Sicilian People
It was hard to write this page without making generalisations about the Sicilian people. The following is based on our observations of Sicilian people and is a very subjective view. your views may be very different.
From our experience Sicilian people tend to be very traditional, very family orientated, not always immediately friendly and often suspicious of strangers. However once you get to know them they are very friendly and we wouldn't be surprised if you were asked to pay them a visit for lunch or dinner. People have attributed this demeanor to the fact that Sicily has had so many foreign invaders over the centuries. This can also be seen in the appearance of Sicilian people where there is a mix of arabic, african, southern and northern European features.
Sicilian people also keep traditions alive like the festivals that are held in many places around saint's feast days.
Some describe Sicilians as slightly coarse and this is reflected in the sound of the Sicilian language and the slang and dialects that are used. Sicilians also love to haggle, and going to a marketplace is a great way to see some of the world's best bargain hunters in action.
Sicilians also love to eat and meal times can last a long long time and consist of many courses. Many Sicilians also have a sweet tooth and you can buy some fantastic sweets in pastry shops, cafes and ice cream parlours.
La passeggiata
Many Sicilian people like to stroll on the evening after dinner and this can be great for people watchers. On Friday, Saturday and Sundays, you can see people of all ages, dressed immaculately, walking very slowly along certain streets within their town, arm in arm. They take time to chat and often stop whilst talking and then carry on when a point has been made. They like to look other people up and down, but not in a bad way, more in an observational way. They also like to gossip on their walks. And of course no walk would be complete without a stop at the gelateria to buy an ice cream. Also don't be surprised to see men walking arm in arm, this is common for heterosexual men in Sicily.
|
There was a massive immigration from Sicily in the 1950s. Many Sicilians moved to England, Belgium, France, Germany, America and Argentina, amongst other places. We have observed that a lot of the Sicilians that moved abroad have kept traditions alive that are no longer kept in Sicily. This can be seen when it comes to marriages and other social occasions. Also evident is how the language used by some Sicilians living abroad is the Sicilian that was used back in the 1950s. Many dialects have now changed and some of the words the ex patriate community uses are antiquated. Click here to read about the Sicilian community in Florida.
How about Famous Sicilians?
|
|
