joe valachi, in his book, "the valachi papers" and also his testimony in front of congress in 1963. said "cosa nostra" meant "this thing of ours" and in the initation ceremony after he was made he was told you are now in cosa nostra.
he said it went back centuries.
" watch what you say around this guy, he's got a big mouth" sam giancana to an outfit soldier about frank Sinatra. [ from the book "my way"
