They speak Pugliese
in Chicago also

They speak Pugliese (Apulian language) in Chicago also, on the shores of Lake Michigan; in the shadow of the Sears Tower, one of the highest skyscrapers of the world; in the land of Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls; in the town of the hated but legendary gangster Al Capone; and at the home of the Chicago University where Enrico Fermi, a Nobel Price winner for Physics, experimented in 1942 with the first nuclear chain reaction. One of the most active organization of Pugliesi (Apulian inhabitants) in Illinois is ARPA (Associazione Regionale Pugliesi d'America, that is Association of Pugliesi in America), whose purpose is to preserve and promote the (Italian) traditions, the language and dialects, the culture and values, in particular those from Puglia (Apulia), and pass them on to future generations of Americans. Founded in Chicago twelve years ago, ARPA includes about 175 families (or approximately 500 members), and is officially recognized by the Regione Puglia (the local government for Puglia in Italy). Representing ARPA at the Regione Puglia is the consultant Pat Capriati, originally from Mola of Bari and emigrated to (the United States) with his family in 1967 at the age of 13. Graduated from Loyola University (Chicago), Mr. Capriati works as a market analyst for the Chicago office of (Italian) National Institute for Foreign Commerce. He is married with another American Pugliese, Carmela Mallardi, originally from Triggiano (Bari), has two children, and conducts a radio program in the Italian language every Sunday, presenting music, contemporary Italian events, sport, (Italian) culture, and obviously news about the Pugliese community in Chicagoland.

Living manger, a Christmas celebration by Pugliesi in Chicago.

The ARPA directorate, full of names, starts with Joseph De Benedictis, the president for a little more than a year; he is a native of Modugno and owner of a real estate agency (in Chicago). The directorate includes three vice presidents, Raffaele Ferrara, Vito Ancona, and Rocco Carbonara; a treasurer and a vice-treasurer, Gianni Nitti and Nicola Lepore; a secretary and a vice-secretary, Mariangela Palumbo and Rose Mallardi; the consultant Capriati; and advisers Liberio, Maffei, Pavone, Lamascese, and Caputo. An event that by now has become a tradition in Chicago, a gift to the Italian community from the Pugliesi, is the «Pugliese Christmas», showing a living manger during the celebration of the Christmas Mass, in Italian. This is followed by a great banquet and the arrival of Saint Klaus. Another celebration is Saint Nicholas of Bari; the last event was held on April 19 (1998) with a show that included artists directly from Puglia: the comedian Nicholas Pignataro, the fisarmonica player Pino Di Modugno, and the singer Mina Grossi. Moreover, the association participates in the Columbus Day parade with a folkloristic float. The next parade will be held on (Columbus Day) October 12, and will be televised by the America TV station WGN of Chicago and broadcasted worldwide by satellite. Coming up early next year are the election of Miss Puglia in Chicago, and the establishment of scholarships for high school and college students of Pugliese extraction. The president De Benedictis says: "We that have left Puglia more than thirty years ago represent the last migratory wave from Puglia towards the United States. Initially America did not welcome us with open arms: there was still a bit of discrimination, and you can only imagine how hard it must have been for those who opened the road for us, in the early 1900's.

Celebration of Saint Nicholas at the Carlisle Banquets (Illinois). Standing from the left: Carmela Capriati, Nicholas Pignataro, Pat Capriati (consultant to the Puglia Region), Domenico Vessia (first president and founder of ARPA), Joe De Benedictis (current president of ARPA), Nicoletta De Benedictis. Seated: guest from Argentine, the singer Mina Grossi, and Pino Di Modugno.

Today the Pugliesi of Chicago are completely integrated into the socio-cultural fabric of the United States, are bilingual, and enjoy good jobs. Many have started their own businesses: restaurants, supermarkets, food factories, and home construction. There are also many professionals: lawyers, accountants, doctors, engineers, university professors etc. Our sons attend the best American universities, keep up some of the traditions that we have passed on to them, but it becomes ever more difficult to have them speak Italian." Pat Capriati adds: "We often return to Italy, even annually for those that can afford it, to enjoy the home celebrations. Onboard of an Alitalia airplane, still standing on the runway, we feel already in Italy. The time for a cappuccino in Rome, waiting for the flight for Bari, and when the airplane is about to land at Palese, (the airport in Bari), and you see the fields, the red earth, the olive orchards, the fields of grapevine... then it does not matter any more how many years have passed since you left Puglia, right away you feel that you belong to this land."