ANTONIO SAMMARTINO
– TIRELESS FIGHTER FOR PRESERVING THE IDENTITY OF MOLISE CROATS
AND FOUNDER OF THE AGOSTINA PICCOLI FOUNDATION
We are continuing what Agostina began – we will
publish a Molisian-Croatian dictionary
On
November 25 the Italian Senate decisively approved Act 3366. It
enables usage of the Croatian language for educational purposes in
kindergarten, teaching a matrix language at elementary school level,
researching languages and local traditions, the possibility of
establishing language and culture courses at provincial
universities, the use of a minority language in municipal and
provincial services and issuing official acts in a minority language
Zeljka
Lesic
The recent visit to Zagreb of Antonio Sammartin, a Molisian Croat from
Mundimitar, was an opportunity for an interview with him concerning
the novelties in regards to the Molise Croatian minority, which
migrated to the Italian province of Molise in the 15th and 16th
centuries.
“Insofar as a
meeting was recently held in Acquaviva about preserving the Croatian
language in the Italian province Molise, tell us what the basic issues
were? Who organised the meeting?”
“The meeting
was organised by the ‘Our Town’ group which gathers
representatives of three towns in Molise in which live Croats who
arrived there five centuries ago. The meeting was not only about how
to preserve the Croatian language, but which Croatian language to
preserve, considering that in Molise we speak differently, more
archaic than what is used in
Croatia.
Another issue addressed at the meeting was the role that institutions
should have in all of this.”
“Following
the Croatian-Italian Agreement on the Protection of Minorities, Italy
recently introduced the Act on recognising 12 autochthonous languages
on the Apennine Peninsula, amongst which is Croatian. Tell us
something more about that Agreement?”
“On November
25 the Italian Senate decisively approved Act 3366. That is the most
important document that determines the attitude of the Italian
Government towards linguistic minorities and which finally opens the
possibility of realising the stipulation in the Italian Constitution
regarding minorities, which we have waited for more than 50 years.”
Weapon
for realising century old projects
“With
that Act our minority, as well as other minorities in Italy, have
received confirmation regarding the rights that we fought for and
fought to realise. That is why I can finally say that we have a weapon
that will give us an opportunity to realise our century old projects,
which up until now have only lived on paper.”
“Tell
us concretely what rights for the Croatian minority are contained in
the Act?”
“I
will explain the main points of the Act. Its implementation enables
usage of the Croatian language for educational purposes in
kindergarten, teaching a matrix language at elementary school level,
researching languages and local traditions, the possibility of
establishing language and cultural courses at provincial universities,
the use of a minority language in municipal and provincial services
and issuing official acts in a minority language. It also foresees
broadcasting news and programmes on local television, but also takes
into consideration publishing and the activities of officially
registered and recognised associations or institutions. It also
signifies support for members of the minorities in question, which
live in foreign countries, through interstate or inter-provincial
co-operation within the framework of a European Union programme.
“As
it can be seen, that is the main regulation which is related to our
minority and could become the weapon for our definite awakening. That
is why we must roll up our sleeves and begin diligently working.”
“Considering
that the tragic death of your wife Agostina Piccoli left a big mark on
the battle of Molise Croats for their survival, you felt obliged to
continue her work, so tell us what you are currently doing?”
“Agostina’s
help would certainly have been the greatest assistance to us all, but
we must not grow weary and we must take the path that she opened.”
Treasury
that we are proud of
“Primarily,
I must mention the establishment of an institution of which I am the
founder. This is not only important for me, but for all those who have
spiritual values at heart. The Agostina Piccoli Foundation was
established on November 22, 1999. The first task of the Foundation is
completing the monumental task which she initiated - the collection of
lexical materials in the Molisian-Croatian language. Namely, we plan
on publishing the first Molisian-Croatian dictionary, the materials
for which were collected by the late Agostina. The dictionary will
contain about 5 000 words. Agostina’s colleague from the Institute
for the Croatian Language in Zagreb, Snjezana Strcic, and I are
professionally processing every word. We hope that this project will
be completed in either May or June of this year.
“However,
it is important to emphasise that the Foundation will continue with
other important projects, in the belief that nothing must be lost or
forgotten, and that spiritual values which Agostina taught us must be
the treasury of which we shall be very proud.”
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