Even though the island of Sicily is officially part of Italy, it has its own distinct way of life and can feel very different from the mainland at times. These differences have created a unique Sicilian culture that is extremely fun to explore, so lets dive into some of the most famous Sicilian traditions.
A brief history of Sicily
Before we talk about Sicily traditions, we need to take a little walk through the island’s long history, as this has shaped many elements of Sicilian culture.
Ancient Sicily
The island in the Mediterranean has been inhabited for millennia, with the name Sicilia given to it by the ancient Romans because of a tribe known as the Sicels, whose people had lived on the island as early as the Iron Age. The attractive location of the island and fertile lands led to the ancient Phoenicians and then the ancient Greeks settling in different areas, the Phoenicians in the west and later the Greeks in eastern Sicily.
These two great ancient civilizations founded many of Sicily’s modern cities such as Palermo, Syracuse and Messina, and built a lot – the temples at Agrigento and Selinunte date back to this period for example.
There was significant conflict between the ancient Greek city states and other powers in the Mediterranean sea, including the rapidly growing city state of ancient Rome, and Sicily was at the heart of this. Many battles were fought during what is known as the First Punic War, and by the 2nd century BC Sicily was under Roman control and had the dubious prestige of being Rome’s first controlled province outside of the Italian mainland.
Arabic Sicily
Sicily remained Roman for hundreds of years, and after the western half of the Roman empire fell in 476 the island was the most western outpost of the eastern Roman empire, which was ruled from Constantinople (modern day Istanbul). However, the island was increasingly being threatened by the rising power of the Islamic caliphate in the Middle East. This threat came to a head in the 800’s when a full scale invasion was started. Palermo was taken in 813, Syracuse in 878 and the final hold-out, Taormina, was taken in 902, marking the end of Roman control.
The Arabs introduced many things, including citrus fruits and sugar cane as well as Islam, and the island became very wealthy. This wealth led to the invasion of a very different type of ruler, the Normans.
Sicily, along with many other European countries, had been frequently raided by the northern Vikings from Scandinavia in the late 800’s and early 900’s. The Vikings often employed mercenaries to aid them in their attacks, and Normans, who came from northern France were some of the most popular, taking back tales of a rich culture and lands in southern Italy.
Norman Sicily
Arab rule had been disintegrating for some time due to inner conflicts within the caliphate, and the Normans had also become rapidly more powerful. Their small lands in France did not match with their ambitions and the Norman nobility starting looking for possible places to expand. William Duke of Normandy successfully conquered England in 1066, and one of his peers invaded Sicily five years earlier, Roger.
Roger originally only occupied the city of Messina but was able to conquer the whole island, becoming King Roger I. Under Norman rule the island was once again Christian, mosques were turned back into churches and immigration from western Europe was encouraged. Huge Norman castles were built and Sicily became firmly enmeshed in the politics of Europe.
Roger’s line of direct heirs only lasted a century, and when his great grandson William II died in 1189 Sicily entered a period of political instability. First the Holy Roman Emperors of Germany claimed the throne, then the French and then eventually the Spanish crown took possession of Sicily.
The Spanish period lasted until the late 1600’s, giving the people some stability, but this changed in the 1700’s when the French Bourbon kings took control of both Naples and Sicily, becoming officially known as the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies in 1816. Bourbon rule was deeply unpopular in Sicily, which helped Garibaldi’s efforts succeed when he sought to conquer the island in the name of Italian unification.
Modern Sicily
The Bourbons were overthrown and Sicily was a part of the new state of Italy when it came into existence in 1861. This was not a universally popular move, and ever since there has always been a sense of the Sicilians being somewhat separate from the rest of mainland Italy, emphasised by their differences in language, traditions and food.
The Sicilian Language
The first, and most significant, element of Sicilian culture that makes it stand out is the Sicilian language.
Recognized as a minority language by UNESCO, the Sicilian language originates in Latin but has influences from the many people who have lived here. Some Sicilian words have their roots in the pre-historic people who lived here, others have elements of ancient Greek, Arabic, Spanish, Norman French and Germanic languages.
The good news is that if you’re wondering whether you’ll see the Italian or Sicilian language when visiting, the official language of Sicily is Italian. Street signs, official notices, restaurant menus and more will all be in Italian.
In the 1930’s all schools across Italy were made to use ‘pure’ Italian when teaching by the Italian government, so the usage of Sicilian dialect has become more limited over the years.
Sicilian Cuisine Traditions
As you may have noticed if you’ve visited Sicily before, their own cuisine is quite different from what we think of as traditional Italian food. The ingredients and flavor combinations are more unusual (no carbonara or cacio e pepe here) and this is in large part thanks to the local people being open to foreign influences.
The classic Sicilian street food of arancini, stuffed rice balls, was an Arabic trick for preserving meat, encasing it in rice before baking. The almonds and pistachios you will see everywhere were brought by the Greeks, and we wouldn’t have the unique chocolate from Modica if not for the Spanish bringing over cocoa.
The Arabs in particular are responsible for some of the most iconic Sicilian dishes, thanks to their use of sugar, citrus fruits and ice. You should definitely try some of the Sicilian desserts, like the cassata cake (originally a rich Easter dessert but now found year-round), ricotta filled cannoli, marzipan fruits, and Sicilian granita is good any time day or night – try it for breakfast with brioche for a unique start to the day.
Each region of Sicily has their own specialities, in coastal regions a typical dish will be more fish-based whereas inland you’ll find plenty of lamb and other meats, so seek out local restaurants as you travel and ask them about what they have to offer. Food plays a huge part in Sicilian life and they are extremely happy to talk about it so don’t be shy!
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Events and Celebrations
Culture in Sicily is heavily tied up with customs and traditions that date back a long time. The people held onto their celebrations and religious festivals even when their rulers changed frequently, and many are still celebrated today.
Chances are high that you’ll be able to experience at least one when you visit Sicily, with even the more remote villages holding annual events. Some of the most interesting are:
- The festival of Santa Rosalia in Palermo in the evening of July 14, celebrating the patron saint of the Sicilian capital, which involves a big procession through the streets before a huge fireworks display.
- Santa Lucia, patron saint of Syracuse is celebrated in two different events, one in May and the other in December.
- Another patron saints festival, for Santa Agatha in Catania where a series of events take place from February 3-5.
- The Sagra del Mandorlo in Fiore, a festival dedicated to the almond tree blossoming in early February, held near the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento
- The Infiorata, held in Noto in May, covers an entire street in a design made of flower petals
- The Palio dei Normanni, one of the more unique traditions, is a historical recreation of a famous battle won by King Roger I. Over a series of days in August in the central town of Piazza Armerina there are various reenactments, horse races and jousting.
- CousCous festival, held every September in the town of San Vito Lo Capo in western Sicily, where chefs compete to be crowned World Champion and there is a lot of opportunity to experience rich culture and delicious food.
There are many more religious events, food festivals and other celebrations that take place year round, so if you have the chance to learn more about this element of Sicilian culture, don’t miss the opportunity.
Famous Sicilian Symbols
There are some symbols and themes that you will see over and over again in Sicilian culture, art and architecture, which again have their origins in the island’s extensive history.
Sicilian ceramics are excellent quality (when buying for yourself, check that they are actually made here), featuring bright colors and vivid imagery. There are two popular themes that you will see over and over, the first is one of the most famous Sicilian symbols, the three legged woman.
Join us on an adventure in Sicily!
Complicated, misunderstood, generous, outrageous, sensual and seductive, Sicily is pure opera. If you think you know Italy but haven’t been to Sicily, you are in for a mind-bending treat. 3000 years of history piled up like a sweet cassata cake is waiting for your exploration. Andiamo!
The Trinacria
Known as the Trinacria, this symbol is on the flag for the autonomous region of Sicily which was created during World War II but dates back to ideas from much longer ago. The woman’s head in the center is Medusa from Greek mythology, and the three legs refer to the three promontories of the island, and this symbol was used here as early as the 1200’s.
Teste di Moro
The other distinctly Sicilian cultural element is that of the Teste di Moro, or Moor’s Head. The legends behind this style are quite gruesome, but the ceramic style is very popular.
The story goes that a beautiful Sicilian girl living in Palermo fell in love with a Moorish man. Their romance was kept a secret, until she found out he had a wife back home. Rather than let him leave, the girl killed him and cut off his head in his sleep. Wanting to keep him close by, the girl used the head as a plant pot on her balcony, planting basil in it. The basil grew very well and her neighbors, wanting to copy her success, started planting their own basil in head-shaped pots.
Opera dei Pupi
The Opera dei Pupi is a Sicilian puppet theatre that tells stories based on Medieval epic romance literature, with knights, battles, princesses and characters from history. The large puppets are handcrafted before being used to perform the different stories.
While nowadays more focused on tourists than local people, the shows are fun to attend and you can often tour workshops and learn more about the history of this Sicilian tradition.
While there is some overlap between Italian culture and Sicilian culture, these only make it more attractive to visit and experience these for yourself. There is so much to see in Sicily that it can be difficult to plan your trip, why not join one of our tour groups and let us take all the work out of traveling? Contact us today to find out more about visiting this wonderful island.
