Trifter

Sicily is an island located southwest of the Italian region of Calabria, in the Mediterranean Sea. Even though it’s part of the country, it’s often thought of a separate region of its own. Besides the slight variation in language, it’s because Sicily was not part of Italy until 1860 after the Expedition of the Thousand. However, the Sicanis inhabited them as early as 8000 BC. The Elymians and the Sicels later joined them before being colonized by the Greeks in 750 BC. The most important settlement at that time was Syracuse. Greek settlements and the few Carthaginian settlements in the far west of Sicily began to clash, erupting into the Greek Punic Wars. The Romans were victorious, but their empire fell apart and the Vandals took control of the island in AD 440. 44 years later, the Goths invaded the region along with much of Italy. Sicily has almost always been considered a crucial strategic location due to the importance of the Mediterranean trade routes, so it’s understandable why it’s been fought over so much. For the next few centuries, Sicily was tossed between many civilizations and, under Norman control, was able to raise its status from an island to a kingdom in 1130.

Sicily has a population of about five million people, with ten million more living outside of the country. The top five most populated cities are Palermo, Catania, Messina, Siracusa, and Marsala. Much of the country is still rural, though, and agriculture is the largest industry. Because of the fertile soil and warm climate, the chief agricultural products are wheat, barley, corn, olives, citrus fruits, almonds, wine grapes, and cotton, and the main ports of the island reside in Palermo, Catania, Augusta, and Messina.

The people of Sicily are often very proud of their island, identity, and culture and are more likely to refer to themselves as Sicilian before Italian. Much of the culture is influenced by the many different rulers from different backgrounds they’ve had throughout their culture, such as Roman, Vandal, Greek, Byzantine, Saracen, and Norman, particularly in cuisine and architecture. Immigration to Sicily is very low as people tend to head to northern Italy as the employment and opportunities are better. Family is probably the most important aspect of Italian and Sicilian life. Everyone lives in the same house and sons and daughters usually stay until their married, which occurs later than most countries. Couples usually have few kids and their weddings are often lavish and expensive. A cross is found in almost every home and a Catholic church in every town.

Cuisine is obviously very important in Sicily. They produce more wine than New Zealand, Austria, and Hungary combined. They’re also known for their healthy dishes consisting of tomatoes, artichokes, and olives. Pasta is a staple Sicilian food, as well as ice cream and pastries, like cannolis. With the surrounding coastlines, they’re able to provide fresh tuna, sea bass, swordfish, and sardines.

Residents all around the island are able to identify with the sport of football, or soccer. It was introduced in the 1800s and some of the oldest clubs in Italy are found in Sicily. The three most successful of which are Palermo, Messina, and Catania, even though none of them have won a championship.

The largest challenge Sicily has had to overcome was the Mafia. The organized crime network began to grow in the late 19th century. It was suppressed by the Fascist regime in the 1920s with some success. However, it is impossible to separate the Mafia from today’s Sicilian political corruption. Those in the Mafia are constantly being jailed but so far it’s been impossible to eradicate the organization.

Despite the fight against crime, Sicily has benefitted from numerous rulers each bringing their own culture to the region. The island has thrived in the art of agriculture and has created a unique, world-famous variety of cuisine. Sicilians are proud to be from Sicily, and for good reason. Families are close-knit and form ties over their food and sports. They’re a unique kind of civilization, and have made their small island recognized through the entire world.