Is "omerta" a term used only by the Mafia?
 

Or do other criminals and groups of organized crime use the actual word "omerta" as well? Every group of people has an omerta of sorts. Families, friends...

just italians... others use kuniii

VIp Pimp is the biggest kunnii

Sasquatch use the word to mean "sacred dung burial ground". That's why we never find their stool, you know; it's buried in a single, well-camouflaged area guarded by mountain goats and wolverines.

...I think I missed it but what does omerta means?

The omertà (Sicilian for manliness) is the vow of silence taken by members of the Italian Mafia.

Particularly, it means that mafiosi will not involve the police or the government in the affairs of the mafia. Joe Valachi was the first person to betray the omertà when he publicly spoke out about the existence of the mafia, when he testified before the United States Congress. Within mafia culture, breaking the oath of omertà is punishable by death.


Omertà in popular culture
In a song by death metal group Lamb of God entitled "Omerta" (Ashes Of The Wake, 2004), the following words are recited: "Whoever appeals to the law against his fellow man is either a fool or a coward. Whoever cannot take care of himself without that law is both. For a wounded man shall say to his assailant,'If I live, I will kill you. If I die, you are forgiven. Such is the rule of honor."

The album Viva Emptiness by swedish melancholic metal band Katatonia features a song named Omerta as well.



Omertà is also the name of a Text-based Massively Multiplayer Online RPG

The vow of silence ...

The Omerta, La loie du silence serie was awesome

i don't know but its a pretty decent lamb of god song.

"Murders came with smiles,
shooting people was no big deal
for us Goodfellas."
HENRY HILL

I never saw it but I was told my friend Dino Tavarone had an important role in it :) I knew him way back when he arrived from Italy and was taking small theatre roles.

It's the oath of silence & I believe it is only used by Italians now, not only the Sicilians.

now my ambition of becoming a mafia boss is getting stronger

Wow, I've learned something from this thread. Thanks. :thumbsup