History, Italy, Living in Sicily, Mafia, Sicily

9 May – Ode to Peppino Impastato

Posted by VDG on May 9, 2015May 9, 2015

This is a tribute to the first Sicilian who stood up, shouted against the Mafia, and dared to make them objects of ridicule instead of fearful reverence.
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9 May is a day most Sicilians remember. On 9 May 1978 Peppino Impastato, a political activist who opposed the Mafia, was brutally killed. He was my age.

via 9 May – Ode to Peppino Impastato.

4 Comments Add yours

T. Franke says:

May 9, 2015 at 2:05 pm

There are some interesting videos on youtube on this.

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Silver in the Barn says:

May 9, 2015 at 4:42 pm

Oh my goodness that poem is incredibly beautiful. Thank you for this important post. We must never forget the rare man or woman in our midst not afraid to stand up.

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1. The Sicilian Housewife says:
  
  May 9, 2015 at 5:38 pm
  
  I’m glad you liked it. I found it very moving too.
  What he did to change social attitudes to the Mafia and liberate people’s minds brought about an end to the legendary “omertà” (code of silence) and paved the way for the brave judges to condemn the Mafia to prison at last.
  
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C Mcgregor says:

May 10, 2015 at 5:31 pm

It is Mother’s Day here in Canada. Thank you for sharing this powerful expression of a mother’s voice.

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