La Cosa Nostra

Ever wonder how the Mafia came to be??

Well, ever since I read The Godfather by Mario Puzo, i got interested in the mafia. Here's a little information regarding the mafia. What it really means and how it came to be.

The word "mafia" is taken from the old Sicilian adjective mafiusu, which has its roots in the Arabic mahjas, meaning "sanctuary". Roughly translated, it means "swagger", but can also be translated as "boldness, bravado".

Origins. It has long been debated as to whether or not the mafia has medieval origins. Deceased pentito Tommaso Buscetta thought so, whilst modern scholars now believe otherwise. It is possible that the 'original' mafia formed as a secret society sworn to protect the Sicilian population from the threat of Spanish marauders in the fifteenth Century. However, there is very little historical evidence to suggest this. It is also feasible that this 'Robin Hood' myth was perpetuated by the earliest known mafiosi as a means of gaining goodwill and trust from the Sicilian people.

After the revolution of 1848 and the revolution of 1860, Sicily had fallen to complete disorder. The earliest mafiosi, then separate, small bands of outlaws, offered their guns in the revolt. Author John Dickie claims that the main reasons for this were the chance to burn police records and evidence, and to kill off police and pentiti in the chaos. However, once a new government was established in Rome and it became clear that the mafia would be unable to execute these actions, they began refining their methods and techniques over the latter half of the nineteenth century. Protecting the large lemon groves and estates of local nobility became a lucrative but dangerous business. Palermo was initially the main area of these activities, but the Sicilian mafia's dominance soon spread over all of western Sicily. In order to strengthen the bond between the disparate gangs and so ensure greater profits and a safer working environment, it is possible that the mafia as such was formed at this time in about the mid-nineteenth century.

Traditional terminology

1. Capo di Tutti Capi (the "Boss of All Bosses", namely Matteo Messina Denaro for the Sicilian Mafia and Renato Gagliano for the Sacra Corona Unita; not applicable to the American Mafia)
2. Capo di Capi Re (a title of respect given to a senior or retired member, equivalent to being a member emeritus, literally, "King Boss of Bosses")
3. Capo Crimine ("Crime Boss", known as a Don - the head of a crime family)
4. Capo Bastone ("Beat Head", known as the "Underboss" is second in command to the Capo Crimini)
5. Consigliere (an advisor)
6. Caporegime ("Regime head", a captain who commands a "crew" of around ten Sgarriste or "soldiers")
7. Sgarrista or Soldati ("Soldier", made members of the Mafia who serve primarily as foot soldiers)
8. Picciotto ("Little man", a low ranking member who serves as an "enforcer")
9. Giovane D'Onore (an associate member, usually someone not of Italian or Sicilian ancestry)

This is as far as I will go. Hope you learned a little something about the Mafia. If you want to learn more about the Mafia, you can go to these related links:

•      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mafia
•      www.answers.com/topic/mafia
•      www.sicilianculture.com/mafia/mafiawords.htm