Monday, June 11, 2007

New Definition of "Padania?"


Recently, probably due to changing politics in Italy, Lega Nord has redefined what is "Padania," or at least has gone in that direction. Under this new definition is often the disclusion of Tuscany! That would mean that even Lucca may not be included as part of Padania. Well, we will not recognize this at all. As far as we are concerned, Rome sits at the southern end of Padania. Lets say "Trento to Rome," to make it simple.

Surprisingly, there are relatively few Americans of Roman descent. "Roman" with a provincial definition that is. A very large number of Americans are of Neapolitan descent though. Perhaps as many as half of the Americans of Northern Italian descent are from western coastal urban areas, like Genoa and Lucca. Not just in California either. There is a sizable Lucchesi-descended population in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for example. Also, there were Genoese who migrated to New Orleans long ago.

Very well represented in San Francisco were immigrants from the "Italian Riviera Circle," to coin a phrase. Of course, many from Genoa and the surrounding area, Lucca in northern Tuscany, Portofino, San Remo, and all along the coastline of Liguria and northen Tuscany. Also, I have run into people whose families were from Monte Carlo (Monaco), Nice (France), and Corsica. It's very interesting that even over international borders, people voluntarily fall into a similar cultural category. When I say Nice, I mean REAL "Nizzardi" native to the rightful "Italian Nizza." Also, when I say Monte Carlo, I mean REAL "Montecarlesi" (?).

In closing, we will not recognize any changes in Lega Nord policy in this area. We tend to recognize the old "Kingdom of the Two Sicilies" as a "Nation." This would include Abruzzo to Sicily. We recognize the old historical "Roman State" and everything north of it as "Padania." This would include Ticino, Nizza, and Monaco, and Savoia. We do not recognize any "central Italy" or "modern Etruria." To us, a Roman, a REAL Roman-descended person, is as good a Padanian as a Venetian.

3 comments:

elficwarrior said...

as much as you might not like the real definition of Padania, I am a native Padanian - being I someone who lives there and is a descendant from the Celts who lived there in ancient times
I have to tell you that your definition of Padania, including the center of Italy, is wrong; Padania is only the North of Italy, by definition the lands in which the river Po (Padus) runs and the river Po reaches the sea in the region called Emilia Romagna, that is the one most south belonging to Padania
all the rest makes no sense, I'm sorry

Camunlynx said...

Hello.

I understand, the Po northern plateau. The whole of the concept needs a name. It can't be "Padano-Toscana." I seems to me that Tuscany must be part of the nation, don't you think? In northern California, most descendants can trace their roots to either Liguria or Tuscany.

There were at least some Celts in Tuscany, and there were at least some Etruscans in Lombardy. It just seems to me that they would all naturally be part of a modern nation concept.

France is named after the Franks, even though the Franks made up only a relatively small portion of the population.

Thanks for the comment..

-- Joseph

elficwarrior said...

thank you for your answer, Joseph
still, I think that Tuscany shouldn't enter in what we call Padania because it's not part of the North and the river Padus (Po) doesn't flow on it, as we already said
in my region, Emilia Romagna, there have been Etruscans as much as Liguri and Gauls coming from France, still that has nothing to do with the name Padania, that doesn't come from the kinds of populations who lived there through the centuries but only from the territories in which the river Po flows
so it doesn't matter the name of the original populations, the nation is called Padania because of the river and not because of the people