The Grecanic Area of Calabria, in addition to its extraordinary linguistic and landscape heritage, has also been a cradle or point of reference for outstanding figures of Italian thought and culture. Among them stands out Corrado Alvaro (1895–1956), born in San Luca, on the edge of the Grecanic area but deeply connected to Aspromonte by birth, memory, and inspiration. A writer, journalist, and nationally renowned intellectual, Alvaro captured in his writings the harshness of life in the small mountain villages of Calabria, shedding light on the marginalization, backwardness, and dignity of southern populations. His most famous work, Gente in Aspromonte, is still considered one of the most authentic and powerful literary testimonies about early 20th-century Calabria.
Another important name is Vincenzo Cotronei (1880–1963), born in Bova, a symbolic center of Calabrian Greek identity. A lawyer by profession and senator of the Kingdom of Italy, Cotronei was also a passionate defender of Grecanic culture. He was committed to the protection of linguistic minorities at a time when local cultural heritage risked being erased by the push for national uniformity.
Going further back in time, we find Girolamo Marafioti, born around 1570 in Polistena. A historian and chronicler, author of the work Croniche et antichità di Calabria, Marafioti is one of the first voices to describe in detail the reality of Calabrian territory, its origins, customs, and the traditions of local communities. Although not from a Grecanic center himself, his work ideally encompasses the entire area, providing an important historical testimony of southern Calabria’s identity.