I would say the centuries of fragmentation of the Italian peninsula actually bolstered the nationalist spirit more than in countries with a long history as a unified nation (England, France, Spain…) and much literature taught at school treats this topic.
But yeah history doesn’t teach shit, it looks like…
I’m not Italian but I have several Italian Canadian friends.
I just had this conversation with an older Italian Canadian friend of mine … she’s first generation Canadian and her parents were from northern Italy in the Veneto region. She told me a story about how she went back to visit relatives of hers years ago. They called her Canadian but didn’t call her Italian. They said you have to be born in Italy as an Italian with an Italian family and grow up in the language and the culture in order to call yourself Italian. Anything else and you weren’t Italian.
I am Italian from a nearby place to Veneto: can confirm that there is an obnoxious cultural protectionism that’s appalling. In general people are very friendly and kind, but so close minded… I only grew out of it (I think?) once I moved abroad. It’s bittersweet, because it’s nice to be proud of being part of a community, but at the same time there is much emptiness in thinking of oneselves as something special just for what’s on the passport.
The funny part was that she traveled to Italy alone from Canada … her Italian relatives scolded her and said that is definitely not something an Italian woman should do. If they were Italian at all.
I would say the centuries of fragmentation of the Italian peninsula actually bolstered the nationalist spirit more than in countries with a long history as a unified nation (England, France, Spain…) and much literature taught at school treats this topic.
But yeah history doesn’t teach shit, it looks like…
I’m not Italian but I have several Italian Canadian friends.
I just had this conversation with an older Italian Canadian friend of mine … she’s first generation Canadian and her parents were from northern Italy in the Veneto region. She told me a story about how she went back to visit relatives of hers years ago. They called her Canadian but didn’t call her Italian. They said you have to be born in Italy as an Italian with an Italian family and grow up in the language and the culture in order to call yourself Italian. Anything else and you weren’t Italian.
I am Italian from a nearby place to Veneto: can confirm that there is an obnoxious cultural protectionism that’s appalling. In general people are very friendly and kind, but so close minded… I only grew out of it (I think?) once I moved abroad. It’s bittersweet, because it’s nice to be proud of being part of a community, but at the same time there is much emptiness in thinking of oneselves as something special just for what’s on the passport.
The funny part was that she traveled to Italy alone from Canada … her Italian relatives scolded her and said that is definitely not something an Italian woman should do. If they were Italian at all.