From our recent experiences and learning lectures concerning Italy and identity, it has become apparent that an Italian identity is a fluid concept and there is an absence of solely one Italian identity. From an outside perspective, it may seem as though Italy is one country, with one culture. With the mass media projecting stereotypical images of Italians throughout the world one may assume that an Italian identity is correlated with the Mafia, coddling women making mounds and mounds of pasta and pizza, and brothers that possibly go by the name of Fabrizio or Roberto. However, from our recent immersion into the Italian culture, and with an inside lens, it is comprehensible that Italy is composed of numerous cultures in terms of language, social norms, and traditions relating to particular regions and immigration movements. Ralph Grillo and Jeff Pratt in their essay, “Politics of Recognizing Difference” voice the question “what is a true Italian Identity?” The physical forces of the geological and cultural differences in Italy influence what constitutes a “true” Italian. During our excursion to Piazza Vittorio, Souvannah and I interviewed Luca, a 21-year-old student from Rome. He told us, “ In Italy there are different cultures in each region. There is more of a regional identity than a national identity.” He continued to tell us that he is different from someone from Napels for example. My impression from our recent excursions and from the class readings is that there is not one true Italian identity and it depends of the frame of reference. The cultural divide within the country plays a central role in each individual’s own national identity. Ethnocentrism plays a key function in the formation of the tensions between Northern and Southern Italy, and these tensions effect Italian identity. From a frame of reference of a Northern Italian, Southern Italians are the “other” foreigners within their national borders and are perceived as being barbaric Africans of a separate race. According to Aliza S. Wong in her essay, “Race and Nation in Liberal Italy, 1861-1911”, Northern Italians consider themselves to be true Italians and consider the Southern Italians to be of a different country and even un-European. The denigration of Southern Italians emanates from the difference in culture of them being more “backward”, “magical”, “archaic”[1] and the difference of dialects within the language. Conversely, Southern Italians saw the Northern Italians as striving to take advantage of them and as being forceful antagonists.
Immigration poses an additional uncertainty to what shapes an Italian identity. This weekend, I am staying with family friends, Ulrike and Gerard, in Siena. Ulrike is German and Gerard is French. They have lived in Siena for twenty-five years and their two children, Natalie and Nicholas, were born in the United States but raised in Italy, speak Italian, and attended Italian school. Natalie and Nicholas both consider themselves to be Italian, yet they do not have an Italian Passport or are considered citizens of Italy. In the novel, The Clash of Civilizations Over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio, Amara Lakhous poses the question, “…who is Italian? Only someone who was born in Italy, has an Italian passport and Identity card, knows the language, has an Italian name, and lives in Italy?” (15). While sitting down to dinner in Siena with Ulrike and Gerard, I began explaining to them the material we are studying in Rome for our program. I asked Gerard, “Do Natalie and Nicholas consider themselves to be Italian?” and he responded by saying, “Of course, this is their home, and me too. I consider myself to be Italian.” Many immigrants tackle the same predicament as Gerard and his children. Although the state does not consider them to be Italian citizens, they consider themselves to be Italian due to their association in the culture, the government, and relation to historical content of the country. Although Ulrike and Gerard are immigrants in Italy, they are aware that they do not receive the same oppression that immigrants of lower socioeconomic status face.
The denigration of immigrants in Italy is comparable to the same oppression that the Southern Italians encounter by the Italians in the North. Aliza S. Wong states, “Vocabulary used to describe the southern question provided a basis for later descriptions of expressing diversity in term of immigration” revealing the parallel between the treatment of southerners and immigrants of lower socioeconomic status in Italy. Both are considered aliens, African-like, and inferior. Italian citizens may not consider individuals who are not of Italian heritage or individuals who are do not posses an Italian passport to be true Italians. The social dynamics of the cultural and regional divide and the movement of immigrants into the country complicates the question of “what is a true Italian Identity?” Amara Lakhous writes in his novel, “I said to myself that the word ‘truth’ must always be accompanied by a question mark or an exclamation point or a parenthesis, or quotation marks, never a period.”(130). In my opinion, there is not one correct answer to what constitutes a true Italian identity. The answer lies within each individual frame of reference and the ever-changing cultural, social, economical, and governmental movements.
In relation to Italian identity is Roman identity in particular, which is based on a multitude of diverse concepts in relation to the historical, social, economic, and political forces of the country and city. In our recent excursion to the Forum, our guest speaker and tour guide, Margaret Brucia informed us of ancient Rome history and ancient Roman myths. My impression is that a Roman Identity is formed from the social and cultural values of nationalism, practicality, and beauty, which all stem from Roman ancient history. Margaret told us that Rome derived from the myth of Romulus and Remus. The twin boys were found and raised by a wolf in the woods until a Shepard found the babies after their father set them in a basket along the Tiber River in fear that they would be more powerful than he. At time of age, the boys restored Numitor to the thrown and followed the Tiber River to find a spot to build their city. The twins battled each other to detect who would be the ruler of Rome. Romulus killed Remus and on April 21, 753 BCE Roma was established. The establishment of Rome arose from victory and pride as exemplified by the arches that were built in commemoration of their victories in the Forum.
These victorious accounts relate to Roman nationalism and to the respect Romans hold for their past. In the Forum, the ancient city center of Rome, when a building was destroyed, a new building was built in the same spot to recognize the importance of the past. The story of Tarpea and her disobedience to Rome is a symbol of the strong national pride of the Romans. After betraying her city for the sake of jewelry, the body of Tarpea was cast off of a steep cliff, now known as Tarpea’s Rock, as punishment for being guilty of treason.
In addition to the importance of nationalism, Romans value practicality and beauty. This is evident in the construction and architecture of the Forum. The Forum is built mainly of brick, tufa, concrete, and then covered with marble. This is a visual image of the importance of practicality, in that the brick, tufa, and concrete were ideal building material for a sturdy framework of the city, and the covering of colorful marble revealed the importance of beauty. Romans were very proud of their practicality as evidence from the sewer system that they built in the Forum to drain the swamp. With their respect of the past, it is evident to me that the Romans still identify with the three concepts of national pride, practicality, and beauty due to the restoration of the ancient ruins and the glorious beauty of the modern yet ancient city.
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