'Ndragheta Clipped In Italy

Here in Montreal it is feared a mafia gang war is about to take place as the major players in the Sicilian Rizzuto clan (also referred to as the Sixth Family that grew more powerful than New York's Five Families) are slowly being whacked. It's uncertain who is declaring war but I've heard two possible players: New York families eager for retribution for the murders (allegedly by Vito Rizzuto now serving time in the U.S.) of the three captains or capos. The other is the secretive and little known Calabrian mafia also seeking to recapture the power they held in Montreal before the murder of Calabrian crime boss Paolo Violi.

The police hope it is in fact a mafia war and not one that involves non-Italians a little birdie told me. For if it did, it can escalate and be far bloodier than a war between Italians.

I bring this up because while we're witnessing a possible war for power, in Italy a massive crack down on the the most powerful and ruthless criminal organization in the world (numbering anywhere between 5 000 and 10 000 according to the Italians version of  'Unsolved Mysteries' show I watched a few years ago while in France) the 'Ndragheta.

For you non-Italians read the above link to wiki.

Now let me explain you something. Calabrians are mercurial, mysterious, suspicious people who speak in constant riddles and rhymes. I'm serious. My father never gave me a straight answer growing up. Never. Only now he's become a little more open about things. Partly because he's not well. They're also a very, very tough people. I mean, tough. You can round these people up and form a mercenary military attachment in seconds flat. Their character mirrors and mimick their rustic but beautiful landscape. There's a certain calm serenity in Calabria that's not really normal. That's the code of silence whisking through the air. Calabrians hold extreme notions of honor and virtue. It's a place where the Ancient Greeks once lived among Italians essentially forming their own identity that could be called Calabrian.

I'm no expert on Calabrese history but I have imparted what little I know here. As for the Calabrese dialect, I don't know how and it did take a while but I do kinda understand it now. It's nowhere remotely close to Italian; especially when spoken quickly and slurred after some wine. My father never spoke to us in dialect but in Italian.

As for his role in the history of the mafia. If you happened to see pictures of Sicilian mobsters between the mid 1970s and early 2000s, chances are they were wearing a suit made by him. He was king. Interestingly, despite being Calabrese, he did not service them. Typical I guess.