Cosa Nostra Not Sicily's Only Mafia
Bet you didn't know Sicily has two Mafias.
There's Cosa Nostra, of course.
And there's La Stidda (Sicilian for "the star"), a Sicilian-based Mafia group that's a direct rival to Cosa Nostra. All members wear the same star-shaped tattoo.
La Stidda was created by "Men of Honor" (members of the Sicilian Cosa Nostra) who broke apart following the murder of Mafia-boss Giuseppe Di Cristina during a major Mafia war of the early 1980s.
In addition to the Cosa Nostra, there are two other historical Mafias in Italy: the Neapolitan Camorra and the Calabrian Ndrangheta. A fourth also is recognized, the Apulian Sacra Corona Unita, which was originally formed in the 1970s to rival the traditional Camorra. La Stidda is something like Sicily's version of the Sacra Corona Unita.
As noted in Excellent Cadavers: The Mafia and the Death of the First Italian Republic (Alexander Stille), it largely consists of "Men of Honor" who left Cosa Nostra (many of the original stiddari were followers of the murdered Mafia-boss Giuseppe Di Cristina) following the big war of the early 1980s.
It is said to be its strongest in the rural parts of southern Sicily in towns such as Agrigento, Caltanissetta and Gela.
Di Cristina was a powerful mafioso from Riesi in the province of Caltanissetta, Sicily, southern Italy. Called “la tigre’’ (the tiger), he was born into a traditional Mafia family, his father Francesco Di Cristina and his grandfather were men of honour as well.
In 1975 he became the head of Cosa Nostra in the Caltanissetta province and a member of the Regional Commission of the Mafia. Three years later he was killed by a rival Mafia faction, the Corleonesi of Totò Riina and Bernardo Provenzano. His death was a prelude to the Second Mafia War, which would start in 1981 after the Corleonesi killed Stefano Bontade, a powerful member of the Sicilian Mafia. Known as the Prince of Villagrazia − the area of Palermo he controlled − and Il Falco (The Falcon), he had links to several powerful politicians in Sicily, who in turned had links to former prime minister Giulio Andreotti.
In 1981 he was killed by the rival faction within Cosa Nostra, the Corleonesi. His death sparked a brutal Mafia War that left several hundred mafiosi dead.
Di Cristina had actually warned police of the rise of the Corleonesi shortly before his death.
"Although... less organized and less deeply rooted than Cosa Nostra, it was second to no one in violence," wrote Stille.
The Stidda rose in prominence when Cosa Nostra pentito Francesco Marino Mannoia spoke about it in 1989. Later, Mafia member Leonardo Messina spoke of it. According to their testimonies, Stidda was founded by former members of the Cosa Nostra during the Second Mafia War of the early 1980s.
The original leaders of the Stidda were Giuseppe Croce Benvenuto and Salvatore Calafato. Later Stidda boss Calogero Lauria was killed in a bomb blast, which led to another more direct war with the Mafia in the early 1990s that resulted in more than 300 deaths, including a judge.
Today, Stidda gangs operate relatively independently. They ally with each other or even the local chapter of Cosa Nostra. They have similar rituals and rules.
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| La Stidda ("star") |
There's Cosa Nostra, of course.
And there's La Stidda (Sicilian for "the star"), a Sicilian-based Mafia group that's a direct rival to Cosa Nostra. All members wear the same star-shaped tattoo.
La Stidda was created by "Men of Honor" (members of the Sicilian Cosa Nostra) who broke apart following the murder of Mafia-boss Giuseppe Di Cristina during a major Mafia war of the early 1980s.
In addition to the Cosa Nostra, there are two other historical Mafias in Italy: the Neapolitan Camorra and the Calabrian Ndrangheta. A fourth also is recognized, the Apulian Sacra Corona Unita, which was originally formed in the 1970s to rival the traditional Camorra. La Stidda is something like Sicily's version of the Sacra Corona Unita.
As noted in Excellent Cadavers: The Mafia and the Death of the First Italian Republic (Alexander Stille), it largely consists of "Men of Honor" who left Cosa Nostra (many of the original stiddari were followers of the murdered Mafia-boss Giuseppe Di Cristina) following the big war of the early 1980s.
It is said to be its strongest in the rural parts of southern Sicily in towns such as Agrigento, Caltanissetta and Gela.
Di Cristina was a powerful mafioso from Riesi in the province of Caltanissetta, Sicily, southern Italy. Called “la tigre’’ (the tiger), he was born into a traditional Mafia family, his father Francesco Di Cristina and his grandfather were men of honour as well.
In 1975 he became the head of Cosa Nostra in the Caltanissetta province and a member of the Regional Commission of the Mafia. Three years later he was killed by a rival Mafia faction, the Corleonesi of Totò Riina and Bernardo Provenzano. His death was a prelude to the Second Mafia War, which would start in 1981 after the Corleonesi killed Stefano Bontade, a powerful member of the Sicilian Mafia. Known as the Prince of Villagrazia − the area of Palermo he controlled − and Il Falco (The Falcon), he had links to several powerful politicians in Sicily, who in turned had links to former prime minister Giulio Andreotti.
In 1981 he was killed by the rival faction within Cosa Nostra, the Corleonesi. His death sparked a brutal Mafia War that left several hundred mafiosi dead.
Di Cristina had actually warned police of the rise of the Corleonesi shortly before his death.
"Although... less organized and less deeply rooted than Cosa Nostra, it was second to no one in violence," wrote Stille.
The Stidda rose in prominence when Cosa Nostra pentito Francesco Marino Mannoia spoke about it in 1989. Later, Mafia member Leonardo Messina spoke of it. According to their testimonies, Stidda was founded by former members of the Cosa Nostra during the Second Mafia War of the early 1980s.
The original leaders of the Stidda were Giuseppe Croce Benvenuto and Salvatore Calafato. Later Stidda boss Calogero Lauria was killed in a bomb blast, which led to another more direct war with the Mafia in the early 1990s that resulted in more than 300 deaths, including a judge.
Today, Stidda gangs operate relatively independently. They ally with each other or even the local chapter of Cosa Nostra. They have similar rituals and rules.