Arba Sicula ( Sicilian: ''Sicilian Dawn'') is a not-for-profit international society whose main objective is the preservation and promotion of the

Sicilian language Sicilian ( scn, sicilianu, link=no, ; it, siciliano) is a Romance language that is spoken on the island of Sicily and its satellite islands. A variant, ''Calabro-Sicilian'', is spoken in southern Calabria, where it is called Southern Calabr ...

and culture. Its administration is located in

Mineola, New York Mineola is a village in and the county seat of Nassau County, on Long Island, in New York, United States. The population was 18,799 at the 2010 census. The name is derived from an Algonquin Chief, Miniolagamika, which means "pleasant village". ...

. The majority of members are also from the United States, although there are also members from

Sicily (man) it, Siciliana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = Ethnicity , demographics1_footnotes = , demographi ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by to ...

and other countries where Sicilian immigrants are found in large numbers. The society was founded in 1978. Arba Sicula publishes two issues per year of its bilingual journal of the same name (although in recent years they have been combined into a single annual edition), and the twice-yearly magazine ''Sicilia Parra'' (Sicilian for Sicily Talks). Both publications are among the very few printed periodicals available in Sicilian. Both publications contain poetry, essays and news items about Sicily and the Siculo-American community. Arba Sicula also has a publishing arm, Legas, which publishes many books on matters relating to Sicily and the Sicilian language (often bilingual, in English and Sicilian).

Gaetano Cipolla Gaetano Cipolla is a retired professor of Italian and Chairman of the Department of Modern Foreign Languages at St. John's University in New York City. He was born and raised in Francavilla di Sicilia in Messina Province, Sicily and emigrated to ...

has been the president of Arba Sicula (and editor of the journal and magazine) for the last 18 years. He was also a professor of languages at St. John's University, New York for many years, having recently retired. He has written books on Sicilian culture and language and has translated some of the most important Sicilian poetry into English, including the verses of the celebrated poets: Giovanni Meli and

Nino Martoglio Nino Martoglio (Belpasso, Paternò, 3 December 1870 — Catania, 15 September 1921) was an Italian writer, publisher, journalist and producer of theatrical works. He wrote mostly in Sicilian and likewise, his theatrical works were mostly in Sicil ...

, along with the works of many modern poets and writers. While dedicated mainly to the Sicilian diaspora in North America, the organisation is also recognised among the various cultural and political institutions of

Sicily (man) it, Siciliana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = Ethnicity , demographics1_footnotes = , demographi ...

itself.Scianò, Giuseppe (2004) ''SICILIA, SICILIA, SICILIA!'', Edizione Anteprima, Palermo, p. 114: ''PER FORTUNA CHE C'È ARBA SICULA: Per associazione di idee, me viene in mente l'azione umana, culturale, "storica" e politica che l'Associazione Arba Sicula di New York ha portato avanti, inizialmente soltanto negli USA, per la difesa e per la tutela della lingua siciliana, quella vera, resa sacra dalle lacrime, dalla nostalgia, dall'amore, dalla volontà di lotta delgi Emigrati. Dei protagonisti, cioè, della Diaspora Siciliana. Colgo quindi l'occasione per dire al Presidente Gaetano Ciopolla ed a tutti i Soci che siamo grati...''

References

External links

* {{in lang, en, scn Italian language in the United States Italian-American culture in New York (state) Culture of Sicily Organizations established in 1978 Sicilian-American culture Sicilian language 1978 establishments in New York (state)