Elba
From IBWiki
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| Motto: Vitta continua. | |||
| Subdivision of: | Italy | ||
| Cities: | |||
| Capital: | Portoferajjo | ||
| Largest: | Portoferajjo | ||
| Other: | La Mmarina de Marcianna | ||
| Languages: | |||
| Official: | Elbic, Italian | ||
| Others: | Corsican, Sardinian, Tuscan, Ligurian | ||
| Prince: | Ghido I | ||
| Prime Minister: | Federico Giorgiutti | ||
| Area: | 224 sq. km | ||
| Population: | 31,000 citizens | ||
| Established: | 1098, Ascendence of Óbeardo I as Prince of Elba | ||
Elba is a small, unobtrusive island off the coast of Italy. It's not very big, which allowed it to escape conquest during the Napoleonic wars, though neighboring Italian territories were conquered. Elba was largely left behind until recent years, when it has been "rediscovered", so-to-speak, especially after the Great Wars.
Contents |
Administration
Government
The Head of State is the Prince. The government is ruled by a fifteen member council elected every 5 years. The council elects a Prime Minister for five year terms. The Prince has the right of veto that can be overridden by a popular referendum. The Prime Minister assigns four cabinet ministers to assist in his administration: Industry, Infrastructure, External Affairs, and Commerce. The Prime Minister is required by the constitution to have at least one member of an opposition party (if possible) in his cabinet.
The current Prime Minister, Federico Giorgiutti, is 56, of the Liberal Democratic Union, elected 3 June 1998, re-elected 3 June 2003. His ministers are Gione Toscanno, Minister of Industry, a member of the LDU; Álessandro Romanno, Minister of Infrastructure, a member of the LDU; Giulia Ciamma, Minister of External Affairs, a non-aligned politician; and Giovanni Zergatto, Minister of Commerce, a member of the Elbic Conservative Party.
History
It emerged in the 8th Century as a Byzantine enclave together with Piombino. The Appiani family became feudal lords in the 11th Century. Elba was not invaded by Napoleon (whereas Piombino was), thanks to some smooth negotiation on the part of the ruling monarch of the time, Carlo IV, who volunteered what forces Elba had in support of Napoleon. Unfortunately, Carlo and his son, Clémente III, were both killed in battle.
When the Republic of Lombardy broke, Piombino, long a part of the Principality, was ceded to one of Carlo's daughters, Cárolina, who married a Napoleonic general and separated from Elba.
In 1951 the entire Appiani family died in a shipwreck during a regatta. The Council elected former founder of the Roman Republic, former Metropolitan Duke of Milan and Defence Minister and founder of the Popular Front, Benito Mussolini, who became Benito I until his death in 1982.
See Also: Monarchs of Elba: List of Monarchs since 1098
Geography
Borders
Elba is bordered by:
North: Piombino
West: Corsica
South: Tyrrhenian Sea
East: Tuscan Sea.
Economy
Tourism, Leather products, Fisheries
Culture
L'Helvanni, the Elbans, are an easygoing group. Elba seems in many ways to have been untouched by the years. It harbors beautiful views. The cliffs of Portoferraho offer amazing views of the harbor and beaches there. As a visitor to Elba, it is important never to sound to formal. Phrases such as grazi (thank you) and xusimi (excuse me) should be used sparingly. Using them every time a speaker of another language would be tempted to sounds uptight and stiff, and will distance a visitor from the locals. For an interesting look at life on Elba, spend time at the docks in the old city, watching the citizens from a streetside cafhè. You'll meet more people if you speak Elbic than if you speak Italian, though you can get by with either. As the Elbans themselves say, "Si mi parlei in una lingua chè no comprendo, ti parlharo in una lingua chè no comprendei." "If you speak to me in a language I don't understand, I'll speak to you in a language you don't understand."
Cultural Phenomena
A number of now-widespread Italian phenomena originated on Elba.
- At wedding ceremonies, the groom is given a crown of olive branches by his eldest male relative, symbolizing his position as head of the household. The bride is given a sprig of mistletoe by her eldest female relative to symbolize the beginning of her new life.
- The film Mare (1998; starring Ione Deglelva and Ántonia Isquéixo), by Elban director Lucco Jovio, has become perhaps the most popular film of all time in Italy. It tells the story of a young sailor of the First Great War, who falls in love on the beaches of Elba before he leaves for war. His story is conveyed in letters to his young love, which she shares with her friends, who otherwise have no news of the war. Mare has been hailed as a great film of the modern era, although it has yet to catch on outside of Italy.
- Actor Ione Deglelva (Mare, Dante, et al) was born on Elba, and has since become famous throughout Italy for his performances as the romantic lead in Mare and as none other than the national poet Dante Alighieri in Dante, the 2001 film detailing the life of il Sommo Poeta. He still keeps a summer home on Elba, although he has since moved to Liguria, and the movie theaters in Portoferajjo and La Mmarinna de Marcianna flood when his movies arrive.
History and Culture
The Elbans have a history of being laid-back and easygoing. In fact, Elbic historians suspect that had the Napoleonic wars come to Elba, it would have fallen with only minimal resistance offered. As the Elbans say, "vivittu continua", "life goes on". This laissez-faire attitude to life in general is characteristic of the Elban way of life. In fact, this essentially self-centered attitude caused Elba to miss out on some major historical events. Some major historical events that passed the Elbans by:
- The collapse of the Byzantine empire. Elba was a center of Byzantine culture in the early middle ages, and indeed remained so up until essentially the Napoleonic Wars.
- The colonization of the "new world". The Elbans never really got caught up in the rush for gold and conquest. And why should they? They are happy just as they are, in their own homes, on their own island.
- The Napoleonic Wars. The only effect these had on the Elbans was to interest people in news. Indeed, they may have been the high point of Elbic journalistic history.
The most interesting thing, according to visitors, in recent Elbic history, was the largest storm in memory of the oldest living inhabitant of the island, which struck in early February, 2003 and capsized the largest ship in the Elbic fishing fleet. Now, to outsiders Elba may seem like a backwards place, where people know nothing and care not about the outside world. Regrettably, they are correct.
Current Affairs
The current prime minister of Elba has begun a campaign to computerize the principality of Elba. This has sparked a mild divide between the Elbic Conservative Party, moderately opposed to the idea, based on the principle that "we've done it the other way for so long, might as well keep it up", and the Liberal Democratic Union, in favor. The youth of Elba are intrigued by the issue. Most come in on the side of the UDL, but there are some from the more rural parts of the island (everywhere, essentially), who oppose the idea.
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| Member Entities | |||
| Aosta | Ceva | Elba | Friuli | Liguria | Lombardy | Mantova | Marches | Massa | Metropolitan Duchies | Montferrat | Modena | Novellara | Parma | Piedmont | Piombino | Romagna | Trento | Tuscany | Umbria | Veneto |
