A cruise line is getting a member of staff to dress up as a mafioso whenever its ships land in Sicily, according to an article [unavailable online] in Il Giornale di Sicilia today. The crew member photographed looks more like J R Ewing than a mafioso to me, but apparently tourists like to be photographed with him. Admittedly, they are greeted by a "centurion" in Rome and a "pizza maker" in Naples, but surely there are more positve characters that could have represented Sicily? I agree with the Procuratore della Repubblica di Palermo that this "dressing up" is in bad taste. It defeats so many efforts by Sicilians to present the island in a favourable light and it defeats one of the purposes of my writing this blog, too: to let people know that, although no one could deny that the dark side exists, Sicily is exciting, beautiful and increasingly welcoming . What do you think?
I think that it is totally ridiculous. I am sure that the Sicilian people must detest the fact that they are protrayed in this way. Sicily as you say is much more than the Mafia.
ReplyDeleteI think it is just silly, and in bad taste. it's rather like the tourists who go to Marrakesh and pose with the costumed water carrier and eat at the Hilton instead of "seeing" Morocco. I mean really, why? Just go to Disney world. How can they "see" Sicily if they are posing with a costumed character on a cruise ship? I'm leaving now, we don't really want to get me going on this..
ReplyDeleteDefinitely reinforcing the stereotype. And Sicily is so much more than that as I've learned from your blog.
ReplyDeleteI suppose it comes down to identity, and this is how Sicily is largely portrayed, though it is not reality. It is a bit tacky, but I'm sure it is just a bit of fun.
ReplyDeleteWe would like to visit Sicily, regardless of what we have heard. It would be a fun visit.
ReplyDeleteMM, yes, I'm sure Sicilians are heartily sick of it. Lady M, this sort of thing gets me going on too! Thanks, Liz. Ellee, yes, but there is nothing "fun" about the Mafia. And I would love to see you both here, Steve. There is certainly nothing for tourists to be apprehensive about.
ReplyDeleteI also think it's in bad taste. When you say "Sicily," anywhere in the English-speaking West, as I'm sure you know, the first thing that springs to most people's minds is "Mafia."
ReplyDeleteIt's sad, and Italians are often the ones perpetuating the stereotype themselves (especially in the American media). I'd like to see this change too.
So the mafiosi have a definite costume do they? What can that cruise line be thinking of? The ultimate in stupidity.
ReplyDeleteregards
jmb
But partly it shows how the mafiosa thing has already passed into legend.
ReplyDeleteIf it still represented Sicily today, it would not happen.
I doubt people in Sherwood forest in 1190 regarded Robin Hood as a good chap, but he is a toursit industry now.
Hi, Ruthie. Yes, it is sad, and even more so that it is often the Italians who reinforce the stereotype. Jmb, I totally agree. Crushed, good point. But the hurt caused by the Madfia is still so recent.
ReplyDeleteDo you have beaches in Sicily, Welshcakes?
ReplyDeleteI think that is just awful. Italians I find are so laxed when it comes to this stuff. Here in the states we had the Sopranos another mafia show...
ReplyDeleteM :(
This is such a stupid move on the part of the shipping company. It would be just as ridiculous as having a man with an AK47 and a balaclava at Dublin airport!
ReplyDeleteHi, Liz. Yes, lots of lovely, unpolluted beaches, not far away. Hi, M. We had the Sopranos too. Check out Zaftig's blog in my sidebar - she has written well about the stereotyping of Ital Americans. Hi, Marcello. Excellent analogy.
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