The American Re-Diaspora

During the 19th century and until the first decade of the 20th, some 30 million Europeans emigrated to the United States. The cause being economic and political instability and a general sentiment of uncertainty after the many wars, revolutions, and famines that marked the beginning of the time frame. The United States offered a promise of work with pay and general peace, which for the many Europeans that went meant food on the table, and being free of the disturbance of war. 

Of these waves of Europeans that made the voyage, the majority were Irish, English, German, Scandinavian, and enter here the Italians. Of the Italians the vast majority were from the south, the “Mezzogiorno”. Personally every Italian American I have crossed paths with where a discussion on origins was had, has said that their family came from the Southern region. 

The descendants of those Southerners more often than any other European descended group are very proud of these origins, to this day they cook the food of their ancestors, speak the old dialect or mix old words and phrases into English, and are very proud to talk about family history. 

They have a special resistance to not “melt into the pot” of faceless Americanism, which helped the Italians form communities, which back in the old days served also as a form of protection against discrimination from the Anglo-Saxon elite that dominated the country. They found a way, and they worked, and they built despite the many obstacles. 

Fast forward to today, with our Walnuts, our wine, our cheese, our salami, our olives, all brought over among many other things to connect us with the motherland, where the young Italian American collective is starting a new movement, they are returning. 

Multiple factors in the United States have contributed to this need to return to ancestral lands (not just returning to Italy but also others of European ancestry). Primarily the factors are economic, America of recent has experienced economic uncertainty in the last twenty years, where many Americans feel that the “American Dream” is dead, that the system no longer rewards people for their hard work and is instead against them. 

Not to say America is a bad country, it still offers opportunity with higher availability of work than normal, but it misses the soul it used to have, and the divisive politics only make people more tired of the place. I do not intend to make grand generalizations but to make concise the collective feeling of these Americans returning to Europe.  

I myself have made this “return” to Sicily where I found myself a new home, and I find it to be a beautiful place that has all that the United States is missing. For all the depreciating talk I hear from some people in the Mezzogiorno, in all reality they are very lucky to have what they have. 

The thing I love perhaps the most about this island is the tranquillity compared to America. In America there are no pauses in nearly all fields of work, you have between 30 minutes to an hour to eat your lunch, whereas here many return home to eat lunch with their families. In America this is what we call “Siesta Culture”, where in modernity many Americans such as I are jealous of this. America was built on “Protestant Work Ethic” which initially helped the country become what it is today, and it helped the many immigrants prove themselves and make money for their families by simply working hard, as we say “putting in the hours.” Now the average young American would say this sort of culture is overstayed, and is in need of change, such as the Siesta culture. In a way, I departed the United States not only to rediscover my roots, but also in search of this tranquillity.

When I graduated high school seven years ago my family made a summer vacation where we reconnected with my mother’s family, and since then I’ve been revisiting twice every year and I’ve established a strong connection with the island. 

In a strange course of events, I’ve switched from staying around Palermo where my family’s from to Caltanissetta, and I find it to be an extremely underrated part of Sicily. Even if it’s not one of the picturesque seaside towns, it has in a way more authenticity because of it not being dependent on tourism. I like to think of it as shepherd land, and its location is nice being at the center of the island.  

It has now been four years that I’ve been with my girlfriend here, and I found myself quickly accepted into her most welcoming family where I feel one of their own. Sundays eating lunch at Grandma and Grandpa’s house, lengthy conversations about local food and local traditions. Here exists what in the American mindset would be called proper countrymen. 

Of Caltanissetta there exists beautiful religious parades that are particular to the region, luscious nativity scenes around the town celebrating Christ’s birth during Christmas time, stations of the cross parades and bountiful feasts during Easter. 

The most beautiful of these traditions that I have seen is the Holy Week, “Settimana Santa”, where from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday a range of celebrations occur, such as carts with scenes from Jesus’ life made of statues by local artisans are paraded through the town, all leading up to the resurrection. During this week you find the city’s piazza full like a tin of sardines, all marveling at the procession. Not to go without mentioning, many food carts are also propped up at the scene, where you can indulge yourself in the local delicacies, one I’ve come to appreciate is the fried chickpea fritters “Panelle” made into a sandwich.

Whereas in America the work culture has distracted people from consistent cultural and traditional development, in many cases there being also the complete absence of it, here you find a love for local history where people can put a pause on things, and spend time to appreciate where they are. 

Now here I am, and I feel the need to give a big thanks to these people, because without them I wouldn’t have found the simple joy of existence, just being happy of being.