dai Fenici agli Aragonesi by Pippo Madè, with texts by Piero Adorno and Gaetano Basile, published by Walter Farina Editore, in 2005. The book in question was given to me by Pippo Madè during one of the Arba Sicula tours. I don’t recall exactly what year, but I seem to remember that we met after a performance of the Sicilian Puppet theater that took place in the little theater in front of the Palermo Cathedral. Mr. Madè who had been invited by our host, the President of COES, to watch the show and meet with us, was very gracious when he handed me a copy of the book. In leafing though it quickly, the high quality of the colorful illustrations was immediately evident, but I put it away promising myself to look at it more carefully at a more op- portune moment. The elegantly designed book contains illustrations of momentous events in the history of Sicily painted by Pippo Madè. There is an excellent introduc- tion to Madè’s art written by Piero Adorno. Each illustration is accompanied by a text, written by my friend Gaetano Basile, that provides an explanation of the historical milieu to which Madè’s illustrations refer. This was something of a pleasant surprise because I had not noticed that the narratives accompanying Madè’s illustrations had been written by Gaetano Basile who always manages to provide, even in such short pieces, interesting bits of information that enrich and clarify the topic at hand in a way that he alone seems to be able to do. The

Arba Sicula XXXVII 93 ma ognunu lu tratta a secunnu di li propri cunvinzioni e nterpritazioni dâ storia. D’accussì avemu un scritturi e un pitturi ca talianu lu stissu suggettu e ni offrunu du’ punti di vista e chistu arricchisci la littura. La narrazioni di Basile rinesci a descriviri eventi assai cumplicati in manera cuncisa e chiara. Ma facennu chissu iddu metti in dubbiu la storia cuntata da autri in manera tradizzionali e duna na spiegazioni chiù logica e plausibbili di chiddu ca succidiu. Pozzu fari tanti esempii, ma mi limitu a dirinni dui. Tutti sapemu quacchi cosa di la rivoluzi- oni di lu Vespru sicilianu quannu Carru d’Angiò fu scunfittu e migghiara di surdati francisi foru ammazzati di lu populu sicilianu. La storia ca si cunta dici ca pi scupriri l’identità dî Francisi ci dummannavanu di pronunziari la palora ciciri ca iddi nun putevanu pronunziari correttamenti e vinevanu ammazzati ddà unni eranu. Si cunta ca iddi dicevanu “sisirì” pirchì lu francisi nun havi lo sonu ci. Ma Basile metti in dubbiu la storia dicennu : “A stu puntu mi venunu tri dubbii: primu si si dumanna a un Francisi di pronunziari “ciciri” iddu lu dici

94 Arba Sicula XXXVII opportunity came now. Before discussing the illustrations, I want to say something about Basile’s texts. It appears that his texts were not meant to be a commentary on Madè’s illustrations. The artist and writer address the same topic, but each one ap- proaches the subject from his own convictions and reading of the story. Thus we have a writer and a painter looking at the same subjects and offering the reader two perspectives that may or may not see the event from the same van- tage point. This offers the reader two points of view enriching the narrative. Basile’s narratives manage to describe complex historical events in concise and clear lines. But in doing so, he often challenges traditional story line and comes up with a more plausible and logical explanation of what actually happened. I can give many examples of this but I will limit myself to two. We all know something about the revolt known to historians as the Sicilian Vespers in which Charles d’Anjou’s reign was defeated and many French soldiers were massacred Arba Sicula XXXVII 95 in manera pirfetta, a menu ca nun fussi surdu. Secunnu la pronunzia di “sisirì” fussi possibili si iddu liggissi la palora scritta supra un pezzu di carta. Ma quanti Siciliani a ddi tempi sapevanu scriviri e quantu Francisi sapevanu leggiri? Terzu e urtimu dubbiu: si ci avissiru mustratu un pugnu chinu di ciciri e ci avissiru dumannatu chi eranu, iddi avissiru rispunnutu: “Pois chiches”. Lu secunnu esempiu havi a chi fari cu la data di la ribellioni. Basile nun accetta la data ca si cunta tradizionalmenti. Infatti sia Adorno nta l’introduzioni, sia lu stissu Madè nta l’illustrazioni usanu la data tradizionali dû 31 marzu dû 1282. Basile afferma ca l’eventu nun potti accadiri nta ddu jornu pirchì la Pasqua nta l’annu 1282 si celebrau u jornu 29. Pi chistu la rivoluzioni appi a succediri nni la Pasquetta, u jornu 30, vali a diri u luneddì dopu Pasqua. Basile si dumanna retoricamenti e giustamenti, “Quannu mai s’ha celebratu a Pasquetta di marteddì?” Nautru puntu nteressanti di Basile è u suggerimentu ca la rivoluzioni ca normalmenti si cunziddira na ribbellioni populari nun fu addumata di la raggia di la popolazioni contru i Francisi ma di na forza esterna. Basile spiega ca lu Mpiraturi di l’orienti, Micheli Paleologu di Costantinopoli, avennu avuti rastu ca Carru D’Angiò avia l’obbiettivu di criarisi un imperu ntô Miditirraneu e vulennu pruteggiri li so nteressi, pinzau di criaricci vai dintra a so propria casa, sustinennu la rivoluzioni. Basile in manera precisa e brevi rinesci a a co- struiri un cuntestu politicu, sociali e storicu assai cumplicatu. Sti intuizioni ca caratterizzanu lu so stili dâ scrittura sunnu piacevuli pi l’intellettu comu sunnu piacevuli li dettagghi cuntinuti nta li illustrazioni di Madè. Nta stu casu, però, Madè prisenta li fatti d’accussì comu foru tramannati da la tradizioni. D’accussì videmu la chiesa dû Santu Spiritu davanti a la quali succidiu lu fattu c’addumau la guerra, videmu un pedi di limuni unni un sicilianu firisci un surdatu francisi mentri96 pruteggi na fimmina darreri ad iddu e videmu a furiaArba Siculadâ rivoluzioni XXXVII cu by the population. The story went that the people, to discover the identity of the French asked them to pronounce the word ciciri, (chickpeas) and that the French who could not pronounce it correctly would be killed right then and there. The story is that they would pronounce the word “sisirì” because the French language does not have the ch sound. This is the way Basile ques- tions the story: “At this point three doubts emerge. First: if you try to make a Frenchman pronounce the word ciciri, he will pronounce it correctly, unless he is hard of hearing; second: the pronunciation sisirì could be possible only if the word were read from a piece of paper. But how many Sicilians of the time were able to write and how many French soldiers able to read? Third and last doubt: if they decided to show a handful of chickpeas and asked for their name, the Frenchmen would say pois chiches. The second example deals with the date of the 1282 rebellion. Basile takes issue with the date usually repeated by everyone for the occurrence. In fact, even Piero Adorno who wrote the introductory piece stated that the event took place on Monday, March 31, 1282. Basile argues that it could not have happened on the date because Easter in the year 1282 fell on March 29. Therefore, the event had to occur on the 30th, which is the Pasquetta, that is, the Monday following Easter. Basile asks rhetorically: “Who ever heard of celebrating Pasquetta on a Tuesday?” Another interesting point made by Basile is the suggestion that the revolt that some consider a popular revolution may have not been ignited by the anger of the people against the French but by the Emperor Michael Paleologus of Constantinople, who having learned about Charles d’Anjou’s goal of creating a Mediterranean empire for himself, decided to foment an insurrection in Sicily. Arba Sicula XXXVII 97 fimmini e masculi ca cummattunu cu fauci e tridenti contru i francisi. C’è a l’estrema sinistra puru un monacu cu lu tridenti in manu ca isa lu crucifissu cu l’autra manu. La scena renni visualmenti tutta la raggia ca i Siciliani avianu tinutu dintra lu cori pi troppu tempu. Lu libbru cunteni quaranta illustrazioni cu li quali l’artista rapprisenta eventi mpurtanti ca hannu avutu un effettu supra la storia dâ Sicilia di l’arrivu dî Fenici nsinu a la morti di Carradinu, l’urtimu eredi di Federicu II. Li com- posizioni di Madè, ricchi di culuri e dettagli, cuntanu la storia quasi comu facia Giotto nta lu mediuevu quannu la genti nun sapeva leggiri e aveva a capirla tramiti li mossi, li espressioni pittati nta la facci, li so muvimenti. Madè prisenta immagini di un eventu o di nun pirsunaggiu e juncennucci oggetti e attributi

98 Arba Sicula XXXVII With a few deft touches Basile has reconstructed the complex political, social and historical context. These little insights that characterize Basile’s style of writing are as pleasing to the intellect as the visual richness and the wealth of details provided by Madè’s illustrations. In this case, Madè sticks to the facts as they have been passed on. Thus we have the Church of the Santo Spirito where the French soldier harassed the Sicilian woman. On the right we see a lemon tree and a man who stabs the French soldier while protecting the woman. The illustration captures the murderous frenzy that traditionally is associated with the revolution in which men and women participated. On the left a monk raises a crucifix while holding a trident and everywhere is mayhem and wrath. Made’s illustration captures the explosion of pent up anger that had accumulated for too long. There are forty illustrations in the book and they provide a visual represen- tation of some of the most momentous events that have affected the history of Sicily from the arrival of the Phoenicians to the death of Corradino, the last of the heirs of Frederick II. Madè’s compositions, rich in detail and color, narrate history almost in the way Giotto did in the Middle Ages when people did not know how to read and had to rely on visual clues, facial expressions, gestures and movement to understand what was going on. Madè presents a picture of an event of a figure and through the addition of objects and gesture normally associated with them the reader can understand what is going on. Obviously we cannot reproduce them all but we will focus our attention on a few of them. We start with the first illustration entitled I Fenici which represents a ship which was used by them to move around in the Mediterranean establishing trading posts along the coasts. They founded Palermo and the western part of Sicily was their base of operation. The image shows men carrying salt from the salt pans of Marsala with the windmill that is used even today to draw water into the pans.

Arba Sicula XXXVII 99 associati cu iddi si capisci lu significatu di l’illustrazioni. Vistu ca nun putemu mostrari tutti li illustrazioni, ni facemu vidiri na para pi fari capiri l’approcciu di l’artista. Cuminciamu di la prima illustrazioni ca s’intitula “I Fenici”. Rap- prisenta na granni barca cu li remi ca iddi usaru pi viaggiari nta lu Miditerraniu pi funnari porti e centri di cummerciu nta li costi. Iddu funnaru Palermu e la parti occidintali dâ Sicilia fu la so basi di cummerciu. L’illustrazioni mustra omini in fila indiana ca portanu lu sali di li salini di Marsala, unni si vidi lu mulinu a ventu usatu pi fari trasiri l’acqua nta li salini. Si po’ vidiri a destra comu lu sali veni cummugghiatu di ciaramiti pi pruteggirlu di la pioggia. A sinistra ci sunnu li oggetti pi la guerra e pi lu travagghiu e l’immagini di na trischeli stilizzata ca assumigghia stranamenti a chidda usata di lu Dipartimentud î trasporti di li Stati Uniti. Basile discrivennu la storia dî Fenici dici ca i Siciliani mpararu d’iddi a cuntari cu li jidita. Isannu u jiditu indici ntall’aria significa unu, juncennucci lu mediu voli diri dui e chiudennu l’anulari e lu mignolu lassannu l’autri tri auti voli diri tri. Chistu è lu modu europeu di cuntari. Mi ricordu ca ntê me classi jo schirzava cu li me studenti dicennuci ca jo sapeva distinguiri un miricanu di un talianu semplicementi di lu gestu chi fannu pi diri tri. Inevitabilmenti li studenti miricani chiudevanu lu puseri e lu mignolu e isavanu l’autri tri e chistu li faceva ricanussciri comu miricani. Basile junciu puru nautra nutizzia ntirissanti, parrannu dî Fenici. Iddu dici ca iddi mpurtaru li jatti e li cani nta Sicilia. Li Cirnechi di l’Etna, ca jo canusceva comu na razza indigena di la Sicilia foru purtati di l’Egittu. La cosa pari logica pirchì a taliari l’immagini dî cani egizziani ca videmu ntê monumenti la sumigghianza è evidenti. Jo nun ci avia mai pinzatu. A secunna illustrazioni è ntitulata “Greci e Rumani” e ccà puru videmu vari elementi ca rapprisentanu la so storia. Lu tridenti pittatu a la basi, la Midusa, l’elmettu grecu, la granni barca ca mustra tri jammi ca currunu (normalmenti li jammi sunnu fermi) si riferisciunu a la colonizzazioni greca dâ Sicilia mentri lu surdatu rumanu cu lu simbolu di Roma SPQR (lu sinatu e lu populu di Roma) identificanu l’isula comu la prima provincia di Roma. Lu cunflittu tra li Arabi ca nvasiru la Sicilia ntô 827 aC e ca la dominaru finu a quannu li Normanni pigghiaru possessu è rapprisintatu di du’ cavaleri armati mentri cummattunu. Lu firuci Saracinu (Basile suttalinia ca iddi nun eranu Arabi, ma nordafricani ca parravanu arabu) si scontra cu un cavaleri Nor- mannu ca pari raggiatu puru iddu. Ntô so scutu si vidi l’aquila di Carru Magnu. Comu sapemu i Normanni vinevanu dâ Normandia e parravanu francisi. I Normanni cunquistaru la Sicilia assai chiù velocementi di quantu nun avianu fattu li Saracini e criaru un regnu beni guvirnatu e tolleranti ca fu cunziddiratu lu primu statu mudernu d’Europa. E vistu ca avianu ripurtatu la Sicilia a la

100 Arba Sicula XXXVII One can see on the right how the salt is covered with roof tiles to protect it from the rain. On the left, tools of war and work and the image of a stylized triskeles that looks uncannily like the symbol used by the Department of Transportation of the United States. Again here Basile tells us that Sicilians learned how to bargain using the fingers of their hand to express numbers. Raising the index in the air indicates one, raising the index and the middle finger means two and closing the ring and little finger leaving the others raised indicates three. This is the European way. I am reminded how in my classes I always joked that I could tell who was Italian and who was not simply by asking students to give me the sign of three with their fingers. Inevitably the American young people raised closed the thumb and little finger, which identified them as Americans. Basile added also another bit of information which made a lot of sense. The famous cirnechi of Mount Etna which I always knew as the breed of dogs native to Sicily were brought to Sicily by Phoenicians who took them from the Egyptians. The dogs that appear in Egyptian monuments do look like the Cirnechi, but I never thought about their origins. The second illustration is “Greci e Romani” and again here the various elements on which Sicilian history hinges are seen. The trident at the bottom, the Medusa the Greek headgear, the ship whose sail displays three humans run- ning (they normally are more static) refer to the Greek colonization of Sicily while the Roman soldier with the symbol of Rome SPQR (Senatus Populusque Romanus) identify the island as the first province of Rome. The conflict between the Arabs, who invaded Sicily in 827 and dominated it until the Normans gained control of it, is represented by two armed knights engaged in battle. The fierce Saracen, (as Basile points out, they were not Arabs, but North African Muslims who spoke Arabic) is faced by an equally angry Nor- man knight whose shield shows an image of Charlemagne’s eagle. The Normans were from Normandy in France and spoke French. The Normans conquered Sicily very quickly unlike the Saracens who took a long time to take control of the whole island and establish a well governed and tolerant realm, creating the first modern state in Europe. They were credited for bringing Sicily back to Christianity; they built many churches. Roger II built the Cathedral of Cefalù as the next image shows and offered it to God to fulfill a vow he had made while his ship was nearly foundering in a storm. At the height of the tempest, Roger promised that if God saved his ship, he would build a most beautiful church. The illustration shows a ship in which the king and his men offer thanks to the Lord for saving them from the storm and a hand seemingly coming out of the ship offering the cathedral that stands before the head-shaped rock of Cefalù in the background. To the life and times of Frederick II the Emperor who was known as “stupor

Arba Sicula XXXVII 101 cristianità, iddi costrueru tanti chiesi mpurtanti. Ruggeru II fici costruiri la cat- tidrali di Cefalù comu putemu vidiri nta la prossima illustrazioni. L’Illustrazioni mustra na granni manu ca offri la cattidrali a lu Signuri pi lu votu ca Ruggeru avia fattu quannu la so navi stava pi affunnarisi nta na timpesta. L’illustrazioni mustra Ruggeru e li so omini ca ringrazianu a lu Signuri doppu la timpesta. Madè dedica chiù spaziu a la vita e li tempi di Federicu II, lu Mpiraturi ca era canusciutu come “Stupor mundi” pi li so abilità e pi la so curiosità ntellet- tuali. Taliamuni una ca prisenta tri eventi mpurtanti di la vita di lu Mpiraturi, liggennula comu si liggevanu li affrischi mediuevali. A destra si vidi un casteddu e na tenna aperta cu tanti cristiani davanti. Sta scena identifica “La Turri dû ventu” a Jesi e la tenna rapprisenta lu postu unni la matri di Federicu II parturiu. Siccomu avia quasi quarant’anni e a ddi tempi na fimmina di quarant’anni era cunziddirata vecchia, Costanza di Altavilla, l’urtima di li Normanni ca spusau a Enricu VI, vosi parturiri in pubblicu davanti a li fimmini lucali pi fari vidiri ca so figghiu era legittimu. Ntô centru di l’illustrazioni si vidi Federicu II quannu scunfissi la Lega Lombarda e lu gruppu ca si vidi a sinistra mustra i rapprisintanti di la Scola Siciliana ca fu la prima scola puetica taliana. Li pueti scrivevanu usannu a lingua siciliana dâ curti e si cuncintravanu specificamenti supra l’amuri. Federicu fici parti pirchì era pueta puru iddu. Si vidi assittatu Pier delle Vigne, lu so secretariu e brazzu destru ca poi fu mmortalatu di Dante ntâ Divina Commedia. Madè didicau na illustrazioni a Pier delle Vigne dannu na nterpretazioni completamenti diversa di chidda ca desi Basile e tanti autri ca hannu parratu d’iddu. Lu stissu Dante appi opinioni ambivalenti, mittennulu a l’infernu pirchì iddu s’avia suicidatu e poi facennuci diri ca era nnuccenti di l’accusi di tradimentu di lu Mpiraturi e ca iddu fu vittima di li gilusii ca nfestanu

102 Arba Sicula XXXVII mundi” because of his intellectual curiosity and abilities, Madè dedicates several illustrations. One of them presents three events in his life that can be read, as one reads medieval paintings. The illustration on the far right shows an open tent with many people before it and a fortress behind it. This scene refers to the birth of Frederick in the town of Jesi. His mother, Costanza of Hauteville, who was the last of the Normans, was married to Henry VI, the son of Frederick I Barbarossa. As she was nearly forty years of age when she gave birth to Fred- erick, and people would be suspicious that a woman so old could give birth, Costanza had a tent set up where the local women could actually see her during the delivery. The middle scene shows the Emperor fighting at the battle of Cor- tenuova in which he defeated the Lega Lombarda and the group on the far left shows representatives of the Sicilian School of poetry that was the first literary movement in Italy. They wrote poetry using the illustrious Sicilian language of the court and focused primarily on love. Frederick is part of it because he was a poet as well. Pier delle Vigne, his secretary and confidant who said to Dante Arba Sicula XXXVII 103 li casi di l’omini putenti. Ma è chiaru ca Pier delle Vigne appi a cummettiri tanti autri piccati di cui Dante nun fa cuntu. La storia di Pier delle Vigne è assai cumplicata e controversa. La nterpretazioni di Madè nun mustra li controversii ca riguardanu a iddu e lu prisenta in manera diversa. L’illustrazioni mustra la spata di lu Mpiraturi ca suvrasta la Sicilia e ca susteni na bilanza cu lu bustu di Piero nta un piattu e la spata a forma d cruci ca simboleggia la giustizia nta l’autru piattu. A la basi di l’illustrazioni c’è la frasi “1231 Pier delle Vigne Triboniano del Giustiniano di Sicilia”. La frasi cunferma ca Madè nun vosi pronunziarisi supra la caduta in disgrazia di Piero prifirennu inveci di ricurdari lu gran travagghiu fattu pi lu mpiraturi prima comu l’omu ca era lu so brazzu destru, ca nterpretava li so liggi e la so giustizia (Tribonio fu un ministru e cul- laburatori di lu Mpiraturi Giustinianu). Pi chissu Federicu II veni chiamatu lu Giustinianu di Sicilia. Pippo Madè, Gaetano Basile e Piero Adorno hannu criatu un’escursioni assai gradevuli nta la storia dâ Sicilia, china di brillanti intuizioni e surpresi.

104 Arba Sicula XXXVII “io son colui che tenne ambo le chiavi del cor di Federico” (I am the man who held both keys to Frederick’s heart) is also there as are other poets and court members. Madè dedicated one of the illustrations to this figure whom Dante immortalized in the Divine Comedy. Dante had placed him in Hell among the suicides because he had taken his own life. But scholars have long debated why he had fallen from grace and why Frederick II had blinded him. Dante himself was ambivalent in his regard in spite of the fact that he allowed him to cry out his innocence concerning the accusation of betrayal. He complains that he was a victim of the envy and jealousy that is always rampant in the house of the powerful. Madè’s rendering disregards the controversies surrounding this figure and shows a completely different Pier delle Vigne. The illustration shows the sword of the Emperor as a scale on which Pier delle Vigne’s bust balances out the cross-like sword on the other plate. The inscription at the bottom,1231 Pier delle Vigne Il triboniano del Giustiniano di Sicilia, confirms that Madè did not want to address Piero’s fall from grace, focusing instead on the work he did as the spokesman for the Emperor, the man who interpreted his law and his justice (Tribonio was a minister and collaborator of the Emperor Justinian). That’s why Frederick II is called the Justinian of Sicily. Pippo Madè, Gaetano Basile and Piero Adorno have created a delightful excursion into the history of Sicily with many interesting insights and surprises.

Arba Sicula XXXVII 105 A Nostra Lingua

Each issue of Arba Sicula will include readings for those of our members who wish to improve their knowledge of Sicilian. It will contain a reading se- lection, which could be in poetry or prose, chosen from our vast collection of Sicilian texts. The selections will be glossed with notes on grammatical points encountered in the reading, explanations on vocabulary items, exercises designed to facilitate understanding and command of the grammatical features involved. We assume that you already have some knowledge of Sicilian and that you have access to some Sicilian grammars such as Learn Sicilian /Mparamu lu sicilianu by Gaetano Cipolla or Introduction to Sicilian Grammar by J. Kirk Bonner. This is the second reading and it comes from Lu codici di la santa nicissità by Berto Giambalvo. It is written in the parrata of Castelvetrano, which uses many features common to the parrati of western Sicily. Giambalvo’s stories were collected and written by an old friend of Arba Sicula, Dr. Franco Di Marco who was actually a physician who had a passion for the Sicilian language. He transcribed the stories that Giambalvo usually recited at gatherings and pro- vided comprehensive grammatical notes describing Giambalvo’s parrata as well as notes on linguistic usage and idiomatic expressions. The transcription was made primarily to come as close to producing the actual sounds of Giambalvo’s parrata and represents a departure from the usual way Sicilian is written. The features Di Marco used to write down the sounds may create difficulties for some readers, however, after becoming accustomed to the style, it will become easier to understand. I recommend that you familiarize yourselves with the following vocabulary items and explanatory texts before diving into the story:

Vocabulary Items

Schettu-a: un omu o na fimmina nun maritati. (single) Cattivu-a: un omu o na fimmina a cui ci muriu la mugghieri o lu maritu (widower-widow). Li vai: li guai, li trobbuli, li probblemi (trouble, woes). Li scarsi: Li poviri, li cristiani senza sordi. (the poor). Pu’nn’aviri vai: La frasi cumpleta si scrivi d’accussì: Pir nun aviri vai (Not to have troubles). Un cristianu In sicilianu “cristianu” voli diri “omu”. Nun voli diri “Christian”, vali a diri pirsuna c’apparteni a la religioni di Cristu. (a man) Unn-avissi a-nnasciri The sentence is normally written: nun avissi a nasciri. However, when you pronounce words in a sentence, each word has some

106 Arba Sicula XXXVII effect on those that follow. If one says vaiu a Roma (I’m going to Rome) it will be pronounced vaiu aRRoma. The use of certain words, usually one syllable or accented words, causes the initial consonant of the following word to be pro- nounced as though it began with a double consonant. This happens in speech, even though the sentences may be written without the doubling. The writer of this story uses this feature all the time. The words that cause the doubling are the prepositions a, pi, the verbs à, è, the adverbs ccà, ddà, the third person of verbs like stari, fari, putiri and many others. In this selection, the writer has doubled the initial consonants of many words that are normally written with a single initial consonant. Words beginning with a b are always double: bucca, bbucca, bonu, bbonu etc. Un avissi a nasciri Note how in Sicilian the Imperfect Subjunctive avissi is used instead of the Conditional Present tense. This should be translated as “Ought not (should not) be born”. This is typical of most Sicilianparrati , but not all. In some, in fact, the conditional is still used. Fimmina ammastrata fimmina ca ha statu nzignata correttamenti. Ammastrata veni di mastru, maestru. (A woman who has been well trained). E-ddi casa Na fimmina di casa è na bona massara. (A good hou- sewife). Un nnestu Un innestu si fa juncennu un ramu di na pianta cu n’autra pianta, (a graft). The i ofinnestu drops off, as it does fornvitu (invita- tion), ntressi (interest), mpurtanti (important). Giurrizziusu In many parts of the island the d of words like vidiri, ridiri, giudici, is pronounced as an r. Thus ggiurrizziusu is normally written giudizziusu, (having good judgment). All’affacciu apertamenti, chiaramenti, (openly, frankly). Havi lu so fumu Every tongue has its smoke (every person has his way of doing things, has his faults). Li sciarri veni di sciarriari, sciariarisi, to quarrel. Tintu-a In Sicilian this word has a distinct meaning not shared by other romance languages. In Sicilian it means bad, evil, obnoxious. The word is derived from the Latin tingere to dye, stain. The saying tintu e malu vattiatu (Tainted and poorly baptized) referred originally to being baptized into a hereti- cal sect. Thus tinto in Italian and other romance languages means simply dyed or stained, but in Sicilian it goes back to the religious memory of the past. Cci assummava lu giummu vali a diri quannu si raggiava, (when she got angry). Un nni l’am’a-ffari rririri un ni l’am’a fari ririri (we should not make people laugh). N’am’a-ccapiri n’am’a capiri (we have to understand each other).

Arba Sicula XXXVII 107 Senza dari sazziu a nuddu senza dari suddisfazioni a nuddu (without giving anybody reason to gloat). S’ann’a rrusicari li uvita a-mmuzzicuna s’annu a rusicari li guvita a muzzicuni (they have to bite their elbows wth rage). Iè Another form of iu, eu, jo used in the Trapani area. Un ti dugnu cocciu Nun ti dugnu probblemi. (I won’t give you cause to be angry). A la mutangara Senza diri nenti. (Without saying a word). Lu falari agghiummuniatu The apron rolled up. Peppi truvà Peppi truvau or truvò. Notice how the third person of verbs in ari in the past tense end in à while those in iri end in ì. See addumà, (lit up) mancià (ate) llavà (washed) ittà (threw) and capì (Understood) cucì (cooked). Peppi um-mirìa l’ura Peppi nun vidia l’ura (Peppi could not wait for the time). Notice how the writer writes the combination of sounds. This is a common practice in a number of parrati whenever the indefinite articleun is followed by a word that begins with v. Thus ‘un vidia is pronounced “um-miria,” un vrazzu becomes “um-mrazzu” and un viddanu becomes “um-middanu”. Chiossà ppi- bbiriri Chiossai pi vidiri. (More just to see) In Sicil- ian the two consonants v and b frequently coexist in a number of words. Thus vucca is also heard as bucca, vidiri as bidiri, viviri as biviri, veniri as beniri etc… The meaning does not change. li pampi­neddi di li naschi chi-gghiucavanu (Her nostrils were flaring). Sfirrià la tacca di la coppula (Turned the visor of his cap around). Um-mulu fausu Comu un mulu fausu. Notice how the author uses the indefinite article combining it with the noun that fol- lows. This is simply to reflect the pronunciation ofun mulu. You may see the indefinite article written as ‘n-+ noun as in ‘n-cani (a dog). Fici funcia (made a face). Stu vrazzu è canniatu (Broken). S’ava a gnissari (must be plastered). Acqua debbita acqua nanticchia caudda. Quantu pau? Quantu haiu a pagari (paari). Chiffà bbabbia? Are you kidding me? Ci appizzà lu restu Missed out on the change.

108 Arba Sicula XXXVII Peppi

Di Berto Giambalvo Trascrittu di Franco Di Marco

la schetta e a la cattiva ogni-vventu la catamina. Lu schettu o l’omu A sulu unn-è bbonu mancu a-mmanciari. Allura lu maritarisi ddiv­ enta na nicissità, ma maritannusi si trasi nta lu munnu di li vai. Ma li vai sunnu a-ttutti bbanni: nta li schetti e nta li maritati, nta li scarsi e nta li rricchi; li vai cumencianu di lu primu momentu ch’affacci a lu munnu. P’unn-aviri vai, un cristianu unn- avissi a-nnasciri! Peppi, campagnolu travagghiaturi e ntrissatu, si fici zzitu cu Rrosa,­ fimmina ammastrata, pulita e-ddi casa: un nnestu fattu ggiustu, tutti dui di la stessa specia. Picchì s’un cristianu sgarra lu nnestu e ncrocia um-middanu cu la figghia d’um- mastru, tannu aumentanu li vai. Sia Peppi chi Rrosa cu-ttutti li bbontà avianu puru li ddifetti. Iddu, di cristianu ggiuriziiusu, a Rrosa cci li misi all’affacciu: cci dissi ch’ogni-llingua avi lu so fumu ... li sciarri di maritu e- mmugghieri su-ccomu li linzola chi si levanu e-mmettinu e-ttintu è-cchiddu chi si cci mmisca. Rrosa cci dicia ch’era um-pocu nirvusedda e-cquannu cci assummava lu ggiummu addivintava tinta, però nta lu cori un cci arristava nenti. E-ppoi lu tintu eni quannu si fannu rririri li vicini: - No, niatri li vicini un nni l’am’a-ffari rririri, n’am’a-ccapiri nta-ll’occhi, senza dari sazziu a-nnuddu; anzi s’ann’a rrusicari li uvita a-mmuzzicuna, ann’a-ddiri: Sunnu l’api e lu meli, un-zi sentinu! Am’a­ffari accussì: quannu per esempiu tu si’ arrabbiata, lu falari ti lu metti agghiummuniatu ncapu un latu, iè lu capisciu e un ti dugnu cocciu. Quannu per esempiu sugnu arrabbiatu iè o aiu cosi torti, trasu dintra cu lu tascu di la coppula sfirriatu e accussì a la mutangara ni capemu. Mancu vinni l’astaciuni chi li picciotti si maritaru - chi-ppoi tanti picciotti unn-eranu, avianu li so trent’anni - e-ccuminciaru na vita nova. Na sira, vinennu di campagna, Peppi truva lu cufularu astutatu e lu falari agghiummuniatu ncapu un latu: capì lu fattu e, rrispittannu li patti, alddumà lu focu, misi ncapu la pignata, cucì, mancià e-llavà puru li piatta. Lu nnumani sira arreri: lu falari, a lu solitu, agghium­muniatu. Pacenza! A la matina ittà puru lu rrinali: - Un cci damu cocciu! - Lu falari dura tutta la simana agghiummuniatu. Peppi pin­zava: - Forsi duminica cci svanisci ... sunnu li Parmi ... si nni va a la chiesa ... si viri li funzioni ... Lu lunniri Peppi um-miria l’ura chi scurava e arrivari a la casa, chiossà pi-bbiriri si-sso mugghieri avia ancora lu falari agghiummunia­tu. Quannu la vitti a-ccentru di la porta, ncapu lu scaluni, cu li manu a lu ciancu, tisa comu

Arba Sicula XXXVII 109 um-porru, pusata ncapu li tacca, cu li pampineddi­ di li naschi chi-gghiucavanu, Peppi a-ccorpu sfirria lu tascu di la coppula ncapu un latu, trasi dintra com’um- mulu fausu, affirrà na seggia pi la spaddera e la sfirria ncapumanu ddrittu pi la testa. Rrosa vitti lu versu e-ssi la para cu la manu; ma la siggiata fu-ddata propiu cu lu tascu di la coppula sfirriatu e a Rrosa cci arristà um-mrazzu a-ppinnuluni. L’app’a-ppurtari ni lu ddutturi chi, dopu na rrancata di tastiari, fici funcia: - Stu vrazzu è-ccanniatu, s’av’a gnissari. - Unca picchì vinnimu ccà, - cci dissi Peppi - s’era cosa di nenti ‘un stavamu bbeddi m-paci a la casa? Lu ddutturi misi manu cu-ffasci gnissati e acqua ddebbita e allistì d’agghiummuniari: - Eh, vrazzu ncoddu e-ggamma a-llettu! A li quaranta jorna ni viremu. - Ddutturi, - cci dissi Peppi - quantu pau? - Picch’è-llei, vinticincumila liri. Peppi pigghia di lu portafogghiu cinquantamila liri e cci li proi. Lu ddutturi scarta mmezzu li so ‘rana pi-ddaricci lu rrestu, ma Peppi lu ferma cu la manu: -No, ddutturi, chi ffa, bbabbia? Avanti chi-nnesci sta simana sugnu arrè ccà pi-ll’atru vrazzu. Peppi cci appizzà lu rrestu.

Comprehension Exercises

Exercise 1: Make a judgment regarding the following statements. Are they True or False?

1. L’autori di stu cuntu penza ca li vai sunnu na cosa normali nta stu munnu. Veru fausu 2. Pi nun aviri mai probblemi un cristianu s’avi a maritari. Veru fausu 3. Peppi era un cristianu di circa trent’anni. Veru fausu 4. La zzita di Peppi si chiama Rosa. Veru fausu 5. La zita di Peppi era na bona fimmina ma avia puru quacchi difettu. Veru fausu 6. La cosa chiù tinta è fari ridiri a li vicini di casa. Veru fausu 7. Peppi e Rosa si mettunu d’accordu pi nun sciariarisi mai. Veru fausu 8. Quannu Rosa agghiummunia lu so fadari voli diri ca è siddiata. Veru fausu 9. Quannu Peppi iecca la so coppula nterra voli diri ca è siddiatu. Veru fausu. 10. La prima vota ca Rosa agghiummunia lu fadari Peppi nun ci

110 Arba Sicula XXXVII duna cocciu. Veru fausu 11. Rosa teni lu fadari agghiummuniatu pi na simana e chiui. Veru fausu 12. Peppi doppu ca vidi a so mugghieri sempri siddiata cerca di pigghiarila cu li boni maneri. Veru fausu 13. Peppi a la fini si raggiau e ci desi un corpu di seggia ntesta a Rosa. Veru fausu 14. Lu medicu appi a gnissaricci un vrazzu a Rosa. Veru fausu 15. La mugghieri forsi mparau la lezzioni vistu ca so maritu pirdiu lu restu di li cinquantamila liri. Veru fausu

Exercise 2: Complete the sentences by filling in the missing word.

1. Un omu sulu nun è bonu mancu a ______. 2. Li vai sunnu a tutti i banni ntra li scarsi e ______, ntra li schetti e ______. 3. Li sciarri di maritu e mugghieri sunnu comu li ______4. Quannu ci assummava lu giummu, Rosa divintava ______. 5. Na coppia maritata nun havi a fari ______a la genti. 6. Pi diri ca c’è la paci in casa si dici ca sunnu comu l’api e ______. 7. Nautri n’am’a capiri senza parrari, a la ______. 8. A cui è arrabbiatu nun s’ava a dari______. 9. To mugghieri havi lu vrazzu______. 10. Lu medicu fici ______doppu ca ci tastiau lu vrazzu a Rosa.

Exercise 3: Find words in the text that have the opposite meaning to the following:

1. Moriri ______2. Chianciri ______3. Schetta ______4. Lu cufularu astutatu ______5. Na fimmina bona ______

Exercise 4: Find synonims for the following words 1. Canniatu ______2. Cristianu ______3. A la mutangara ______4. Spusarisi ______5. Tastiari ______

Arba Sicula XXXVII 111

5. Tuccari Tuccari 5.

4. Maritarisi 4.

3. Senza parrari Senza 3.

2. Omu 2.

1. Ruttu 1.

Answers to Exercise 4: Exercise to Answers

5. Na fimmina tinta fimmina Na 5.

4. Lu cufularu addumatu cufularu Lu 4.

3. maritata 3.

2. ridiri 2.

1. nasciri 1.

Answers to Ex. 3 Ex. to Answers

10. funcia 10.

9. canniatu 9.

8. cocciu 8.

7. mutangara 7.

6. lu meli lu 6.

5. ridiri 5.

4. tinta 4.

3. linzola 3.

maritati ricchi li 2.

1. manciari 1.

Answers to Ex. 2 Ex. to Answers

15. Veru 15.

14. Veru 14.

13. Veru 13.

12. Fausu 12.

Veru 11.

10. Veru 10.

9. Fausu 9.

8. Veru 8.

7. Fausu 7.

6. Veru 6.

5. Veru 5.

4. Veru 4.

3. Veru 3.

2. Fausu 2.

1. Veru 1. Answers to the questions: Ex. 1 Ex. questions: the to Answers

112 Arba Sicula XXXVII Sicilian Onomastics: Nicknames and Towns’ Stereotypes

e all know that in Sicily people are often better known by their Wnicknames rather than their family names. Sicilians have a penchant for applying nicknames and characteristics to everybody and everything from saints, to towns, to the inhabitants of towns, to geographical areas and personal names. The nicknames can be formed in many ways. How these epithets are born and become part of the linguistic baggage that speakers of Sicilian possess has been studied by the linguists of the Centro di studi filologici e linguistici siciliani, directed by professor Giovanni Ruffino. We have gleaned a few examples from their chapter on “Onomastica” in Lingue e culture in Sicilia, Volume I. We can only give a brief summary of their research, but even so the manner of creation of what the linguists call the “Blasone popolare,” that is, a word or phrase that identifies a particular individual or town or even a geographical area, is interesting because it reveals something about the relationship among Sicilians, how they see themselves and how they see their neighbors, the beliefs and prejudices that govern interrelationsips, etc. While we address how the processes by which the nciurii are born, it’s important to realize that the practice is universal and touches every aspect of life. We will focus only on the epithets coined for towns and cities. The epithets display a form of “campanilism” by which the inhabitants of the next town are categorized according to a physical, psychological or social trait. The intention, of course, is to suggest that the people who live outside the sound of the town’s bell are inferior in every way to the inhabitants of the town from which the epithet emanated. Francesco Lanza wrote a classic of Sicilian humor entitled Mimi siciliani that uses ethnic epithets to create a bitter-sweet image of Sicilians. Through time thenciurii have become codified and there is little anyone can do to change them. If one happens to be born in Messina, for example he will be known as a Bbuddaci to the people who live in the North Eastern part of the island. Let us go through some of the procedures through which the epithets are created: The simplest way seems to be to establish a phonetic connection with the names of the town such as in the following, “Cesarò, non ci passerò; Casali, nun ci passari; Malettu cu culu apettu. (Cesarò, there I won’t go; Casali, don’t pass that alley; Malettu, with an open ass.) It is clear, however, that the speaker has little regard for these towns without identifying any specific trait against the inhabitants. One generic epithet that can be used by everyone to malign

Arba Sicula XXXVII 113 whatever town he wants is the following: “Mistrittisi, unu ogni paisi.” This epithet is usually followed by a rejoinder “e si nun ci nn’è, megghiu è”. (People from Mistretta, there is one in every town…and we’d be better off if there were none). You can substitute the name of any inhabitant whose suffix of derivation is isi and you have it: “Catanisi, unu ogni paisi…”

Sometimes the epithet evokes a specific characteristic of the town or in- habitants. For example, in the saying “Saucoti setti facci,” in which the people from Savoca (prov. of Messina) refers to the fact that the town high on a hill offers seven different views, depending from where the visitor is looking. Sometimes a simple adjective is sufficient to tag the inhabitants of a town: the people from Mistretta are called Baddusi (loudmouths) while those from Casteldaccia are called Tabbariati (petulant). Sometimes a verb and a direct object are sufficient to tag a town’s inhabit- ants as is the case for the nciuria “Arrozzulamatri” (People who push mothers off a cliff) and Cacamici (people who shit on friends) for the people of Caccamo. Sometimes the saying identifies a specific characteristic of the town as in “Ganci: assai paghi e picca manci” (Gangi: you pay a lot and eat a little) or “Motta, Reittanu e Pittiniu/ su tri paisi senza Ddiu / cci nn’era unu e ssi nni fuiu” (Motta, Reitano e Pettineo are three towns that have no god. There was once one but he ran away).

There are some sayings through which you can discover ancient animosities between that always seem to exist between nearby towns. Such epithets can be applied simply by inserting the name of the inhabitant from the neighboring town: “Megghiu u mortu rintra la casa, ca un______darreri a porta.” (Better to have a dead person in the house than a______at the door).

This form of “Campanilismo,” as I said, colors every aspect of living in Sicily. One example from the sphere of religion will suffice: St. Calogero is the patron saint of several cities and towns of the province of Agrigento and his supporters from Naro coined a ditty that extols the powers of their patron while disparaging the same saint venerated in the neighboring cities:

San Caloiru di Naru, Saint Calogero of Naro miraculi ni fa un migghiaru; makes a thousand miracles; San Caloiru di Canicattì Saint Calogero of Canicattì miraculi ni fa tri; makes only three miracles; San Caloiru di Girgenti, Saint Calogero of Girgenti miraculi non ni fa nenti. makes no miracles at all.

114 Arba Sicula XXXVII Not to be outdone, the supporters of Agrigento’s (Girgenti) patron saint responded with their own ditty:

San Caloiru di Naru, Saint Calogero of Naro i miraculi i fa pi dinaru; makes miracles for money; San Caloriu di Girgenti, Saint Calogero of Girgenti, i miraculi i fa pi nenti; makes miracles for nothing; San Caloiru di Canicattì, Saint Calogero of Canicattì, ni fici unu e si ni pintì. made only one and repented.

In Sicily, associating vices and shortcomings with the names of the cities is practiced with a vengeance. Messina is the “città babba,” (the foolish city) Catania’s citizens are renowned for their stinging and arrogant speech and Palermo’s inhabitants carry a chip on their shoulders. Each city is proud of its accomplishments and considers itself better than the rival. In the following saying you can see how the three principal cities of Sicily regard each other: “Si Catania avissi portu, Missina saria un ortu; si Palermu avissi portu Missina fora un ortu; si Catania avissi portu, Palermu saria mortu.” (If Catania had a port, Messina would be an orchard; If Palermo had a port, Messina would be an orchard; If Catania had a port, Palermo would be dead). The antipathies that existed among these three major Sicilians towns, and which continue to be felt even today, may have been created by economic and religious rivalries. The rivalry between Catania and Messina, according to Santi Correnti, was motivated by economic and social interests regarding the university. Catania has the oldest university in Sicily, founded by Alphonse the Magnanimous in 1434. The University of Messina was founded by the Jesuits in 1548 but for many years it was not allowed to grant degrees, a privilege that only the University of Catania had. It succeeded in obtaining that privilege only in 1591, but the Catanesi never stopped complaining about it and after the revolution of 1674-78, the Spanish crown decided to take away the university from Messina to punish the rebellious city. Messina was given the university back only in 1838. The rivalry between Catania and Palermo centered on the two santuzzi: Santa Rosalia and Sant’Agata. The two patron saints are much beloved in their respective cities and the citizens do not take insults against their saints lightly. The animosities grew from the fact that some Palermo historians claimed that Saint Agatha was not from Catania, which obviously offended the Catanesi mortally. The debate continued for decades, spilling over onto other subjects. Correnti cites a poet named Pietro Pavone, who was competing against Pieto Fullone, who began one of his octaves with the insulting remark:

Arba Sicula XXXVII 115 Catania è reggia, Palermu è curtigghiu. (Catania is a royal palace, Palermu is a courtyard.)

If one digs long enough, the epithets applied to cities and towns by other cities have an interesting story to tell. Some of the epithets can be readily understood; others require some dig- ging. But even serious research sometimes fails to explain the significance of some of the epithets. Here are some more nciurii through which some towns of Sicily are tagged for their vices and flaws:

Carinisi causi ranni (people of Carini big pants), Addimannusi li Turrittisi (people from Torretta beggars), Abbampa-lavuri li Jardiniddara (people from Giardinello are wheat burners), Malantrini i Mungiulibbrisi (the people from Montelepre are macho), Guarda-zzucchi li Partinicoti (Tree trunk watchers are the people from Partinico), Mancia-cipuddi li Bburgitani (The people from Borgetto are onion eaters), Affuca-sardi li Favaruttara (The people from Terrasini drown sardines) E la babbizza discinni di li (And stupidity descends from the people Cinisara of Cinisi).

In this next list, the inhabitants of the towns are identified either by the work that was associated with the town or by the food that they enjoyed eating:

The people of Villafrati are known as Issalori (diggers of gypsum), The people of Ribera are known as Manciabbabbaluci (eaters of snails), The people of Niscemi are Fumirara (shovelers of manure); The people of Bonpietro are Pignatara (makers of pots); The people of Burgio are Cantarara (makers of night pots) The people of Cerda are Cacucciulara (growers of artichokes) The people of Milicia are Manciafauzzi (eaters of little fava beans); The people of Ventimiglia as Manciaficurini (eaters of prickly pears); The people of Lentini are Mancialarunchi (eaters of snails), The people of Baucina are Sangunazzara (eaters of blood pudding).

Some inhabitants of towns are tagged for the way they speak. Those from Caltagirone, who seem to have difficulty in pronouncing words clearly, at least to people from other towns, are identified as “Chidddi ccu a fava mmucca” (those who speak with a fava bean inside their mouths). The people of Prizzi seem to

116 Arba Sicula XXXVII have a nasal twang when they speak and they are tagged Tinchi tonchi, which seems to be a phonetic repetition without any meaning, like tra lla la, and the people of San Cataldo are tagged with the phrase: “San Catallu, pani callu,” which mocks the feature of their parrata that pronounces all ld combinations as double ll. The saying should be “San Cataldu, pani caldu” (San Cataldo, where the bread is hot).

Finally, to show how such epithets are created in unpredictable ways, I relate a couple of anecdotes that gave rise to the epithet that identifies the people of Trappeto as I senza Diu (the people without God). Far from being atheists the people of Trappeto, apparently, were experiencing great difficulty in their work as fishermen. They decided they needed a miracle and so they threw a large crucifix into the sea in the hope of obtaining an abundant catch. In a second anecdote an old woman found a crucifix in her attic that was all corroded and eaten by worms and she decided to throw it out. Having thrown out two statues of Jesus, the people of Trappeto were tagged as being godless. We have not exhausted the subjects by any means. Many examples of nicknames regarding towns and people can be found in the monumental col- lection of proverbs published by G. Pitrè. Fortunately some of those proverbs have been translated into English by Arthur Dieli. See his Proverbi siciliani/ Sicilian Proverbs, published by Legas.

Arba Sicula XXXVII 117 L’anticu Carnaluari di la Cuntea di Modica

di Natale Lo Gatto

a puisia ca segui fu ricitata di un scarparu di nomu Natale Lo Gatto Lduranti la festa di Carnaluari a Chiaramonte Gulfi. Eventualmenti fu pubblicata di Serafino Amabile Guastella ntô 1887. Si tratta di un documentu nteressanti ca nni fa vidiri comu li Siciliani videvanu a li abbitanti dî paisi vicini. Lo Gatto havi simpatii e antipatii, duna lodi e rimproveri a tutti in manera uguali distribuennuli a tutti li paisi dâ Sicilia. Mancu a dirlu, l’abbitanti dî paisi minziunati di Lo Gatto, s’avissiru avutu l’opportunità di rispunniri, avis- siru datu nautra virsioni di li fatti. Lu scanciarisi nciurii era un passatempu ca tutti si pigghiavanu e chiddi ca rinescevanu a truvari li nciurii chiù fantastichi contru a li paisi vicini ricivevanu la gratitudini dî paisani.

(Curtisia di Santi Correnti, La Sicilia che ride, Biblioteca di Cultura Contemporanea, Messina: D’Anna Editrice, 1991.)

Viniti tutti ccà, Ciaramuntani sintiti 'stu strammuottu 'mpuisia: cummìta a tutti 'ui masciu Natali, massari, mastranzuoti e Signuria. Lu sdirriluni ri lu carruvali L’anu 'a passari tutti n'alliria. Ri li paisi li 'nciurii baggiani ora vi cuntu ccu la verba mia.

Tinti tabbuta su' li viscarani, 'nficcati 'ntra munàchi' e fitinzia; e sursa maccu su' li rrausani e cu belli manniri e bella massaria. Terranova riquoncu ri buttani, li belli scecchi a la Pantiddaria. A Scichili li Turchi e li Cristiani lu ran Sargenti ccu la Sarginzia.

Larruna, e ran tabbaccu a Licuddia, li ippisara e li scecchi allintati; ppi prucissioni vinci Nicuscia; a Uccialà li genti sgangulati. Catraggiruni cantra e Signuria 118 Arba Sicula XXXVII The Ancient Carnival in the County of Modica

by Natale Lo Gatto

his is a poem recited by a shoemaker named Natale Lo Gatto dur- Ting the Carnival festivities in Chiaramonte Gulfi. It was eventually published by Serafino Amabile Guastella and republished in 1887. It is an interesting document that provides insights into how Sicilians regarded their own neighbors. Lo Gatto seems to have likes and dislikes; blame and praises are distributed equally among all the towns of Sicily. The inhabitants of the towns mentioned by Lo Gatto would reciprocate if they had the opportunity to do so by offering their own version. The exchanges of epithets was a pastime that all enjoyed and the ones who could hurl more imaginative nciurii against their neighbors were applauded.

(from Santi Correnti, La Sicilia che ride, Biblioteca di Cultura Contmporanea, Mes- sina: D’anna Editrice, 1991.)

Come one, come all, people of Chiaramonte1 To listen to this song of Carnival in verse. Master Natale is the one inviting you Farmers, artisans and gentlemen alike. Everyone should enjoy with cheer This Fat Monday2 of our Carnival. I will relate now in my own words the funny nicknames of Sicilian towns.

The folks from Biscari are ugly coffins stuck inside filthy steepers3 and garbage. The people of Ragusa are inept, But they have large cattle and good farms, Terranova4 is a haven for prostitutes; For handsome donkeys go to Pantelleria.5 In Scicli you’ll find Turks and Christians6 too The great Sargeant and the Sargeants’ quarters.7

Great thieves and great tobacco are in Licodia;8 Gypsum miners and donkeys all worn out.9 Nicosia wins the prize for great processions; In Occhiolà the people have no teeth.10 Caltagirone, night pots and nobility And the Patron saint with eyes all soiled with figs.11

Arba Sicula XXXVII 119 e lu Patronu ccu l'uocci 'nciappati. Cu vo' canarii va a Palaunia. A Nuotu ppi tri parti scugghiuniati.

Li pachinisi ccu l'uocci cacati ppi ggiuocu e ppi minzogni 'n c’è pari. Munturussani, cajorsi 'mputati, ci arrobbanu a li scecchi lu manciari. A Spaccafurnu c’è lu cicu natu 'ugginu comu muschi li majari. A Lintini gran caccia e gran piscatu, spati e cutedda li palermitani..

Li caca vicci su' li cummisani, li milazzisi su' li mancia surci, li mancia trunza su' li jacitani', a Carrapipi c’è li scecchi curci Muorica laparderi e bbastapani

Va' a Miliddi, ca lruovi sangu ruci; Aula, abbullalura ri minciuna; trentatri casi 'n tuttu a Santacruci, ronni frustati e uomini squasuna. Ciazzisi, ccu ddu' lingui 'n cruci e nuci, si mancinu pp'anciddi li scursuna.

Lu licuddianu si scorda la cruna, ma nun zi scorda lu cutieddu finu. Vizzinisi marrani e traritura, puorci ri tri cantara a Mazzarinu. Pareddi, lupi, castagni e surjiuna, cu'va 'n Calavria trova ri cuntinu.

Li veri facci beddi su' a Sciurtinu, ppi minni truggi vinci la miniola, Sarausa cu' vo' lu mieggiu vinu, Catraggiruni cu' vo' calia bona. Ppi la sausizza a vinci Mazzarinu, e la Vittoria ppi li ran citrola. Cassaru culu russu e puorcu spinu, senz’acqua e senza petra è Terranova.

A Scichili cu' vo' li ronni a prova, cu' vo' la rran mastranza, Sarausa.

120 Arba Sicula XXXVII Whoever wants canaries Palagonia’s the place;12 Three quarters of the men have no balls in Noto.

The people of Pachino are bleary-eyed. They have no peer as liars and deceivers; The folk from Monterosso are deemed uncouth As they are known to rob food from their donkeys. 13 In Spaccaforno lives the poet who was born blind;14 Witches hover everywhere like flies. In Lentini there’s great hunting and great fishing;15 In Palermo people have swords and knives.16

The people from Comiso are known as vetch shitters;17 The people from Milazzo are eaters of mice. The people of Acireale are eaters of cabbage stubs;18 In Valguarnera there are asses without tails. In Modica they’re swindlers19 and loafers; Butera is the first voice of the realm.20

Go to Melilli you will find sweet blood;21 In Avola an abundance of dumb people. There are thirty-three houses in all in Santacroce; Shameless women and men who wear no shoes.22 The people of Piazza have two languages that cross,23 And they eat snakes pretending they are eels.

The man from Licodia may forget the rosary But he will not forget his sharp, thin blade.24 The people of Vizzini are traitorous and uncouth; The hogs in Mazzarino weigh three tons.25 If you travel to Calabria you will find Pots, wolves, chestnuts and scorpions everywhere.26

The really beautiful faces are in Sortino; For hard, full breasts Mineo ‘s women win the prize. For the best wine Siracusa is the place; Caltagirone makes the best roasted pumpkin seeds; Mazzarino wins the day for the best sausages. For huge cucumbers go to Vittoria; People in Cassaro have red behinds and porcupines27 And Terranova has no water and no stones.28

If you want women on a trial basis go to Scicli, Go to Siracusa if you need a master craftsman.

Arba Sicula XXXVII 121 Cu' vo' 'mbriachi ar 'Aula li trova, lu pani jiancu lu trova a Rrausa. 'Ntra schietti e maritati s'amnova a Francufunti la verra baggiana. Girgenti, ca ri latri teni scola, senza 'mpisi nun passa la simana.

Vera pruascia pari Giarratana, aggi, strunza e purcieddi casa casa. A Palazzolu, vurpazzi ri tana, li ciarauli e lu canciu a la curcata. Cc’è cciù latri ca muschi a la Favara, cciù nuri ca vistuti a la Licata. Sammicieli si 'mpresta la mammana, Castruggiuanni fimmini a manata.

A Rriesi un puorcu sunau la campana, e fu zitatu a ppaiari li spisi. A Sallunardu ni la Siculiana cci abbrusciaru li jiammi li Narisi.

Mancia pudditri su' li vizzinisi, a Militieddu su' l'abbruscia muorti, li 'mpenni scecchi su' li Darunisi, a Naru cc' e li casi ccu ddu' portio Ppi tri parti sciabecchi li Firrisi, a Buscema carpusi e pisci quocci. Vièrtuli sicchi su' li bucchirisi, Catania, pieri arsi e mmanu squotti.

Catania li duttura li cciù ffuorti, tutti sculara e tutti bacillieri. Si conzanu li testi li cciù stuorti, la liggi si simina pieri pieri. Castruggiuanni ciurinu li porti 'n ottuvru e a maju li rapinu arreri.

'M Palermu cc’è li quattru cantuneri, li gran ricchizzi, lu gran Parramentu, principi, principuna e ccavalieri, ha la manta e la cruna ri lu Regnu. Missina ppi mmircanti e ppi frustieri, e ppi ddu puortu, ch'è 'mmeru spavientu. Cini ppi cini li so maazzeni:

122 Arba Sicula XXXVII If you want drunkards, you’ll find many in Avola; And in Ragusa you will find white bread. Between the married and unmarried the lively conflict is renewed anew in Francofonte.29 In Agrigento, which maintains a school for thieves, No week goes by without a hanging.

Giarratana really looks like a dung heap: Garlic, turds and pigs throughout the house. In Palazzolo Acreide, mean lairs of foxes, Snake charmers and exchange of women in bed. In Favara there are more thieves than flies, in Licata more naked people than dressed. In San Michele di Ganzaria they lend midwives, And in Enna there are women galore.

In Riesi a pig rang the bell And he was sued to pay the expenses. In Siculiana the people of Naru burned the legs of Saint Leonard’s statue.30

The people of Vizzini are colt eaters; In Militello the people burn dead bodies.31 The people from Aidone hang donkeys; In Naro the houses have two doors. (one for the husband the other for the lover). In Ferla three quarters of the men are lame, And in Buscemi thieves and bulging eyes. The people from Buccheri carry empty sacks, folks have burned feet and quick hands in Catania.32

In Catania you’ll find most expert learned men, All of them with diplomas and degrees.33 The most eccentric heads are fixed there; You find the law just everywhere you turn. In Enna they will shut the doors to the city In October and they’ll reopen them in May.34

In Palermo they have the Four Corners,35 Great riches, and the mighty Parliament, Princes, greater princes and cavaliers; It has the mantle of the realm and crown. Messina is famous for merchants and foreigners, And for its port: a marvel to behold,

Arba Sicula XXXVII 123 part’unu e bbeni n’autru bbastimentu.

A Mminiu li pueti a ccientu a ccientu, picchì è lu mastru ri lu puitari. Li muricani, senza sintimentu, ni la missa si mintinu a friscari. Vizzini ‘n cc’è ggiumata senza vientu, e mmancu 'n'ura senza marturiari.

Trapani sali jiancu e ccuraddari, li veri facci fini su' a lu Munti. Bronti, mienzj cristiani e mmienz'armali, ppi 'ncarzarari aggranci Francufonti. Giarratana 'nzunzieddi a Carruvali, ar Austa la rrugna jiunti jiunti. Cu' vo' lu Patr'Eternu va a Murriali, cu' vo' rran ffesta vegna a Cciaramunti.

Notes 1 In the area of Modica they pronounce the k sound as ch. Hence Chiavi would be pronounced ciavi as in ciao. 2 Fat Monday was called lu sdirruluni; Fat Tuesday was known as lu sdirrimarti. 3 Li Munàchi were the places where they worked on macerating the fibers of linen and other materials. 4 Terranova is the present city of Gela. The name was changed back to its original form in 1928 under Mussolini’s rule. 5 Pantelleria was known for a local breed of donkeys that was larger than other donkeys. 6 For the feast of the Madonna delle milizie, the inhabitants enact a battle between Turks and Christians, recalling the battle between Roger II and the Emir Belcane that took place in 1091. 7 Scicli was also the headquarters of a military command. Sicilians hated doing military service; hence the antipathy for the town. 8 Licodia Eubea was famous for the cultivation of tobacco. As Santi Correnti notes there was a saying, “Pipa di radicha e tabaccu di Licoddia” (Pipe made of root and tobacco from Licodia) that testifies about the good reputation of the product. 9 In the production of gypsum workers employed donkeys to carry out the material. These poor animals were often overworked and poorly fed. 10 Occhiolà was destroyed in the earthquake of 1693 and it was rebuilt with the name of Granmichele. The reference to the toothless inhabitants is connected to a theft of a deer from the hunting reserve of the local prince by the local peasants. To punish the culprits, the prince had some of their teeth knocked out. 11 Caltagirone is famous for its ceramics. They made also cantara, the night

124 Arba Sicula XXXVII For its warehouses filled to the roof. When a ship leaves, another one arrives.

There are poets by the hundred in Mineo Because it is the master of all poetry. The folks of Modica have no discretion, They start to whistle in the middle of the mass. No day goes by without wind in Vizzini And not an hour without hearing the death bell.

In Trapani white salt and masters of coral. The truly beautiful faces are in Erice. In Bronte, they are half animals, half men, In Francofonte they imprison crabs. In Giarratana, pork rinds for Carnival, In Augusta an abundance of scabies. If you want God, to Morreale you should go;36 If you want a great feast to Chiaramonte come. pots. As regard the eyes of Saint James, the patron saint, the Nicosiani have a tradition of throwing ripe figs against the statue of the saint to obtain a miracle. 12 The eferencer to the canaries refers to the yellow color of the little birds. The area of Palagonia was infested with malaria once and people suffered from jaundice. 13 The nhabitantsi of Monterosso have a reputation of being ornery. The reference to stealing from donkeys can be explained by the fact that they ate bread made with barley called “caranzone”. 14 This efersr to an excellent poet who even beat Pietro Fullone in a poetic competition. 15 The great hunting and fishing was probably due to the presence of a lake that eventually dried out. 16 Palermitans are often represented as tough people who are always ready for a fight. 17 The people of Comiso eat a lot of carobs. Hence they defecate their seeds. 18 In Acireale (province of Catania) they grow large cabbages and they eat the stems. 19 The term laparderi means ‘halberdier” (lance bearer) but it has come to mean a voracious, greedy person. 20 The rinceP of Butera was First Peer of the Kingdom of Sicily. Thus he had the first seat in the Sicilian Parliament. 21 There is a sanctuary to St. Sebastian in the town. Those who received miracles from the saint would lick the pavement in the Basilica causing their tongue to bleed. 22 Santa Croce Camerina was apparently a very small town when it was founded in 1598. Even today it has ony a few thousand inhabitants.

Arba Sicula XXXVII 125 23 In Piazza Armerina, as in San Fratello, Sperlinga, Aidone and other towns, the people speak a dialect called Gallo-italic, which was brought by the colonizers from Northern Italy. These towns have maintained their dialect to this day but Sicilian has made inroads so that the inhabitants can now speak both languages. 24 According to the poet the inhabitants of Licodia are macho. 25 Thesausages made in Mazzarino are famous for their goodness, as are the pigs raised there. 26 While normally the campanilismo of the poet is meant for neighboring towns, sometimes Calabria, being so near to Sicily, is included. Francesco Lanza, in fact, included several tales in his Mimi siciliani that deal with Calabria. 27 Cassaro in the province of Siracusa is well known for making wood coal. The redness of their skins is due perhaps to the slow flames they use to make the coal. 28 A persistent problem for these towns because of the heat and lack of rain. 29 For the feast of the patron saint, the married and unmarried quarreled to see who would carry the saint in the procession. 30 The inhabitants of aroN wanted a relic of Saint Leonardo from the inhabitants of Siracusa. When they were denied, they set fire to the statue of the saint, burning its legs. 31 There had been a plague in town so the inhabitants decided to burn the bodies of the dead. 32 Perhaps a a reference to the pickpockets that used to infest Catania. 33 Catania boasts of having the first university in Sicily founded in 1434. 34 Perhaps because being the highest provincial capital in Sicily, its climate is more rigid than elsewhere. 35 The ourF Corners are a major tourist sight in Palermo. They are the meeting point between via Maqueda and via Vittorio Emanuele, near the Town Hall of Palermo. 36 To see the mosaic of the Cristo Pantocratore in the cathedral built by William II. ------We normally do not publish an account of what took place in our annual tour in the Arba Sicula journal. We think it’s more appropriate for the Sicilia Parra newsletter. But last year we included an article in Arba Sicula on the food experience that was enjoyed during tour 22. Those who were with us surely will remember the day we stopped in Modica at the Trattoria dei sapori perduti where we had a marvelous lunch of many antipastos and maccu with pasta. As a result I actually forgot to give an account of Tour 22 in the succeeding Sicilia Parra. Having written about the stop in Modica and having briefly talked about the success of the tour, I neglected to share the photos with the membership. Mea culpa! The two group photos on the following page are of the members of tour 22 , 2015, (top) taken at my cousin’s house in Francavilla. The bottom photo is of tour 23 members, 2016, taken in the same patio. I will give an account of what happened in Tour 23 in the next Sicilia Parra.

126 Arba Sicula XXXVII Arba Sicula XXXVII 127 Recensioni

Donna H. DiCello, Psy.D. and Lorraine Mangione, Ph.D., Daughters, Dads, And The Path Through Grief” Tales from Italian America, Impact Publish- ers, Atascadero, California. Recensioni di Nino Provenzano

iggennu Daughters, Dads, And The Path Through Grief, lu litturi vidi li Ldu’ scrittrici dû libbru, Donna DiCello e Lorraine Mangione, comu du’ investigatrici esperti ca accumulanu fatti e dittagghi cu ogni sfumatura e inflessioni pi misurari li emozioni prufunni di li du’ pirsunaggi principali: lu patri sicilianu e la so figghia. Comu è lu patri sicilianu nta l’occhi di la figghia? Iddu è affezziunatu, vivaci, simpaticu, irascibbili e nun istruitu formalmenti. Iddu è chiddu ca ricivi lu diploma di la scola media studiannu di sira, gran tra- vagghiaturi e amanti di la famigghia. È na pirsuna fucusa, responsabbili, maritu fideli, patri dedicatu a la famigghia, stoicu e prammaticu. Li figghi fimmini Italu-Miricani ammiranu a li so ginituri. La famigghia è lu puntu cintrali di la so vita. “Li putenzialità individuali sunnu di natura sicunnaria a li bisogni dâ famigghia”, secunnu li autrici. Pi li figghi fimmini è mpurtanti, anzi cruciali, stari assemi cu li ginituri, iennu a la bibliuteca, cavarcannu un cavaddu, mparannu a jiri supra la brici- chetta, jucannu a lu bigliardu, iennu ô mari, mparannu a natari, viaggiannu in aeriu, jucannu a ping pong e facennu li vacanzi nzemmula cu la famigghia. “Ogni fimmina ntervistata mparau assai dî so patri, di li so istruzioni, lu so esempiu e semplicementi stannu cu iddu”, dichiaranu DiCello e Mangione. Criscennu di picciridda nsinu a l’ebbica dâ pubertà, e di ddà nsinu a l’età adulta, la figghia fimmina havi a furmari la so identità. Havi a apprenniri comu rigu- larisi cu li liami culturali, cu l’amuri rumanticu e comu divintari critica di la so pirsuna interna. Pi li ginituri lu passaggiu inevitabbili di li figghi fimmini a l’età adulta è n’esperienza duci e amara. Iddu si prioccupa, è nirbusu pirchì sapi ca lu munnu è crudeli e piriculusu e sapi comu è vulnerabbili na picciuttedda. Ma la figghia havi a allargari lu so munnu pi putiri canusciri nautru stadiu dâ so vita. Sti punti sunnu documintati chiaramenti tramiti li intervisti cu li figghi fimmini. Anchi si ogni fimmina cunta na storia diversa, lu modellu è assai simili. La coppia di patri e figghia taliana havi un dinuminaturi cumuni ca cunsisti in rispettu e amuri pi la famigghia ca è cintrali pi la so supravvivenza. Quannu la vita di la figghia evolvi a causa di la carrera, la so famigghia e li figghi, li liami cu lu patri diventanu chiù prufunni e chiù forti. Comu la figghia nun havi a cummat- tiri pi aviri chiù libbirtà, nun c’è chiù bisognu di lezzioni e di critica. A stu puntu li ginituri e li figghi hannu bisognu sulu di capirisi megghiu e accussì fannnu.

128 Arba Sicula XXXVII Book Reviews

Donna H. DiCello, Psy.D. and Lorraine Mangione, Ph.D., Daughters, Dads, And The Path Through Grief: Tales from Italian America Impact Publish- ers, Atascadero, California. Reviewed by Nino Provenzano

n reading Daughters, Dads, And The Path Through Grief, the reader will Isee the two authors of this book, Donna DiCello and Lorraine Man- gione, as experienced investigators who bring in the facts with every detail, nu- ance and inflection that highlight the clues that help to measure the depth and the emotions of the two featured characters, the Italian father and the daughter. Who is this Italian-American father seen through the eyes of the daughter? He is warm, lively, pleasant, has a temper and is not formally educated. He is one who receives his high school diploma by going to school at night, works hard and loves his family. He is exuberant, responsible, loyal husband, devoted father, stoic and pragmatic. Italian-American daughters admire their fathers. Family is the center of their father’s lives. “Individual potential and accom- plishments are secondary to the needs of the family”, according to the authors. For daughters, spending time with their father is very important and crucial! Going to the library, riding a horse, learning how to ride a bike, playing pool, going to the beach, learning how to swim, riding in an airplane, playing ping pong and going on vacation together with the family. “Every woman interviewed learned so much from her father, by his instruc- tions, by his example and by simply being in his presence,” said DiCello and Magione. In growing up, from child to teenager, and from teenager to adult, a daughter has to forge her own identity. She has to learn how to negotiate cultural ties, romantic love, and how to become her own inner critic. For fathers, the inevitable transition of the daughter into adulthood is a bittersweet experience. He is worried, and restless because he knows the dangerous and cruel world out there, and the vulnerability of a young girl. But, the daughter must push her boundaries to experience the new stage of her life. The case is very well made with testimonials of all the daughters inter- viewed. Although each lady has a different story to tell, the pattern is very much similar. Italian father-daughter characters have a common denominator consisting of respect and love for the family that is central to their survival. When the daughter’s life evolves with careers, their families and with children, the ties with their father deepen and become more profound. The daughter no longer needs to fight for more freedom, no longer needs critical lessons. Now, all that fathers and daughters need is to understand each other better, and they do.

Arba Sicula XXXVII 129 Nta li stadii precedenti dâ so vita, la figghia aveva bisognu di l’appruvazioni dî so patri. Ora, mentri lu patri sta divintannu vecchiu e malatu, la figghia diventa istintivamenti la prutittrici, la custodi, chidda ca voli mantiniri vivu stu simbulu di forza, di valuri morali, stu faru di guida. Nun voli ca scumpari pi sempri. Davanti a la possibilità di la morti dû patri, li figghi fimmini Italu-Miricani manifestanu emozioni e senzibbilità assai pronunciati. Li lacrimi, li peni, la dispirazioni e la tristizza, lu sensu di vacanti nta lu cori ca iddi sentunu, nasci di lu fattu ca s’addunanu di essiri doppu tuttu un ramu di lu vecchiu arburu e nun na pirsuna adulta e ndipinnenti ca havi li propri radichi nziccati nta la terra. Anchi doppu la morti di lu patri, li figghi vidunu a lu patri nta li propri atti, nta lu so modu di pinzari. Iddi cunservanu oggetti, mimurabbilia, e ricordi di nteressi cumuni. Lu vidinu nta li culuri e prufumi di un ciuri ntô giardinu, nta l’oduri di na pietanza ca cci piacia, lu sonu di na canzuna e lu sapuri di na pasta spiciali. Quannu ncontranu a pirsuni ca lu patri canusceva, li figghi sentunu la so prisenza. La prisenza di lu patri è sempri vicina, quannu sentunu lu bisognu di na guida, di saggizza e di sustegnu. Finu a quannu campa la figghia, lu patri è vivu in idda, nnê so figghi e nnî niputi. Donna DiCello e Lorraine Mangione, nta stu saggiu prizziusu, sunnu comu du polizziotti ca investiganu un casu anticu e universali e puru unicu in ogni famigghia. Pubblicannu Daughters, Dads, And The Path Through Grief, Donna e Lorraine hannu junciutu na nova perla a la cullana di la littiratura supra la famigghia Italu-miricana.

Nino Provenzano’s Pirati supra la nivi /Footprints in the Snow, Mineola, New York, Legas, 128 pp. $16.00,

Recensioni di Marisa Frasca

ino Provenzanu, abili raconteur e criaturi di canti, rimani storica- Nmenti veru a la tradizioni puetica siciliana nta la so cullezioni bilingui, Pirati supra la nivi, tradottu in nglisi di Gaetano Cipolla comu Footprints in the Snow. La vuci sicula di Provenzano è squisitamenti musicali, ncantatrici, arguta e penetranti. Ma chistu non è tuttu chiddu chi si trova nta sti puisii cumposti cu cura ca nni trasportanu in avventuri lirichi e mistichi. Chistu è un libbru ca s’avissi a teniri supra lu comodinu, in modu ca ogni sira pir quacchi ura unu po’ trasiri in meditazioni prufunni e a varii liveddi ca venunu a renniri chiù granni lu pinzeri e l’esperienza dû litturi. Ci sunnu puisii ca analizzanu la nostra cumplicata ebbica e lu pisu di l’esistenza umana, mentri autri ni delizzianu li sensi. Ninu canta li biddizzi e li problemi di la so bedda patria, fa vidiri l’intimità

130 Arba Sicula XXXVII In earlier stages of her life, the daughter was in need of her father’s approval. Now with the father becoming old and sick, the daughter instinctively becomes the protector, the caretaker, one who wants this symbol of strength, moral values, and the beacon of guidance to stay, not to go, not to wane, not to die! Facing their father’s death, Italian-American daughters have stronger pro- nounced emotions and sensibilities. Their tears, sorrow, despair, pain, emptiness of the heart and sadness, are those of someone who thought that by becoming an adult, and now having her own roots, suddenly discovers that she is after all a branch of the old tree. Even years after dad’s death, daughters see their father in themselves, in their actions, and in their way of thinking. They conserve objects, memorabilia, and memories of shared interest. They see him in the color and scent of a certain flower in the garden, in the aroma of a certain dish that he liked, in the sound of a certain song, and in the taste of a special pastry. When they meet someone that their father knew, the daughter feels their father’s presence. Dad’s presence is always near, when in need of guidance, wisdom and support. For as long as the daughter is alive, her dad lives in her, in her children, and in her grandchildren. Donna DiCello and Lorraine Mangione, in this priceless study, are two expert detectives who take on a case that is ancient and universal and yet unique in each family. In publishing Daughters, Dads, And The Path Through Grief, Donna and Lorraine added a new pearl in the necklace of the Italian-American family literature.

Nino Provenzano’s Pirati supra la nivi /Footprints in the Snow, Mineola, New York, Legas, 128 pp.

Reviewed by Marisa Frasca

ino Provenzano, gifted storyteller and maker of songs, remains Nhistorically true to Sicilian poetic tradition in his new bilingual collection: Pirati supra la nivi, translated by Gaetano Cipolla as Footprints in the Snow. Indeed, Provenzano’s Sicilian voice is exquisitely musical, charming, witty and penetrating, but it’s not all we find in these finely crafted poems that take us on lyrical and mystical adventures. This is a book to keep by your night table so that each night, for an hour or so, you can enter Provenzano’s deep and layered meditations—which in turn enlarge the reader’s own thinking and experiences. Some poems examine our complicated age and the weight of hu- man existence, while others delight the senses. The praises of a beautiful but conflicted island homeland are sung, the intimacy between man and the natural

Arba Sicula XXXVII 131 ca esisti tra l’omu e la natura, certi voti tramiti gesti semplici comu lu piaciri di manciarisi cu gustu na ficudinnia. Nta la puisi “Innu la ficurinnia” l’usu di la mitafora è a lu stissu tempu schirzusu e profunnu. La mprissioni ca doppu aviri liggiutu sta puisia fa levitari nta la me mimoria nustalgia di quannu era na carusa in Sicilia duranti la staciuni e manciava ficurinni ogni matina pi culazioni. Ddu fruttu sensuali mi calmava la siti e sazziava lu me disidderiu di cosi duci megghiu di ogni autra cosa. Nun mi meravigghia lu fattu ca mi piaci tantu sta puisia ca cumprimi trama e cultura. Li ficurinnia chi sunnu assai prolifichi e crisciunu nta tutti li parti dâ Sicilia rapprisentanu lu simbulu di na isula ca pò essiri spinusa e duci a lu stissu tempu. Ma lo tonu cancia inaspittatamenti e pigghia un significatu eroticu, specialmenti nta l’urtima strofa:

Ma lu sai chi fazzu iu? Iu ti spogghiu tutta nura, e mi carma lu disiu si sta vucca t’assapura.

Li boni puisii sunnu purtali di unni ntrasemu nta la nostra cuscenza. Nun mporta si unu e masculu o fimmina, riccu o poviru, abbitanti di na città sufisticata o di un paiseddu di muntagna, lu ncontru cu lo stru iu internu—lu postu unni li nostri pinzeri sunnu libbiri di bulari, è sul una storia unica ca cunnetti tutta l’umanità. Nta la puisia “La testa (dipenni di cui è patruni)” li pochi versi di Provenzanu e la so chiara dizioni nni piermetti di ntrasiri nta stu postu ca avemu in cumuni. La narrativa semplici e lu missaggiu inclusivu renni la puisia universali: “Ni lu spaziu internu /pò essiri/ postu di iocu, / di piaciri, di spassu.// Pò essiri/na biblioteca,/un iardinu,/un laboratoriu, /un locu di priera,/o un locu di pena/Pò essiri,/un garaci chinu di filini, /di ummiri, /o di carcassi…” Chi beddu sguardu pusatu supra la vita interna di ogni omu, lu postu unni vivemu cu li nostri guai e peni individuali, cu li nostri segreti e disidderi ca cumponinu lu mosaicu umanu. La vita lu spiritu è n tema ca ritorna nta li puisii di Provenzanu. La rifles- sioni cu la quali si apri lu libbru, “Pirati supra la nivi” pripara lu tirrenu pi autri ca hannu na simili cunzistenza di tonu e chisti sunnu chiddi ca restanu nta la mia arma chiossai di tutti.Una di sti pusii è “L’incontru”, un testu semplici sulu in apparenza unni vinemu a canusciri un pirsunaggiu e la so immagini riflessa di lu specchiu. Iddu è mezzu nudu, anzianottu cu li capiddi spittinati, ma iddu si schiccia l’occhiu e dici: “Arrè ccà sì?”/ Calu la testa e dicu/ “Ti lu giuru/saremu sempi amici, e sai picchì? / Picchì tu teni a st’amicizia puru.” Cui ntra niautri nun ha taliatu nta lu specchiu e fattu na cunvirsazioni cu la propria riflessioni, specialmenti nta quacchi bruttu mumentu? Ognunu di

132 Arba Sicula XXXVII world made manifest—sometimes through the simple pleasure of eating a fig, or peeling a prickly pear. In “Hymn to the Prickly Pear,” the poet’s use of metaphor is both playful and profound. The lasting impression of this two-stanza poem is leavened with nostalgia seeping into my memory—of a time I was a girl in Sicily and ate prickly pears every summer morning for breakfast. The sensual fruit quenched my thirst and satiated my sweet tooth as nothing else could. It’s no wonder I’m so fond of this short poem that beautifully compresses plot and culture. The prolific prickly pear that grows all over Sicily stands for a symbol of the island that can be both thorny and sweet. Of course the poem also has a daunting, erotic twist, especially in the final stanza:

“Do you know what I will do? I will peel you till you’re nude. And then when I’ve tasted you, all my yearning will be soothed.”

Good poems are portals by which we enter our human consciousness. Whether you’re man or woman, rich or poor, hail from a sophisticated city or the rugged countryside, the encounter with our internal selves—the place where our thoughts are free to float, is a single story that links all of humankind. In “The Head (It All Depends on Who the Owner Is)”, Provenzano’s sparse and clear diction allows all of us to enter this place we share. The simple narrative and inclusive message makes the poem universal: “The internal space, / can be / a place of games, of pleasures, and good times./ It can be / a library, / a garden, / a laboratory, / a place of prayer / or a place of woes. / It can be / a garage full of cobwebs, / of shadows, / or broken down cars … / wrecks / of luxury cars, or of old iron, / all rusted out./ It all depends / on who the owner is.” What a great sweep into everyman’s internal life, the place we dwell with our unique joys and sorrows, secrets and desires that make up the human mosaic. Interior life is a recurring theme in Provenzano’s work. The reflective opening poem: “Footprints in the Snow” paves the way for others that yield a similar consistency of tone, and these are the ones that resonate with me the most. One such poem is “The Meeting,” a deceptively simple poem, where we’re introduced to a character and his image in the mirror. He’s half naked, past his prime, his hair is messed up, but he winks at himself and says: “Hello, you’re here again?/ I bow my head and say ‘I swear to you / that we will always be good friends. You know why? / Because you prize this friendship as I do.’” Who among us has not looked in the mirror and had a conversation with our own image, especially on a bad day? We all make efforts to connect the conscious mind with the heart in order to understand our own duality. If we’re lucky, we

Arba Sicula XXXVII 133 nui cerca di cunnettiri l’intellettu cu lu cori circannu di capiri la nostra dualità. Si semu furtunati arrivamu a na forma di accettazioni. Provenzanu arriva a sti mumenti in manera mprissiunanti. Li so immagini restanu attivi e duranu nta la menti e crisciunu cu ogni nova littura. Pi quantu riguarda la traduzioni nta stu libbru: l’abilità di Gaetano Cipolla e li so scelti estetichi mantenunu nni la versioni nglisi di li puisii di Provenzanu la vitalità originali. Chista nun è na surpresa pirchì Cipolla ha già tradottu accuratamenti un bon numiru di pueti siciliani di autu liveddu. L’opira di Provenzanu nun è n’eccezioni. Sta cugghiuta di puisii è n’opira di granni forza espressiva ca si movi cu abbilità tra lu pirsunali e lu filosoficu. Li ammiraturi di Provenzanu e jo mi cuntu ntra d’iddi capisciunu ca lu pueta nun si scorda nenti. Iddu abbrazza l’altalena di la vita, sempri attivu, dumannannu, jennu in cerca di lu significatu di la vita tramiti la lingua. Cu po› soddisfari la so passioni e ossessioni eccettu dda musa ca iddu glorifica nta l’urtimu testu: “E tu…” Idda è divinamenti duci, nobbili, affamata, tistarda e ntransiggenti. Si chiama Puisia.

Tu dici soccu penzi, e un ti tratteni si tanti un sunnu d’accordu cu tia. Quannu mi parri, biatu mi teni. Oh Musa, hai statu e sì l’amanti mia!

Provenzano la servi cu la so lucida visioni dû munnu, li so impulsi lirici, lu so cori libbiru e senza limiti, e nui litturi nni videmu chiù ricchi pi chissu.

Na Sinfunia taliana: L’autobiografia di Rosina San Paolo, Mineola, New York: Legas 2015. $16.00

Recensioni di Joseph Canepa

ari ca passau tantu tempu. Ntô 1948 me matri, so soru Leonore e Pjo iemmu a visitari a li nanni a Ferguson, Missouri. Me zia Rosina San Paolo mi purtau a lu Parcu di Sportsman pi vidiri na partita dî Cardinals. Niautri eramu tutti dui tifusi dî Cardinals a ddi tempi. Chi meravigghia pû carusu di 12 anni vidiri a Musial, Slaughter e Kurowski participari comu terzu, quartu e quintu jucaturi pi li Cardinals. Me zia, c’aveva vint’anni, travagghiava pi la cumpagnia di Pianuforti Baldwin, un travagghiu di sognu p’idda c’amava la musica. I so culleghi di travagghiu la chiamavanu Sandy. Puru un carusu di dudici anni videva ca idda era una di ddi pirsuni cuntenti ca piacevanu a tutti. Tanti anni doppu, Rosina si nzignau a usari la posta elettronica e ristammu

134 Arba Sicula XXXVII come to some acceptance. Provenzano has an ability to arrive at those moments most impressively. His images linger and grow fuller with each read. As for the translations in this book: Gaetano Cipolla’s skill and aesthetic decisions render Provenzano’s poems vitally original in English. No surprise. Cipolla has expertly translated the corpus of major Sicilian poets into English; Provenzano’s work is no exception. This collection is a powerful work nimbly moving between the personal and the philosophical. Provenzano’s admirers, myself among them, understand that this poet seems to forget nothing. He fer- vently embraces the ups and downs of life while always questioning, wandering and searching to find meaning in life through language. Who can quench his passions and obsessions but a commending Muse, an everlasting lover glorified in the final poem: “And You…”. She is divinely sweet, noble, hungry, headstrong and uncompromising. Her name is Poetry.

“You say what you believe and don’t hold back, even if many don’t agree with you. When you converse with me, I am in bliss. My Muse, you’ve been and are my lasting love.”

Provenzano serves the Muse with his lucid vision of the world, his lyrical impulses, his free and unrestrained heart, and we as readers are made infinitely richer.

An Italian Symphony.:The Autobiography of Rosina San Paolo, Mineola, New York: Legas 2016, $16.00

Reviewed by Joseph Canepa

t seems so long ago. In 1948 my mother, sister Leanore and I went Ito visit my grandparents in Ferguson, Missouri. My aunt Rosina San Paolo was kind enough to take me to Sportsman’s Park to see the Cardinals play. We were both Cardinals fans then. How magnificent for a 12 year old to see Musial, Slaughter and Kurowski bat 3rd 4th and 5th for our Cardinals. My aunt in her 20’s worked for the Baldwin Piano Company. A dream job, as she loved music. Her fellow workers called her Sandy. Even a 12 year old could see that she was one of those happy people whom everybody liked. Many years later, Rosina had mastered email and we kept up. I had an ancestry question and she replied by sending me the first chapter of her auto- biography. Since she was past 90 at the time, I was amazed by the clarity and quality of her writing. I asked her to let me know when she finished the book.

Arba Sicula XXXVII 135 in cuntattu. Ci fici na dumanna supra a nostra genealogia e idda mi rispunniu mannannumi u primu capitulu dâ so autubiografia. Vistu c‘aveva 90 anni, mi miravigghiau la chiarizza e la qualità dâ so scrittura. Ci ddumannai di farimi sapiri quannu fineva lu libbru. Ntô 2014 a 91 anni lu finiu. U primu capitulu tratta di l’origini dâ famigghia ntâ Sicilia ntô dician- nuvesimu seculu. Forsi na storia nun tantu cumuni, videmu un omu nobili, un capo mafiusu, un santu parrinu e na fimmina ca era chiù avanti dû so tempu. Ma a ddi tempi la vita era crudeli cu li ginituri. I quattru nanni pirderu figghi picciriddi. Me nanna Francesca San Paolo era cunvinta ca Carini, era un paisi sfurtunatu e idda avia a truvari nautru postu chiù sanu pi fari crisciri i picciriddi. Me nannu la vosi accuntintari e si purtau a so famigghia a li Stati Uniti. Me nannu Carmelo San Paolo vuleva iammari na frabbica di pasta a Brooklyn. Chistu nun ci rinisciu e allura iddu purtau a so mugghieri e a me matri a Springfield, ntô Missouri. Appiru du’ figghi masculi e du’ figghi- fim mini. A chiù giuvini era Rosina San Paolo. Carmelu divintau supraintinnenti di la frabbica di maccarruni Domino. Rosina nun cunta di aviri avutu probblemi grossi duranti l’ebbica di la Depressioni. So soru Josephine lassau Springfield e si nni iu a Brooklyn pi spusarisi cu Joe Canepa, me patri. I so frati, amanti di la musica, di lu divirtimentu e la cumpagnia, furmarunu lu Club Talianu di Pinochle. Nta la staciuni dû 2014 ci fu un incidenti a Ferguson, Missouri. A quantu fu riggistratu nta li tistimunianzi di na Grand Jury, un certu Michael Brown e un so amicu caminavanu ntô mezzu di la strata. Un poliziottu ca passava supra na machina ci cumannau in modu rudi di caminari supra la marciapedi. L’amicu di Brown ci rispunniu ca era d’accordu e ca iddi abbitavanu nta ddu isulatu. Lu poliziottu si alluntanau ma quannu visti ca li dui eranu ancora ntô menzu di la strata, turnau facennu marcia arreri. Iddu cunfruntau a Michael Brown ca era assai chiù granni d’iddu. Si sciarriaru e lu poliziottu nisciu a pistola e ci sparau, ammazzannulu. Si sparsi la vuci ca la polizia avia ammazzatu a unu disarmatu a jornu chiaru. Chiddu ca succidiu doppu è risaputu pirchì fu trasmessu nta la TV in tuttu u munnu pi simani sani. Mentri ascutava li nutizii liggiu lu manuscrittu di Rosina e truvaiu ca idda ntô 1948 avia participatu a un premiu promossu di la radiu. Lu so saggiu ntitulatu “Amuri fraternu” avia vinciutu lu primu premiu. Idda abbitava a Ferguson, un paiseddu cuetu vicinu a St. Louis. Nta tutti li discussioni e storii ca circulavanu a Ferguson nta stu periudu nuddu mai avia parratu di amuri fraternu o di tulliranza. Lu saggiu di Rosina si basava supra lu tema ca la populazioni di li Stati Uniti era bona e ginirusa e mentri aveva lu libbiru arbitriu li so azzioni eranu guidati di la grazia di Diu. Di cunziquenza chistu risurtava in chiddu ca idda

136 Arba Sicula XXXVII In 2014 at age 91, she finished it. The first chapter deals with family 19th century Sicilian origins. Maybe not so typical, we see an indiscretion by a Nobleman, a Mafia Don, a saintly Priest and a women way ahead of her times. But that part of the world at that time was cruel to parents. Both sets of my grandparents lost infants then. My grandmother Francesca San Paolo insisted that Carini, Sicily was unlucky and she needed a better place to raise children. Heeding her wishes my grandfather brought his family to the United States. My grandfather, Carmelo San Paolo, wanted to start a pasta factory in Brooklyn. This did not work out so he took his wife and my mother to Spring- field Missouri. They had two boys and two girls born there, the youngest being Rosina San Paolo. Carmelo became the superintendent of the Domino Macaroni Company. She does not relate any particular hard times during the Depression. Her sister Josephine left Springfield and went to Brooklyn to marry my father Joe Canepa. Her brothers, who loved music, fun and other people, formed what they called the Swiss-Italian Pinochle Club. In the summer of 2014 unrest broke out in Ferguson Missouri. From the Grand Jury testimony, I gather that one Michael Brown and a friend were walking down the middle of a street. A police officer drove by in a SUV and quite rudely asked the two men not to walk down the middle street. Michael Brown’s companion told the policeman it was cool as they both lived on that block. The policeman drove off. When he saw the two still in the middle of the street, he hit his brakes and went into reverse. He confronted Michael Brown, a much larger man. They argued, resulting in the officer pulling his gun and shooting Michael Brown dead. Word spread in Ferguson that the police shot down an unarmed man in broad daylight. The subsequent unrest and rioting made worldwide news, which lasted for weeks. Between newscasts I read Rosina’s manuscript and found that in 1948 she entered a radio sponsored contest. Her essay on brotherly love won first prize. At the time she resided in Ferguson, a quiet St. Louis suburb. In all the current hype and magnification of events in Ferguson by the media, one had to notice that there was no mention now by anyone involved of the concept of brotherly love or even use of the word tolerance. Rosina’s essay had a theme that the people within the United States were caring and generous and while they had free will their actions were guided by God’s grace. The result than was what she recognized as brotherly love. Somewhat naively I thought that Rosina San Paolo’s Ferguson Essay within the manuscript was urgently timely as it had the answer to situations like 2014 Ferguson as exhibited by her words “ ...Giving us free will, God filled our

Arba Sicula XXXVII 137 chiamava “Amuri fraternu.” Era cunvintu ca li palori di Rosina San Paolo espressi nta lu manuscrittu fussiru appropriati pi chiddu ca stava succidennu a Ferguson ntô 2014, special- menti quannu scrissi: “Dannu a nui lu libbiru arbitriu Diu nni inchiu l’arma d’ amuri pi li nostri simili comu na valvula di sicurizza pi li nostri istinti chiù basci.” “L’individuu sta attentu sulu a lu propiu nteressi e metti li pedi supra a chiddi ca ci stannu davanti. Iddu assicuta li so nteressi tantu ca si scorda e ignora a chiddi ca sunnu menu furtunati d’iddu. Lu pregiudizziu pirsunali è accussì solidu ca iddu diventa ntulliranti di chiddi ca nun sunnu d’accordu cu iddu.” Si sti palori fussiru sintuti ora, li incidenti ca si ripetunu e ca finisciunu cu atti di viulenza divintassiru forsi menu numirusi. Nuddu di chiddi ca jo cuntattai nta li giurnali e TV mustrau nteressi a promoviri l’idea di “Amuri fraternu” di Rosina San Paolo. La nazioni marciau supra la strata di lu nteressi pirsunali e di ntulliranza, alluntanannusi di lu cuncettu di paci e amuri fraternu. Ma di sta ntulliranza e belligeranza si nni addunau un omu giustu. Era lu Lu papa Franciscu e quannu parrau davanti a lu Cungressu di li Stati Uniti fici un appellu a la paci. Ma si lu saggiu di Rosina San Paolo promuveva la paci e l’amuri fraternu, idda nun era na militanti di la paci. Nta so vita di giuvini nun fu nteressata ntâ politica e si cuncintrau supra la famigghia. Rosina era la nona figghia. I primi quattru figghi ca nasceru a Carini nun camparu e morsiru picciriddi. Nta li Stati Uniti quannu Francesca si sistimau a Springfield idda appi autri cincu figghi a li quali vosi assai beni. A chiù picciridda, Rosina sintiu dd’amuri ca si spargeva a tutti l’autri membri dâ famigghia. La famigghia era mpurtanti ma puru l’autri. I vicini friquintavanu la casa dî San Paolo. C’era sempri divirtimentu e tanta musica ddà. A un certu puntu furmarunu un gruppu ca chiamarunu lu Club di Pinochle Svizziru-Talianu. A lu principiu era sulu pi masculi. Li fimmini furmarunu un club ausiliari. Tutti i membri dâ famigghia divintarunu soci di lu Club. Un parrinu simpaticu, ca era assistenti parrucu nta la chesa di Sta Agnese si fici sociu puru. Chiddu fu un periudu beddu. Nta li paiseddi privinciali la vita era bedda tannu, si nun idealistica. Po’ vinni Pearl Harbor. Unu di li frati di Rosina s’arruolau nta la Forza Aeria. So frati, Carmie nun si potti arruolari pirchì nun aveva la vista bona. Eventualmenti lu chiamarunu nta l’esercitu. So soru Mary si maritau cu un Texanu autu. L’anni di la guerra foru duri. La frabbica unni travagghiava Rosina si bruciau. Rosina cu so patri e so matri si spustaru a St. Louis. Idda fici na para di viaggia a Brooklyn pi vidiri a so soru Josephine. Ddà canusciu un cucinu ri secunnu o terzu gradu e si nni nnamurau. Mentri fora New York, iddu truvau a nautra. Rosina nun si maritau mai. Poi vissi a Ferguson pi un brevi periudu di tempu travagghiannu a la cumpagnia di pianuforti Baldwin, doppu di cui turnau

138 Arba Sicula XXXVII souls with love for one another as a safety valve for our lower instincts” and her counterpoint, “….The individual is looking out for himself, stepping on those that stand in his way. He hurries along so intently upon achieving his own aims he is oblivious to those less fortunate then himself. The individual’s prejudice is so set that he becomes intolerant of those who do not agree with his views...” If only these words were listened to now, the repeated incidents of resolv- ing disputes by extreme violence might be abated. Sadly no one in media that I contacted seemed to have any interest in promoting Rosina San Paolo’s ideas of brotherly love, tolerance and peace. The nation marched on to the road of individual self interest and intolerance and away from any concept of peace and brotherly love. The debates involved some 19 individuals most of whom were trying to out do each other, trying to be the most pro-war. This intolerance and belligerence caught the attention of a just man. Pope Francis spoke before the United States Congress and pleaded for peace. Although Rosina San Paolo’s Ferguson Essay was a call for peace and brotherhood, she was not a peace militant.. Her early life was apolitical and centered on family. Rosina was the ninth child born to her parents. The first four children were born in Carini, Sicily but tragically did not survive. Going to the United States and settling in Springfield. Francesca San Paolo had five more children, whom she loved dearly. The youngest, Rosina, felt the love and saw that it spread to her sisters and brothers. Family was important. So were other people. Neighbors flocked to San Paolo house. Simple fun and plenty of music were always there. At one point they formed a group which they called the Swiss Italian Pinochle Club. The club at first was young men only. Young ladies formed an auxiliary. All other family members then became Swiss Ital- ian Pinochle Club members. A favorite priest, an assistant pastor at St. Agnes Church, also became member. Times were good then. Small town America was a nice place to live at that time, if not idealistic. Then there was Pearl Harbor. One of Rosina’s brothers, Angelo, enlisted in the Air Force. Her brother Carmie was not able to enlist due to poor eyesight. Eventually he was drafted into the Army. Her sister Mary married a soldier, a tall Texan. The war years were difficult. The factory which employed Rosina’s father burnt down. Rosina, with her father and mother, moved to St. Louis. She made several trips to Brooklyn to see her sister, Josephine. There she met a second (or third?) cousin and fell in love. While away from New York, her suitor found another. She never married. Ahead of her was a short period of living in Ferguson, work at the Baldwin Piano Company, a return to Springfield and eventually taking care of her aging parents. Her work with the Catholic Church would prove to be very demanding, important and rewarding.

Arba Sicula XXXVII 139 a Springfield pi occuparisi di li so ginituri ca stavanu nvicchiannu. Cuminciau a travagghiari pi la Chiesa Cattolica e chistu fu un travagghiu mpurtanti e duru ma cu tanta suddisfazioni. Lu tempu didicatu a la chiesa cuminciau assai mudestamenti. Organizzau un coru di studenti di scola media ca cantava nta diversi chiesi cattolichi dâ diocesi. Lu coru cantava puru nta chiesi di autri dinuminazioni. Fici un cuncertu nta un pinitenziariu federali. Lu coru cantau l’innu “La paci scurri comu un ciumi” mentri i priggiuneri rispunneru cu un forti “ Alleluja.” Travagghiau duru pi la Diocesi di Capu Girardeau di Springfield. Eventu- almenti divintau la secretaria di lu Viscuvu Law. Idda si nteressava di li vocazioni. Idda visti l’ordinazioni di 23 parrini duranti li 14 anni ca travagghiau ddà. Ntrasiu nta un cunventu, cu lu disidderiu di divintari monaca. Ma poi dicidiu ca dda vita nun era adatta pi idda e scigghiu di fari voti privati a la chiesa.

140 Arba Sicula XXXVII Her time with her Church began modestly enough. She organized a choir featuring high school students that sang at various Catholic churches within the diocese. The choir also sang in churches of other denominations. One concert was at the Federal Penitentiary. The choir sang “Peace is flowing like a river “ with the prisoners responding with a vigorous “Hallelujah.” She worked very hard for the Springfield Cape Girardeau Diocese. Even- tually she became Bishop Law’s secretary. Her focus was on vocations. She saw 23 priests ordained in her 14 years working for the diocese. She once entered a convent, seeking to become a nun. She did not think this would be the right life for her, choosing instead private vows to the Church.

Supplement to Review by Frances Schaefer For as long as I can remember, my Aunt Rosina has been a faith filled woman and devout Catholic. In one of her emails to me in 2001, she told me she had named her front room “The Madonna of the Angels.” I had given her an angel figure for her birthday that April and it made the 22nd angel in the room. She said she felt it was a very holy room as her mother, Mama Ciccia, saw the Blessed Mother in that room. She related, “Mama was sleeping on the divan and she suddenly raised up and looked toward the other side of the room and said, ‘Ah Bedda Matri!’ (The Blessed Mother!). I didn’t see anything but from Mama’s expression, I knew she had.” Rosina has played a significant role in my Catholic faith journey. We have corresponded over the years by letters, email and phone calls as well as a few visits. She has shared books, tapes, articles, quotes, advice and her experience with me in a way that has been transformative. The high point for me was attending a Voice For Life Convention with her in Leopold, MO in 2011. I got to see this little Italian woman turn into a fireball as she spoke with pas- sion about the pro-life movement. Her involvement in the pro-live movement and the organization she started, Voice For Life (VFL), have always fascinated me. I remember visiting her a few years ago and was asking her more questions about how she started VFL when she told me she was writing a book of her life story and that it would all be in there. And so it is! In it she states, it began when she saw the headlines on January 23, 1973 announcing the Supreme Court decision declaring abortions legal. She goes on to describe how she began to participate in pro-life activities on a small scale, pray- ing the rosary in front of abortion clinics and passing out leaflets door to door. When she offered to help Missouri Right to Life, she found herself the new President of the Springfield Missouri Right to Life Chapter. The newsletter they put out was named Voice For Life, which would become the name of the organization she would eventually create. The National Right to Life Convention and meetings with pro-life directors of the four dioceses in the State of Missouri were great learning experiences in the pro-life movement that would influence the formation of Voice for Life. Chapter 31 of the book details this entire story beautifully. This chapter, along with all of the others, is just one of a collection of rich stories that capture the heart, inspire the mind and enrich the soul in an entertaining well written ac- count of real life lived. Arba Sicula XXXVII 141