Womyn of the Italian Resistance (Once a Partisan, Always a Partisan)
Italy Calling is a one-wom@n project that was conceived at the beginning of 2010.
I was born and grew up in Rome, the daughter of a Southerner and a Northerner. I’m neither then, nor am I a “proper” Roman (it takes 7 generations or so to make you so, they say). My DNA is an harmoniously chaotic mixture of every culture that lived on Italian lands: Celts, Greeks, Arabs, Etruscans, Romans…
With the Motherland, I’ve always had a fairly typical love/hate relationship. There was a time when the hate won, and that’s when I decided to leave. By leaving I took distance and realised I could see things differently. I learned to love again. I asked myself, How can I contribute to what’s going on in the Motherland, how can I keep close to my roots? And I decided to be a scribe. A witness.
During my 3rd year of college I had an inspiring, mesmerising, poetical Philosophy teacher (and a truly beautiful womyn). Once, she was talking about the Resistance (I can’t remember where she’d started from, it was always like that with her…). She mentioned this Partisan, someone who was in the Resistance and then became a writer (there are many, I can’t remember whom). This man was being interviewed about the legacy of the Resistance, someone was asking him “So, when you were a Partisan…”. He interrupted the person and said “No. Not “were”, but “are”. It’s not gone, it’s not in the past. Once a Partisan, always a Partisan”.
Partisan
Origins: Middle French partisan, from north Italian dialect partiźan, from part part, party, from Latin part-, pars part
Meaning: 1) A fervent, sometimes militant supporter or proponent of a party, cause, faction, person, or idea. 2) A member of an organized body of fighters who attack or harass an enemy, especially within occupied territory; a guerrilla; in particular one operating in German-occupied France, Italy, and parts of eastern Europe in the Second World War.
This is a fantastic site! As an italo-argentinean with libertarian ideas living in the UK, this site offers important insight into the past and present of a land I love.
Grazie!
Rossana
Hello Rosanna! I came across your blog after looking at various social centre websites , which I had a hard time translating, as my Italian is rudimentary at best. I’m Diana, I’m from Vancouver, Canada, and the daughter of an Italian (abruzzese) mother and a father whose roots are in the UK. I will be in Abruzzo in August, but I will in Rome for a day or two.. I would like to visit a social centre/ squat or two and meet some radical (anti-racist , queer positive and feminist) people in Rome. This will be my fist trip Italy. If you are in Rome in August ( 9/10th) or have friends who are and wouldn’t mind meeting up to chat for a bit, do let me know. Thank you/ Grazie for your blog and honesty!
Diana
Hi Diana, bit of confusion there, Rosanna is the name of the person who wrote the comment above yours – it’s not me. There’s plenty of choices for social centres in Rome but I guess Forte Prenestino is a must – check out their website, I think they might have some info in English. Thanks for reading my blog!
Ha! Sorry about that name error.
I was planning on getting in touch with forte prenestino folks, or just dropping by.
Excellent blog and thanks for the follow.
Thank you! Have to say I’ve never heard of your band before, but you’re from Belfast so…you’re friends 😉 (I lived there for a while). Solidarity!
Good job!
I just included you in the links page on my blog.
Bel lavoro, continua così! C’è bisogno di far conoscere per bene che c’è in Italia… (il mio blog lo fa con la musica, più che altro perchè non ho le capacità per fare un lavoro tipo il tuo)
NO TAV!
Grazie 😉 Sono completamente d’accordo, e sono anche io contenta di aver trovato il tuo blog, visto che la mia sezione musicale e’ un po’ misera, proprio perche’ non riesco a scrivere su tutto allo stesso tempo…quindi menomale che ci pensi tu! 😉 Grazie per il link, ora ti linko anche io. Linkatamente. Saluti.
Ah sorry, I never saw this reply for ages. I’m from Belfast, but I’ve lived in Italy since 2009. Hopefully you’ll hear of the band eventually ; ). I read your blog on my favourites from time to time.
This is an amazing website. Well done! Informative, professional and realistic.
I am Ludovica, I am Italian and I have a blog in English too: http://www.beinquisitiveblog.com/ where I write about politics, social conflicts and human rights not only in Italy but everywhere around the world. Let me tell you how much I appreciate this website and your innovative idea to portray Italy to an international audience. Di questi tempi, abbiamo bisogno di voci autentiche. Un abbraccio
Hiya, thanks for your comment and the compliments! Always nice to meet like-minded people… Nice blog…:-) I’m adding you to my links. Saluti!
Purtroppo, dopo aver abbandonato Facebook, ho lasciato anche Twitter e non posso seguirti. Il tuo adoperarti è importante e ti esorto a continuare.