The Italo-Albanian Villages of Southern Italy

by George Nicholas Nasse

Publication 1149 National Academy of Sciences —National Research Council

Washington, D. C. 1964

CONTENTS INTRODUCTION

Chapter

1. Physical Setting of Italo-Albanian Villages that Have Retained Albanian Characteristics

2. Climatic, Vegetative, and Soil Patterns

3. The Physical Setting of Albania

4. Early Migrant Groups of Southern Italy

5. The Albanians

6. Italo-Albanian Villages that Have Lost Their Identifying Characteristics

7. The Italo-Albanian Villages of Calabria and Lucania

8. Italian Culture of the Italo-Albanians

9. Ethnic Survival of the Italo-Albanians: Linguistic Factors

10. Influence of the Greek Catholic Church

11. Traditions of the Italo-Albanians

12. Women’s Costumes

13. The Chances for Future Survival of the Italo-Albanians

SUMMARY

BIBLIOGRAPHY

APPENDIXES

I.Maps:

No. 1 Calabria-Lucania (Albanian and Italian Villages)

No. 2 Index Map of Areas A, B, C, and D in Calabria-Lucania

No. 3 Sicily (Albanian Villages)

No. 4 Area A (Index Map No. 2)

No. 5 Area B (Index Map No. 2)

No. 6 Area C (Index Map No. 2)

No. 7 Area D (Index Map No. 2)

APPENDIXES

II. Table: Altitude and Population of Italo-Albanian Villages in Southern Italy and Sicily

III. Table: Religious Rites and Languages of the Italo-Albanian Villages of Calabria and Sicily

FOREWORD

This project grew out of a suggestion given to me by Professor George Kish

in the spring of 1956. For a period of nearly four years, the project has progressed

at a slow but forward pace. I regard the completed dissertation not as the end of

the project but as the beginning of other projects concerning the region of the

Mediterranean.

I am indebted to a host of people and organizations. Professor George Kish,

my advisor for seven years at the University of Michigan, has been a source of

friendship, guidance, and encouragement. His interest and his willingness to

listen to my problems, academic and personal, are largely responsible for the

completion of this project.

The field research for this project was supported by the Foreign Field

Research Program conducted by the Division of Earth Sciences, National Academy

of Sciences —National Research Council, and financed by the Geography Branch,

Office of Naval Research, under contract Nonr-2300(09).

During my stay at the University of Michigan I had the pleasure of obtaining

experience and aid from the various faculty members of the Department of Geography

I am grateful for their advice. I am also grateful for the many hours of practical

experience received at “The Seven Plum Trees” and “Gosling’s Chalet.”

During the period of field research in southern Italy, I was welcomed and

received as a long-lost relative. It was heart-warming to hear several Italo-

Albanians say, “We are of one blood. ” Besides the host of new friends that I

made, I wish fondly to acknowledge Signori Alfredo Braile, Demetrio Mauro,

and Emilio Tavolaro, Padre Marco Petta and Padre Sofrone Prence.

This dissertation was submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements

for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the University of Michigan, 1960. My

doctoral committee consisted of Professor George Kish, chairman, Associate

Professors Douglas D. Crary and Ross N. Pearson, and Assistant Professors

L. A. Peter Gosling and Roy Pierce.