What is the Mafia?

“Mafia” originates in Sicily. As a Sicilian adjective, mafioso (in Italian) means “swagger, boldness, bravado.”

In Sicily during the 19th century, the word mafioso was ambiguous. But also signified pride, courage, and daring, according to the scholar Diego Gambetta.

Mafieusa, the feminine form of the adjective, refers to a woman who is beautiful and attractive. According to the natives of Sicily, mafie referred to caves near Trapani and Marsala. Refugees and criminals alike used them.

This organized criminal organization, also known simply as the Mafia and commonly referred to as the Cosa Nostra by its members, originates in Sicily, in Italy, and dates back to the 19th century.

It’s an association of criminal organizations that cooperate in organization and conduct, presenting themselves under one common brand.

They refer to family units are as clans or coscas. Each family is renowned for claiming sovereignty over a particular territory, usually a small town or village, or even a borough within a large city, in which to operate their rackets.

Although public opinion often refers to them as Mafiosi, those who belong to it call themselves “men of honour.”

A Mafia’s main activities are protection racketeering, arbitrating conflicts between criminals, and coordinating illegal agreements and transactions.

Due to the emigration of Sicilians, mafia gangs were established in North and South America by the 20th century, which followed the same traditions and methods as their Sicilian cousins.