"Cumpari of the Tall One"?

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Expand view Topic review: "Cumpari of the Tall One"?

Re: "Cumpari of the Tall One"?

by antimafia » Thu Mar 30, 2023 9:01 pm

^^^^
Insofar as Sciascia was telling the truth, we don’t know whether he meant he was a parrinu (Italian: padrino) at Amato’s daughter’s baptism or confirmation because Sciascia didn’t make a distinction when he used the word “godfather” the first of two times in his interview. Interestingly, the Sicilian language uses parrina to translate the Italian word madrina (godmother). Regardless of whether Sciascia was the godfather at Amato’s daughter’s baptism or was the sponsor at her confirmation, she was his figghiozza, and he her parrinu. Which would mean that Sciascia was indeed Amato’s compare.

The consular officially denied Sciascia’s request 6 months after interviewing him. I think she didn’t find some of his answers to her liking: not truthful or too truthful, actually. The excerpt below includes what she wrote in her decision.

“Having investigated further the responses to the questions which you gave me at your interview, I must confirm that I do consider you inadmissible to Canada.” She said she believed that Sciascia was a member of the Mafia and a danger to the public. On September 8, 1995, Joseph Sciascia, on his father’s behalf, appealed Burrows’s decision. Six weeks later, the immigration department certified that Sciascia was a danger to the Canadian public.

Re: "Cumpari of the Tall One"?

by B. » Wed Mar 29, 2023 4:59 pm

Ok so he did say there was a baptismal relationship. Thank you.

My comment was based on what Vitale said, that after Sciascia's murder Amato came to him crying and said "They killed my compare."

Interesting Sciascia claimed he knew the elder Amato in Sicily. Would mean Sciascia had contact with the Castellammaresi. Small island but those connections are always good to know.

Re: "Cumpari of the Tall One"?

by antimafia » Wed Mar 29, 2023 4:44 pm

^^^^
Sciascia wasn’t exactly truthful at times when being interviewed by a Canadian consular official in NYC who was reviewing Sciascia’s request to relocate to Canada — screenshot below is from The Sixth Family, 3rd ed., 2014.

Image

———-
I can’t remember whether "Tall Guy" was a media appellation for Bonventre. Regardless, it goes back to at least 1984, if not earlier — see, for example, https://content.time.com/time/subscribe ... 98,00.html.

Re: "Cumpari of the Tall One"?

by B. » Tue Mar 28, 2023 9:16 pm

Amato also called Sciascia his compare. Don't know if there was an actual baptismal relationship but they were extremely close.

Re: "Cumpari of the Tall One"?

by LarryC » Tue Mar 28, 2023 6:44 am

baldo wrote: Tue Mar 28, 2023 6:11 am Also is used for the best man in a wedding. My parents often refer to their best man as that. But I also call my godfather that. 🤷

Yes, absolutely. Italian tradition is that the best man at your wedding is godfather to your first horn. So they are called the same.

Re: "Cumpari of the Tall One"?

by baldo » Tue Mar 28, 2023 6:11 am

Also is used for the best man in a wedding. My parents often refer to their best man as that. But I also call my godfather that. 🤷

Re: "Cumpari of the Tall One"?

by Shellackhead » Sun Mar 26, 2023 10:55 am

PolackTony wrote: Sun Mar 26, 2023 8:38 am Lu/‘u cumpari (plural li/‘i cumpari ) is the Sicilian equivalent to “il compare” in Italian. As LarryC noted, the terms are literally used to refer to a baptismal godfather (though in Italian, this is formally “padrino”), though they are very often used colloquially to refer to a male friend. “Goomba” in the US is derived from the Napolitan’ pronunciation of the causal, shortened form “compà” (cumpà in Sicilianu).

The nickname was just referring to the fact that Baldo was close to Cesare Bonventre.
This makes a lot of sense. I wonder how much clout these two had in the late 70s up to Bonventre’s death. Also, how did Baldo react to it

Re: "Cumpari of the Tall One"?

by PolackTony » Sun Mar 26, 2023 9:38 am

Moscone65 wrote: Sun Mar 26, 2023 9:34 am Sometimes there’s a mistranslation as cumpari because some americans pronounce the letter e in Italian words as “ee”. In Italian they pronounce that sound with the letter I, the letter e in Italian is pronounced “eh”
In Sicilianu it is spelled and pronounced “cumpari”. Not a mispronunciation or mistranslation in this case, as Sicilianu is not Italian.

Re: "Cumpari of the Tall One"?

by Moscone65 » Sun Mar 26, 2023 9:34 am

Sometimes there’s a mistranslation as cumpari because some americans pronounce the letter e in Italian words as “ee”. In Italian they pronounce that sound with the letter I, the letter e in Italian is pronounced “eh”

Re: "Cumpari of the Tall One"?

by Hired_Goonz » Sun Mar 26, 2023 9:32 am

What a wack nickname. I wonder if guys actually called him that.

Re: "Cumpari of the Tall One"?

by Bing Bang 74 » Sun Mar 26, 2023 9:04 am

I see, thank you for all your priceless insight, gentlemen.

Re: "Cumpari of the Tall One"?

by PolackTony » Sun Mar 26, 2023 8:38 am

Lu/‘u cumpari (plural li/‘i cumpari ) is the Sicilian equivalent to “il compare” in Italian. As LarryC noted, the terms are literally used to refer to a baptismal godfather (though in Italian, this is formally “padrino”), though they are very often used colloquially to refer to a male friend. “Goomba” in the US is derived from the Napolitan’ pronunciation of the causal, shortened form “compà” (cumpà in Sicilianu).

The nickname was just referring to the fact that Baldo was close to Cesare Bonventre.

Re: "Cumpari of the Tall One"?

by LarryC » Sun Mar 26, 2023 7:50 am

First, it’s cumpare (singular), not cumpari. Second, in this case, it could mean friend or godfather of the tall one. In Italian it’s used to mean godfather too.

Re: "Cumpari of the Tall One"?

by Shellackhead » Sun Mar 26, 2023 7:11 am

Probably means, compare the tall one. And they added the of, cus if the of goes, then that makes no sense

Re: "Cumpari of the Tall One"?

by Moscone65 » Sun Mar 26, 2023 6:42 am

He’s the cumpare of the tall one, Cesare bonventre.

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