Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
1871)
Attualmente, Mahir Domi nel suo studio statistico Gli Insediamenti Albanesi
nel Mondo (ingl. Albanian Settlements in the World, rif. Liria 28 Marzo, 1980,
3) stima che circa 136.000 di queste persone Arbresh in 55 villaggi ancora
parlano albanese, considerando che circa 182.000 Arbresh in altri villaggi
non lo parlano pi. Eqrem abej nel Il mondo delgli Arbresh (ingl. The
World of the Arbreshi, rif. NAlb 1987, 6:28), ha osservato che coloro che
vivono nelle regioni montuose sembrano aver conservato la loro lingua e
cultura meglio rispetto a quelli che vivono in aperta campagna. Eppure sembra
notevole il fatto che dopo 500 anni in Italia, cos tanti Arbresh che vivono
nelle loro compatte comunit non sono stati del tutto assimilati. Le usanze, i
costumi, le poesie, le canzoni e le tradizioni sono state tramandate da madre a
figlio per generazioni, utilizzando il loro dialetto Arbresh della lingua
Albanese. Cinquecento anni dopo la loro partenza dalla Patria la figlia di un
Arbresh che ora vive negli Stati Uniti, riporta in modo del tutto comprensibile
in lingua Albanese una canzone nostalgica che tradizionalmente cantano come
hanno lasciato la loro chiesa in Italia. Voltandosi ad Est verso la Patria
cantavano: Patria, luogo di bellezza, / Ho lasciato, per mai pi trovarti. /
Laggi ho lasciato mio padre, / Laggi ho lasciato mia madre, / Laggi ho
lasciato mio fratello. . . / Sono partito per non vederti mai pi(ACB 1985, 18-
19).
La loro lingua e le loro tradizioni sono state perpetuate nelle loro giornali e
pubblicazioni. Uno di loro, il Prof. Francesco Solano, detiene attualmente la
cattedra di lingua e letteratura albanese presso l'Universit di Cosenza, di
solito scrivendo con lo pseudonimo di Dushko Vetmo. stato riportato di
recente che molti dei municipi portano ancora lo stemma ufficiale della aquila
nera a due teste di Skanderbeg (rif. Fascismo 9 febbraio 1940).
Resistendo alla de-nazionalizzazione, un arbresh ha riferito che anche sulle
bottiglie di vino che produciamo nei nostri villaggi, abbiamo la figura di
Skanderbeg sulle etichette (rif. Liria 16 maggio 1980, 4). Nel 1983 il governo
albanese ha riconosciuto questa eredit e ha presentato un busto delleroe
nazionale per la piazza Skanderbeg di Spezzano Albanese (ibid.). Un altro busto
di questo tipo stato eretto nella comunit Arbresh di San Nicola del Alto di
Catanzaro (rif. Liria 1 Maggio 1984, 1). In comunit come queste, i molti italo-
albanesi preservano il loro amore per lantica Patria mentre ancora danno il
loro specifico contributo al nuovo.
Edwin Jacques, The Albanians - An Ethnic History from Prehistoric Times to the Present
(1994)
While Garibaldi, who came from Albanian stock, was pondering how and where to begin the
struggle to free Italians from Bourbon oppression and unite them in a single state, an
Arbresh eta of 400 fighters from Hora attacked the Bourbon troops in April 1860.
Francesco Crispi, also an Arbresh from Sicily, who signed himself an "Albanian by blood
and by heart" (Fashizmi 13 February 1940; Drita 28 November 1937, 11), was Garibaldi's
closest advisor and the political brain of his expedition. It was Crispi who persuaded
Garibaldi to sail from Genoa for Sicily that 6 May with his famous "One Thousand" fighters.
Of these the historian Xoxi names six men besides Crispi who were former students of the
Arbresh college of San Demetrio Corone in Calabria, southern Italy (NAlb 1985, 3:23). One
of these was Domenic Mauro, born of Albanian parentage in 1812, who became a celebrated
poet and author. But when popular uprisings against social injustice began, he forsook the
pen for the sword and fought bravely under Garibaldi.
In fact, an Italian professor, Rosolino Petrotta, in his series "Shqiptart n Itali" (Albanians
in Italy) (Fashizmi 13 Feb. 1940), has listed 19 Italo-Albanian patriots from Hora alone who
became prominent in the uprisings of 1860. Petrotta pointed out too that Garibaldi himself
did not overlook this heroism, but on 2 October 1860 had declared publicly, "Gli albanesi
sono eroi che si sono distinti in tutte le lotte contro la tirannide" (The Albanians are heroes
who have distinguished themselves in all the wars against tyranny).
Still cherishing their Albanian ethnicity, these Arbresh fighters of Hora were characterized
in these words by Italian chronicler Aba with the Garibaldi expedition: "They are proud and
honest people, they are proud of their origin. In their songs they keep alive the feeling of four
centuries, and still dream that one day their kin will be able to return to their distant
ancestral Homeland" (NAlb 1985, 3:23).
The courageous support of the many Arbresh patriots helped Garibaldi to quickly subdue
the island, and when he crossed over to southern Italy, the fighting Arbresh of that region
welcomed him with indescribable joy. Italy as a united nation owes much to the descendants
of those Albanian refugees. It must be remembered that one of them, Francesco Crispi, would
serve twice as prime minister of Italy (1887-1891 and 1893-1896).
Two distinguished literary figures must also be noted. Girolamo (or Jeronim) De Rada (1814-
1903), one of the greatest Albanian poets, was born at Macchia near Cosenza in southern
Italy. Equally outstanding was the poet Giuseppe Skiro (1865-1927), who came from Albanian
stock at Hora of Palermo and who is considered De Rada's direct successor. Beginning about
1861 thousands of these Sicilian Arbreshi sought a new life in the New World, many going to
New Orleans. Their story is told by Bret Clesi in his 'The Arbresh and Contessa Entellina"
(Liria 1 March 1984, 4).
In 1901 the Arbresh of southern Italy were reported to have 80 towns, 27 of the Greek rite
(Uniat churches related to Rome), and 53 of the Latin or Roman Catholic rite, with a total
population of 208,410 persons (Barbarich 1905, 331-33). Arbresh towns were distributed as
follows in the southern Italian provinces: Catanzaro 13, Cosenza 29, Campobasso 7, Lecce 10,
Foggia 7, Potenza 5, Palermo 5 and Catania 3 (Dituria 1 June 1909, 83-85).
Currently, Mahir Domi in his statistical study of "Albanian Settlements in the World" (Liria
28 March 1980, 3) estimates that about 136,000 of these Arbresh people in 55 villages still
speak Albanian, whereas about 182,000 Arbresh in other villages can no longer speak it.
Eqrem abej, in his 'The World of the Arbreshi" (NAlb 1987, 6:28), observed that those
living in mountainous regions seem to have retained their language and culture better than
those living in open country. Yet it seems remarkable that after 500 years in Italy, so many
Arbresh living in their compact Albanian communities have not been altogether
assimilated. Customs, costumes, poems, songs and traditions have been passed down from
mother to child for generations, using their Arbresh dialect of the Albanian language. Five
hundred years after their departure from the homeland an Arbresh daughter now living in
the United States quoted in quite understandable Albanian a nostalgic song they traditionally
sang as they left their church in Italy. Turning to the East toward the homeland they would
sing, "Motherland, place of beauty, / I have left, never again to see you./ Over there I have left
my father, / Over there I have left my mother, / Over there I have left my brother. . . /1 have
left, never to see you again" (ACB 1985, 18-19).
Their language and traditions have also been perpetuated in their own newspapers and
publications. One of their number, Prof. Francesco Solano, presently holds the chair of
Albanian language and literature at the University of Cosenza, usually writing under the pen
name Dushko Vetmo. Here it was reported recently that many of the town halls still bear the
official emblem of the black two-headed eagle of Skanderbeg (Fashizmi 9 February 1940).
Resisting denationalization, another reported that "even on the bottles of wine we produce in
our villages, we have the figure of Skanderbeg on the labels" (Liria 16 May 1980, 4). In 1983
the Albanian government recognized this heritage and presented a bust of the national hero
for the Skanderbeg Square of Spezzano Albanese (ibid.). Another such bust was erected in the
Arbresh community of San Nicola del Alto of Catanzaro (Liria 1 May 1984, 1). In just such
communities as these did the many Italo-Albanians preserve their love for the old homeland
while yet making their distinct contribution to the new.