Contemporary or Everyday Life and Culture in Italy: especially Religion and Food 11/21/2011 12:09:00 PM

Long history of diunity Italy only a geographic term -1814 Count Metternich FINAL EXAM read text Helstockski, think of examples, illustrations of points hes making Where is culture? Where is it in relation to everyone else? Want to view selves on par with other Euro nations Italy is function of where it is: Europe, East Africa, Mediterranean Regionalism: N/S divide, food, Northerners refer to Southerners as macaroni and polentoni for North because of history of food Topography is remarkably diverse o Isolated, hilly regions far from centers of power and have illiteracy, no linguistic unity culture? 60 million people (10x pop of Libya) North industrial and urban, South ag rarian Historically Caucasian and Catholic o Also new protestants, Jews, and fast growing Islam from immigrants Garlic and Oil Meaningful book showing changed in production, marketing etch Food - Thought of as important as language for unification o Calling certain foods Italian started outside Italy o Pasta so identified w/Italy but was only a Southern food, not national food o Did play important role in unification after all Pro-Americanism in terms of popular culture, literature, consumerism Yet unhappy with US international politics Pope remains in Italy major figure Roman Catholic attitude throughout Italy (even w/ non catholics) Not just spiritual/religious attitude, is part of everyday life and attitudes and expectations Ideas about death, etc

WHO is

Ex. Italy one of strictest countries w/ respect to invitro fertilization, etc o Catholic Church major power still

Relgion

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Italy is steeped in Catholic culture Popular, folk Catholicism and religious Catholicism Folk Catholicism Intercession: want Mary to intercede on your behalf, influence God the Father Many people pray to Mary, various saints This part of belief system, everyday life is populated with extra figures whom people see as closer to themselves Saints have own holidays, et Very earthy, material San Gennaro (3rd c) Saint Januarius patron saint of Naples reliquary w/ 2 glass vials, believed to contain some of his blood o believed to liquefy during holiday o part of him resurrects during this time o people pray out loud and its a good year when liquefies really fast o tied to national, social, natural, political disasters; Gennaros intervention on behalf of city Saint Padre Pio 1887-1968 (Canonized in 2002, became official saint) Italys biggest export Extremely modest background Treated as saint in lifetime, Church almost had no option but to canonize the most popular Catholic figure of that time, folk Catholic figure Why so popular? o Believed to have Stigmata no explanation Embodiment of passion, personally reliving suffering of Christ CHruch wanted it not to be true o Would go into trance when performing mass, Stigmata would appear o Believed to have healing powers, performed many miracles Appeared to people in rooms at night, bilocation o Tended to hide stigmata

HE IS EVERYWHERE o In Italy, in Eritrea, Easter Island Islam growing in Italy Mosque built in Rome in 1980s

Food

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Spaghettata to protest Romes first McDonalds, 1986 McDs represents everything wrong w/ fast food, corporatization of food, etc Also directly related to development of Slow Food Movement o Overall should be eating locally, enjoying consumption of food, about HOW you eat food o Should pay attention to food you are eating Very encoded views about food - CULTURE Blandness or spiciness of food Sequence of eating food in meal Preparation for certain shapes of pasta o Over 600 kinds Meaning, history attached to food o Food is really part of family vocabulary, etc Italians have own attitude about food Tend to invest in it with a lot of meaning: who you eat it with, how you eat it, what you eat, etc o Ex. Thanksgiving ritual in US Structure of a meal Antipasto things neither pasta nor cooked meat First pasta or risotto course Secondo meat or fish, everything goes with Contodo(side) Only a few instances where you can mix dairy and seafood Dont mix dairy and garlic NOT DONE Rigidity in food rules ** Do not cappuccino at end of meal!! Scarcity considered appropriate morning coffee, or possibly afternoon coffee & Variety Before WWII had significant health problems, economic problems WWII worsened it and then il boom changed everything now abundance! Scarcity forced you to develop variety Conservatism and Food Now different, can buy ethnic food now

Talking about food, significant way to talk about difference (cultural, national) To Italians, all other food is so strange o Attitude of normalcy in food (Italian) o Immigrant backlash, part of dialogue is about strange smell of ethnic food Food is one of most important to perceive difference and express difference