(Tradotto dall’inglese in italiano da Brunilda Ternova)
Come in Grecia così anche in Italia i discendenti dei profughi Arbëreshë diedero un contributo significativo per l’unificazione della loro terra d'adozione (n.d.t. Italia) nel 1860-1871. Tra i primi centri e tra i più attivi della rivoluzione c’era il villaggio di Hora e Arbëreshëvet vicino a Palermo, di solito abbreviato in Hora, comunemente noto agli italiani come Piana dei Greci, poi Piana degli Albanesi.Mentre Garibaldi, che era di stirpe albanese, pensava come e dove iniziare la lotta per liberare gli italiani dall’oppressione Borbonica e unirli in un unico Stato, una Çeta Arbëreshë (Guerriglia Arbëresh) di 400 combattenti provenienti da Hora attaccarono le truppe Borboniche nel mese di Aprile 1860. Francesco Crispi, anche lui un Arbëreshë della Sicilia, che si firmava “un albanese di sangue e di cuore” (rif. Fascismo 13 febbraio 1940; Drita 28 novembre 1937, 11), era il più vicino consigliere di Garibaldi e la mente politica della sua spedizione. Fu Crispi che convinse Garibaldi a navigare da Genova verso la Sicilia il 6 maggio con il suoi famosi “Mille” combattenti.
Tra questi, lo storico Xoxi nominò altri sei uomini che come Crispi erano ex-alunni del Collegio Arbëreshë di San Demetrio Corone in Calabria, Italia meridionale (NAlb 1985, 3:23). Uno di questi era Domenico Mauro, nato da genitori albanesi nel 1812, che divenne un celebre poeta e scrittore. Ma quando iniziarono le insurrezioni popolari contro le ingiustizie sociali abbandonò la penna per la spada e combattè valorosamente sotto Garibaldi.
In effetti, un professore di italiano, Rosolino Petrotta, nella sua serie “Gli Albanesi in Italia” (alb. “Shqiptarët në Itali”, rif. Fascismo 13 febbraio 1940), ha elencato 19 patrioti italo-albanesi di Hora che divennero importanti nella rivolta del 1860. Petrotta sottolineò anche che lo stesso Garibaldi non trascurò questo eroismo e che il 2 Ottobre 1860 aveva dichiarato pubblicamente: "Gli albanesi sono eroi che si sono distinti in tutte le lotte contro la tirannide" (ingl. The Albanians are heroes who have distinguished themselves in all the wars against tyranny).
Continuando a coltivare la loro etnia Albanese, questi combattenti Arbëreshë di Hora erano caratterizzati con queste parole dal cronista italiano Aba nella spedizione di Garibaldi: “Sono gente orgogliosa e onesta, sono orgogliosi della loro origine. Nelle loro canzoni mantengono vivo il sentimento di quattro secoli, e ancora sognano che un giorno i loro cari saranno in grado di tornare alla loro lontana Patria ancestrale” (ingl.: “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”, rif. NAlb 1985, 3:23).
Il sostegno dei molti coraggiosi patrioti Arbëreshë aiutò Garibaldi a sottomettere l’isola in fretta, e quando passò al sud d’Italia, i guerrieri Arbëreshë di quella regione lo accolsero con gioia indescrivibile. L’Italia come una nazione unita deve molto ai discendenti di quei profughi albanesi. Si deve ricordare che uno di loro, Francesco Crispi, avrebbe servito due volte come primo ministro d'Italia (1887-1891 e 1893-1896).
Anche due figure illustri della letteratura devono essere tenute in considerazione. Girolamo (o Geronimo) De Rada (1814-1903), uno dei più grandi poeti Albanesi, nato a Macchia vicino a Cosenza nel sud Italia. Altrettanto eccezionale è stato il poeta Giuseppe Skiro (1865-1927), che discendeva da una famiglia albanese della Hora di Palermo e che è considerato il successore diretto di De Rada. A partire da circa 1861 migliaia di questi Arbëresh di Sicilia cercarono una vita nuova nel Nuovo Mondo emigrando in molti a New Orleans. La loro storia è raccontata da Bret Clesi nel suo libro “Gli Arbëreshë e la Contessa Entellina ” (ingl. “The Arbëreshë and Contessa Entellina”, rif. Liria 1 March 1984, 4).
È stato riportato che nel 1901 gli Arbëreshë del Sud Italia avevano 80 comuni, 27 di rito greco (chiese Uniat correlate a Roma), e 53 del rito latino o romano cattolico, con una popolazione totale di 208.410 persone (rif. Barbarich 1905, 331 - 33). I comuni Arbëreshë erano distribuiti come segue nelle province meridionali italiane: Catanzaro 13, Cosenza 29, Campobasso 7, Lecce 10, Foggia 7, Potenza 5, Palermo 5 e Catania 3 (rif. Dituria 1 giugno 1909, 83-85).
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 Arbëreshë in 55 villaggi ancora parlano albanese, considerando che circa 182.000 Arbëreshë in altri villaggi non lo parlano più. Eqrem Çabej nel “Il mondo delgli Arbëresh” (ingl. “The World of the Arbëreshi”, 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, così tanti Arbëreshë che vivono nelle loro compatte comunità 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 Arbëreshë della lingua Albanese. Cinquecento anni dopo la loro partenza dalla Patria la figlia di un Arbëreshë 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 più trovarti. / Laggiù ho lasciato mio padre, / Laggiù ho lasciato mia madre, / Laggiù ho lasciato mio fratello. . . / Sono partito per non vederti mai più”(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'Università di Cosenza, di solito scrivendo con lo pseudonimo di Dushko Vetmo. È 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 arbëresh 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 eredità e ha presentato un busto dell’eroe nazionale per la piazza Skanderbeg di Spezzano Albanese (ibid.). Un altro busto di questo tipo è stato eretto nella comunità Arbëreshë di San Nicola del Alto di Catanzaro (rif. Liria 1 Maggio 1984, 1). In comunità come queste, i molti italo-albanesi preservano il loro amore per l’antica Patria mentre ancora danno il loro specifico contributo al nuovo.
Pubblicato presso il portale Jemi: http://www.jemi.it/approfondimenti/storia-mainmenu-47/1-varie/1301-la-leadership-albanese-nellunita-ditalia-1860-1871
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Versione Inglese
Albanian leadership in the Unification of Italy (1860-1871)
As in Greece, so in Italy the descendants of the Arbëreshë refugees made significant contributions to the unification of their adopted land (1860-1871). Among the earliest and most active centers of the revolution was their village of Hora e Arbëreshëvet near Palermo, usually abbreviated to Hora; this was commonly known to Italians as Piana dei Greci, later Piana degli Albanesi.
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 Arbëreshë çeta of 400 fighters from Hora attacked the Bourbon troops in April 1860. Francesco Crispi, also an Arbëreshë 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 Arbëreshë 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 "Shqiptarët në 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 Arbëreshë 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 Arbëreshë patriots helped Garibaldi to quickly subdue the island, and when he crossed over to southern Italy, the fighting Arbëreshë 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 Arbëreshi sought a new life in the New World, many going to New Orleans. Their story is told by Bret Clesi in his 'The Arbëreshë and Contessa Entellina" (Liria 1 March 1984, 4).
In 1901 the Arbëreshë 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). Arbëreshë 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 Arbëreshë people in 55 villages still speak Albanian, whereas about 182,000 Arbëreshë in other villages can no longer speak it. Eqrem Çabej, in his 'The World of the Arbëreshi" (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 Arbëreshë 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 Arbëreshë dialect of the Albanian language. Five hundred years after their departure from the homeland an Arbëreshë 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 Arbëreshë 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.
Edwin Jacques, The Albanians: An Ethnic History from Prehistoric Times to the Present (1994)
As in Greece, so in Italy the descendants of the Arbëreshë refugees made significant contributions to the unification of their adopted land (1860-1871). Among the earliest and most active centers of the revolution was their village of Hora e Arbëreshëvet near Palermo, usually abbreviated to Hora; this was commonly known to Italians as Piana dei Greci, later Piana degli Albanesi.
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 Arbëreshë çeta of 400 fighters from Hora attacked the Bourbon troops in April 1860. Francesco Crispi, also an Arbëreshë 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 Arbëreshë 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 "Shqiptarët në 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 Arbëreshë 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 Arbëreshë patriots helped Garibaldi to quickly subdue the island, and when he crossed over to southern Italy, the fighting Arbëreshë 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 Arbëreshi sought a new life in the New World, many going to New Orleans. Their story is told by Bret Clesi in his 'The Arbëreshë and Contessa Entellina" (Liria 1 March 1984, 4).
In 1901 the Arbëreshë 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). Arbëreshë 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 Arbëreshë people in 55 villages still speak Albanian, whereas about 182,000 Arbëreshë in other villages can no longer speak it. Eqrem Çabej, in his 'The World of the Arbëreshi" (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 Arbëreshë 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 Arbëreshë dialect of the Albanian language. Five hundred years after their departure from the homeland an Arbëreshë 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 Arbëreshë 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.
Edwin Jacques, The Albanians: An Ethnic History from Prehistoric Times to the Present (1994)
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