Originally from Bagheria, Ignazio Buttitta (1899-1997) was one of the most influential Sicilian poets of the 20th century, writing poetry for recital and song and advocating for the working class. In his 1970 poem “Lingua e Dialettu,” Buttitta issued a passionate call to preserve the Sicilian language. Translations of his poetry are available in The Poetry of Ignazio Buttitta (2023) by G. Cipolla.