I believe that a significant portion of Sicily is descended from Albanian refugees from the Ottomans. They speak a unique but (I think) dying dialect of Albanian. Sort of like the griko people in Calabria with their dialect of Greek. Do you happen to know anyone with the last name Albanese? I believe one of the first American mafiosi (or camorristi?) from New Orelans was named Albanese.
The Arbëreshë Albanians are all over Southern Italy, from Basilicata all the way through Calabria, and off the mainland into Sicily. We've discussed them at length here in the past, but I don't have the patience to look for the thread
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