The Heart and Soul of Italy

By: Effetto Italy  On: March 25, 2020  In: Italian Culture 

What a surreal world we live in right now. But amidst all the darkness, there are points of light – in humor, spirit, comradery, love – that emerge in our wonderful country right now.

Connecting from balcony to balcony

From major cities to the smallest towns, Italians are distancing, but of course, still being social. And all that is needed is a balcony. Songs are belted out, music from makeshift orchestras fill the air and despite a lockdown, connections are nonetheless made. In Rome, impromptu renditions of “Volare” are crooned out of hundreds of windows, while in Turin, the “Macarena” is preferred. In Naples, a conductor conducts on one terrace, while various instruments are played out of street-facing windows. Birthdays are still remembered and “Buon Compleanno” is chanted across the piazzas. In Florence, a roof top DJ blasts Bob Marley’s “Is This Love”, with the oh-so apropos lyrics,

We’ll be together,
with a roof right over our heads
We’ll share the shelter…

and everyone takes a moment to dance.

Tough love

Heavy-handed Italian ruling is the name of the game. But it’s not without a wry sense of humor or a familial love for its citizens. Mayors from Basilicata to Umbria to Piedmonte are not-so-subtly demanding (begging) that Italians stay at home. The governor of Campania politely asked the citizens not to go out or else he would “send the police over…with flamethrowers.” Others questioned the validity of dogs needing to be walked and became crazed over “mobile hairdressers”. And the mayor of Reggio Calabria gently reminded his constituents that they should not act like Will Smith from the movie, “I am Legend”. While the tone and style of these leaders illustrate a cultural difference from their Anglo-counterparts, the compassion is the same.

Always steeped in tradition

Now more than ever, Italy remains immersed in its more ancient and traditional rituals. Take for example, the peddler priest in Biblione, 30 km North of Venice, who travels in the back of a three wheeled car through his town. Liturgical music blaring from the radio, he recites prayers on a microphone. His focus is mainly the elderly, the sick, and of course, the travel agencies, among some of the most affected by the outbreak. Reminiscent of the 16th century plague, he would stop at each business to bless them and pray that they weather the crisis. Only in Italy.

A sense of duty and community

When the Italian government appealed to the country’s doctors to help fill a 300-person task force, an astounding 7923 doctors answered the call. Thousands of volunteers throughout Italy began initiatives to help the elderly with shopping, medications and basic companionship. Countless examples exist of strangers helping strangers, young assisting the old, and the healthy helping the sick across the country. Nothing seems brighter than this.

Italy’s true heart and soul is many things to many people. It is both spiritual, like the peddler, and festively secular, like the balcony revelers. It is both paternalistically rough, like the local leaders, and gentle, like the thousands of volunteers raising their hands to help. And even in these days of uncertainty and bleakness, Italy still shines.

From everyone at Effetto, we will see you soon. Stay safe and stay well!

The Effetto Italy Team

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