Figlia Nicolò, Arbëresh folklorist and poet, passed away. He was born in the village of Mezzojuso in Sicily, in 1682. He wrote and adapted lyrical poems with religious content, based on folklore, in Arbëresh dialect. He also adapted a book on Christian doctrine into Albanian. He left a manuscript with folk songs and his writings, which were found in a codex in Chieuti, an Arbëresh center. With this activity, Figlia Nicolò ranks among the first Arbëresh folklorists. The folk songs of this manuscript were published by Michele Machianoi in “Këngë popullore shqiptare” (“Albanian folk songs”)(Foggia, 1908). A new critical edition of this manuscript ” Nicolo Figlia, Il codice Chieutino – Edizione critica e concordanze” (1995) was prepared by Matteo Mandalà. (In the photo: View from the village of Munxifsi, Sicily.)
Text: Albanian encyclopedic dictionary – Vol. 1 , Academy of Sciences of Albania, “Kristalina-KH”, Tirana, 2008, page 678.
Photo: © https://www.pinterest.es/pin/500814421034267620/
Graphic processing: AHCF
