I had one of the most interesting conversations so far in Rome with a 21 year-old boy from Sicilia, named Vincete. He spoke fluent English, French, Italian, and Swedish, without ever having been to a French-speaking or English-speaking country. We sat with a group of friends in a café in the Campo de Fiori, drinking coffee and hot chocolate by candle light and talking about Italy and the rift between the North and the South. In almost flawless English and in quiet whispers, he told me the legend of the Sicilian Mafia, as was told to him by his grandfather.
In the 1600s and 1700s, the French invaded and wreaked havoc on a very catholic Sicilia. Legend has it that in order to prove French power and break the spirit of the Sicilians, one French commander raped a Sicilian girl in the middle of a street in broad daylight. French officers surrounded and protected him from angry Sicilian mobs. In the midst of all the noise and commotion, the voice of an elderly woman was heard crying out “Ma filla, Ma filla,” which means “My girl, my girl” in Italian. It is said that her cry led to the formation of the mafia, a group of Sicilian men that vowed to get revenge on the French and offer protection to all of Sicilia. Thus began their attempt to kill the French. In order to tell the French apart from Italians, they would hold up a certain nut, pronounced “chichiri” in Italian, and ask people what it was. Whoever could not pronounce the word, and the French could not pronounce chichiri, would be killed. According to Vincete, MAFIA stands for Morta A la Francesa Italia Aspeta, which means roughly “Italy Awaits the Death of France.”
The Sicilian mafia is only one of the many differences between North and South Italy. According to Vicente and to his Italian friends, those from North Italy look down upon those from the south and vice versa –even though they are part of the same country. South Italy is the antithesis of North Italy. It is a place that is much more traditional and less economically-developed than the north. It is more dangerous, poorer, and much less educated. There is a very thick border existing between North and South Italy. Reasons for the differences stem from the constant chaos and invasion of the South by surrounding powers –everybody wanted to control the south because of the central location of their trading port on the sea. Because of constant invasion, the south never developed the kind of social capital that was developed in the north. The north had many more times of peace in which they formed communities and sports clubs (soccer clubs), that fostered trust and reciprocity. When hard times came, the north was able to cling to this trust or at least to recreate it afterwards. The south didn’t have this luxury and is instead stuck in a downward spiral of crime, violence, and distrust. However, some cities in the South, like Sicily, are known for being extremely catholic cities.
So, how does one justify the conception and current existence of a very violent mafia in one of the most catholic cities in Italy? Vicente says that the existence of the mafia actually ensures there is little violence in the city. It is the fear of the mafia that forces people to behave. In addition, all citizens have to pay a sort of tax to the mafia in return for the promise of protection (and the guarantee that they won’t rob your store).
The existence of borders between Italians themselves imply that even stronger borders exist between Italians and outsiders, like me. The biggest border I feel in Rome is the almost impossibility of meeting Romans. Where are we supposed to meet them? Bars, nightclubs, and on the street are obviously not great places to make friends. Even if they were, I'm not sure I would be brave enough to try. It takes effort even asking a signora on the street directions back to Campo di Fiori or the nearest Alimentara. Instead of explaining that I really didn't want that big of a size at a cafe or pizza shop, I often accept what I am given because of my inabilty and discomfort with the language and culture. The worst part is the feeling of having been "ripped off." I haven't gone out to a meal yet that I feel has been a peaceful experience. I think I worry about money too much. Italians don't seem as concerned with it even though prices are higher and they likely have much less to spend. I don't understand how they do this...I'm not sure I ever will. As time progresses and I become more comfortable with the city, language, and prices, I hope some of these borders will fade away.
Other observations:
A few girls and I took a walk to St. Peters Basilica one night. It was magnificent. However, to the left of the church was this huge advertisement for cellular phones! It was blocking much of the architecture and even some of the statues. It definitely seemed out of place hanging down beside such an old, beautiful, sacred church. However, it made me realize that Rome is full of overlaps between the old and the new. Even seeing people walk around the ruins in Rome, eat and live in ancient buildings, and go about their daily lives amongst such beauty seems strange and out of place. Rome is definitely a city of contradictions.
Lastly, huge contradictions in Rome are the extremely high prices and the generally lower salaries. I realize this is the case in many places around the world but it never ceases to shock me. People seem to have less and spend more! And ever day, all day long from Friday to Sunday, the streets are filled with people talking, walking, or sitting at cafés watching the world go by around them. It is a very different, slower-paced lifestyle.
Until later,
Ciao!
No comments:
Post a Comment