{"id":85,"date":"2009-02-02T11:35:27","date_gmt":"2009-02-02T15:35:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/?p=85"},"modified":"2016-08-01T09:39:06","modified_gmt":"2016-08-01T07:39:06","slug":"campanilismo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/campanilismo\/","title":{"rendered":"Campanilismo"},"content":{"rendered":"

The word campanilismo<\/strong>, which doesn\u2019t have a specific English translation, derives from campanile<\/strong> (bell tower). The campanile<\/strong>, traditionally the tallest and most prominent building in any town or village,\u00a0has become, in the concept of campanilismo<\/strong>,\u00a0an enduring\u00a0symbol of\u00a0devotion to, and love of ones\u00a0region, city, town, village or even quartiere\u00a0<\/strong>(quarter, small district of a town).<\/span><\/p>\n

Campanilismo<\/strong> is a very important aspect of life in Italy symbolizing a <\/span>sense of identity, of pride, and of belonging to the place\u00a0of your birth, a feeling\u00a0which\u00a0is usually much stronger to an Italian than any sense of national identity. An Italian will say \u201csono romagnolo<\/strong>\u201d (I\u2019m from the region of Romagna),\u00a0\u201csono veneziana<\/strong>\u201d(I\u2019m from Venice), or \u201csono napoletano<\/strong>\u201d (I\u2019m from Naples), before saying \u201csono italiano\/a<\/strong>\u201d (I\u2019m Italian).<\/span><\/p>\n

In order to\u00a0explain campanilismo<\/em> you have to remember that Italy is a very young nation having been created between 1860 and 1870. Before that time there existed only a multitude of small separate states, often fighting amongst themselves, each one with it\u2019s own language, dialect or traditions. These days, despite Italy\u2019s political unification and the effects of mass media which has to a certain extent homogenized Italian life, campanilismo<\/em> continues to exist. There are still deeply rooted rivalries between different regions, provinces, towns, and quartieri<\/em>, and one only has to witness the famous Palio di Siena<\/strong>, an intense \u2018battle\u2019 of a horse race between the different contrade<\/strong> (district factions) of Siena to understand the depth of feeling evoked by campanilismo<\/em>,\u00a0these sentiments are so strong in fact that it is almost considered a sacrilege in Siena to marry someone from one of the rival contrade<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n

In Lucca, a mere 20 minutes drive from Pisa,\u00a0a common saying is \u201cE\u2019 meglio avere un morto in casa che un pisano alla porta<\/strong>\u201d (It\u2019s better to have a dead body in your house than a person from\u00a0Pisa at your door). Driving between Lucca and Pisa you will notice that most of the road signs with the word PISA on them have been \u2018adorned\u2019 with the grafitti \u201cPISA M***A<\/strong>\u201d (unprintable word, but you can use your imagination). The same goes for the return journey during which you will find all the signs to Lucca have been converted to \u201cLUCCA M***A<\/strong>\u201d!<\/span><\/p>\n

Campanilismo also symbolizes\u00a0an adherence to the traditions, customs and dialects of ones own region. Apart from the usual religious or national festivals that are celebrated throughout Italy each region or town will have it\u2019s own particular celebrations,\u00a0often religious in nature, but also relating to historical events or culinary traditions such as the sagre<\/strong> (local food festivals) which are held throughout the summer.<\/span><\/p>\n

Of course to a campanilista<\/strong> (someone who follows the philosophy of campanilismo<\/em>) anyone who isn\u2019t originally from their little part of the world is a forestiero\/a<\/strong> (outsider, related to the word fuori<\/strong> = outside), and someone like myself, who although originally Italian has lived for many years all\u2019estero<\/strong> (abroad) in England,\u00a0will always be referred to as l\u2019inglese<\/strong> (the English)!<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The word campanilismo, which doesn\u2019t have a specific English translation, derives from campanile (bell tower). The campanile, traditionally the tallest and most prominent building in any town or village,\u00a0has become, in the concept of campanilismo,\u00a0an enduring\u00a0symbol of\u00a0devotion to, and love of ones\u00a0region, city, town, village or even quartiere\u00a0(quarter, small district of a town). Campanilismo is…<\/p>\n

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