L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2020 www.italoamericano.org 22 L'Italo-Americano C hristmas tradi- tions in Italy are varied and each r e g i o n h a s a b u n c h o f i t s own. In Naples, one of the most popular involves eel, or capitone as it's com- monly known in the city of Parthenope. On Christmas Eve, capitone is compul- sory on every Neapolitan table, usually deep fried and served with a glass of good wine. But the question is: why? T o a n s w e r , l e t ' s t a k e a step back and explain what capitone is. In Italian, there are two different nouns we translate with eel in English: capitone and anguilla. Both are, in fact, the same fish, but while anguilla refers to the male, which is smaller, capitone refers to the much longer and larger female. A n g u i l l a c o m e s f r o m t h e L a t i n w o r d f o r " s n a k e , " w h i l e c a p i t o n e f r o m t h e Latin word for "head." It's a strange and mysterious fish, one that thrives in both sea water and freshwater and can live up to 50 years; if it has to, it can survive on land for up to 48 hours. Now that we know what capitone is, let's see why N a p l e s d e v e l o p e d a Christmas obsession with it. Apparently, this tradition b r i n g s t o g e t h e r I t a l y ' s Judeo-Christian tradition with pagan cults and practi- ces of pre-Christian times. We all know that, in the Bible, the snake embodies t e m p t a t i o n , s i n a n d t h e Devil: it was a snake that seduced Eve in the Garden of Eden and that, centuries later, tried to do the same with another woman, the V i r g i n M a r y w h o , t h i s time, didn't succumb to its enticements and crushed its head under her foot, killing i t . I t w a s a p o w e r f u l a n d symbolic gesture, one that foreshadowed the final vic- tory of Good over Evil, and that repeats itself allegori- c a l l y e v e r y y e a r , o n Christmas Eve, with the tra- dition of the capitone. In the past, women were in charge of killing and cooking this fish, embodiment of the ser- pent of Evil, to recreate the seduction of Eve and Mary's opposition and final victory over the Devil. Then, the fish was consumed on the n i g h t o f t h e 2 4 t h o f December, while awaiting the birth of Jesus Christ, the ultimate moment of Good winning over Evil. The con- n e c t i o n b e t w e e n s n a k e s , capitoni and the Bible runs even deeper, though. If we read the Book of Exodus — or we still remember a t h i n g o r t w o o f w h a t w e learned at Sunday School or Catechismo — we find out that Moses turns his rod, known as Aaron's rod, into a snake and then back into a rod to prove to the Pharaoh the word of God was right. However, there are also m o r e p r o s a i c r e a s o n s b e h i n d t h e t r a d i t i o n o f h a v i n g c a p i t o n e o n Christmas Eve. Eel is a very fatty, rich fish, thus very nutritious, but has always b e e n c h e a p t o b u y ; t h i s means that, in the past, even the poorest could afford it, making it a traditional dish on many a table in Naples, e v e n d u r i n g t h e h a r s h e s t times. The presence of capitone in Neapolitan tradition is so deeply rooted that it also appears in its cinema and t h e a t r e , a s i t h a p p e n s i n C o s ì P a r l ò B e l l a v i s t a , a m o v i e b y L u c i a n o D e Crescenzo and in Natale in C a s a C u p i e l l o , a p l a y w r i t t e n b y E d u a r d o D e Filippo. In both, a capitone manages to escape the kit- c h e n o n C h r i s t m a s E v e , creating havoc among family members. But perhaps the strongest p r o o f o f t h e c o n n e c t i o n b e t w e e n N a p l e s a n d i t s c a p i t o n e c o m e s f r o m t h e fact the fish even has a place in La Smorfia, the book Neapolitans use to interpret their dreams and turn them into numbers to play at the lotto: in it, capitone is asso- ciated with the number 32. Last but not least, how do we cook it? Simple: we fry it! Just cut the fish in sections a couple of inches long, roll it in flour and deep fry it abundant oil. H appy Chri- s t m a s , B u o n N a t a l e a tutti! Festi- vities, even in this dreadful Covid-19 climate, remain a time to think positive and smile. And is there a better way to celebrate that making a toast? In English, we use the word cheers, in Italy, we u s e c i n c i n ( p r o n o u n c e d tcheen-tcheen). Cin cin is so much like cheers that the p o p u l a r 1 9 8 0 s T V s e r i e s Cheers was called Cin Cin here. I t m a y b e p a r t o f o u r everyday language, but cin cin has a very exotic etymo- logy, one that for once, has nothing to do with Latin. Its origins are, apparently, to be found in the Chinese word ch'ing, "you're welcome," w h i c h w a s u s u a l l y u s e d t w i c e i n a r o w , g i v i n g u s ch'ing ch'ing. Victorian sai- l o r s a n d t r a d e r s s t a r t e d using an anglicized version of it, chin chin among them- selves and, soon, the expres- sion landed in Europe fol- lowing the ways of trade. In Great Britain, even officers of the Royal British Army were known to use it. The step from the land of Albion to Italy was a short o n e , a n d c i n c i n , w h i c h sounded so much like glas- s e s c l i c k i n g a g a i n s t o n e another, became synonym w i t h h a v i n g a t o a s t . T h e spelling changed, though, b e c a u s e i n I t a l i a n - c h sounds like -k, so the "h" dropped leaving us with the word we know today. One last think: according to modern galateo, using cin c i n i s n ' t v e r y p o l i t e : w e should always opt for other options like salute or alla nostra ("to us"). — Alziamo i bicchieri e festeggiamo: cin cin! — Let's rise our glasses and celebrate: cheers! — E' un'occasione specia- le: cin cin a salute a tutti! — It's a special occasion: cheers to everyone. — Ti ricordi Cin Cin, la serie Americana ambienta- ta a Boston? — D o y o u r e m e m b e r Cheers, the American sit- com set in Boston? LA VITA ITALIANA TRADITIONS HISTORY CULTURE Word of the Day: Cin Cin, because it's time to celebrate! Italian Curiosities: Naples' obsession with eel at Christmas Eel, or capitone, as it is known in Naples (Photo: Emily Wilson/Dreamstime) Photo: Alina Rosanova/Dreamstime

• Cover