“On Being Sicilian” by Carl D’Agostino

August 20, 2015

Carl D'Agostino

Categories: Cartoons by Carl D'Agostino Tags: Sicilian culture humor

34 responses to ““On Being Sicilian” by Carl D’Agostino”

Miss Dinie
September 2nd, 2015 at 15:00

Haha!! I think Jamaicans are secret Sicilians!! That wooden spoon thing, I remember that from being a kid! Hee Hee!

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- Carl D'Agostino
  September 2nd, 2015 at 16:09
  
  Nu cuss alligator long mout til yu cross di riva
  
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  - Miss Dinie
    September 2nd, 2015 at 17:38
    
    Hehehehe!! You know that one!! So that means you can read patois!! Gwaaan Carl!!!
    
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  - Miss Dinie
    September 2nd, 2015 at 17:40
    
    Checkout rubiredsaid.wordpress.com- it has Caribbean poems! Pass the link to a few other people who might be interested!!
    
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  - Carl D'Agostino
    September 2nd, 2015 at 20:19
    
    Of course – lived in Miami 60 years Haitians, Jamaicans and crazies form Trinidad too bad boy !
    
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philipfontana
August 31st, 2015 at 16:05

Carl, As a Sicilian on both sides of the family, I loved the hell out of this post!!! On my father’s side, both my grandparents were from the tiny village of Villa Batta outside Palermo & BOTH had the surname Fontana & swore they were not related!!!!! They arrived in New York City in 1898. On my mother’s side, my claim to fame was my mother’s Uncle Tony being a hit man for the mobster Lucky Luciano, in New York City. Uncle Tony helped the poor so much that when he died the mourners were around the corner of the funeral parlor in line waiting to pay their respects. One woman was overheard saying, “Who will feed us now that Tony is gone?” Great post…..Yes, I was beaten by my Mom with a wooden spoon too. She broke one on my sister or me! Phil

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- Carl D'Agostino
  August 31st, 2015 at 16:18
  
  We were really alive people in those households. Gotta go. Gotta stir the grayvee now.
  
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- Miss Dinie
  September 2nd, 2015 at 15:03
  
  Hahahahaaaaaaa!!! Jamaicans do the wooden spoon thing too! Never had it break though.. Now everyone says it’s child abuse.. Discipline!!
  
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- Marie Insalaco Lutz
  August 26th, 2017 at 12:19
  
  My mother immigrated from Sicily at the age of 12. She said she came from Villa Batta near Palermo. I’ve haven’t been able to find out anything about this place. Do you or anyone else know something about it?
  
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  - Carl D'Agostino
    August 26th, 2017 at 14:04
    
    I would start by googling that name of town. I think my grandmother and husband came from Sicily in 1916 when she was 16, husband much older. They came to Staten Island, New York. Most of the men on her side also came and were barbers, tailors,and shoe makers. My father’s side were Romans and came to Staten Island in 1900. They worked in the shipyards.
    
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robertmgoldstein
August 24th, 2015 at 20:18

🙂

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Debra
August 22nd, 2015 at 00:31

The wooden spoon made its rounds in our household, too. But since we weren’t Sicilian, ours was the same one used to make cakes. Talk about giving a mixed message!

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- Carl D'Agostino
  August 22nd, 2015 at 07:59
  
  Ah, the cake mixer spoon. Another WMD.
  
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captelaine
August 21st, 2015 at 12:41

So is this where ‘Speak softly and carry a big stick’ came from? This made me smile for all those women and their spoons of correction… based on the behave of children I see in restaurants these days… they must not make these spoons anymore… real shame as quite a few youngsters need them.

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- Carl D'Agostino
  August 21st, 2015 at 13:18
  
  I think we turned out well despite or because of… Don’t eat salad though.
  
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jameslantern
August 21st, 2015 at 07:29

Such is the curse of being under the yoke of slavery, the law

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aurorajeanalexander
August 20th, 2015 at 16:48

Aaaahhhh – finally, the truth… 😉 LOL

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- Carl D'Agostino
  August 20th, 2015 at 21:27
  
  Never let your muddah find out you were the one that left the milk out of the fridge this morning…
  
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  - aurorajeanalexander
    August 21st, 2015 at 16:36
    
    I was told if you do that, you’re dead meat. *sigh* But I also heard these are the most protective mothers on earth. If someone outside the family would say something against one of her children, a lioness would look like a kitten next to a Sicilian mother. Could that be true as well?
    
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  - Carl D'Agostino
    August 21st, 2015 at 16:43
    
    Yes they are like that.
    
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weisserwatercolours
August 20th, 2015 at 13:27

…watsamatterfoyo Carl, ain’t got no respect–thank your lucky stars you weren’t raised German (smile)

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- Carl D'Agostino
  August 20th, 2015 at 21:24
  
  Ah, but the apple strudel…
  
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The Persecution of Mildred Dunlap
August 20th, 2015 at 12:03

Love this post. And I wouldn’t want to mess with that kitchen mamma. 🙂

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- Carl D'Agostino
  August 20th, 2015 at 12:11
  
  While the rest of the stupid kids were outside playing I was in the kitchen with Grandma learning to cook until I was 5 years old and parents moved away from Staten Island to Florida. I remember everything though. I can cook and can do it top speed bachelor style.
  
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silentlyheardonce
August 20th, 2015 at 11:21

Strong women for sure. 🙂

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- Carl D'Agostino
  August 20th, 2015 at 11:25
  
  Yes and wonderful to be part of it all. Except the sore butt of course.
  
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  - silentlyheardonce
    August 20th, 2015 at 11:30
    
    🙂
    
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poemsandponderings
August 20th, 2015 at 10:31

Hey you can’t beat being a Sicilian with a stick…. But you can with a big wooden spoon. lol

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- Carl D'Agostino
  August 20th, 2015 at 11:24
  
  That thing never touched a salad only kids’ butts.
  
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MARANXA
August 20th, 2015 at 08:36

Thank u Carl, it´s great 🙂

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- Carl D'Agostino
  August 20th, 2015 at 08:48
  
  Oh sure but I’m the one getting chased with the big spoon !
  
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  - MARANXA
    August 20th, 2015 at 09:03
    
    Really 😉
    
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jrj1701
August 20th, 2015 at 08:05

Sicilian mothers begat Sicilian gangsters, Sicilian gangsters begat one great movie.

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- Carl D'Agostino
  August 20th, 2015 at 08:17
  
  Tony the Nose, Frankie 3 Fingers, Salami Mike and Jimmy Jaws send their regards.
  
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