Chapter 13
CHAPTER 13
THE CHANCES FOR FUTURE SURVIVAL OF THE ITALO-ALBANIANS ‘
One of the unique facts concerning the Italo-Albanians is that they have survived as an identifiable group in a region where they are completely surrounded by Italians. Their survival can be attributed largely to the physical isolation of the region of southern Italy in which they live, and the fact that their arrival did not upset the
political, economic, or religious status quo. Even today, their presence does not cause great concern among the political leaders of Italy, for they have proved to be as loyal to the Italian government as have the Italians, The attitude of the southern Italian and the government seems to have been one of “laissez-faire,” or even unconcern, towards the Italo-Albanian. Factors Promoting Assimilation
Even the remotest village has increasingly become aware of the advantages offered by modern civilization and, naturally, the people wish to secure these advantages. As the Italo-Albanian adopts the ways of modern civilization, he begins to shed his heritage, and_become more Italian. As long as he remains isolated on the hillsides or hilltops in the uplands of “southern Italy, he is, to a large degree, self-sufficient; but when he becomes a part of modern civilization, he has to adopt Italian ways in order to compete with the Italian.
Government Projects -
Since the beginning of this century, the government has shown greater concern about Italy’s “southern problem.” It is improving transportation facilities, constructing hydroelectric plants, building new schools, financing the construction of new houses (and in some cases the construction of new villages), and encouraging
investors to establish industries in the south. Undoubtedly, this awakened interest in the south will be felt in the Italo-Albanian villages, and will cause the younger people to pursue occupations other than the traditional ones: farming, seiling, teaching, the religious ministry, and government service at the village level. The traditional occupations are all within the scope of the village, but as modernization sets in the villager will be able to travel with greater ease beyond the influence of the village. As his range of travel increases, the Italo-Albanian will find it to his advantage to learn Italian ways and to speak Italian.
Assimilation also increases with the development of better schools. Schools in these villages now are no more than single rooms in old houses, accommodating only one class in the morning and another in the afternoon. Even though education is now compulsory, the facilities and the number of teachers are inadequate and, therefore, the delinquency of children is neglected. Better school buildings and more teachers will increase attendance in schools where Italian is used, and gradually the following generations will use Italian because Albanian is not part
of the curriculum. Students who have the means to obtain a higher education will probably not return to their villages after completion of their education, because only few professional positions are available.
The construction of hydroelectric plants, besides bringing lighting to the homes, also permits the use of radios, and more recently, television sets. These two mass media have reached villages that were formerly isolated, not only from central and northern Italy, but from one another. Today, many Italo-Albanian homes have radios, and there are several television sets in the villages, either in the wealthier homes or at the local clubs. This broad, and yet personal, means of communication reaches the Italo-Albanian within his village and introduces him
to things that are Italian.
The construction of government housing is also affecting the traditional Italo-Albanian way of life. Most of the new houses are away from the intimacy of village life and in regions designated for land reform. The Italo-Albanian villages affected by this government program are to the north and south of the Sila Plateau. The
government, in effect, is actually encouraging some people to leave their villages and settle in new farmhouses constructed on expropriated land. The total number of Italo-Albanians affected by this influence is small in relation to the total Italo-Albanian population, which is about 100,000. Eighty-two families were resettled
from three villages on the northern margin of the “Sila,” and 169 families were resettled from villages on the southern margin of the “Sila. “
Since the areas of resettlement are about five to ten miles from the respective villages, the newly settled Italo-Albanians do not visit their villages frequently. These people, lacking participation in the intimate contacts of village life, will become oriented toward the activities of the new settlement, which includes families from the Italian villages. Future generations of Italo-Albanian families will not be as fully aware of their past heritage because they have been moved away from the Italo-Albanian villages.
Industrialization of the south is still in the planning stage; there is nothing approaching modern industry in either Calabria or Lucania. Southern Italy has only one attraction for industry a large labor force. There are several disadvantages that outweigh this attraction: lack of skilled labor, poorly developed communications, lack of resources, a poor agricultural base, and an industrialized north that would seriously compete with any goods produced in the south. If industries were established in the south, it would be several generations before their effects were felt in the remote villages.
Migrations
Before and immediately after World War I, Italo-Albanians emigrated mainly to the United States and argentina; but, since then, immigration regulations in these two countries have been tightened and the number of migrants has been drastically reduced. Today, Italo-Albanian migrants are leaving for Australia, Canada, and
northern Italy. The effect of the migrations has not reduced the total population of Italo-Albanian communes, but it has affected the natural rate of increase. According to the census of November 4, 1951, the total population of the 36 Italo-Albanian communes was 101,878. 77 On December 31, 1958, the estimated population of these same communes was 103,234, an increase in population of only 1,356. 78 (See Appendix II.) These figures represent a steady flow of people from the villages, either out of the country or to the industrial north. The people that migrate from the villages to another part of Italy will retain some of their cultural traits, but the descendants of these people will naturally follow the ways of the Italians.
Factors Retarding Assimilation . Within this decade, a group of Italo-Albanians became increasingly aware of
the fact that the Italo-Albanians were gradually losing their cultural traits and were being assimilated by the Italians. They proposed that an Italo-Albanian festival be held annually and the people from the villages be encouraged to attend.
The site chosen for this annual festival is a mile and a half north of Spezzano Albanese, just on the edge of the Crati floodplain, near the interior national highway that connects Cosenza with Naples. This area is famous for its mineral baths, and a fair-sized hotel is situated here.
The second weekend of October was selected for the folklore festival, which has been held annually since 1953. This event represents the first of its kind among the Italo-Albanians, bringing together the Italo-Albanians from all the villages in Lucania, Calabria, and Sicily. Previously, the educated Italo-Albanians concerned themselves with affairs only in their immediate locale and seldom met people from other villages.
The purpose of the festival was not merely to introduce people from the different villages to each other, but also to collect and publicize the cultural traits of Italo-Albanians. The founders of the festival did this by encouraging the people to perform the dances of their respective villages, sing their songs, and have the women wear their festival costumes. 79 There may be some doubt as to whether the festival has checked assimilation of the Italo-Albanian, or created an interest in Albanian culture in the minds of the young people. The festival does show, however, that there still remains an Albanian culture in these villages, which forms an intangible bond among the Italo-Albanian people. How much longer this will be true lies in the realm of conjecture.
77Istituto Centrale Di Statistica-Ministero Dell’Interno, Annuario Statistico Dei Communi Italiani, (Roma, 1958), pp. 79-83.
78Ibid.. pp. 79-83.
79 Professor Tavolaro was one of the organizers of the festival in October 1957 and he mentioned that it received enthusiastic support from both young and old