Michael Canzian on How the Italian Culture Embraces the Idea of Family


Michael Canzian with family in Fanna
Michael Canzian with family in Fanna


Italians are known for their deep culture, their passion for food, wine, arts, and soccer. How they preserve their architectural history and have an eye for fashion and design are just some of the key indicators that they value in beauty and style. They are recognized for being expressive communicators, bold in what they have to say.  They tend to use hand gestures in order to put emphasis on their points. They are also well-known for being family-oriented, with family being the center of their social structure. They place great value on unity, stability, and loyalty as these keep their family connected even when they are not together.

 

Italian roots

 

Italians place high value on their Italian roots and family structure is important.  Parents establish their authority to their children throughout their lives while their senior members are given respect. “Senior family members are deeply dedicated to their children and grandchildren. Their care comes with the expectation that their children will support and assist them throughout old age later in life. This belief is especially strong amongst elderly first-generation Italian migrants.” Latest statistics from Eurostat show that 50% of young adult Italians (aged 25-34) still live with their parents. The recorded average age of leaving their home is 30 years old. Italy placed top 3 among European countries in having the record of the oldest average age of leaving their parental home. This is usually due to economic reasons, but it does not take away the fact that they simply choose to stay together out of love and respect and as a way of giving back to and taking care of their parents. Clearly, this explains why Italians are intimately linked to their family and generations.

 

Social life

 

In various social gatherings, Italian families are known to eat and celebrate together. They frequently share meals at home or meet in bars, pizzerias, and restaurants. The common leisure activities that they enjoy together are watching television, listening to the radio, reading newspapers, and going to the cinema. They indulge in anything that will keep them close considering that they want to preserve the bond that they have. Because the family holds an active role in building social cohesion, this is also how they cultivate their sense of belonging.

 

Cooking

 

Given that they love to share meals together, their passion for cooking comes alongside. This is also one of the ways that they strengthen their bond with one another. Italian mothers and grandmothers tend to be in charge of the kitchen while the men chat together as they drink or smoke. Though this is not always the case, some of the men naturally develop an interest and skill in cooking due to the influence of their parents. Moreover, they have the habit of passing down their recipes so as to keep the authenticity and essence of the dish. “Sharing and building on old recipes are at the heart of the Italian gastronomic tradition. Every region, every, city, village, and family have its own interpretation of a dish.” Indeed, Italian cuisine is popular for the reason that great importance and meaning is placed on it.  Of course, it also happens to be delicious and the best food in the world (forgive the partiality).

 

Italians are deeply rooted in their concept of a family. Aside from culture and traditions, they recognize the importance of maintaining ties to where they came from. Remembering their roots and being present are just some of their ways of translating love to their family. Even when they are not together, they still carry the same respect and adoration for family; something that they get to express through cooking and sharing recipes with one another. – Michael Canzian



Originally published at https://michaelcanzian.com on August 11, 2021.

Location: Atlanta, GA, USA

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