Sicilians are brought up to hate our island – but those of us who flee are seen as the enemy | Viola di Grado

Perpetual invasions, poverty and the shadow of the mafia make people leave for better lives. What will it take to avert this ‘brain escape’ and create a healthier sense of identity and belonging?

When I moved from Italy to London 15 years ago, one of the things that I found most puzzling was how, in such a gloriously multicultural city, people still tended to form social groups based on where they came from. At first I thought it had to do with my personality, but one day the reason became clearer when I stepped into a coffee shop. While ordering, recognising the barista’s Sicilian accent, I switched to Italian and explained I was from Sicily too: that’s when the barista’s smile died and his tone became very rude.

Over the following months, there were similar incidents in bars and restaurants. Every time I tried to strike up a conversation with a fellow Sicilian they gave me the cold shoulder. On reflection, I realised that in Sicily people bonded over their sense of not belonging. This perceived alienation from our birthplace and to its fellow inhabitants is a curse that every Sicilian carries, but is not always aware of.

Viola Di Grado is an Italian novelist and literary translator. Her latest novel is Blue Hunger

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