Recenzioni - Francesca Mignosa, Writer

Recenzioni
Francesca V. Mignosa, My Sicily:Life in in Cusp of the Mediterranean Sea,
Cleveland, OH: Bookmasters, 2013, $25.00
Recenzioni di Nino Provenzano
Lu libru My Sicily di Francesca Mignosa è la storia vera di cui lassau la
terra matri, ma lu cori e la menti ci arristaru ddà. Dopu abbitari ni li Stati
Uniti, ritorna, e arriva in Sicilia di Reggiu Calabria pigghiannu lu traghettu
chi attraversa lu strittu pi arrivari a Missina. Liggennu li primi pagini di My
Sicily, segu l’ auturi chi acchiana la scala di lu traghettu pi arrivari nta lu bar pi
urdinari un curnettu e un cappuccinu. Propriu comu fici iu, na menza duzzina
di voti, tanti anni fa mentri purtavu la divisa di surdatu di l’esercitu talianu. Chi
cuincidenza! Pari chi l’auturi era nta lu stissu traghettu chi pigghiava iu prestu
di matina cu lu trenu chi vinìa di lu nord, e di Reggiu Calabria mi purtava
a Missina. Accussi è comu idda discrivi la vista di la Sicilia comu si viri di lu
Strittu di Missina. “Lu spuntari di lu suli addumau na puetica luci rosa chiara
in tutti li soi dilicati trasparenzi. E ddà ia affacciannu lenta a l’orizzonti ni
tutta la sua naturali simplicità, l’isula dunni nascivi, la Sicilia. Mi ‘ntisi comu
si stava ‘ncuntrannu la megghiu amica mia pi la prima vota”. Lu litturi chi
unn’ha statu mai in Sicilia, trova stu libbru comu na surgenti d’ispirazioni, e
cu piaciri fa stu viaggiu cu l’auturi. Idda duna prova di essiri na guida cumpitenti picchì spiega chiaramenti la storia, la cultura, li tradizioni, la giografia e
li sigreti mitologici di l’isula cu accuratizza.
Tutti li novi provinci di la Sicilia cu li isuli attornu, sunnu analizzati,
discritti e misi in mostra cu na manera chi puru si unu è Sicilianu, o ha sulu
visitatu la Sicilia, si fa maravigghia di comu unn’ha mai vistu tanti posti di cui
la Mignosa parra. A lu litturi ci ritorna la vogghia di riturnari. Li festi folkloristichi e li tradizioni riligiusi, chi sunnu parti ‘ntrinsica di la vita di li Siciliani,
li trovi discritti ni li minimi particulari. La Santa patruna di Siracusa, Santa
Lucia, o San Giuseppi, e tanti autri Santi, discrivinu la firventi divuzioni chi
li Siciliani hannu versu la firi. Cu ognuna di sti celebrazioni, l’auturi ni dici,
ci sunnu piatta tradizionali e cosi ‘nfurnati, priparati e mangiati. Viaggiannu
cu Francesca unu si fa na chiara idea di lu splinnuri di la Sicilia antica chi era
parti di la Magna Grecia. Lu visitaturi resta ‘ncantatu visitannu posti comu
Taurmina, La Valli dî Templi, Selinunte, Segesta, e tanti autri siti cu templi
dorici, teatri e necropoli. Vi fa vidiri li diversi stili di architettura Romana,
Bizantina, Araba, Normanna, Barocca, etc.
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Book Reviews
Francesca V. Mignosa, My Sicily: Life in in Cusp of the Mediterranean Sea,
Cleveland, OH: Bookmasters, 2013, $25.00
Reviewed by Nino Provenzano
Francesca Mignosa’s My Sicily is a vivid account of someone who having
left the mother country, keeps on living there in her heart and mind. After
migrating to the U. S. she returns to Sicily several years later. Her entrance
to the island is from Reggio Calabria. She takes the traghetto (ferry boat) to
Sicily. While I am reading the opening pages of My Sicily, I follow the author
going up the stairs of the traghetto and into the bar to order a cornetto and
cappuccino, just as I did a half dozen times myself many years ago wearing a
military uniform. What a coincidence! It seems that Ms. Mignosa was on that
same early morning train that coming from the north took me from Reggio
Calabria to Messina.
Here is how she describes the view of Sicily as it appears on the horizon
from the Strait of Messina. “The sunrise turned a poetic light pink in all its
gentle shades and there it slowly appeared on the horizon in all its natural
simplicity, the island on which I was born, Sicilia. I felt as if I was meeting my
best friend for the first time.” The reader who has never been in Sicily will find
this book a source of inspiration and will happily take this journey with the
author. She proves to be a very knowledgeable guide for she tells you about the
history, culture, traditions, mythological and geographical secrets of the island.
All nine provinces of Sicily with all its corollary small islands are parsed,
described and laid out in a way that if you are Sicilian, or you have traveled
through Sicily before, you wonder why you did not see all those interesting
and suggestive sites. Yes, you want to go back! Folklore and religious traditions, which are an intrinsic part of Sicilian life, are here described in detail.
The patron saints feasts such as Santa Lucia of Siracusa, or Saint Joseph, and
the endless list of other saints, describe the fervent devotion of the Sicilian
people toward their faith. With each of these celebrations, she tells us, special
traditional dishes and baked goods are prepared and savored.
In traveling with Ms. Mignosa, you will also get a clear idea of the
splendor of ancient Sicily of the Magna Grecia. Enchanting will be the visit to
La Valle dei Templi, Selinunte, Segesta, Taormina and many other sites with
Doric and Greek Temples, theaters and necropolises. She will show you the
diverse architectural styles that abound all over the island, Roman, Byzantine,
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‘Ni stu libbru, lu litturi veni continuamenti rammentatu di la speciali
cucina siciliana cu li soi dilizzi. L’auturi rivela li differenti cumminazioni di li
piatta tradizionali a lu puntu chi a lu litturi ci spunta na fami pungenti e va
circannu mangiari sicilianu cu lu disiu e la spiranza di truvari ficu, ficurinia,
aranci, alivi, capunata, pumaroru sicchi, formaggi, pani cunzatu, spaghittata di
mari, granita a la mandorla, cannoli, etc. Tutti sti dilizzi nun lassanu lu litturi
mancu dopu chi finisci di leggiri lu libbru.
Discrivennu la famigghia siciliana, Francesca Mignosa dici na cosa chi
a sti tempi è ‘na rarità ni la famigghia moderna. “Un c’e` nenti oggi di simili
comu l’indimenticabili esperienza di essiri crisciuta cu la saggizza di aviri la
prisenza di lu nonnu dintra la casa. N’ esperienza chi ancora si trova in Sicilia,
dunni li membri anziani di la famigghia sunnu rispittati, amati, e curati comu
un importanti trofeu di famigghia. L’anziani sunnu considerati li pilastri di
la famigghia siciliana, picchì iddi portanu e hannu vistu e vissutu la storia di
l’intera famigghia.” Pi quantu riguarda lu caratteri di li Siciliani, idda dici “Li
Siciliani sunnu comu artisti di tiatru, picchì parranu sempi usannu li manu,
sunnu espressivi e allonganu li storii chi cuntanu cu proverbi e esempi ni li
conversazioni di ogni iornu.
Lu libbru “My Sicily” è piacevuli di leggiri. Inclusi ci sunnu tanti proverbi
chi sunnu comu pizzuddi d’oru prizziusu di saggizza antica. Pruvavi tantu piaciri
a vidiri la Sicilia cu l’occhi di un autori giuvini chi nascìu in Sicilia, abbitau
in Sicilia, emigrau, ma cunsirvau l’esperienza, capennu la propria cultura ni
lu cuntestu giustu.
Brava Francesca!
Cecelia Tumminello DeLuso, Remember Me Young - Sicilian Life Beyond
The Veil, Mineola, New York, Legas, 2013, 152 pp. $16.00.
Recenzioni di Nicholas P. Rotella BSE The Cooper Union
Nta la società di oggi, liggemu libri di cunzigghi pirsunali di genti ca si
sentunu esperti supra comu divintari chiù efficienti, criativi e putenti. Sta genti
spissu havi menu espirienza di li cosi di cui parranu di chiddi ca l’ascutanu. La
genti ca costruiu la storia ca nuiautri studiamu a scola nun appi cunzigghieri
pi aiutalla a essiri chiù brava nta chiddu ca vuleva fari. Iddi dumannaru aiutu
ê parenti, ê maestri e a li supiriuri e ascutaru li cunvirsazioni di sta stissa genti
supra li cosi ca iddi appiru a travirsari pi arrivari ô so postu nta la vita. Sti lezzioni nun si basavanu supra li tiurii o la menti di cristiani istruiti in psicologia.
Si basavanu supra li cosi ca ci avianu succidutu attornu a iddi, a li so parenti , a
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Arab, Norman, Baroque, etc.
In this book you will continually be reminded of the majesty of the
Sicilian Cuisine with all its special delicacies. The author reveals the different
combinations of traditional dishes and the reader’s appetite will energetically
emerge with the expectation of having Sicilian food. The yearning for Sicilian products such as figs, prickly pears, oranges, olives, caponata, sun-dried
tomatoes, formaggi, pani cunzatu, spaghettata di mare, granita alla mandorla,
cannoli, etc., will not leave you after you put the book down.
In describing the Sicilian family, Francesca Mignosa tells the reader something that has become a rare reality in the modern family, “There is nothing
today that equates to the unforgettable experience of having been raised with
the wisdom of having the presence of Nonno (grandfather) in one’s house,
an experience that can still be found in Sicily since older family members are
respected, loved and cared for as an important family prized possessions. They
are considered the pillar of all Sicilian families since they carry and have seen
unfold the history of the entire family.” As for the character of the Sicilians,
she has this to say “Sicilians are theatrical, in that you will hardly meet one
that speaks without using his hands or incorporate narration, proverbs and
legends in every day conversations!”
My Sicily is an easy read. The inclusion of a plethora of proverbs, which
are nuggets of ancient wisdom is a big plus. I loved to see Sicily with the eyes
of a young author who was born there, lived there, and emigrated, but she
preserved the experience and understood her culture in its proper context.
Brava Francesca!
Cecelia Tumminello DeLuso, Remember Me Young - Sicilian Life Beyond
The Veil, Mineola, NY: Legas, 2013, 152 pp. $16.00.
Review by Nicholas P. Rotella BSE The Cooper Union
In today’s society, we read self help books written by people who claim
to be experts on how to become more efficient, productive, creative and successful. These people often have less experience with the things they talk about
than the people who listen to them. The people who built the history we study
in schools did not have these mentors to help them be better at whatever
they wanted to be. They asked the advice of relatives, bosses, teachers and
overheard the conversations these same people had about the things that they
went through to get to where they were in life. These lessons were not based
in theory or in the mind of a person trained in psychology. They were based
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li vicini e a l’amici. Eranu espirienzi di vita veri e la mprissioni ci ficiru ristavu
chiù chiara e duratura di qualsiasi libru di cunzigghi pirsunali.
Chistu pi introduciri un libru fantasticu ca cunteni espirienzi di vita
validi di quattru ginirazioni di siculu-miricani. L’autrici nni prisenta cunti in
prima pirsuna supra li cosi ca idda visti e vissi duranti la so vita di l’infanzia
finu a oggi. Duranti lu cuntu discrivi la so famigghia e lu quarteri, li so sintimenti supra a chiddu ca succideva attornu a idda cu discrizioni culuriti e cu li
sintimenti ca firriavanu dintra a la testa. Idda includi puru quacchi so puisia,
pitturi e fotografii di famigghia ca aiutanu a fari viviri li eventi megghiu pi cui
nun havi tanta fantasia.
Figghia di na famigghia siciliana di prima generazioni, Cecelia e so frati
Frank guderu n’infanzia china di apprennimenti e d’espirienzi mentri criscevanu
nta lu quarteri di Williamsburg e Bushwick di Brucculinu a Nova York. Era
circunnata di parenti e d’accussì comu dici la genti ca ci voli un paisi pi fari
crisciri un picciriddu, Cecelia mparau tanti cosi di la so famigghia allargata, e
comu si pò vidiri nta li storii li so parenti pigghiavanu la vita cu umorismu e
cu un approcciu fantasiusu a li prublemi ca li immigranti avevanu a affruntari.
Ma l’umorsimu e la fantasia nun ammucciava li veri lezzioni mparati ca
avevanu seri cunziquenzi nta la vita riali. Chisti eranu li cosi ca succidevanu
darreri lu velu. Ammucciati sutta lu secretu finu a quannu li firiti guarevanu
o li lezioni supra a chiddu ca era giustu o sbagghiatu ca s’avianu a mparari, di
sti cosi nun si parrava mai apertamenti ma eranu chiari lu stissu.
E’ mpurtanti pi li Italu-miricani leggiri stu libru picchi tanti di li storii
ci ricordanu la so infanzia ma li mimorii cuntati sunnu validi puru pi chiddi
c’appartenunu a autri gruppi etnici ca crisceru a mità di lu 1900. Lu libru si
pò leggiri facilmenti pirchì li storii sunnu curti, non chiù longhi di du o tri
pagini. Sta puisia scritta di l’autrici a l’iniziu duna a lu libru lu tonu dominant:
La mappa di la vita
Pirchì aspettu?
Pirchì meditu?
Li fogghi nasciunu senza pinzari a li vecchi rami
L’aceddi si fannu nidi anticipannu na nova vita
Li crochi e li narcisi si libbiranu di l’urtimi cristalli di nivi
Pirchì aspettu?
Pirchì meditu?
Na vota quann’era picciridda mi cafuddava dintra la vita
Ora sentu murmuriari di fantasmi e spiriti...
Troppu vecchia, troppu tardu, pirchì?
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on the things that happened around them, to their parents, neighbors and
friends. This was real life experience and the impression it made stuck better
than any self help book ever could.
That brings me to the review of this wonderful book which contains
valuable life experiences from four generations of Sicilian-Americans. The
author gives us first person accounts of the things she saw and lived through
over the course of her life from childhood to the present day. Along the way
she colorfully describes her family and environmentsurrounding, her feelings
about what was happening around her, and the feeling swirling around in her
head. She also includes examples of her own poems, works of art and family
photos which help to bring some of the stories to life for those of us with less
imagination.
The daughter of a first generation Sicilian family, Cecelia and her brother
Frank enjoyed a childhood full of learning and experience growing up in the
Williamsburg and Bushwick section of Brooklyn, New York. She was surrounded by relatives and just as they say that it takes a village to raise a child,
Cecelia took away many of her lessons from her extended family. As you will
see in the stories, her parents treated life with humor and had a whimsical
approach to dealing with the struggles of being immigrants.
But all of this humor and whimsy did not hide the fact that there were
real life lessons learned which came with real life consequences. These were the
things that happened behind the veil. Shrouded in secrecy until the time came
that wounds healed or that lessons needed to be taught about the right and wrong
path, these things were mostly left unsaid but at the same time understood.
The book is a must read for any Italian-American as many of the stories
are ones that will remind them of their own childhood. For anyone from any
ethnicity growing up in the mid 1900’s, it will be reminiscent of the times
they had as well. The book is a very easy read, set up in individual stories not
more than a few pages long. The following poem by the author begins the
book and sets the mood.
Life’s Map
Why do I wait?
Why do I ponder?
Leaves burst forth with no regard to old branches.
Birds build nests with full anticipation of new life.
Crocus and daffodils shake off the last of winter’s crystals.
Why do I wait?
Why do I ponder?
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Nta li manu apru na mappa vecchia e nturciuniata
Strati assai viaggiati, signati e cunsumati,
Colli, cimi di muntagni, vaddati profunni e scuri esplorai
Ma pi mia c’è ancora tantu viaggiu di fari.
Quann’era picciridda mi cafuddava dintra,
Lu curaggiu e la fiducia vinevanu di dintra.
La raggia crisci, diventu russa, ncarcu lu pedi,
L’occhi diventanu spiritati,
e capisciu ca nun sugnu né fantasma né spiritu.
Cu na botta di esubiranza giovanili mi cafuddu.
Mentri volu nta li nevuli, mi sentu li manu aperti
Addiu mappa di la vita,
succedi chiddu ca succedi, oggi jo sorridu…
Allura vi cunzigghiu di pusari ddi libri ca vi dunanu cunzigghi e pigghiati
stu capulavoru cu la cupertina fina ca vi cunta li lezzioni mparati di na carusa
siciliana e la so famigghia nta l’urtimi tri quarti di lu vintesimu seculu. Senza
vuliri appariri cliché, lu libru vi fa ridiri e chianciri, ma principalmenti vi fa
sentiri chiddu ca idda sintìu e vidiri chiddu ca idda visti. Lu libru cunta storii
antichi e fantasiusi, storii di rubatini e di lezioni di vita mparati a lacrimi, la
storia d’amuri tra Anna e Lorenzu e nun si sapi mai chi autra storia v’aspetta
nta li pagini chi venunu.
Tariq Ali: A Sultan in Palermo (Un Sultanu a Palermu) Londra-New
York: Verso, 2005, 246 pp.
Recenzioni di Joseph Gibaldi
Traduzioni di Marisa Frasca
Lu scritturi Britanicu-Pachistanu, Tariq Ali, (natu 1943), è un rispittatu
rumanzeri, drammaturgu, giurnalista, e reggista di cinema, basatu a Londra.
La chiù famusa opira littiraria di Ali è Islam Quintet, la distinta serii di rumanzi
storici beni ricircata e sensibbilmenti rappurtata (cu pirtinenza cuntempurania) cuncintrata su li cunfruntazioni tra li cilivizzazzioni Cristiani e Islamici
attraversu seculi. Pir esempiu, lu primu rumanzu di la serii Shadows of the
Pomegranate Tree, (1992), (Ummiri di l’arvulu di granatu), parra di lu distinu
di na famigghia Musulmana subbitu dopu ca Granada carìu nni li mani di li
Monarchi Cattolici Spagnoli, Ferdinandu e Isabella, ntô 1492. The Book of
Saladin (1998), (Lu Libru di Saladinu) lu prossimu rumanzu di lu “Quintettu,”
parra di lu famusu Sultanu di l’Eggittu e di la Siria mentre si pripara a ricun146
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What must I see to feel alive, I wonder as I wander.
Once when young I jumped right in;
Now whispers from phantoms and ghosts I hear...
Too old, too late, what for?
In my hands held tight, a map of life creased and old I unfold
Roads well traveled, marked and worn,
Hills, mountain tops, deep dark valleys I explored,
And yet I see so much more for me to travel.
When young I jumped right in,
Encouragement and assurance came from within.
Anger rises, face gets flushed, I stamp my foot,
Eyes grow wild and realize I’m neither a ghost nor a phantom.
With a burst of youthful exuberance, I jump
As I soar above the clouds. I feel my hands wide open.
Goodbye life’s map, come what may as I smile today...
So put away the books that you look to for advice from the self help
guru’s and pick up this soft cover masterpiece detailing the life and lessons of
an Italian girl and her family over the last three quarters of the 20th century.
Not to sound cliché, but you will laugh, you will cry but mostly you will feel
what she felt and see what she saw and be left a better person for it. From home
remedies and old wives’ tales to thievery and lessons learned the hard way, and
the love story of Anna and Lorenzo, the book keeps you guessing about what
will come next, much like life.
Tariq Ali, A Sultan in Palermo, London-New York: Verso, 2005, 246 pp.
Reviewed by Joseph Gibaldi
The British Pakistani writer Tariq Ali (b. 1943) is a respected Londonbased novelist, playwright, journalist, and filmmaker. His most distinguished
literary achievement to date is his “Islam Quintet,” a series of well-researched
and sensitively depicted historical novels (with contemporary relevance) focused
on the confrontation of Christian and Islamic civilizations over the centuries.
For example, the first novel in the series, Shadows of the Pomegranate Tree
(1992), is about the fate of a Muslim family just after the fall of Granada to
the Spanish Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella in 1492. The Book of
Saladin (1998), the next novel in the Quintet, deals with the celebrated Sultan
of Egypt and Syria as he prepares to recapture the city of Jerusalem from the
Crusaders in the twelfth century.
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quistari la città di Gerusalemmi di li Cruciati duranti lu dudicesimu seculu.
Particularmenti significanti ppî litturi di Arba Sicula è lu quartu rumanzu
di la serii, A Sultan in Palermo (2005) (Un Sultanu a Palermu), stabbilitu ‘nta la
Sicilia midievali. Lu Sultanu di lu titulu è Ruggeru II (1095-1154), lu famusu
Re Nurmannu di Sicilia—canusciutu puru comu lu Sultanu Rujari ‘nta lu
rumanzu. Comu già sannu li studenti di storia Siciliana, la Sicilia Normanna
era famusa ppi la so sucità multiculturali e tolleranza di tutti li riliggioni, notabbilmenti l’Islam. Malgradu li Normanni invasiru e conquistaru la Sicilia
guvirnata di li Arabi, succissivamenti si circundaru di cunzigghieri pulitici,
medici, scinziati, studiusi e capi militari, e abbrazzaru la cultura araba, ammirannu e ‘ncuraggiannu a pueti, artisti, e architetti arabi—comu tistimonianu
li caratteristichi arabi di la Cattiddrali di Murriali, La Cappedda Palatina, La
Zisa, e li chiesi di San Cataldu e San Giuvanni di li Rimiti a Palermu. Li Cristiani Normanni nun sulu parravanu l’arabu, ma Ali informa ca probabilmenti
tinevanu sirragghi. Ma sta utopistica Sicilia normanna era un sonnu troppu
bonu ppi putiri durari.
Lu rumanzu di Tariq Ali prisenta a Ruggeru II comu un traggicu eroi
Shakespirianu. Lu ‘ncuntramu malatu, ‘nta l’urtimi jorna di la so vita quannu
avi a cunfruntari dicisioni mpossibbili ca ponnu sulu aviri cunsiquenzi viulenti
e disastrusi. D’un latu c’è lu so amuri e rispettu ppi l’amici e funziunarii di
guvernu Musulmani, ca avìa prutettu di li so nimici Cristiani duranti lu so
regnu, di l’avutra parti c’è la prissioni ca senti di lu papa e li viscuvi siciliani ca
vonnu fari di la Sicilia na nazioni cumpletamenti Cristiana. Alliati cu lu cleru
ci sunu li baruni feudali lumbardi, gilusi e acrimuniusi di l’ influenza araba in
Sicilia, e vonnu ‘mpussisarisi di li pussidimenti di li Musulmani nativi. Ruggeru
è prioccupatu di lu futuru di l’isula sutta lu regnu di lu figghiu incumpitenti e
amanti di li piaciri (Gugliermu I—giustamenti canusciutu comu “Lu Tintu”)
e penza ca l’allianza cu li viscuvi e baruni pò sulu dari forza a lu imminenti
regnu di Gugliermu. Lu papa, li viscuvi, e li baruni mettinu prissioni a Ruggeru pi dari na prova ca iddu è un veru Cristianu e non Musulmanu, eccettu
pi lu so nomu. Disiddirannu un “sacrificiu di sangu”, lu forzanu a dicidiri
si cunnannari a morti lu so stimatu amicu e fidatu alliatu arabu, lu supremu
ammiragghiu, Fulippu al-Mahdia, falsamenti accusatu di tradimentu. E’ nutili
diri, la viulenza genera viulenza, e idda a turnu ‘ncurraggia autra viulenza.
Lu rumanzu si cunta tramiti l’occhi di n’avutru intimu di Ruggeru, lu
famusu giografu Arabu, Idrisi (1100-1165), auturi di The Universal Geography
(La Giografia Universali), opira puru canusciuta comu The Book of Roger (Lu
Libru di Roger). Utilizzannu l’abbunnanti ricerchi fatti pi lu rumanzu, Tariq
Ali vivamenti ricrea la vita duranti la Sicilia Normanna prisintannu n’aspettu
assai umanu di Idrisi, la so vita, li so studii scentifici, li so amuri, li so figghi, li
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Significantly for the readers of Arba Sicula, the fourth novel in the series
is A Sultan in Palermo (2005), set in medieval Sicily. The “sultan” of the title
is none other than Roger II (1095-1154), the famed Norman King of Sicily—also known in the novel as Sultan Rujari. As students of Sicilian history
know, Norman Sicily was renowned for its multiculturalism and tolerance for
all religions, most notably Islam. Although the Normans invaded and conquered Muslim-ruled Sicily, they subsequently surrounded themselves with
Arabic political advisers, physicians, scientists, scholars, and military leaders,
and they warmly embraced Arabic culture, admiring and encouraging Arabic
poets, artists, and architects—witness the Arabic artistic features of Monreale
Cathedral as well as the Cappella Palatina, La Zisa, and the churches of San
Cataldo and San Giovanni degli Eremiti in Palermo. The Christian Normans
not only spoke Arabic fluently but, we are told, likely kept harems as well. But
the “utopian” Norman Sicily was a dream that was too good to last.
Tariq Ali’s novel presents Roger II as a kind of Shakespearean tragic hero.
We meet him when he is deathly sick in the last days of his life when he is
faced with impossible decisions that could only lead to violent and calamitous
consequences. On one side is his love and respect for his Muslim friends and
government associates, whom he has protected from their Christian enemies
throughout his reign. On the other side is the pressure he feels from the pope
and the Sicilian bishops who want to make Sicily a uniformly Christian nation. Allied with the clergy are the mostly Lombard feudal barons who are
jealous and resentful of Arabic influence in Sicily and want to wrest property
and possessions from the native Muslims. Roger is also fearful of the future
of the island under the rule of his incompetent and pleasure-loving son (later
William I, aptly nicknamed “The Bad”) and thinks an alliance with the bishops and barons might help strengthen William’s imminent reign. The pope,
the bishops, and the barons press Roger to give a clear sign that he is a true
Christian and not a Muslim in all but name. Desiring a “blood sacrifice,” they
force him to decide whether to put to death his close friend and most trusted
Arabic ally, the supreme sea commander Philip al-Mahdia, falsely accused of
treason. Needless to say, violence breeds violence, which in turn breeds only
further violence.
The novel unfolds through the eyes of another of Roger’s intimates, the
famed Arabic geographer Idrisi (1100-1165), author of The Universal Geography
(also known as The Book of Roger). Drawing on his extensive research for the
novel, Tariq Ali vividly recreates life in Norman Sicily by presenting a very
human portrait of Idrisi, his life, his scholarly pursuits, his loves, his children,
and his political and emotional conflicts with his dying friend Sultan Rujari.
Inevitably, he and his family become enmeshed in the unfolding national tragArba Sicula XXXIV
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cunflitti pulitici e sintimintali cu cu l’amicu muribbunnu, lu Sultanu Rujari.
Inevitabilmenti, iddu e la so famigghia s’ammiscanu ‘nta la traggedia nazzionali
mentri si sviluppa. In ogni parti di lu rumanzu, li Musulmani siciliani, non
diversamenti di Roger, hannu a cummattiri cu li so dicisioni difficili. Avissinu a scappari la sempri chiù piriculusa Sicilia normanna, comu lu celibbratu
pueta Ibn Hamdis, ca spissu veni citatu e affruntatu ntô cursu di lu rumanzu,
oppuru avissinu a ristari nta la propria terra nativa? E si cci restanu, s’avissiru
a cummattiri o teniri la paci?
Nta l’ epilugu, Ali cunta nun sulu li furtuni di li pirsuni principali e li so
discinnenti, ma puru lu tristi distinu di li Siciliani Musulmani dopu la fini di
lu regnu Normannu—li trasferimenti furzati ‘nta lu 1250 ‘nta “la culonia” di
Lucera, nta lu cuntinenti, e la fini ca ficiru a causa di di lu re francisi Angiuinu,
Carlu II, nta lu 1300.
A Sultan in Palermo (Un Sultanu a Palermu) è littura raccumannata, si
non priscritta, ppi tutti chiddi interessati nta la ricca e multiculturali storia
di la Sicilia.
Stanley H. Barkan, Raisins With Almonds/Pàssuli cu mènnuli, tradottu ntô
sicilianu di Marco Scalabrino. Mineola, NY: Legas Publishing, 2013.
Recenzioni di Stanislao G. Pugliese
Queensboro Unico Distinguished Professor of Italian and Italian American Studies, Hofstra University.
Avi quarant’anni ca Stanley H. Barkan scrivi puisii e pubblica chidda di
autri di tutti li parti dû munnu tramiti la casa editrici Cross Cultural Communicaions ca iddu dirigi dâ so casa a Long Island. Senza l’aiutu di autri,
eccettu chiddu di la mugghieri, l’artista di talentu Bebe Barkan, la CCC ha
pubblicatu opiri in chiù di cinquanta parrati cu differenti culturi etnichi.
Barkan, pi lu so travagghiu erculeu ha ricivutu assai premi e onuri, comu pir
esempiu lu premiu di Poor Richard (in onuri di Benjamin Franklin) pi li so
vinticinc’anni di pubblicazioni di auta qualità. La continua promozioni di
scritturi straneri ha avutu la cunziquenza ca lu so travagghiu fu misu supra lu
furneddu darreri, comu si soli diri. Ma ora, doppu tridici anni di aspettativa,
i litturi ponnu aviri l’opportunità di leggiri na cullezioni di puisii ca abbraccia
li du’ amuri di Barkan: lu cultura ebraica e la Sicilia.
Pàssuli cu mènnuli avi un doppiu carattiri in cuntinutu e in forma. E’
divisu nta du’ parti: “Sutta l’arvulu di Pumu” e “Luci di Sicilia”. “Sutta l’arvulu
di Pumu” cumincia cu na fantasiusa ricriazioni di li storii ebraichi di li origini,
di la Criazioni di Adamu e Eva (“fu un masculu /ca scrissi lu mitu”) a lu dari
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edy. Throughout the novel, Sicilian Muslims, not unlike Roger, confront their
own difficult dilemmas. Should they escape increasingly dangerous Norman
Sicily, like the celebrated poet Ibn Hamdis, who is often quoted and debated
in the course of the narrative, or should they stay in their native land? And if
they remain, should they fight back or keep the peace?
In an epilogue, Ali recounts not only the fortunes of the principal characters and their progeny but also the sad fate of Sicilian Muslims after Norman
rule came to a close—their forced transfer in 1250 to a “colony” in Lucera
on mainland Italy and their ultimate end at the hands of the French Angevin
King Charles II in 1300.
A Sultan in Palermo is recommended if not required reading for anyone
interested in the rich and multicultural history of Sicily.
Stanley H. Barkan, Raisins With Almonds/Pàssuli cu mènnuli, translated
into Sicilian by Marco Scalabrino. Mineola, NY: Legas Publishing, 2013.
Reviewed by Stanislao G. Pugliese
Queensboro Unico Distinguished Professor of Italian and Italian American Studies, Hofstra University.
For four decades, Stanley Barkan has been writing poetry and publishing
that of others from around the world in his Cross Cultural Communications
publishing house, run, literally, from his house on Long Island. Almost singlehandedly, but with the assistance of his talented artist wife Bebe Barkan, CCC
has published in more than 50 different linguistic, ethnic and cultural idioms.
For this herculean cultural production, Barkan has been granted numerous
awards and honors, with CCC being recognized with the Poor Richard’s Award
(in honor of Benjamin Franklin), for a quarter century of high quality publishing. Stanley Barkan’s unceasing championing of foreign writers has meant that
his own work has sometimes had to be put on the back burner, so to speak.
But now, after thirteen years in the making, readers have the opportunity to
read a remarkable collection of poetry that embraces Barkan’s two great loves:
Jewish culture and Sicily.
Raisins With Almonds has a dual character both in content and form. It
is divided into two parts: Under the Apple Tree (Sutta l’aruvulu di pumu) and
Sicilian Light (Luci di Sicilia). Under the Apple Tree begins with an imaginative re-thinking of the original Hebrew creation stories, from the Creation of
Adam and Eve (“it was man/ who wrote the myth”) to the naming of animals
(“It took a woman/to properly name/the birds of Paradise”), to the rays of light
(rather than horns), that appeared on the head of Moses (Michelangelo and
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li nomi a l’armali (“Attuccau a na fìmmina/darici li nomi giusti/a l’aceddi
di lu Paradisu”), a li raggi di luci (nveci di corna) ca apparsiru nta la testa
di Mosè (Michelangelo e lu so Mosè for vittimi di na traduzion sbagghiata).
C’è na puisia “Patri e figghiu” ca trascurri cu grazzia attraversu emozioni e
generazioni; “Immurtalità”, na curta puisia sardonica; e “Li gatti e cani di Tel
Aviv” ca trovanu assemi na forma di tulliranza comuni: na lezzioni a Ebrei
e Mussulmani nta lu Mediu Orienti. C’è lu cori in pena pi la perdita di un
figghiu pi la guerra (Stamu ancora aspittannu) e la bistemmia dú silenziu (la
cosa chiù brutta p’un pueta) pi “Scurdari Gerusalemmi”.
Doppu ntrasi la Sicilia, ca pari a principiu na rottura o un cangiu di riggistru. Ma riliggennu sti puisii assemi, u litturi pò vidiri un codici geneticu o
ritaggiu cumuni. La luci, li cadenzi di linguaggiu e di storia, la sacralità di lu
straneru e ospiti: Barkan junci assemi Israeli e la Sicilia nun pi la so vicinanza
giografica, ma pi li so viduti culturali cumuni. Turmintati di storia sacra e seculari, di Eros e Thanatos, di la severità di lu Vecchiu Tistamentu e la mitologia
greca, Israele e la Sicilia sunnu palinsesti supra li quali la storia di l’umanità è
scritta a carattiri granni e picciriddi.
“Nèspuli” sunnu frutti duci “chi vagnanu li mei jidita./Frutti ntrizzati
di ghirlanni di ciuri/e di fogghi”; “Babbaluci” sunnu ricordi di un tempu
“quannu genti simplici/lassau li vasciùri/pi scupriri lu ventu/pi tastari la
surgenti.” Nta lu “Antimanifesto” lu pueta “Sì, ju passai di dda trazzera/‘n
menzu a li vigni, unni li picurari/ntra la fitàlia ascutàvanu li cunti/purtati
allura allura di stramanu”. Na para di puisii sunnu riflessioni malinconichi
supra li ruvini lassati dû tirrimotû dú 1968 ca distruggìu Gibellina e autri
parti dâ Sicilia. Comu sempri, la Sicilia nvita la miditazioni e la cuntimplazioni: “Tranquillità” promovi lu sensu ca “Aju cuscenza china /di mia
stissu:lu prisenti è prisenti,/lu passatu è urvicatu,/testa e corpu sunnu un
tutt’unu/e nun sugnu chiù … unni sugnu.”
Cu l’originali nglisi di Barkan di na banna e la traduzioni in sicilianu di
Marco Scalabrino di l’autra e li fotugrafii ca Giuseppe Mineo scattau di Barkan
ntâ Sicilia, Pàssuli cu mènnuli è un tributu simpaticu, miludiusu e musicali a
du’ culturi straurdinarii.
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his Mosè in San Pietro in Vincoli were victims of a bad translation.) There is
a moving poem “Father and Son” that shifts across emotions and generations
with grace; “Immortality”, a sardonic short piece; and “The Cats and Dogs of
Tel Aviv” who come to a mutually understood form of tolerance; a lesson to
Jews and Muslims in the Middle East. There is the heartache of a child lost
to war (“Still Waiting for the Phone to Ring”) and the curse of muteness (the
worst for a poet) for “Forgetting Jerusalem.”
Then: what appears at first to be an abrupt break or switch in register to
Sicily. But in re-reading these poems together, the reader will notice a common
genetic code or heritage. The light, the cadences of language and history, the
sacredness of the stranger and guest: Barkan ties Israel and Sicily together not
by geographic proximity but by a shared cultural outlook. Wracked by sacred
and secular history, by Eros and Thanatos, by Old Testament severity and
Greek mythology, Israel and Sicily are palimpsests upon which the history of
humanity is writ large and small.
“Nèspuli” are “wetting my open/fingers/tangled with/garlands/of leaves
and flowers”; “Babbaluci” are from a time “when a simple people/climbed
out of the valleys/to find the wind/to touch the source.” “Lemons” are “so
numerous they fall unpicked/upon the mythic earth.” In “Antimanifesto” the
poet “descended down the trail/through vineyards where shepherds/in secret
groves listened to tales/of Trinacrian messengers from the new world.” Some
poems are a melancholy reflection on the ruins left by the 1968 earthquake
that ravaged Gibellina and parts of Sicily. As ever, Sicily invites meditation
and contemplation: “Tranquilità” fosters a sense that “I am in between/in the
center of my being./The present is present,/ the past does not intrude./ Mind
& body are one./No more where I am, I am not.”
With the English originals on the verso pages, Scalabrino’s Sicilian
renderings on the recto pages and photos by Giuseppe Mineo of Barkan in
Sicily, Raisins With Almonds is a charming, melodic and musical tribute to
two extraordinary cultures.
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