Want to learn Neapolitan?

A few years ago the University of Naples offered a very successful course offering in the sociology department about the Neapolitan language. Now there is a group that is dedicated to the preservation of the language and the culture active in Naples: http://www.gazzettadinapoli.it/notizie/corso-di-lingua-napolitana-a-giugliano-a-cura-de-i-lazzari/ I Lazzari offers Neapolitan language courses and hosts important cultural gathering in Naples. Click on the image below to link to their facebook page:

Spacca Napoli

Spacca Napoli is a street that runs through the historic center of Naples. It literally means "split Naples" because it refers to the fact that this street divides the city into two parts. Walk past one side and eventually you reach mountains, the other and you meet the sea. Many of the historic sites popular among tourists lie along this route such as Santa Chiara. Along this route you can find many artisans and food vendors making traditional Neapolitan items. The University district is also very close to here.

click image for original link

"This street is the lower (Decumanus Inferiore) and southernmost of the three decumani, or east-west streets, of the grid of the original Greco-Roman city of Neapolis. The central main Decumanus Maggiore is now Via dei Tribunali; while the northernmost or upper Decumanus Superiore is now via Anticagliaand Via della Sapienza. The three decumani were (and still are) intersected by numerous north-south cross-streets called cardini, together forming the grid of the ancient city. Today, the street officially starts at Piazza Gesù Nuovo and is officially named Via Benedetto Croce. Moving east, the street changes name to Via S. Biagio dei Librai and then crosses Via Duomo (named for the Cathedral of Naples) and moves beyond the confines of the old center of town."(wikipedia)

La Smorfia and the Lotto in Naples

Playing lotto is an important part of Neapolitan culture. It originally came to Naples in 1682 where Neapolitans were already used to betting on predicting certain parts of daily life, like the sex of an unborn child, politicians, etc. By 1800 Naples was considered the capital of the Lotto. However, playing Lotto is much different process in Naples than in the United States. La Smorfia (derived from the name Morpheus, the Greek god of dreams) is the "book of dreams" that is consulted by Neapolitans before playing lotto. It is based on a belief, likely derived from Jewish Cabala, that reality and dreams have a connection and that number represents this connection. Some examples include:

48: ‘o muorto che parla (the dead man speaking)

10: ‘e fasule (the beans)

18: ‘o sanghe (the blood)

23: ‘o scemo (the idiot)

25: Natale (Christmas)

42: ‘o cafè (the coffee)

52: ‘a mammà (mom)

55: ‘a museca (the music)

72: ‘a meraviglia (the astonishment)

75: Pulcinella (Pulcinella Mask)

90: ‘a paura (the fear)

While one might think that this would be challenged by the largely Catholic beliefs of the city, many believe that God, dead relatives, or saints suggest these images/numbers in dreams to help the living. "The saint of the Lotto is Saint Pantaleone. He is olso the protector of future brides to which suggests the the numbers to play to win the dowry. According to tradition, before marriage, the girls prayed to the Saint for nine nights in a row; the ninth night they could hear some footsteps and a stick beating on the ground: the number of beats were the numbers to play. It is also said the souls of Purgatory appear in dreams and suggest the numbers to people that take care of them with the prayers. There is also a figure, called the “assistito”, that is between the real and the supernatural: he can interpret the dreams and the events from number. Frequently, the “assistito” comes also into contact with spirits of the afterlife who reveal to him the numbers." (visitnaples.eu)