MAFIA? (8 Viewers)

ADP Timers

Senior Member
Feb 4, 2004
1,837
#1
When I was in Italy two summers ago, this girl who was from Palermo told me that MAFIA stands for "Morte ai francese italia anella" or something like that.

Death to the french, long live italy"

Is this correct?

Will I be killed for knowing this now?
 

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Cuti

The Real MC
Jul 30, 2006
13,517
#4
ADP Timers said:
When I was in Italy two summers ago, this girl who was from Palermo told me that MAFIA stands for "Morte ai francese italia anella" or something like that.

Death to the french, long live italy"

Is this correct?

Will I be killed for knowing this now?
yes you will be killed. Have my men on it right now :D

I dont know i read the Book 'Cosa Nostra' but it said that the word mafia came from something else. There was a word in latin or something ad people used the word to label the mafia as the mafia.
 

isha00

Senior Member
Jun 24, 2003
5,114
#6
I never heard such a thing and, if you search this sentence in internet, you will find it written in pages of many languages, except for Italian.

I think it's as accurate as Fiat "Fermati, Imbecille, Abbiamo Tamponato". (Stop, imbecile, we bumbed into each other).

Anyway, could anyone explain to me this fascination many abroad have for Mafia?
Personally, it's not something that does directly concerne me or the place where I live, but when I think about it I think about Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino, two palermitan judges who lost their life for not having let Cosa Nostra stop them from doing their job, I see Captain Ultimo, a guy who spent his entire adult life trying (and succeding) in arresting criminals, I think about the guys of the escortes, who are paid little and are likely to die. I think about families disrupted by usury, about people dying from overdose, about all the money these organizations steal from projects that would give new hope to the South. I think about all the people who died in Napoli's streets last summer, about the politician killed in Crotone before the elections this spring...
 
OP
ADP Timers

ADP Timers

Senior Member
Feb 4, 2004
1,837
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread Starter #7
    isha00 said:
    I never heard such a thing and, if you search this sentence in internet, you will find it written in pages of many languages, except for Italian.

    I think it's as accurate as Fiat "Fermati, Imbecille, Abbiamo Tamponato". (Stop, imbecile, we bumbed into each other).

    Anyway, could anyone explain to me this fascination many abroad have for Mafia?
    Personally, it's not something that does directly concerne me or the place where I live, but when I think about it I think about Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino, two palermitan judges who lost their life for not having let Cosa Nostra stop them from doing their job, I see Captain Ultimo, a guy who spent his entire adult life trying (and succeding) in arresting criminals, I think about the guys of the escortes, who are paid little and are likely to die. I think about families disrupted by usury, about people dying from overdose, about all the money these organizations steal from projects that would give new hope to the South. I think about all the people who died in Napoli's streets last summer, about the politician killed in Crotone before the elections this spring...
    Interesting, sorry to hear that.
    Fascination, not that big, I was just thinking about it today, and forgot what it exactly was that I heard.

    I was close, and now my questions been answered. Jeeks can now close this if hed like.
     

    ReBeL

    The Jackal
    Jan 14, 2005
    22,871
    #12
    Mafia Word Origins


    "The word Mafia became known throughout Italy for the first time in 1863, when a Sicilian writer, Giuseppe Rizzotto [sic--according to Hess, Rizzotti e Mosca, 2], wrote a play entitled "I Mafiusi di La Vicaria" which went through 2,000 performances, over a period of 23 years, of which 34 in the Italian language, in Rome alone, in 1884.

    "According to Gaetano Mosca, the word mafia cannot be found in any Sicilian dictionary before 1868, when it was entered as a neologism in Traina's "Sicilian-Italian Dictionary."In another dictionary, Mortillaro's, published in 1878, the word is said to be of Piedmontese origin and to be synonymous with camorra. However, this is not correct.

    "The adjective mafiusu (mafioso, in Italian) has been common in Sicily for at least two hundred yers. Cesareo, the poet, found the following verses in an eighteenth century manuscript:

    Quannu vinisti vui, piciotta bedda
    tutta la briaria si ribiddau
    chista è la donna chiù mafiusiedda
    chi l'anncilu, bedd' ancilu purtau.

    (when you came, beautiful girl
    the entire prison revolted
    she is the finest-looking woman
    that the angel, the beautiful angel, brought down).

    "According to Cesareo, the word is of Arabic origin:confused2:, but Pitré does not agree. He simply does not know. He only knows that the word was common in the Borgo section of Palermo and that it meant beauty, charm, perfection, excellence. Thus in Palermo, street vendors, or peddlers would advertise their brooms as scupi d''a mafia! Haju chiddi mafiusi veruu (Brooms that can't be beat! I have the real stuff).

    "Capuana, the novelist, found that the word had the same meaning in Catania, where there has never been any Mafia. 'Mafia and its derivatives,' he wrote, 'always meant and do mean 'beauty, charm, perfection, excellence' in their field. Una ragazza mafiosa (a smart-looking girl); mafiusedda (rather charming, neat); casa mafiusedda (a fine looking house). The word mafia adds to the idea of beauty the idea of superiority, of bravery, the feeling of being a man, boldness, but never in the sense of arrogance or braggadocio. After 1860, however, it acquired a new meaning."

    Henner Hess, in Mafia & Mafiosi: Origin, Power and Myth. Trans. Ewald Osers.

    New York: NYUP, 1998, cites the same sources as Schiavo, and expands on his definitions. For him the word also has connotations of "boldness, ambition, arrogance" (1, Sciascia 1964). And, "A mafioso is simply a courageous, brave fellow who won't stand any nonsense from anyone" (1, Pitré 1889). He says that some believe that the word derives from the Arabic, "either from mahias, meaning a bold man or a braggart:disagree: , or from Ma afir, the name of the Saracen tribe that ruled Palermo:disagree: . A third theory of Arab origin relates mafia to maha, a quarry or a cave in a rock:disagree: . The mafie, the tuff caves in the Marsala region, served the persecuted Saracens as hiding places and later provided hide-outs for other fugitives" (2, Lestingi 1884). Hess states that Giuseppe Loschiavo (not to be confused with Giovanni Schiavo) writes that before Garibaldi's landing, "the rebellious Sicilians had hidden out in the mafie near Marsala and had therefore subsequently, during their successful advance on Palermo, been called mafiosi, the people from the mafie" (2, Loschiavo 1964).

    Hess goes on to write that the "term gained currency and first appeared in official language in 1865. In a letter of 10 August, 1865, the delegato di Pubblica Sicurezza, the police agent, in Carini justifies an arrest by the charge that the arrested man had committed the delitto di mafia" (3). " Gradually the delitto di mafia came to mean more the offence of manutengolo, of being a fence or planner of crimes, and not so much the offence of malandrino, of banditry, of being an executant criminal.

    Eventually the word mafia was used, above all, for organized crime, until sensation-hungry journalists, confused northern Italian jurists and foreign authors interpreted it as the name of an organization. The emergence of the word was, then, linked with the emergence of a secret society and thus gave rise to fantastic speculations."(3).

    He then goes on to add that the "theory which assigns the greatest antiquity to this society suggests that mafia is a corruption of the Arabic word mu afah, in which mu means something like 'inviolability, strength, vigour,' and afah something like "to secure, to protect.' Mu afah had therefore been an association which provided security for its members" (3). Among other possibilities, Hess also cites the Sicilian vespers (1282) and the slogan "Morte alla Francia Italia anela!" which he mistranslates as "Death to France, Italy groans" as opposed to desires. (3).

    Yet another improbable source is seen "as an acronym for the slogan 'Mazzini autorizza furti, incendi, avvelenamenti" (Mazzini authorizes theft, arson, poisoning).

    "And finally, the mafia was seen as a secret masonic society, said to have been founded by five men in Mazara del Vallo in 1799" (4). "About 1875 the concept off mafia penetrated also into German, French, and English" (4). He cites no sources.

    The first published references I have been able to find in the US are:

    The Mafiusi of Sicily. The Atlantic monthly. / Volume 37, Issue 219 Publisher: Atlantic Monthly Co. Publication Date: January 1876 City: Boston

    "THE SARACENS IN ITALY ." LITTELL¹S LIVING AGE, Fifth Series, ~Volume i~iii, No. 1783. ‹ August 17, 1878.

    "Italian Immigrants," Harper's Weekly, November 23, 1889, page 939. The latter reference was posted on the H-Itam list. Regrettably, I did not write down the name of the "poster" or the source.

    "LYNCH LAW AND UNRESTRICTED IMMIGRATION." BY THE HON. HENRY CABOT LODGE, REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM MASSACHUSETTS. The North American review. / Volume 152, Issue 414. University of Northern Iowa Publication Date: May 1891

    "The mafia and what led to the Lynching," Harper's Weekly, Vol35(March 28, 1891): 602-612.: By 1891 the references to the mafia, in particular in reference to the New Orleans lynching, are almost too numerous to cite.

    The tone of these articles varies quite a bit. Some are almost anthropological and merely try to describe the "phenomenon," others are sympathetic to the plight of Italians in Southern Italy and to that of Italian immigrants, while others still can only be described as scurrilous and essentially racist.

    Given the current controversy over the use of the term by President Bush and Senator Biden, and the controversy over its meaning, I found the following article to be interesting.

    A History Of The Last Quarter-Century In The United States. V. "The United States Will Pay", by E. Benjamin Andrews: pp. 71-91. Charles Scribner's Sons Publication Date: July, 1895

    The article talks about the criminal exploits of the notorious and murderous Irish gang, the Molly Maguires. What is interesting and ironic is that, already in 1895, the author, uses the word Mafia to refer to the Molly Maguires. He writes:

    "The principal honor of exposing and suppressing this Pennsylvania Mafia is due to Hon. Franklin B. Gowen, a law- yer, at the time President of the Penn-

    sylvania and Reading Coal and Iron Co.

    Knowing the uselessness of attempting the work with the local police, he, in 1873, secured from Pinkerton's Detective Agency in Chicago the services of one James MeParlan, a young Irishman of phenomenal tact and grit, to go among the Mollies as a secret detective."

    It is, in other words, rather clear, that by 1895 the word Mafia could be used as a generic term to refer to criminals of any ethnic group. What is regrettable is that both the president and the senator chose to use the word in a context that made it clear that they were referring to the historical Italian American Mafia, regrettable because it suggests that they are as ignorant about the true state of organized crime in this country as they were to the true nature of the terrorist threats.

    Because, while it is rather clear from the context that both the president and the senator were referring to the Italian American Mafia, this article written in 1895, uses the term Mafia to refer to Irish American criminals.

    http://www.sicilianculture.com/mafia/mafiawords.htm
     

    Dominic

    Senior Member
    Jan 30, 2004
    16,705
    #14
    ADP Timers said:
    When I was in Italy two summers ago, this girl who was from Palermo told me that MAFIA stands for "Morte ai francese italia anella" or something like that.

    Death to the french, long live italy"

    Is this correct?

    Will I be killed for knowing this now?
    That is incorrect. I can't help you much with the correct meaning though, as there are a lot of theories on what MAFIA means. The 'real' mafia do not call themselves the mafia anyway.

    Edit: MAFIA definately has nothing to do with the French though. As the name probably originates from the time Sicily was occupied by the Persians.
     

    Respaul

    Senior Member
    Jul 14, 2002
    4,734
    #18
    ADP Timers said:
    When I was in Italy two summers ago, this girl who was from Palermo told me that MAFIA stands for "Morte ai francese italia anella" or something like that.

    Death to the french, long live italy"

    Is this correct?

    Will I be killed for knowing this now?
    This is the story you speak of... Whether its correct or not... maybe, maybe not...





    In 1282, the French Angevins "held a tight grip on Sicily," and a secret society arose to defeat this oppressive organization. The battle cry of this rebellious group was:
    [SIZE=+1]"morte alla Francia Italia anelia!"[/SIZE] (Italian for "death to the French is Italy's cry!"),
    and if the first letters of the verse are taken, the anagram [SIZE=+1]MAFIA[/SIZE] is deciphered.


    The word Mafia was first published in 1862 in a play by Giuseppe Rizzuto, called "I Mafiosi della Vicaria" (The Mafia in the Vicarage") about a secret criminal group in the prisons of Palermo.

    In Sicily, the word mafia tends to mean "manly", and is often applied to someone without necessarily meaning they were a criminal. Sicily has had to adapt to numerous invasions: Arabs in the ninth century, Norman's in the 11th century, French in the 12th, Spanish in the 15th, as well as invasions by the Germans, Austrians and Greeks.

    Secret societies in the hills were needed to resist foreign rulers. These societies were formed not only to try and defeat the French rulers but also to protect and feed the Italian families in the villages of Palermo and surrounding areas. Since most of the villagers were related, each village picked a member to head their family. These heads of families were called (capodecina or capos for short). The capodecina would pick men from the village to take with him to the hills. Before the men left for the hills they would have to pledge their loyalty, support and Omertá . The oath in English sounded like this:

    "I (NAME GIVEN) want to enter into this secret organization to protect my family and to protect my brothers. [SIZE=+1]""morte alla Francia Italia anelia!"[/SIZE] With my blood. (A knife is used to place a cut on the right index finger or hand) and the blood of all the saints, and the souls of my children.
    (The sign of the cross is made) I swear not to divulge this secret and to obey with love and omerta. I enter alive into this organization and leave it only in death."
    Once safe in the hills, all the capodecina's would get together and pick someone to be in charge of all the members of this secret society. The head of all the members was called (Capo di tutti capi) the boss of all the families. Food was scarce, conditions deplorable, the French controlled everything and if you didn't do what the French Angevins wanted, they would torture and kill you. The members of the society would raid supplies and weapons from the French and distribute their wares throughout the villages. They had to operate in complete secrecy. This was necessary to protect the members and their families from torture. This was an honorable society in the fact that you had to believe totally in the cause and be willing to die to protect the members. The villagers also respected and honored the soldiers from the hills. They knew there was a chance for freedom from the French but only if they remained silent about their fellow Italians in the hills.

    Joining the society is like joining a religion. It is a lifetime commitment, stronger than any ties to other religions, state or even family. You cannot retire from it. This society has survived through centuries, it is secret and only members know other members. No one would ever admit to being a member nor tell you who other members are. That would violate Omertá and be punishable by death.

    Throughout the centuries the leaders and soldiers have changed the society, some for the better, some for the worst. The men from the hills once stole to feed and protect their families and friends. They were very good at it. So good, they ended up with more food and supplies then they could ever use. In order to get things that they could not steal; they traded with mainland Italy and other countries. This was the start of the black market. The society has always been a powerful force in Italy.
    Not everyone in the society is a criminal nor are all Italians in the society.

    What Americans call Mafia in this country, is believed to be started by Don Vito Cascio Ferro, who fled to New York following the murder of banker Emanuele Notarbartolo in Sicily, in 1893. More society members fled to America during the 1920's, when Mussolini attempted to eradicate the Mafia in Sicily. When the Allies liberated Italy in World War II, they freed anti Mussolini prisoners, including many society members. Some were installed in positions of power, and thus began to interweave politics and organized crime in Italy. The society moved from the rural hills to the cities of Sicily. The Sicilians have developed co-operative agreements with other secret Italian societies, the Camorra and Ndrangheta, but remain the controlling organization. The Sicilians are flexible and can work with many nationalities. The major threat to the Sicilians and the society is their own periodic bloodletting feuds. If the society that was called Mafia in the 12th century was alive and well today; there would not be a need for government programs. All would prosper. Italians need to look close at their families and friends. There is no Mafia, it does not exist anymore, but there is a chance for Italians to work together with their families and friends to make life better and more prosperous.
     

    Vinman

    2013 Prediction Cup Champ
    Jul 16, 2002
    11,482
    #20
    Respaul said:
    This is the story you speak of... Whether its correct or not... maybe, maybe not...





    In 1282, the French Angevins "held a tight grip on Sicily," and a secret society arose to defeat this oppressive organization. The battle cry of this rebellious group was:
    [SIZE=+1]"morte alla Francia Italia anelia!"[/SIZE] (Italian for "death to the French is Italy's cry!"),
    and if the first letters of the verse are taken, the anagram [SIZE=+1]MAFIA[/SIZE] is deciphered.


    The word Mafia was first published in 1862 in a play by Giuseppe Rizzuto, called "I Mafiosi della Vicaria" (The Mafia in the Vicarage") about a secret criminal group in the prisons of Palermo.

    In Sicily, the word mafia tends to mean "manly", and is often applied to someone without necessarily meaning they were a criminal. Sicily has had to adapt to numerous invasions: Arabs in the ninth century, Norman's in the 11th century, French in the 12th, Spanish in the 15th, as well as invasions by the Germans, Austrians and Greeks.

    Secret societies in the hills were needed to resist foreign rulers. These societies were formed not only to try and defeat the French rulers but also to protect and feed the Italian families in the villages of Palermo and surrounding areas. Since most of the villagers were related, each village picked a member to head their family. These heads of families were called (capodecina or capos for short). The capodecina would pick men from the village to take with him to the hills. Before the men left for the hills they would have to pledge their loyalty, support and Omertá . The oath in English sounded like this:

    "I (NAME GIVEN) want to enter into this secret organization to protect my family and to protect my brothers. [SIZE=+1]""morte alla Francia Italia anelia!"[/SIZE] With my blood. (A knife is used to place a cut on the right index finger or hand) and the blood of all the saints, and the souls of my children.
    (The sign of the cross is made) I swear not to divulge this secret and to obey with love and omerta. I enter alive into this organization and leave it only in death."
    Once safe in the hills, all the capodecina's would get together and pick someone to be in charge of all the members of this secret society. The head of all the members was called (Capo di tutti capi) the boss of all the families. Food was scarce, conditions deplorable, the French controlled everything and if you didn't do what the French Angevins wanted, they would torture and kill you. The members of the society would raid supplies and weapons from the French and distribute their wares throughout the villages. They had to operate in complete secrecy. This was necessary to protect the members and their families from torture. This was an honorable society in the fact that you had to believe totally in the cause and be willing to die to protect the members. The villagers also respected and honored the soldiers from the hills. They knew there was a chance for freedom from the French but only if they remained silent about their fellow Italians in the hills.

    Joining the society is like joining a religion. It is a lifetime commitment, stronger than any ties to other religions, state or even family. You cannot retire from it. This society has survived through centuries, it is secret and only members know other members. No one would ever admit to being a member nor tell you who other members are. That would violate Omertá and be punishable by death.

    Throughout the centuries the leaders and soldiers have changed the society, some for the better, some for the worst. The men from the hills once stole to feed and protect their families and friends. They were very good at it. So good, they ended up with more food and supplies then they could ever use. In order to get things that they could not steal; they traded with mainland Italy and other countries. This was the start of the black market. The society has always been a powerful force in Italy.
    Not everyone in the society is a criminal nor are all Italians in the society.

    What Americans call Mafia in this country, is believed to be started by Don Vito Cascio Ferro, who fled to New York following the murder of banker Emanuele Notarbartolo in Sicily, in 1893. More society members fled to America during the 1920's, when Mussolini attempted to eradicate the Mafia in Sicily. When the Allies liberated Italy in World War II, they freed anti Mussolini prisoners, including many society members. Some were installed in positions of power, and thus began to interweave politics and organized crime in Italy. The society moved from the rural hills to the cities of Sicily. The Sicilians have developed co-operative agreements with other secret Italian societies, the Camorra and Ndrangheta, but remain the controlling organization. The Sicilians are flexible and can work with many nationalities. The major threat to the Sicilians and the society is their own periodic bloodletting feuds. If the society that was called Mafia in the 12th century was alive and well today; there would not be a need for government programs. All would prosper. Italians need to look close at their families and friends. There is no Mafia, it does not exist anymore, but there is a chance for Italians to work together with their families and friends to make life better and more prosperous.
    100% correct
     

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