The link above can help you stay connected to the Italian-American community in and surrounding Conn. The NE Italian Connect app can keep you connected and updated with the community while you are on the go. This app has been created for those who participate in Italian culture and those who simply wish to know more about the culture. The app’s features include RSS feeds to this blog and the the Italian American Girl Blog. It features pictures from current local Italian Events and offers an interactive poll. A map of the Italian American Stars is also featured because it is one of the most frequented Italian social clubs in Conn. This app is perfect for those who would like to stay updated on the latest events and happenings in the community. Mobile connections are the future, the world can literally be in the palm of your hand, so explore it.
A map of 10 of the societies in the greater Hartford Area.
There are over 40 Italian clubs in the greater Hartford area. Why is the community so divided? This fact is particularly interesting because most of the Italian families in the area are all from different areas of Sicily. These different societies mainly represent different towns in the province of Siracusa (Syracuse).
Floridian Ladies Society member Alfina Rizza comments on this divide in the community.
“There are so many societies just in Hartford and the funny thing is that most of them are from different parts of Sicily, towns that are right next to each other and they all do the same thing at their club meetings, said Rizza. I am not sure why, at the risk of stereotyping, I think Italians always had this thing about their town being better than others and wanting to be in control and not compromising too much,” said Rizza.
The clubs are also divided by interests such as different saints, education, and calcio (soccer). Some have been established to help improve the community and promote community service such as UNICO. Others give out scholarships such as the Sons of Italy, and those such as the Floridian Ladies Society are strictly social.
Cianfaglione, “Back in 1960 ‘s to 7o’s when the Italians came to Conn. they emigrated by the thousands from different regions and towns. Entire families and paisans (fellow townsmen) came together to form different groups because they did not know the language or the area. They adopted the idea of let us stay together within our own people. Italians today do participate on a larger scale in groups such as NIAF (National Italian American Foundation) and the Sons of Italy. Now we participate together as a whole and as separate groups,” said President of the COM.IT.ES. N.Y Conn. Quintino.
Though at first the community seems to be divided by various categories, there are organizations such as the Sons of Italy, NAIF , and UNICO that bring together Italians from many areas of Italy. These groups also unite when it comes to participating in Columbus Day ceremonies. As the generations begin to age and some of the smaller societies begin to disappear, the community should become even closer.
The Italian-American community is represented in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The northeast has the highest percentages of Italians in the United States. Connecticut has the second largest percent of Italians in the country with 18.6% of the state population. New Haven County is home to 201,069 Italians and Hartford County is home to 134,654. When it was speculated that Conn. may have edged out Rhode Island to be first, the Italian community in Providence spoke out. Those in the Northeast community are very passionate about their culture.
Many southern states also have large numbers of Italian-American residents. Florida has 1,003, 977 Italian-American residents. Although Fla has more Italian-American residents than Ct, it appears that the idea of Italian heritage and culture seems stronger up north.
Phyllis Summa, a resident of both Fla. and Conn. agrees that the Italian culture is stronger in the northeast. According to the Order of the Sons of Italy they have 16 events in Connecticut and six in Florida for 2010.
“Up north there are activities every weekend in the community, but in florida there are more neighborhood activities versus cultural activities. Italians in Conn. are much more connected and intertwined. When my husband and I lived in Conn., we went to an event at least once a month, I think we have only been to a handful of cultural events since living in Florida. There are only a few Italian clubs in Florida like the Sons of Italy, Summa Said.”
Why does it seem that the community is more united and involved in the northeast?
Giovanni Vianello, former President of the now disbanded Club Culturale Italiano of Greater Orlando discusses why Italians up north are more united.
“The north has a much larger percentage of Italians per state than the southern states do, said Vianello. Here in Florida the areas that have the largest Italian population are Miami and Fort Lauderdale, where the consulate is.”
Connecticut is also a much smaller state geographically than Florida. Therefore, residents live in much closer proximities. This makes it easier for a large group to gather around a particular central area.
Is this lack of participation because Italian-Americans in Florida live in different communities and are more spread out?
“The community here in central Florida has about 2500-3000 Italians, said Vianello. Not everybody is registered with the consulate; probably many of them do not care; some of them for many different reasons do not want to be involved at all with other Italians. Club Culturale Italiano failed because it was the same few families who were the only ones participating.”
Though the Italian community in Connecticut seems more united than in Florida, it seems to be on the path to decline. With less participation from the younger generations the clubs and societies in place today may longer be able to survive.
Connecticut and Florida resident Tony Leone believes that participation from the younger generations is necessary. “It is hard to determine how long that all these clubs can sustain themselves, said Leone. With most society members being older, the younger people must begin to participate or eventually there will not be anymore Italian cultural clubs.”
The need for the younger generation to participate is evident across the country. Once the younger generations begins to evolve from the guido culture to Italian culture the community should be revised.
Radio Italia
Quintino Cianfaglione has been broadcasting an Italian radio program in Connecticut for decades. He discusses how he started and the involvement of the younger generations.
This year marked the 55th anniversary of the Hartford Columbus Day Parade. Many Italian-Americans gathered together over three days to celebrate through a banquet, carnival, and parade. Al Marotta, the chairman of the parade, discusses what the parade means to the community as a whole and to himself.
This video is of local Italian-Americans explaining their degree of involvement in the community. It shows the differences in three generations of Italian-Americans.
The purpose of this blog is to attempt to strengthen the bond between the younger and older generations. Organizations such as NIAF help the community to stay connected through their local community and the national Italian population. The greater Hartford area has been the hub of Italian-American activities and gatherings in Connecticut for decades. There are many different societies and groups geared towards different aspects of the community. There are clubs that are directed towards different interests such as soccer or saints. Many societies have been dedicated to the different areas of Italy that members migrated from.
In recent years it seems as though these societies and clubs have been surviving on the participation of the older generations. The younger generations do not seem to be getting involved in these clubs. This blog will attempt to find out why.
Through observation, it seems that attendance at Italian events has declined. Many families used to attend these festa’s and other activities. These events featured Italian food, music, games and often a raffle.
Has the new guido obsession taken over what teens think of their culture? Is an individual’s culture and history not as important to the teens and young adults of today?
The purpose of the blog is to attempt to bring the generations back together through the family and the community as a whole.
This blog was created to inform the greater Hartford Italian-American community of events and issues that have arisen within the community. It seems, through observation that the community is driven mostly by the participation of the older generations. This blog will attempt to inform the younger generations of their culture and attempt to bring discussion on the issue. Why is culture so important to some and not others? Why doesn’t the younger generation seem interested in participating in their culture? What is being done to involve the younger generations? These are questions that will be addressed through this blog.
What societies are most involved in the Italian community in Connecticut? How are they involved with the community as a whole?
The state of Connecticut has a large population of Italians and has many different cultural societies.
Culture is an aspect of society that helps to connect a group of people. It allows one person to relate to others around them who have similar backgrounds, goals, and interests. The Italian culture is a rich one. It encompasses a long line of history, art, food, music, dance, and language. One of the formal definitions of culture is “the integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that depends upon the capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations.” This is according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary.
NIAF, the National Italian-American Foundation works with the community in all states and works with the national government. They promote Italian culture and events throughout the United States.
There seems to be a need to strengthen the cultural and generational bonds in the Italian community. This blog seeks to show the issues that are present within the community and ways that they can be resolved. Lastly, this blog was created to attempt to push aside the stereotypes associated with being Italian. Italianaware.com discusses how Italians are portrayed by others and the media. The culture is rich and strong and the positive aspects are what should be passed down through the generations.
Preserving a Heritage 