Showing posts with label Padanian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Padanian. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Pan-Padanist ideas and flags

Basically, a "Padanist" is a person who believes in "Padanism"--the concept that the Cisalpine region, people, history, and culture are unique, great, and worth protecting. I would amend that the "Cisalpine culture" is a "group of related cultures." This idea of a clear "cultural grouping" isn't much different than what we have seen with German, modern-Celtic, Slavic, or Greek cultures since the middle of the nineteenth century. We use the word "Cisalpine" for discussion because "Padanian" is a politically-charged word.. at least for now.

"Pan-Padanism" is something related, but different. It's the concept of acknowledging a diaspora, and getting in touch with manifestations of a root-culture in different parts of the world. Here in northern California, we are at least fifty years removed from even a small degree of immigration from the Cisalpine ancestral homeland... which was chiefly from the northwest region. However, there was a type of chain-migration which existed for about a century. Still, fifty years--and it's really more like seventy years--is a long time. We've collectively lost touch. If we wish to get back in touch, then wouldn't it be best to do it globally?


Regions and flag ideas


Europe

Naturally we would look to the Lega Nord political party for inspiration. The proposed flag (see above) is an ancient green rosette/sun of the alps symbol on white background. They used green as it's a Celtic color; however, sometimes blue or red have been associated with the Celts/Gauls. I think "Gaulish"--or "Celto-Gaulish"--is more the term to describe that part of Cisalpine history. The flag's alternative would be white rosette on green background; as would any Cisalpine flag discussed below.


South America

Argentina is the largest "Cisalpine colony" outside of the ancestral homeland. A significant (one-third?) percentage of the Argentine population is of Cisalpine ancestry. More generally, the "cone of South America" was a region of great settlement of Lombardians, Ligurians, Piedmontese, etc. Argentina clearly stands out, and it's flag is bacially light blue and white. A light blue rosette on white background would seem to be a natural flag for the South American colony in general.


North America

Northern California stands out as the chief area of past settlement of the Cisalpine peoples on this continent. The California flag is mainly red and white. The largest country, Canada, has a red and white flag, Even the old "red ensign" flag of pre-1965 Canada was red. The flag of the United States is largely red and white. Even the Mexican flag is two-thirds "red and white." Yes, some of our people settled in Mexico along with some other non-Hispanic European immigrants.

Even beyond that, red and white seems to be the natural colors in Cisalpine history. The flags of Lombardy and Milano are red cross on white background, and sometimes the opposite, as well as historical Genoese flags. Also the flag of Piedmont is white cross on dark red background; and historical flags of Venice and Tuscany are red. The Lombardian Crusaders painted the red cross on white background on the walls of Jerusalem, and this symbol represents "the religion of our people" (the primary religion, not the only one--or lack thereof).

I would propose the red rosette on white background as the natural flag of the Cisalpines on this continent. The white rosette on red background may tend to look strange to others, but the red on white seems to emit positive energy. In general, the rosette/sun of the Alps symbol is now "the symbol of our people" in the same way that the ancient symbol of Saturn was adopted as the symbol of the Jewish people worldwide.. not just in Israel. Ironically, the Alpine-rosette shares some of the same mathematical dimentions as the Saturnian-hexagram.


South Africa/Zimbabwe

The small Cisalpine population in what was Rhodesia, which included farming communities who fed the nation, has basically been dismantled permanently. Still, in South Africa there are Cisalpine communities, and the Cisalpines have been a part of the country for a long time. The old flag of South Africa was an orange-white-blue, top-to-bottom tricolor. The orange bar on top stood out, and could be used as the Cisalpine flag of the region. Orange rosette on white background--two-thirds of the old Afrikaner flag--but not the blue.... so it's not an "Afrikaner flag," but a mild reminder of the Cisalpine history in the region.


Australia/New Zealand

Both the flag of Australia, and the flag of New Zealand are blue with some white. Therefore, this darker shade of blue on a rosette on white background would seem to clearly be the colors of the Cisalpines of the region.


Alternate symbols

Many concerns adopt "alternate symbols" to use. I think any symbol, arms, or flags which are clearly part of our ancestral history are fair game. However, as sort've a second symbol, the Gothic-style Catholic cross is one which can be seen above-right; and as perhaps a third symbol, the solar cross seen above-right, symbolizing the various ancient spiritual traditions of the Cisalpine hearth which go back deep in our history. However, generally, Roman Catholicism is "the religion of our people."

.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Grana Padano

Recently I was shopping at Trader's Joe's and I saw a product called "Grana Padano Parmesan." One of the things that I thought was important is the use of the word "Padano" ("Padanian" or "Padan" in English), which can be loosely translated to "of the Po River Valley." There are those who would even deny that much as far as the legitimacy of the word. On top of that, this cheese product is tied into our culture. It should be noted that the product name "Grana Padano Parmesan" was used to sell a product, and is not really accurate. Grana Padano is a little different than Parmesan cheese (Parmigiano Reggiano), although both are similar.

[Right: A Grana Padano wheel]


From Grana Padano Wikipedia page

Grana Padano is one of the most popular Denominazione di Origine Controllata cheeses of Italy. The name comes from the noun grana (‘grain’), which refers to the distinctively grainy texture of the cheese, and the adjective Padano, which refers to the valley Pianura Padana.

Grana Padano is one of the world's first hard cheeses, created nearly 1,000 years ago by the Cistercian monks of Chiaravalle Abbey, founded in 1135 near Milan, who used ripened cheese as a way of preserving surplus milk. By the year 1477, it was regarded as one of the most famous cheeses of Italy. It can last a long time without spoiling, sometimes aging up to two years. It is made in a similar way to the Parmigiano Reggiano of Emilia-Romagna but over a much wider area and with different regulations and controls. Other Grana cheeses are also made in Lombardy, Piedmont, Trentino, and Veneto.

Like Parmigiano Reggiano, Grana Padano is a semi-fat hard cheese which is cooked and ripened slowly (for at least 9 months, then, if it passes the quality tests, it will be fire-branded with the Grana padano trademark). The cows are milked twice a day, the milk is left to stand, and then partially creamed. Milk produced in the evening is skimmed to remove the surface layer of cream and mixed with fresh milk produced in the morning. The partly skimmed milk is transferred into copper kettles and coagulated; the resulting curd is cut to produce granules with the size of rice grains, which gives the cheese its characteristic texture, and then cooked to 53-56°C. It is produced year-round and the quality can vary seasonally as well as by year. Though similar to Parmiggiano Reggiano cheese, the younger Grana Padano cheeses are less crumbly, milder and less complex in flavor than their more famous longer-aged relative. Grana Padano is widely considered inferior in quality than Parmigiano-Reggiano. Nevertheless many Italians prefer Grana Padano over Parmigiano-Reggiano mainly for the lower price.

A wheel of Grana Padano is cylindrical, with slightly convex or almost straight sides and flat faces. It measures 35 to 45 cm in diameter, and 15 to 18 cm in height. It weighs 24 to 40 kg (53 to 88 lbs) per wheel. The rind, which is thin, is white or straw yellow.

Grana Padano is sold in three different ripening stages:

* "Grana Padano" (9 to 16 months): texture still creamy, only slightly grainy.
* "Grana Padano oltre 16 mesi" (over 16 months): crumblier texture, more pronounced taste.
* "Grana Padano Riserva" (over 20 months): grainy, crumbly and full flavoured.
.

Saturday, February 19, 2011

World Padanian Nation II: World Cisalpine Kindred


World Padanian Nation II: World Cisalpine Kindred

World Padanian Nation: World Cisalpine Kindred

Mondo Nazione Padana: Mondo Affine Cisalpina

Mundo Nación Padano: Mundo Parientes Cisalpina

Monde Nation Padanien: Monde Apparenté Cisalpine

Mundo Nação Padano: Mundo Afim Cisalpina

Wereld Padaniaans Natie: Wereld Cisalpine Verwanten


[Music: 'Slow It Down' by Phantom Blue]
.