Its funny how there isn't one day in America that Italians can't celebrate for themselves.
Irish have St Patrick's Day, Germans have Octoberfest, Mexicans have Cinco de Mayo, and then July 4th for Americans, but no celebrations for Italians. At least none that I know of.
I don't thik San Gennaro festival in Little Italy would count, because that is just for New York.
What we were taught in school
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carmine1917
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Re: What we were taught in school
Columbus Day!
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liviomoreno
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Re: What we were taught in school
Jwmann2 wrote:Its funny how there isn't one day in America that Italians can't celebrate for themselves.
Irish have St Patrick's Day, Germans have Octoberfest, Mexicans have Cinco de Mayo, and then July 4th for Americans, but no celebrations for Italians. At least none that I know of.
Columbus Day celebrates the anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas, nothing to do with Italiansmicheles wrote:Columbus Day!
, beside the fact that Columbus was Italian.Re: What we were taught in school
Livio....
The origins of Columbus in America does indeed have nothing to do with Italians.
But the holiday, as it has developed, definately is perceived to be Italian in nature so it might be the closest thing we get to an Italian holiday.
Also, the IRISH have pushed St. Patricks, the Germans created Octoberfest in the old country and carried it to the new. If the Italians want a holiday, they may have to push for it themselves.
Let's all start today!
The origins of Columbus in America does indeed have nothing to do with Italians.
But the holiday, as it has developed, definately is perceived to be Italian in nature so it might be the closest thing we get to an Italian holiday.
Also, the IRISH have pushed St. Patricks, the Germans created Octoberfest in the old country and carried it to the new. If the Italians want a holiday, they may have to push for it themselves.
Let's all start today!
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JamesBianco
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Re: What we were taught in school
Good idea! And I must admit I have celebrated (with much enthusiasm lol) both St. Patrick's day AND Octoberfest at least a couple times in the past!Essgee wrote: Also, the IRISH have pushed St. Patricks, the Germans created Octoberfest in the old country and carried it to the new. If the Italians want a holiday, they may have to push for it themselves.
Let's all start today!
Re: What we were taught in school
4th of July is THE American Holiday. It isn't a sub-set holiday like St. Patrick's or Octoberfest, of Cinco de Mayo. It is the only Holiday that encompasses all the other ethnic holidays within our nation.Jwmann2 wrote:Its funny how there isn't one day in America that Italians can't celebrate for themselves.
Irish have St Patrick's Day, Germans have Octoberfest, Mexicans have Cinco de Mayo, and then July 4th for Americans, but no celebrations for Italians. At least none that I know of.
I don't thik San Gennaro festival in Little Italy would count, because that is just for New York.
If you think that The American Holiday is but another one of the "ethnic" holidays that only apply to a segment of this country then we are in deep trouble.
There is no other holiday in the world like the 4th of July...it is the day that everday people, rich or poor, born here or naturalized, of one race or another, of one ethnicity or another, can come out and celebrate their own part of the great whole.
Now, to get Italians to get together and celebrate their cultural roots might take some time. But if we start today....who knows what is possible?
Have a great day.
Re: What we were taught in school
I always felt that our ethnic holiday was Christmas Eve. I dont think other nationalities celebrate this to the extent we do.
Till this day, Christmas eve is way more important, to us, than the day. It is probably the main event of our Christmas season.
As far as columbus day..when I was a kid, I had no idea this had anything at all to do with Italians. Now, it has seems to have evolved into something Italian, but I dont think it was even considered, amongst the old timers. It was and I believe, still is, an American holiday.
Till this day, Christmas eve is way more important, to us, than the day. It is probably the main event of our Christmas season.
As far as columbus day..when I was a kid, I had no idea this had anything at all to do with Italians. Now, it has seems to have evolved into something Italian, but I dont think it was even considered, amongst the old timers. It was and I believe, still is, an American holiday.
Re: What we were taught in school
I never said 4th of july was just for Americans only!!!! I said it was a celebration of America. And no, if Columbus day was really meant for Italians, Americans would have referred to him as Cristforo Colombo. He was from Genoa right? Before there was an 'Italy'.
Re: What we were taught in school
I just found this post, and thought I would add my two cents (I always do 
)
I have to say, something annoys me that a lot of people say (not only on this site) is that "there are no Italian, or Irish, or Jewish, etc. Americans, just Americans." So, basically, immigrate to America and completely assimilate to mainstream Anglo American culture??
My family didn't do that as much as others (one branch did, but not the rest). They lived in one of the most Italian cities in America, and passed down a lot of their culture to their descendants (although, they didn't want to teach the grandkids Italian either).
As for Mexicans, I can understand them wanting to be with people who share their culture. It's silly to think they would come here and adapt to completely to America's society.
I think it's good that modern day Americans try to promote an understanding of other cultures, maybe if they would have done that during the Italian diaspora, the Italians would have tried a little harder to preserve their heritage!
)I have to say, something annoys me that a lot of people say (not only on this site) is that "there are no Italian, or Irish, or Jewish, etc. Americans, just Americans." So, basically, immigrate to America and completely assimilate to mainstream Anglo American culture??
My family didn't do that as much as others (one branch did, but not the rest). They lived in one of the most Italian cities in America, and passed down a lot of their culture to their descendants (although, they didn't want to teach the grandkids Italian either).
As for Mexicans, I can understand them wanting to be with people who share their culture. It's silly to think they would come here and adapt to completely to America's society.
I think it's good that modern day Americans try to promote an understanding of other cultures, maybe if they would have done that during the Italian diaspora, the Italians would have tried a little harder to preserve their heritage!
Re: What we were taught in school
I think one of America's best attributes is its cultural diversity, and to say we're all "simply American" robs it of that.
Re: What we were taught in school
Back further in this post, people were discussing discrimination of Italians. The sad fact is that Italians discriminated against each other also.
There is an Italian club near me that is probably 100 years old. I recently found out that to be a member in the early days, you had to be "northern" Italian. No southern Italians need apply. I was flabergasted.
I have heard all of the banter with Italians between themselves but never took any of it seriously. This was an eye opener for me.
How sad!
Jim
There is an Italian club near me that is probably 100 years old. I recently found out that to be a member in the early days, you had to be "northern" Italian. No southern Italians need apply. I was flabergasted.
I have heard all of the banter with Italians between themselves but never took any of it seriously. This was an eye opener for me.
How sad!
Jim
Jim
Researching surnames Ianniello, Tamburrino, Mattora/Martora/Mattori & Scialla in Santa Maria Capua Vetere, Caserta, Campania.
Researching surnames Ianniello, Tamburrino, Mattora/Martora/Mattori & Scialla in Santa Maria Capua Vetere, Caserta, Campania.
Re: What we were taught in school
I'm glad to see so many posts on this topic, shows how PROUD we really are, doesn't it?!
Conti832, to fill in a bit...there are literally MANY MILLIONS more Italians in Latin America than here in the US. Here, we're about 5% of the total population of 300 million Americans (like 17 million, all or part Italian descent).
Argentina has about 40 million people, of which, about 40-45% is full or part Italian! Uruguay, next door to Argentina, has about the same % of Italians, but only has 3 million people altogether.
Sao Paulo, Brazil's largest city, has about 4 million Italians alone, of a population of 20 million. There are about 20 million Italian Brazilians total, the highest concentration being in southern Brazil, out of a total natinoal population of 190 million.
There are also large Italian communities in Chile & Venezuela & to a smaller degree, in Peru.
Ask any Canadian...they have large Italian communities in both Toronto & Vancouver, the largest being in Montreal.
Conti832, to fill in a bit...there are literally MANY MILLIONS more Italians in Latin America than here in the US. Here, we're about 5% of the total population of 300 million Americans (like 17 million, all or part Italian descent).
Argentina has about 40 million people, of which, about 40-45% is full or part Italian! Uruguay, next door to Argentina, has about the same % of Italians, but only has 3 million people altogether.
Sao Paulo, Brazil's largest city, has about 4 million Italians alone, of a population of 20 million. There are about 20 million Italian Brazilians total, the highest concentration being in southern Brazil, out of a total natinoal population of 190 million.
There are also large Italian communities in Chile & Venezuela & to a smaller degree, in Peru.
Ask any Canadian...they have large Italian communities in both Toronto & Vancouver, the largest being in Montreal.
Re: What we were taught in school
That's true, Jim. We actually discussed the North vs South thing in another post.
Raymo:
I would think Italians would be more comfortable in Latin American countries due to the cultural similarities between Spanish and Italian people.
I think the reason certain groups are more in touch with their ethnicity than others, is because America is closer to Northern European (especially English) culture. In America, the children of, say, Irish immigrants assimilated much more (and easier) than Italians because they weren't half as different.
Raymo:
I would think Italians would be more comfortable in Latin American countries due to the cultural similarities between Spanish and Italian people.
I think the reason certain groups are more in touch with their ethnicity than others, is because America is closer to Northern European (especially English) culture. In America, the children of, say, Irish immigrants assimilated much more (and easier) than Italians because they weren't half as different.
Re: What we were taught in school
Also, the towns I lived in were New Castle and Ellwood City PA.raymo wrote:I'm glad to see so many posts on this topic, shows how PROUD we really are, doesn't it?!
Conti832, to fill in a bit...there are literally MANY MILLIONS more Italians in Latin America than here in the US. Here, we're about 5% of the total population of 300 million Americans (like 17 million, all or part Italian descent).
Argentina has about 40 million people, of which, about 40-45% is full or part Italian! Uruguay, next door to Argentina, has about the same % of Italians, but only has 3 million people altogether.
Sao Paulo, Brazil's largest city, has about 4 million Italians alone, of a population of 20 million. There are about 20 million Italian Brazilians total, the highest concentration being in southern Brazil, out of a total natinoal population of 190 million.
There are also large Italian communities in Chile & Venezuela & to a smaller degree, in Peru.
Ask any Canadian...they have large Italian communities in both Toronto & Vancouver, the largest being in Montreal.
New Castle is 33% Italian and Ellwood used to be over 30% but now is only 28%.
Re: What we were taught in school
Just saw this story:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100805/ap_ ... -container
I have an uncle who's name was changed from Gennaro to Tony by his teacher (she said "Oh all Italians names are Tony, so well just call you Tony") My aunt told it as a funny story, but can you imagine if this happened to a Mexican????
I think they should preserve their heritage and language in the home, but to expect public schools to do it for you is just plain stupid. No other ethnicity expects this, why should they?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100805/ap_ ... -container
I have an uncle who's name was changed from Gennaro to Tony by his teacher (she said "Oh all Italians names are Tony, so well just call you Tony") My aunt told it as a funny story, but can you imagine if this happened to a Mexican????
I think they should preserve their heritage and language in the home, but to expect public schools to do it for you is just plain stupid. No other ethnicity expects this, why should they?
