The English word "Mafia" originated from Arabic and meant "refugees."
The term was borrowed to refer to a group of middle-aged men living in Sicily. At the time, Sicily was occupied by the Turks and Normans. They had organized themselves to protect their families from the harassment of those invaders. Later, they evolved into people who privately enforced the law for revenge, and eventually became a criminal organization.
Locally, becoming a Mafia member was considered an honor. They were called "mafioso," meaning "man of honour." The Mafia's origins had nothing to do with the secret societies of the Middle Ages.
The second film in The Godfather series told the story of how Vito Corleone rose to wealth in America. One story had left a deep impression on Pomona. There was a widow who kept a little dog to ease her loneliness. However, the dog loved barking and irritated all the neighbors. They banded together to complain to the landlord: either the dog left, or they did.
The landlord was from northern Italy. He was educated and looked down on the illiterate southern folk from Sicily and Naples. He neglected his cheap apartment building, allowing cockroaches and rats to gnaw holes through the walls, while constantly worrying that he would fail to recoup his investment. As a result, he was especially irritable.
After hearing the tenants' demands, he took the opportunity to raise the widow's rent, claiming that he intended to rent the place to a new tenant.
The widow was desperate. She had no money, and all her friends lived in that apartment building, so she asked Vito Corleone for help. He agreed to her request.
On the street, Vito Corleone stopped the landlord and politely negotiated with him. "Since we're both italian people, I'm asking you to do me