Source
r/italy•
jpp91

Question from an American about Abruzzo/Molise

AskItaly

Hi everyone. I have a quick question about the Abruzzo and Molise regions.

My father's family came to America ~100 years ago from a small commune called Bonefro. All my life my grandmother and other relatives have told me the family came from Abruzzo. The family was very proud of this, as Italian-Americans often are about their heritage. Now, while I consider myself an American first and foremost (being so many generations removed), still, I felt a sort of pride about my origins. Hearing the stories from my older relatives about how beautiful Abruzzo is, with the greenery, the food, the coast, etc, I had always hoped to make a visit to see where we came from, and some part of me developed an attachment to the region, however removed I may be.

However, I've discovered recently that Bonefro isn't actually in Abruzzo, but in Molise (the family only learned the name of the commune recently; prior to the discovery we only had the name of the region). Apparently the two regions used to be united under the name of Abruzzo? Is there a reason they split into two regions? Are they very distinct culturally/linguistically?

Anyway, I suppose my real question is: is my family Abruzzese or Molisano in origin? Or is the question sort of a moot point? I don't want to come across as one of those Americans who proclaims "I'm Italian, and Irish, and French, etc etc"; but my Italian heritage is something that I was raised with and influenced by, and I suppose I'd like some closure as to my origins. I recognize that nitpicking over names is silly, but even so. Maybe I just want to be accurate!

Thanks in advance for the help, and apologies for being a confused American!

Posted Jul 5, 2016, 12:57 PM UTC

1013
LurkerNo527•

Well Molise doesn't exist, so...

In all seriousness, yes, they were united in one region, called "Abruzzo e Molise" until 1963. Actually, they were united in the post-ww2 Constitution and split before regions began to work in 1970.

As Molise is a very small region, there is a joke going around on Italy saying that it actually doesn't exist. Molisn't.

32
nick_pl•

Molisn't

Here is my upvote you clever fucker.

4
LurkerNo527•

Thanks, but I didn't invent it.

11
lamaslamas•

Molise doesn't exist, your past is a lie

15
sorrytosaythat•

Hello!

What your relatives told is understandable. Up until 1963 Molise was part of a bigger region which was called "Abruzzi" (plural) or "Abruzzi e Molise". Your relatives sure were from Abruzzi when they first got to the US, so it was not wrong for them to feel Abruzzesi.

Like any other place in the world, bordering regions are usually pretty similar. Molise and the southern part of Abruzzo have rather similar dialects as they share a rather similar history, while the northern part of Abruzzo is more similar to the Marche.

If now you don't know whether to root for Abruzzo or Molise, you can still take pride in being from Bonefro: it's not uncommon in Italy to take more pride in being from a certain town rather than a certain region.

If after all you still don't feel Molisano, don't worry: there is an ongoing joke in Italy saying that Molise doesn't exist.

Whatever happens, just remember what we say all through the Centro Italia: "è meglio un morto in casa che un Marchigiano alla porta" i.e.: "it's better to have a member of your family die rather than a Marchigiano at your door". Molisani and Abruzzesi pretty much agree on their hate for Marchigiani.

10
segolas•

plural of Abruzzo

Abruzzos

3
LurkerNo527•

Sos Abruzzos?

2
segolas•

S.O.S. Abruzzos

1
jpp91OP•

Great! Thanks for the in-depth answer. I'm sure my folks will love to hear the joke about the Marchigiani and Molise being too small to exist!

1
italianjob17•

the joke about the Marchigiani

That's because Pope Sixtus V, that came from Le Marche, recruited his tax collectors among his fellow marchigiani people. He believed that for such a delicate task he could only trust the stubborness, honesty and hard-working ethics of his fellow people.

And so it happened that during his rule, in every corner of the Pope Kingdom (most of central Italy) marchigiani went knocking at everybody's door to collect money for the pope.

Pope sixtus V only lasted 5 years 1585-1590, just think about it... only 5 years and we still say this thing about marchigiani today, after so many centuries.

4
liaisons_dangereuses•

only 5 years and we still say this thing about marchigiani today, after so many centuries

well it does help that they also suck and smell bad.

0
aelog•

Is there a reason they split into two regions?

The goal was to duplicate the number of public sector jobs. Source: I was born in Molise and 80% of my relatives work in the public sector.

2
Orioh•

IO OSPITO I CLANDESTINI E TU?

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