A bit about me

Name: Claudio Castronovo

Class: V Bsp ( ITGC "Foderà - Brunelleschi")

Age: 18 (I'm born 07-05-1991)

Hometown: Caltanissetta

Hobbies: My preferred hobby is to play football! Also I like to listen to music! My favourite Italian singer is Ligabue, so much I also like Skunk Anansie, a English Rock Band!

Things I love about Sicily: In Sicilia I love the sea, the sun and the food!

Things I would change in Sicily: I would like to change so many things about Sicilia. Above all the many prejudices against its people. Everybody thinks that Sicily = Mafia, while is not being this way! In Sicily above all there are people that have a love for life!

My favourite Sicilian: They are many the Sicilians that have with their works made Sicily great: for example Archimedes, for his inventions like the law of the communicating vases, Pirandello, Sciascia and Verga for the literature, and Falcone and Borsellino for their honesty and their courage! But certainly the Sicilian person most important to me is my beautiful girlfriend!

U taganu

Every year the feast of Aragona’s tagano is held on the first Sunday after Easter. It is a moment when tagano is distributed accompanied by local wine in Rosario plaza. The plaza is crowded with people who taste the dish. “U taganu” is a dish that symbolises Easter in Aragona. The pasta dish is seasoned with meat, eggs and cheese. The name comes from the earthenware pan. It’s cooked in the afternoon of Holy Saturday to be consumed on Easter Monday. “U taganu” is baked in the oven for at least two hours and it can be eaten cold or hot.

Marcello V Bsp

L'isola che non c'è

Never Never Land

Second star to the right
this is the way
and then straight on ‘til morning
then you’ll find the road by yourself
that leads to Never Never Land.

Perhaps this will seem strange to you
But you’re thinking with your head and not your heart.
and now you’re almost convinced that
there can’t be a Never Never Land.

And to think,
that insanity is a fable,
it’s just fantasy
and the wise ones, the older ones,
know it can’t exist in reality!

I agree with you
there is no land
where there are neither saints nor heroes
and if there are no theives
if there’s never war
perhaps it really is
never never land, never never land

it is not an invention
not even a pun
if you believe in it that’s enough because
then you’ll find the road by yourself

I agree with you,
no thieves nor policemen
what kind of land is it?
no hatred and violence
no soldiers nor weapons
perhaps it really is
never never land, never never land

Second star to the right
this is the way
and then straight on ‘til morning
then you’ll find the road by yourself
that leads to Never Never Land.

and they make fun of you
if you keep on looking for it
but do not give up, because
those who have already given up
and laugh behind your back
perhaps are even crazier than you.

Song translation by Vinti Giovanni Samuele, IV Bsp

The secret to success

The history of Italian fashion is crossed with economic history- dress has always been understood as an expression of social success. Cinema is influenced by fashion. Dress took this role because it was a talisman in ancient tales. It is the magic ingredient that allows transformation. In short, the story is narrated as Italian fashion because its function is profoundly different from Paris and other cities for us. Fashion is an instrument of social redemption and thus a rise in class through one’s clothing. Fashion is a tool to confirm status.

Racinello, Salvatore, IV Bsp

An uncertain term

The term mafia has an uncertain etymology. In 1863 the popular dialect play “The mafioso of the vicarie” was written by Giacomo Rizzotto. However, the current term only came into use in the nineteenth century. The phenomenon of the mafia was established in Sicilia, consisting of armed squads who fought against political groups to radically change and subvert the state. Outwardly the mafia is organised in “cosche” (clans) with a well established hierarchy. The cosche are groups directed by one authoratative person to whose orders the twelve members act. The allied cosche and rivals intend to achieve prestige and profit, maintaining their place as leaders of the territory.

Modica Lorenzo, IV Bsp