Andrea Dara, son of Gavril Dara (the Younger), was born in Palac Adriano (Sicily). He completed his first studies at the Albanian Seminary and at the University of Palermo, where he graduated in law. He belonged to the Dara family, with outstanding cultural and poetic traditions. He was the author of the work “Gramatika e gjuhës shqipe” (Albanian Grammar), a publication based on the study of expressions of activities and traditions of the Arbëresh, published in 1830. Later, in 1859, he published an Italian-Albanian dictionary and a volume of folk songs of the Arbëresh of Sicily. He is mainly known to the general public for completing the compilation of old folk songs, a task his father had started. According to the researcher Kolë Kamsi, he left behind unpublished writings: “Albanian-Italian and Italian-Albanian Dictionary” (“Vocabolario albanese-italiano e italiano-albanese”), rich in words and with a small grammar; “The Gospel of St. Matthew” (“Il Vangelo di San Matteo”) translated into the Albanian dialect of Palazzo Adriano; “Customs and traditions of Palazzo Adriano” (“Usi e costumi di Palazzo Adriano”).a publication based on the study of the activities and traditions of Arbëresh people, published in 1830. (Pictured: View from Adriano Palace, Sicily.)
Text: Center of Studies and Publications for Arbëresh
Photo: © https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palazzo_Adriano
Graphic processing: AHCF
