Tourism
in the recent years took the Italians to exotic islands, far countries
where cultures and different lifestyles stimulated dreams of adventures.
To-day people returns to the original places, discovers the houses of old
relatives in countries with ancient fascination such as Umbria, Tuscany
and all our regions so much appreciated for the natural beauties and the
historical and artistic heritage. I was driving along the highway going
from Milan to Southern Italy, to see colours and scents always more intense
and various. I was directed to Sicily, so far too often promoted by mass
media with common places, but not too far if it is the arrival of a travel
which contributes to discover Italy at each mile. Sicily can and must be
re-evaluated by Italian and international tourism. This travel, also by
car, with the obliged stop at Salerno, is the occasion to go in depth into
ourselves, our history, which does not consist only of criminal chronicle,
scandals and ruins. “I know no other place which could simulate to be a
myth with the same naturalness. Nobody who, in few significant elements,
summarizes the moving fate of humans and ostensibly embodies the most varied
holy and mundane motions: the anxiety for happiness, excitement and misery
of senses, desire, regret, shame and love...”, as wrote Gesualdo Bufalino
of his country, the island which saw the history of Greeks, Islam, the
Spanish. Sicily of Frederick the II, unreplaceable stop of the “Grand Tour”,
described by the great Romantics; the country of Verga, Pirandello, Tomasi
di Lampedusa, Sciascia. My destination is Taormina, the pearl of Ionic
sea. It is an enchantment to walk along the streets when the evening lights
reappraise the dark corners and alleys show balconies of wrought iron which
alternate with window-sills competing for the finest flowers. To relax
and strengthen our mind and spirit it is sufficient to stroll in “Badia
Vecchia”, “Palazzo Corvaja” or “Palazzo Santo Stefano” with their mullioned
windows with two lights decorated with lava and limestone, to attest a
refined and Arabic-fashioned taste fond for decorating façades like
embroideries. There is a special taste in the lighting of the Cathedral
Square or Naumachia Square, which shows the interest of Sicilians for re-evaluating
the artistic heritage to exhibit to the world. To look in the evening at
a show in the  Greeek-Roman
Theatre is like making a culture bath, since the stones seem to have gathered
the words and motions of the actors being on the stage for centuries. There
are also hotels with every comfort, such as Mazzarò Sea Palace,
which enable to make dream holidays in lovely corners of beach and sea.
I realize now that attention for Sicily, since some years, was restricted
only to the crimes of mafia, instead Sicily expresses beauty also under
many aspects, also in the somatic tracts of its inhabitants. There are
faces which remind the ancient presence of Greeks and other persons who
tell the most recent domination of Frederick the II and his court. However,
the most attractive characteristic of people is dignity, urbanity of looks,
the stately behaviour of men, the sensations conveyed by the people, the
thought of the honour which often accompanied the concept of “Sicilian”
in the world. In this prospect, we have to read the semiologic definition
of Pitrè, the most reputed investigator of popular traditions of
Sicily, tending to distinguish the primary meaning of term “mafia”. In
the island it expressed the idea of quality, skill, superiority and also
of grace and perfection, and hinted at the special skills of courage and
entrepreneurship of man. To-day those who have remained mafia men have
lost the honour and any moral rationale. The slaughters, plottings, thefts,
are no more Sicily, but a corrupted lifestyle, now widespread throughout
Italy. We all should feel guilty for this situation, but we should focus
on everything which gives reputation to Italy. Indeed, Italy is one of
the most important places in the world for its natural and artistic treasuries.
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Mensile di Economia, Attualita` e Cultura