A Society Built Through Bloodlines
The name “Mafia Bloodlines” is as cliche as it is catchy, though it accurately describes the criss-crossing biological threads that weave Cosa Nostra together. These bloodlines are as essential to my research as they are to the mafia itself, creating the paths Cosa Nostra members continue to follow. Even the more diverse and Americanized branch in the United States draws from blood and marital ties today. The network is built through these relationships.
It’s the subtitle of this project that best describes the product of these intersecting relationships: “A Society Unto Themselves.” Translated from Italian, this phrase was used by investigators in 1896 to describe an organization in Castellammare del Golfo that included ancestors of Cosa Nostra members still living in America and Sicily today. This phrase was not used as a name or euphemism for the Castellammarese group, rather it was a plain description of what authorities observed during the investigation. Simple but accurate.
“A society unto themselves” could well be the perfect description of Cosa Nostra from my vantage point. As an outsider, euphemisms like Cosa Nostra do not belong to me. The translation “Our Thing” speaks from the point of view of an insider and I couldn’t be more removed from the mafia subculture.
My endless fascination with the organization they refer to as Cosa Nostra comes as an observer and I take great interest in watching and analyzing this unique secret society that manages to move in and out of public view while sustaining itself for what may be centuries. There are strong indications it goes back to at least the early 19th century and the structure and practices identified by Italian investigators in the 1870s closely resemble the organization today.
The mafia has changed, but the changes are mostly environmental and it is more the same than it is different. The mafia, as you will see, is hyperlinked. A random name or location leads to another, which feeds into yet another person or place and then back again. There is a fluidity to the history of this organization that is rarely observed elsewhere.
Analyzing Cosa Nostra
Most coverage of Cosa Nostra is sensationalized and forced into dramatic narratives. The mafia can be sensational and dramatic, but my enduring interest in the subject focuses on the intricate details of the organization and its subculture. Current research has greatly expanded our understanding of the consistency, depth, and persistence of Sicilian and American Cosa Nostra. It’s also helped reveal the most elusive aspect: what it actually is.
Cosa Nostra is and always has been engaged in crime. However, “organized crime” is a blurry, imperfect description of the mafia phenomenon and does not describe the entire scope of the group and its networks. This research does not deny the ongoing criminal activity of these men but I strive to avoid outward moralizaton. My focus is primarily on the relationships, connections, and formalities that have made this organization an observable phenomenon for nearly 200 years.
My focus is primarily on the American organizations but I study the Sicilian side as the two are historically inseparable and share blood, ancestral hometowns, and the same core organization. Some of these groups have managed to sustain relationships with one another overseas spanning generations and remain quietly connected, with the connections showing up publicly in rare instances. Beyond these ties, American Families who operate purely in their own sphere provide plenty of their own surprising qualities and connections between each other. At times I will explore individuals and networks who are non-Sicilian or wholly Italian-American, as these men showcase the conservative mafia’s evolution and willingness to adapt in different habitats.
Articles published here are research-based and some of what is published will be raw, with more questions than answers when an article concludes. That is the nature of the subject and it’s what makes it such a strange and compelling area of interest. The goal of my articles is objective analysis and documentation that utilizes the most accurate sources available — the members themselves. Be it through FBI cooperation, testimony, books, files, newspapers, or simply connecting the patterns seen in genealogical profiles and ancestry, we can only understand the organization through its members.
It’s possible this medium will evolve into an outlet for other writing on this subject, though at this time it serves to document discoveries made primarily via research and analysis. Informed speculation naturally plays a role when writing about a secret society, but any “storytelling” comes from the information itself and I make an effort to state explicitly when I’m simply considering an idea or theory.
I invite criticism, correction, and questions of any kind. My goal is not to put punctuation marks at the end of mafia history and I’m not eager to prove anything. My goal is to explore these topics thoroughly and increase my own understanding, ideally including others in the process. This is not an academic endeavor and formal citations won’t be included but I hold myself to the same strict standards and in many cases describe the source within the writing. I’m happy to discuss the origin (or my interpretation) of any information presented here.
Though I consider myself an “analyst” and not a historian, much of what appears here was influenced by original research as much it was inspired by discussions with reputable mafia historians and other meticulous researchers. In some cases I’ve spoken personally to men who once lived in this “society” and their insight and willingness to help has been immeasurably valuable. Everything I’ve read and everyone I’ve communicated with regardless of background has informed my understanding of this phenomenon.
Any interest in this niche subject is appreciated whether you skim the information or fully immerse yourself. This subject is deeply immersive. Cosa Nostra truly represents a society of its own making. Regardless of how it compares, contrasts, and conflicts with the society around it, it is undeniably their own.
Thank you,
Eric
mafiabloodlines@gmail.com
