Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
I gave the presentation "'You Must Always Respect the Dialects': Roy Paci, in Siciliano" at the April 2013 conference, "Lingue Migranti: The Global Languages of Italy and the Diaspora," of the Calandra Italian American Institute (Queens College/CUNY). The presentation focused on the use of the Sicilian language -- often incorrectly described as a dialect of Italian -- in the music of Roy Paci, a popular singer, bandleader and cultural activist.
Citation preview
“You Must Always Protect the Dialects”
Roy Paci, in sicilianoGeorge de StefanoLingue Migranti: The Global Languages of Italy and the Diaspora
Roy Paci & Aretuska
Since 2002, Paci and the band have pursued a
hybrid style that incorporates jazz, Sicilian brass band music, reggae and ska, funk, rock and various Latin American
idioms.
Roy Paci
“To those journalists and bloggers who ask me why I keep singing in Sicilian, I reply that one must always protect the dialects because they contain the essence of the history and culture of our country. The dialects are the humus of the Italian language.”
….
“The so-called „dialects‟ are
actually languages in their own
right…”
Antonio GramsciThe “language question” is a political one…
“Great masters”
of Sicilian
Poet Ignazio Buttitta and folksinger Rosa Balestreri influenced
Roy Paci‟s use of Sicilian language
Baciamo le mani (2002)Paci and Aretuska parody Mafia style on the cover of their
debut album
“Cantu Siciliano”
Paci & Aretuska‟s Sicilianized
remake/reclamation of “Mambo Italiano”
Parola d‟onore (2005)
Paci‟s third album with Aretuska introduced a new approach to lyric writing, mixing verses in Sicilian with other languages
“Malarazza”Un servu tempu fa d‟intra na piazza
Prigava a Cristu in cruci e ci dicia
Cristu lu me padruni mi strapazza
Mi tratta comu un cani pi la via
Rit.
Tu ti lamenti
Ma che ti lamenti
Pigghia nu bastoni e tira fora i denti!
Suono GlobalSuono Global lyrics mix
Sicilian with other idioms; Paci gives a name to this
linguistic mash-up: Italoño, “un idioma che ci avvicina a tutti i popoli (a language that
brings us closer to all peoples).”
LatinistaSanta, ca ti pigghi la cutra di
ogni lamento, sentu
Sangu, chiddu ca mi furria sempri in orgni memento,
uora
Saint, who cares for me and hears my every lament, I feel
my blood, that flows in me always and in every moment...like now
(“Santa”)
“E poi u fazzu da quannu sugnu
natu e mi ni vantu!”
“And besides, I‟ve been doing it since I was born
and I‟m proud of it! “
