Well, if Columbus was Italian it makes more sense he was Genovese rather than Lombardian Piemontese. Genoa had a long sailing tradition during the Middle Ages, being one of the four Maritime Rupublics of Italy (the others are Venice from where Marco Polo is from, Pisa of the famous tower and Amalfi). Now, if he came from Genoa he would've been Genovene, rather than Italian, because Italy didn't exist at those times as a political entity.
It seems Columbus is important for the Italian-Americans living in the United States rather than Italians in Italy. At the end, many people celebrate October 12th because many reasons, sometimes contradictory:
Italian-Americans, because Columbus represented them.
Americans, because represents the beginning of the U.S.
Spain, because marks the glory of that country.
The Catholic Church, Because the spread of Christianism outside Europe. Columbus was going to be considered Saint
The Natives: because they remember the day they lost theirs freedom and theirs sufferings under a cruel and massive invasion.
Latin Americans: because they know they wouldn't be alive today without the tragic and human encounter of two worlds. We celebrate our Genesis in that date.
Anyone else?
Finally, nobody has noticed that the three caravels carry the Genoa flags in the main sails?
The flag of Genoa.
Edited by pinguin - 07-Oct-2007 at 14:30