AuguriMamme

I L P O S T I N O • O T T A W A , O N T A R I O , C A N A D A

I L P O S T I N OV O L U M E 1 , N U M B E R 8 ~ M A Y 2 0 0 1

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AuguriMamme

I L P O S T I N O April 2001Page 2

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IL POSTINOV O L U M E 1 , N U M B E R 8

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PublisherPreston Street Community FoundationItalian Canadian Community Centreof the National Capital Region Inc.

Executive EditorAngelo Filoso

Managing EditorLaura D’Amelio

Associate EditorsOliviana Mingarelli and Fiona Story

Advertising DirectorLillian Franovic

Graphic DesignerVlado Franovic

Layout & DesignGlen Gower

Web site ManagerAmit Patel

Contributors for this issue(in alphabetical order)

Cristina Begliomini, Charles Caccia, Dolores Cavallero, ColinDonelle, Marta Fortini, Heather Loube, Monique Moreau,

Oliviana Mingarelli, Luciano Pradal, Fiona Story

Special thanks to Francesco Lorrigio and Italo Tiezzi

©Copyright 2000 Il Postino.

All rights reserved. Any reproduction of the contents is strictlyprohibited without written permission from Il Postino.

Il Postino is publication supported by its advertisers and sale ofthe issues. It is published monthly. The opinions and ideasexpressed in the articles are not necessarily those held by Il

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Subscription ratesIn Canada $20.00 (includes GST) per year.

Foreign $38 per year.

SubmissionsWe welcome submissions, letters, articles, story ideas and

photos. All materials for editorial consideration must be doublespaced, include a word count, and your full name, address andphone number. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit all

submissions for length, clarity and style.

Next DeadlineMay 18, 2001

Job Opportunity for:

Seniors Fitness Instructor

Health, Recreation and Fitness programs aregrowing in popularity. Villa Marconi wouldlike to incorporate seniors fitness classes intotheir daily routine. It is targeted to seniorswho want to become more physically fit.

A Senior Fitness Instructor is needed to promote the health and well-being of Italian Canadianseniors and planning and co-ordinating various progams and activities for seniors such as fitnessclasses and lawn bowling.

Qualifications:

- certified fitness for seniors instruction with a post secondary education programming, consistingof 19 hours practical component, CPR/First Aid certification- strong knowledge of teaching skills- strong knowledge of recruiting, training and co-ordinating volunteers- strong knowledge of marketing planning and co-ordinating participants- strong interpersonal and communication skills- fluent in Italian and English, spoken and written

To apply, fax your resumé to Jennifer Filoso at 727-9352.

Classi di Educazione Fisica per AnzianiQuando: 18 Giugno, 2001Dove: Villa Marconi

Casa di Cura a Lunga Degenza1026 Baseline Rd.

Contatto: Chiamare Jennifer Filosoal numero (613) 727-6201

1 - Rose D’Amelio and daughter Laura

2 - Rose D’Amelio and daughters Silvia and Laura

3 - Filoso family

4 - Ada Dinardo (second from right) with her parents(seated) and siblings.

5 - Gina Ierullo-Borrelli and sons Brandon andAlexander

6 - Mothers (and sisters) Adelina (Palermo) Bruni,Rosina (Palermo), Ottorina (Palermo) Cavalere

7 - Giuseppina D’Amelio and granddaughter Silvia

8 - Mary Ierullo, with husband Jimmy and childrenAngela, Anthony and Peter

9 - Adelina Bruni and daughter Rose

10 - Rosa Tiezzi and son Silvio, 1930

11 - Cesare and Francesca (Imbesi) Ierullo, 1953

12 - Rina Filoso’s mother

13 - Gail Ierullo and grandson Alexander Borrelli

14 - Three generations: Vittoria Ierullo and daughterRosa Rossanese and granddaughter Roberta Rossanese

15 - Teresa and Antonio Ierullo with family in 1937

16 - 100-year-old woman

17 - Tammy Lethintin with husband and new daughter

18 - Angelo Filoso’s mother, Rina Filoso and Daughter

MOTHERS from the cover

We also offer prom dresses!

1 2 3 4

5 6

7 89 10

11 12 13 14

15 16 17 18

I L P O S T I N O • O T T A W A , O N T A R I O , C A N A D A

I L P O S T I N OMay 2001 Page 3

by Laura D’AmelioOn Dec. 12, 1901, Guglielmo Marconi,

a man born in Bologna, Italy, stood atopSignal Hill in Newfoundland, Canada andreceived the first signal to be transmittedacross the Atlantic Ocean. The beaconwas originating from Cornwall, Englandand the event was to become a startingpoint for the advancement of telecommu-nication for the next 50 years.

Marconi’s progression with his experi-ments would lead to breakthroughs incommunications both in radio and broad-casting and in navigation systems. Itwould affect everyday lives of citizens andconnect the world in ways never thoughtpossible.

The Embassy of Italy recognized thehistoric importance of Marconi on April 25as Mario Boffo, acting Italian ambassadorto Canada, told the invitees to a dinner atthe Ambassador’s residence of the eventsplanned in Marconi’s honour.

Marconi’s achievements as an Ital-ian working in Canada have been a spe-cial interest to the Italian Embassy. Boffoemphasized the importance of Italy andCanada working in cooperation in hightechnology to continue Marconi’s visionand outlined the steps that have alreadybeen taken to achieve this goal.

Through Marconi celebrations, theembassy would like to convey three spe-cific messages to both Canadian and Ital-ian citizens. The first is that Italy has atradition of science and technology andis not just a country of artists and writers.Italian scientists such as Galileo, Volta andFermi dispel the notion that Italy’s role ininnovation is anything less than signifi-cant.

“Marconi was not an isolated case,but the expression of a culture,” says Boffoin explaining the second message theywish to communicate: Italy is not thebackwards country it is often portrayedto be. Italy has contributed to the ad-vancement and modernization of human-kind and will continue to do so.

The third message lies in theevents themselves. Thecommemorative projects arebased on the notion that re-lations between Canada andItaly have always had a tech-nological element from thebeginning. The voyage ofCaboto is cited as an exam-ple.

For the celebrationsand commemorativeprojects, the embassy isworking with representativesfrom Heritage Canada for thephilosophy of the celebra-tions and the IndustryCanada for the industrial andtechnological aspects of theinitiatives.

The government of New-foundland is also getting in-volved in the event by organ-izing a conference for Italian

Looking from Signal Hill intothe next millennium

Marconi’s 100th anniversary is honoured

Community / Comunità

and Canadian telecommuni-cation specialists in Septem-ber. The Wireless Vision Con-gress will gather experts intelecommunications in St.John’s, from Sept. 26 to 28.

The goal of the confer-ence, according to promo-tional literature for theevent, is to “look beyondthe day to day to the visionof what the world will be-come” with advance-ments in telecommunica-tions. Congress chair JohnKelly has insisted that thisis not a trade show but a‘thinkers’ congress’.”

Interactive sessionsbetween panelists anddelegates who developnew technology and those who actuallyuse it will hopefully create an exchangeof ideas. Also, some issues to be dis-cussed are the protection of cultural iden-tity and diversity, overcoming distance inrural and remote areas, and sea-to-skypossibilities.

Speakers at the conference will in-clude Jean Monty, chairman and chiefexecutive officer for BCE Inc., FrankPlastina, president of Wireless Internet atNortel Networks and Brian Tobin, Minis-ter of Industry.

All these events were spurred by thepositive results of an Italy-Canada Invest-ment Forum which took place in Febru-ary as well as a Memorandum of Under-standing agreed to and signed by the twocountries in Ottawa.

In the memorandum the ministries ofForeign Affairs and Trade for both coun-tries agreed to such things as an exchangeand comparison of information on inter-national business practices, informationtechnology, interdepartmental coordinat-ing and exploring forms of cooperation.

Eventually the groups will meet to dis-cuss these subjects and incorporate pri-vate sector expertise to establish a

Canada-Italy BusinessSector.

While using thecelebration of this his-toric anniversary as anopportunity to fosterand extend businessrelations between thetwo countries, Boffomade it clear that theymust also send a mes-sage to the citizens,both Canadian and Ital-ian, and get them in-volved.

Canadian telecom-munication experts cannow also take advantageof the year’s festivitiesthrough the GuglielmoMarconi scholarship es-

tablished by the Italian government. Thisscholarship allows Canadian researchersand specialists in telecommunications un-dertake advanced studies in Italy. The Ital-ian Embassy hopes that this will promotethe development of contacts while send-ing the message that Italy has the abilityto train more than artists and musicians.

“We expect that Canada will soon es-tablish a similar scholarship for Italian Citi-zens, thereby doubling the results of thisprogram,” says Boffo.

Through the three-fold message Boffolaid out, the embassy hopes to change thestereotypes often associated with Italy.Boffo said that it is important to banishthe traditional cultural view of Italy, which“suffers from an excess of tradition andfolklore, it is often too regional and fo-cused on the past.”

With this image in the minds of Cana-dians and young Italian-Canadians, itwould be hard to get them interested inwhat Italy has to offer.

To see Italy as a progressive and ad-vanced country, rather than a backwards,traditional nation, will draw researchers,investors and tourists to a country pre-pared to take the world stage.

More importantly how-ever, Boffo said this mustbe done “in the interest ofItalians in Canada, whocan once again make theirheritage interesting to theirchildren.”

Perhaps Marconi’swork will do more thankeep communicationalive in the end, but willhelp to maintain a culturethrough his innovationand spirit.

For more informationon the Wireless VisionCongress, you can visitwww.wirelessvision.nf.ca.For information about the100th anniversary com-memorate events in New-foundland and Labrador goto www.gov.nf.ca/marconi.

Guglielmo Marconi received many honours and several honorary degrees for his workin telecommunications. In 1909 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics for thedevelopment of wireless telegraphy, he sent as delegate to the peace conference inParis of 1919, was nominated to the Italian senate in 1929 and chosen president of theRoyal Italian Academy (1930).

Now Canadian researcher can receive the honour of working in the name of Marconi tocontinue his dream. Inspired by the work of Marconi, the Italian government isoffering a nine-month scholarship to Canadian citizens wishing to pursue research andinternship programs in Italy in the field of telecommunications.

Post-graduate students, professionals, teachers and specialists in this field who meetthe necessary requirements will be selected and start their program in November.Knowledge of Italian is mandatory unless applicants have applied for self-directedresearch or the course or research they are doing is held in their language.

The monthly stipend is 1.2-million lira, however the scholarship does not cover airfareand room and board. The deadline for applications is June 15, 2001. For moreinformation, contact the Embassy of Italy, Cultural Office, (613) 232-2401 or visitwww.italyincanada.com.

The Guglielmo Marconi Scholarship

by Colin DonelleHis voice was low and raspy as he

spoke and his hands and feet were in aconstant nervous motion. He softly dis-cussed his life on the street - his experi-ences during and after. His name was Joe,and for four years, until he turned 18, hehad managed to survive on the streets untilhe needed help.

“If someone wants up, this gives theopportunity to lift them up,” he said to theaudience. It was a personal identificationof the work and success of Operation GoHome, one of the many faces that hasbeen given another opportunity at a bet-ter life.

OGH is an organization that allowshomeless youth to get off the streets, pro-viding them with a chance for renewal andthe opportunity to be reunited with familyand friends. On March 31, the OutreachBenefit Gala and Silent Auction was heldat the Ottawa Congress Centre to raisemoney for OGH.

Created by Rev. Norman Johnston in 1971,OGH was initially set up in Ottawa, but hassince branched to Toronto, Winnipeg andVancouver, with plans to locate in even morecities. Mayor Bob Chiarelli, one of the manysupporters of OGH, discussed its great attend-ance and success rates.

“This has truly been an incredible his-tory . . . to have so high a degree of suc-cess,” said Chiarelli.

Last year alone the organization wasable to assist 8,603 youths nationwide, acompelling figure for additional financingfrom all levels of government. “This is defi-nitely something I support - as an indi-vidual and as a representative of the Cityof Ottawa,” Chiarelli added.

CTV news anchor Max Keeping, whoalso donated $1,000 to OGH, spoke abouthow the organization has the ability toshow youths that people do care aboutthem.

“When a kid picks up the phone andsays I need help, there’s someone there,”said Keeping.

Throughout the evening, as MCs JimWatson and Kevin Nelson heckled oneanother on stage, hundreds of items wereauctioned off. Some of the live auctionsconsisted of an autographed MarioLemieux hockey jersey, the rental of aHarley Davidson for a weekend, a Con-gress Centre package, a season ski passfor four and the entire collection of LabattBlue mini-Stanley Cups.

The auctions were expected to raiseover $30,000 according to OGH PresidentRev. Sterling Irvine. “We now have an op-erating budget of over $250,000 per year,so every dollar is crucial,” said Irvine.

Since Irvine is retiring at the end of theyear he was very reflective on the historyand future of the organization. He hopedfor future expansion into other cities andincreased funding so that more and moreyouths could be helped. “It’s not onlyabout getting youths off the streets, but toprovide the access to job opportunitiesand proper schooling.”

Jim Watson, who is a patron memberof the organization, echoed these senti-ments, discussing the need to get youthsoff the streets. “There are too many peo-ple who need OGH’s assistance and in-volvement.”

Italian communitygives $7,500 to

Operation Go Home

Continued on page 5

Total of $27,500 to date

I L P O S T I N O May 2001Page 4

I L P O S T I N O • O T T A W A , O N T A R I O , C A N A D A

One of the first memories I have of my childhoodis attending mass at St. Rita’s elementary schoolon Sunday mornings. Some of you may not know

that gymnasium of St. Rita’s was the location of the Ma-donna Della Risurrezione parish’s Sunday mass beforethe construction of the church.

There were masses held at other schools as well, inorder to respond to the high demand for an Italian lit-urgy. When I attended St. Rita’s for mass, our parish wasfairly small but everyone always felt like they belonged.

Every week at mass my sister Chiara and I would besurrounded by old people (at that age old was anyoneover 25) who would tell my parents how cute we were.People seemed to enjoy pinching my chubby cheekswhich, to my horror, have remained that way! Everyonewas friendly and had something to say, most commonly“Oh what a pretty dress!” or “You’ve grown so much sinceI last saw you!” which was really only a week ago.

Having a church ceremony in a gymnasium has itsdefinite advantages. Whenever mass was over, some ofthe other children and I would try to use whatever gymequipment had been left out. Our most popular diver-sion was using the chin-up bars attached to the wall.

Many fond memories were formed within the wallsof St. Rita’s school. However, it is important to note thatthe parish did not assemble and dissolve itself every Sun-day for two hours. It was active all week long planningactivities for the children and various social activities forfamilies.

For example, every year the parish organized a cel-ebration for the coming of La Befana. On the chosenday, each child would receive a personalized gift fromthe old woman. I remember that one year my motherwas going to be the Befana.

As she sat in her chair giving out gifts to the otherchildren, I was sure that my sister and I would get thebest gifts of all since we had an “in” with the gift giver. Itwas like being Santa Claus’ daughter! Could there be

Madonna Della Risurrezioneand the memories of a little girl

Community / Comunità

by Oliviana Mingarelli

anything better?We were sadly disappointed when we got our

gifts and they were not any more or less extrava-gant than any other gift. I was humiliated be-cause I had told all the other children that I wasgoing to get the biggest and most expensivepresent.

There were many other activities organizedby the parish, but the largest undertaking theparish ever undertook was the building of thechurch which now exists at 1621 Fisher Ave.Though the parish existed long before the churchwas ever built, its completion in 1990 fulfilled theneed of the community. Madonna DellaRisurrezione is now home to over 500 registeredfamilies.

The development of the parish to where it isnow took many years and the dedication of manyfamilies, however it has all been worth the work.To celebrate this, on June 1 to 3, the parish of theMadonna Della Risurrezione organizes a festivalto reflect our presence as an Italian Parish.

During these three days the Fisher-Meadowlands-Baseline community is witness toa party unlike any other. Everyone, whether ofItalian descent or not, is welcome to join in thefestivities that include food, concerts, music anda procession.

This year the festival will keep many of theirpopular activities but they will also be addingsomething new; a night specifically for theyounger parishioners. There will be a DJ and atent set up for dancing and having an overall greattime.

The festival is really great for children. I remembergoing every year and getting my face painted, eatingwhatever deserts I could lay my hands on and runningaway from the clown.

The last thing I wish to mention, which used to be afavourite time for me, was being an alter server. It is agreat way to include the children into the mass and itgives them a feeling of importance. My sister and I, whohad the honor of being the churches very first alter serv-ers, cherish our participation in the parish.

We would arrive at church approximately half an hourearly every Sunday in order to dress ourselves, includingthe formal white robes. Each of us had something tocarry down the isle with the priest at the beginning of

The history of the parish really began with the concern of onewoman: Alice Bartolo. Bartolo was a spokesperson for all theItalian families looking for a place of worship.

Especially sensitive to the children who were in need of spiritualguidance, Bartolo approached Father Toni Ostan, who hadadministered to the spiritual needs of the Inuit in northern Canada,to celebrate the Eucharist in Italian.

The first mass was held on the first Sunday of November 1978 inthe gymnasium of St. Victor’s school, to a small but happy group ofItalian families. From the enthusiastic response to the trial masses,the service continued at various locations as a branch of Holy CrossParish.

As the community grew, so did involvement in the parish. Throughthe efforts of the parish council, Father Ostan’s pet project,Accademia Giovanile, was established. The after-school programwas created to assist parents with the social, cultural and religiousaspects of their children’s education. Also, Italia Nova, a bimonthlynewsletter for the community, was initiated.

Two diocesan decrees helped to forward the progress of thecommunity and the church. The first in May of 1980 recognized theneed for two Italian language parishes in Ottawa and the second inApril 1984 officially granted Madonna della Risurezzione the statusof “parish.”

In 1985 the parish acquired the property at 1621 Fisher Ave. whichwas used doea canonical residence until construction began. Thebuilding, which opened its doors officially on Sept. 23 of 1990, wasdesigned by local Italian architect Filippo Piazza who created thefront of the church to represent an abstract of the Madonna with aveil flowing down from her extended arms.

A brief history

the mass and throughout the ceremony we would haveto pay attention in order to not miss our cues. One of uswould prepare the holy sacrament and the other wouldprepare the wine.

Not only were we asked to be alter servers at massesbut also at certain marriages and baptisms. I felt like Iwas contributing to the parish, and as a child of 10, thatfeeling is sometimes hard to come by.

My years within the parish of the Madonna DellaRisurrezione are very dear to me and have left me withthe feeling that it is indeed a place for people of all ages.I encourage people to attend the coming festival in June,it is a great way to meet new people and get a feeling forthe parish’s unique atmosphere.

Madonna della Risurrezionechurch at 1621 Fisher Ave.

Construction began on a church in the early1990s, though the parish was founded in 1978.

PHOTO: OLIVIANA MINGARELLI

I L P O S T I N OMay 2001

I L P O S T I N O • O T T A W A , O N T A R I O , C A N A D A

Page 5

Embassy of ItalyAmbasciata d’Italia

Floor 21- 275 Slater Street232- 2401 • 232- 2403 •(fax) 233- 1484

Italian Telephone Directory /Elenco telefonico italiano:

738-0003EMERGENCY CALLS /CHIAMATE D’EMERGENZAFire / Fuoco:Police / Polizia:Ambulance / Ambulanza:Other emergencies / Altre emergenze:

230-6211CHURCHES / CHIESESt. Anthony’s Church / Chiesa di Sant’Antonio:

427 Booth Street • 236- 2304Parrocchia Madonna della Risurrezione:

1621 Fisher Avenue • 723- 4657HOSPITALS / OSPEDALIChildren’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario:

401 Smyth Road • 737- 7600Ottawa Hospital - Civic Campus:

1053 Carling Avenue • 761- 4000Ottawa Hospital - General Campus:

501 Smyth Road • 737- 7777Ottawa Hospital - Riverside Campus:

1967 Riverside Road • 738-7100

DIRECTORY / INDIRIZZI E TELEFONI UTILISCHOOLS / SCUOLEScuola Dante Alighieri: 232- 4422

Saint Paul University, 223 Main StreetSchool of St. Rita:

1 Inverness Avenue, Nepean• 224- 6341TRAVEL / VIAGGIVia Rail Canada (informazioni-prenotazioni):

244- 8289Voyageur Colonial:

265 Catherine Street • 238- 5900ALITALIA: Ufficcio prenotazioni:

(numero verde) 1 800 361- 8336Informazioni su arrivi e partenze:

1 800 625- 4825OTHER IMPORTANT NUMBERS / ALTRINUMERI DA RICORDAREItalian- Canadian Community Centre of theNational Capital Region / Centro ComunitarioItaliano-Canadese della Capitale Nazionale:

865 Gladstone Avenue, Suite 101567- 4532 • (fax) 236- 6545

Italian Cultural Centre of Eastern Ontario Inc.Centro Culturale Italiano dell’Ontario dell’Est:

865 Gladstone Avenue, Suite 101567-4532

OC Transpo: 741- 4390Postal Code Information: 1 900 565- 2633Villa Marconi Long Term Care Centre:

1026 Baseline Road727- 6201 • (fax) 727- 9352

9 1 1

Add your listing to our directory for only $10.00, and get2 lines for 2 months. Call 567-4532 for details.

Community unites to get youths off the streets

Organizer Peter Crosby raised anotherfundamental point, asking if we did nothave this organization, than who woulddo the work?

“No one organization has the one so-lution to this problem (of homelessyouths), we must all work together.”

Crosby also mentioned how support-ers must not only help on days like thisone, but on other days such as National

Youth Day on June 16.Among the various supporters were the

Italian Canadian Community Centre, whichgave a check for $7,500 and over the pastthree years has contributed over $27,500.

This evening highlights the outcome,not of individuals, but of humanity’s work-ing together for the betterment of all, togive our future generations the equalityand opportunity that all children shouldhave - whether here in Canada or aroundthe world.

Continued from page 3

by Colin DonelleIn 1997 the Associazione Pretorese cel-

ebrated its 25th anniversary with a large fes-tival organized by board members. With adesire to put on a grand production of TheMiracle of St. Domenic e Lu Lupe, the asso-ciation paid for the airfare of the three mainactors and a priest.

“It was spectacular…it brought togetherthe community, and even those outside thecommunity,” explained president CarlosBucciarelli, adding that close to 1,500 peo-ple attended.

The Associazione Pretorese was createdon June 19, 1972 by Francesco Di Tiero andEmidio Peloso. They first came up with theidea of uniting the Pretorese after a con-struction worker from Pretoro was killedand Di Tiero was fundraising to assist thefamily. Once he realized the large numberof citizens from the town of Pretoro, Di Tierogot organized and the community estab-lished a place where they could meet on aregular basis.

According to the their constitution theirgoals are to promote their district, form anunderstanding amongst Canadians abouttheir culture, promote community involve-ment and provide support for other organi-zations. To date, they have been success-ful in achieving their goals.

“We’ve been really lucky,” saidBucciarelli of the help they have been ableto provide.

The list of organizations they help sup-port include the Children’s Hospital ofCanada, the Canadian Cancer Society, theChildren’s Wish Foundation, the Shepherdsof Good Hope, Villa Marconi, and they spon-sor various sports teams.

Another reason for their success is theinvolvement of youth in the association.The lack of youth is a common characteris-

Associazione Pretoresetic for many Italian associations that oftenleads to problems.

“We’re one of the few associations withyouth involvement,” Bucciarelli said, citingthat the average age of board members isaround 40.

Bucciarelli contributes this to their abil-ity to focus on the unique cultural aspectsof their region, instead of doing the typicalwine and dance routine, a fundraising sta-ple of many organizations. Their differentapproach has been demonstrated at theirannual Christmas Party, where last year theyhad every child bring in a toy to be given toToy Mountain and the leftover food wasgiven to needy charities.

Another historical event theAssociazione Pretorese runs every year isthe Grape Harvest Dance at the end of Sep-tember. Still their greatest contribution tothe Italian community is their annual per-formance of The Miracle of St. Domenic eLu Lupe.

Held the first Sunday of May, the play tellsthe story of two villagers whose child is sto-len from them by a wolf. The husband andwife then pray to St. Domenic to have theirchild sent back and the wolf eventually re-turns the child.

“It’s completely intact (as to Pretoresehistory), even with the all-male actors,”laughs Bucciarelli. Narrated in Italian, Eng-lish and their dialect, the play has been ableto cross language barriers, bringing in a di-verse audience.

The president would also like to crossphysical barriers and see the associationoffer an exchange program with Italy. Butthey are not complaining about the successthey have had crossing ethnic and culturallines and establishing a strong associationwhere others have failed. As Bucciarelli putit, “we’ve been very lucky.”

Va sempre beneCommunity / Comunità

di Marta FortiniRicordo quando, giovanissima,

aspettavo il frate che, abitualmente,passava casa per casa a raccogliere l’elemosina. Ringraziava dicendo “Pace ebene” e metteva quello che riceveva nell’ampia bisaccia. Era subito dopo la guerra,e mi chiedevo, allora bambina, quantemie coetanee avrebbero beneficiato diquelle provvidenziali offerte, della caritàche questo devotissimo e generosissimofrate andava racimolando.

Questo è rimasto uno dei tanti misterilegati alla mia infanzia. Uno dei tantimisteri senza risposta.

Quasi altrettanto Così come è un veroenigma l’immagine che mi sono foggiatain questi anni di Padre Marcello Brodeur.

È infatti difficile per me e tanti di noicapire come in tutti questi anni PadreMarcello abbia potuto visitare ammalati,occuparsi della scuola, delle funzioni re-ligiose, delle feste solenni, dei poveri, delsuo orto, della manutenzione degli edifici,della sua salute, partecipare ai varicomitati, far avanzare i progetti in cui eracoinvolto, ritelefonare a chi lo chiamava,preparare spiritualmente i fedeli allacomunione, alla cresima, ai battesimi, aimatrimoni, ai funerali; occuparsi diquesto e di tanto altro,occuparsi..occuparsi....

E rispondere, a chiunque glidomandasse dove trovava tanta energia,solo con un gentile “Va sempre bene.. “Frase, questa, che, pronunciata dalparroco, dalla guida spirituale della nostracomunità, ha spesso regalato fiducia eserenità a chi lo frequentava e loascoltava.

Ho un ricordo su tutti. Qualche mesefa, un caro amico passò a miglior vita.Padre Marcello arrivò subito, nelmomento del decesso, recando così unenorme sollievo ai famigliari, chesentirono la sua presenza davvero comeun dono della Divina Provvidenza.

Non sono stata l’unica ad apprezzarePadre Marcello. Molte altre persone nellanostra città hanno avuto occasione di

conoscere la sua cortesia e la suapazienza durante gli innumerevolipellegrinaggi da lui organizzati, in Canadaed in Terra Santa.

Ora, dopo dodici anni di servizio nellasua parrocchia, Padre Marcello ci lascerà.Domenica scorsa, il 22 aprile, iparrocchiani hanno voluto salutare questonostro fantastico sacerdote e amicoorganizzando una speciale giornata in suoonore.

Alla messa solenne, celebrata da Pa-dre Marcello e da altri cinque sacerdotitra i quali il Padre Provinciale dell’ Ordinedei Servi di Maria, ha fatto seguito unpranzo al Saint Anthony Soccer Club, eun bellissimo pomeriggio animato damusicisti e cori. Durante il pranzo PadreMarcello è passato ad ogni tavolo,salutando cordialmente eamichevolmente i presenti. È stato unevento trascorso per tutti in amicizia e contanta allegria.

Nel suo intervento, Italo Tiezzi che hafunto da cerimoniere, ci ha esortati amettere enfasi e tenacia nelle belle coseche la vita ci offre. Padre Marcello è statoper tutti noi un punto di riferimentoimportante e forte, e ciascuno di noi havoluto quel giorno ringraziarlo a suo modo,chi con la sola presenza, chi con la musicae con i canti (come lo straordinario coroparrocchiale, che lo stesso Padre Marcelloha definito con orgoglio “ il miglior coronel Canada!”).

Padre Marcello è rimasto alla guidadella nostra comunità con discrezione edumiltà, senza esibire onorificenze ovanità, semplice-mente facendosi amaree rispettare per ciò che a tutti noi hatrasmesso di sé: l’idea di un grandesacerdote e un grande uomo, totalmentededito al servizio ed alla preghiera.

Ringraziamo dunque con il cuore Pa-dre Marcello per quello che ha ci ha dato,e diamo il benvenuto al nuovo parroco,Padre Paul McKweon, con le stesse pa-role di cui, indubbiamente, si sarebbeavvalso Padre Marcello. Che ancora unavolta, dunque, tutto vada “sempre bene”!

Look us up at...www.ilpostinocanada.com

...and let us know what you think.

I L P O S T I N O May 2001Page 6

I L P O S T I N O • O T T A W A , O N T A R I O , C A N A D A

Una filosofia sempliceMemories / Ricordi

di Luciano Pradal

Moms make a differenceAs the years unfolded, she married and

had four children of her own. She had asense of humour, love of life, presence as“commander in chief” and ability to solveproblems with a family. Sunday Italianmeals were her trademark. She nevercooked for six but 26 (in case friendsdropped in). As a mother and friend, shemade a difference.

Her spirit and energy to help others.Whether it was the parent-teachers’ associa-tion, volunteering to visit the sick at St. Vin-cent’s Hospital, canvassing for the RedFeather Appeal, serving on the executive ofSt. Anthony’s Church Ladies Aid, or simplysitting on parish council, her work was a tes-tament to her sense of commitment. As acommunity volunteer and a servant of herfaith, she made a difference.

In other areas of her life, she aided so

by Cathy BourguignonYou don’t have to be a beautiful Brit-

ish princess saving the world fromlandmines, a rich software developer ora six-figure sports hero to make a differ-ence in life. My mother was none of theseand she made a difference in the lives ofthose around her.

In June 1940, when my mother was 18,her father was went to a concentrationcamp in Petawawa because of his Italianancestry. Being without a mother, thechild authorities of the day wanted to re-move my mother and her six siblings fromtheir home on Rochester Street. Withdetermined will and a strong sense of fam-ily values, my mother fought the RCMP andthe authorities on this. The childrenstayed together under her care. As a teen-ager, she made a difference.

many local and federal politicians in theirpolitical conventions, she could handlethe back-room politics with the best oftoday’s spin doctors. As a political activ-ist, she made a difference. With her loveof music, which she shared with her sib-lings, and her love of Frank Sinatra’s mu-sic, which she shared with us all, shemade a difference.

In 1993, my mother, Kay Pavia, passedaway. No matter what the occasion, weare always reminded of some anecdote,gesture or sense of giving spirit that washers. The small differences she madeduring this last century will be foreveretched in the hearts and minds of manyin the lives she touched. Her epitaph atNotre Dame Cemetery reads: “Kay LovedLife and Life Loved Kay” but it could eas-ily read “She made a difference!”

by Laura D’AmelioOn April 28, the Daffodil Dinner Dance, hosted

by the Canadian Cancer Society, brought togethercommunity members at St. Anthony’s Italia SoccerClub just off of Preston Street.

Good food and great music topped the eveningwhich focused on the impact of cancer on numer-ous lives and fundraising to strengthen cancer re-search.

The role of master of ceremonies for the eveningwas shared by Caroline Redekopp and PasqualeIannitti.

MPP for Ottawa Centre Richard Patten was onhand as a guest of honour. Patten spoke of his ex-perience with cancer which he was diagnosed withjust a year ago. He also gave his thanks to the re-search and advancements of many doctors whodedicate their lives to fighting this disease.

One of those doctors is Dr. John Bell, anotherguest of honour for the evening. Bell has been in-volved in cancer research for the past 20 years.

This annual event raised $17,000 for cancer re-search last year and organizers hope that the finalcount from this year’s gathering will reach $20,000.

Cancer Society holds Daffodil Dinner-Dance

Pur essendo orfano della mamma dall’età di settaanni, mi ha sempre sorpreso l’istinto e la filosofiadelle madri che ho incontrato nella mia vita. E sono

molte, credetemi.Le mamme sono dotate di una filosofia semplice,

insieme istintiva e forgiata da anni di esperienze.Recentemente, qui in Ottawa, Maria Zanette,

mamma, nonna e da qualche mese vedova, ha notatoun piccolo annuncio sulla rivista mensile I Trevisani nelMondo e mi ha chiesto se era possibile ottenere il librodi Renato Pagotto intitolato Elogio del buonsenso. Lafilosofia di mia mamma.

La vita della madre di Renato si pub riassumere inpoche parole: famiglia, lavoro e preghiera.

Era una donna di grande forza morale, che riuscì adoltrepassare la novantina nonostante ilfisico minato da molti acciacchi. Rimastapresto, quando ancora giovanissima,orfana di mamma, con cinque sorelle eun fratellino di due anni, si trovò a doverlavorare senza tregua per scarsità dimanodopera maschile. Imparò a far dasarta. Fu profuga, emigrante. Esoprattutto, più tardi, allevò la suafamiglia molto spesso da sola, perché ilmarito era costretto a guadagnarsi il panegirando da un cantiere all’altro, in Italiae all’estero.

Renato documenta i commenti dellamamma e quasi non ne menziona mai ilnome, come per incoraggiarci a vederenella sua mamma la nostra mamma, unamamma universale.

Ecco alcuni brani del suo libro:«Si sta male perché si vuole: perché

non si va d’accordo.»È difficile contestare simile

considerazione. L’esperienza della vitainduce a cercare delle spiegazioniplausibili dei mali del mondo. Che granparte dei mali, a cominciare dalle guerre,dipendano dall’uomo, come causa

principale dei nostri mali, non è difficile ammetterlo.Ecco una componente essenziale del problema del male,senza alibi di maniera: la nostra incapacità di andared’accordo!

19 Novembre ’86La televisione locale trasmette una manifestazione

studentesca per rivendicare una palestra.«Tutti pretendono di avere. Se poi si ricorre alle tasse

tutti si mettono a protestare.»Il buonsenso popolare è del tutto evidente: non si

può volere una cosa e rifiutare l’altra che le è connessa.16 aprile ’94Siamo in passeggiata. Ascoltiamo gli uccellini che in

questa primavera ci rallegrano. Osservazione:«Loro, almeno, sono sempre contenti!»

Non lo dice con tristezza. Lo rileva con un distaccosignificativo. Come se quell’allegria richiamassequalcosa tante volte desiderato e che non si è potutoavere. Sia come singoli sia come collettività. Si vorrebbetanto essere felici, ma pensa la vita a ridurre le nostreaspettative! Filosofia esistenziale.

19 maggio ’94Camminiamo in silenzio, accanto ad altre persone

anziane, all’interno della Casa di riposo. Mia madres’avvicina lentamente a un’altra anziana seduta é,sorridendo, le fa una carezza dolce. Quell’anziana leprende la mano e gliela bacia, in silenzio. Riconoscente.

Come una piccola attenzione rimette l’animo in pacecon la vita!

Filosofia del buonsenso nei gesti della vita quotidiana.

PHOTOS: ANGELO FILOSO

MPP Richard Patten spoke of his experienceswithcancer and thanked researchers for their work.

Members of the organizingcommittee, includingFulvia Marcantonio,address the guests at theDinner Dance.

I L P O S T I N OMay 2001

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Page 7

Ada DiNardo never expected to leaveItaly and come to Canada. Shegrew up on a farm in the tiny town

of Roccamontepiano, in the province ofChieti, with her two younger brothersRocco and Ettore and younger sisterMaria. Ada’s parents had planned for herto marry, stay in Italy and raise a family ofher own.

In 1939 she followed that plan and, atthe age of 20, married Palmerino DiNardo,a man living in the same village. One yearafter their marriage, he went off to fightin World War II and never came back. Hewas proclaimed missing in action.

Sixty-one years later, sitting at her son’sdining room table, her feet barely touch-ing the ground, Ada says she decided tomove to Canada due to the conditions oflife offered by post-war Italy.

“I wanted something better, a betterlife,” she shrugs.

So Ada changed her parent’s plan. In1949, Ada wrote to Palmerino’s cousinRosa Tiezzi in Canada who applied for Adato immigrate and work as a maid in herhouse, even though there was no roomfor Ada.

“In those days the immigration bureauwould go and inspect the house whereyou’d be staying,” says Ada. “Rosa showedthem her mother-in-law’s room and madeexcuses and said it would be my room.”

Despite her parents protests, Adapacked and left for Canada. She turneddown an offer of marriage from RoccoDiNardo, another soldier in the war wholived in her village.

Using the money she had receivedfrom the government in compensation forthe loss of her husband, Ada paid the 400lira needed for the to Canada.

“The boat trip took ten days and I wassick by the second day.”

It was on this tiny boat, Brazil, that Adafirst met her good friend, Rosina Talarico,who was coming to Canada to get mar-

One woman’s journey to CanadaAda DiNardo

Interview / Intervista

ried, as Ada found out in later years. Mar-riage was a common method of immigra-tion to Canada and one of the easier ways.Ada went the hard route.

“Tell her about the captain on theboat,” her son George prods from acrossthe table.

Ada shakes her head and shushes himwith her hand, proclaiming that is not aninteresting story. She waits a moment andtells it anyway.

Ada had landed her own room on thevery tiny boat, courtesy of the captain whodeveloped quite the crush on her. By thesecond night, the captain came to Ada’sroom and asked her to marry him, statinghe hated his job and wanted to settledown with someone.

“I told him to leave or I’d scream,” shesays, adding that she avoided him for therest of the trip.

The boat docked in Halifax and Adahad to take a 24-hour train ride to Mon-treal. When she finally arrived in Ottawa,Rosa Tiezzi brought her to stay at FrancoDiNardo’s home, the uncle of her late hus-band.

Ada’s first job was working in laundryon Rochester Street before moving on tothe Ottawa Civic Hospital three monthslater, steam-pressing laundry. She workedeight hour days, five days a week and onSaturdays until one in the afternoon for$18 a week. It was good pay at the time.

“You have to work some place,” shesays. “I liked it. I was happy.”

One year later, she applied for her sis-ter to immigrate to Canada and Mariaeventually came to work at the Civic too.Some time after 1953, her brother Roccojoined the sisters and Father Ferrarohelped him get a job shoveling snow atthe train station.

Her second brother, Ettore, became aRoman Catholic priest and is currentlyserving as the parish priest for an Italiancommunity in New Jersey.

by Fiona Story

Ada did not know any English upon herarrival in Canada and picked it up oneword at a time.

“One word here, one there. I learnedone a day, one tomorrow.”

She did attend English classes in theevenings at St. Anthony’s School, how-ever, a man she didn’t know asked herout one night and this scared her so muchthat she never went back.

Ada’s lack of English did impede herin the workplace when she was startingout. She was very timid in the use of thelanguage and would continue her workwithout bathroom breaks because she didnot want to ask someone to take herplace. After she developed a bladder in-fection, she began to make use of the lan-guage and even started to act as a trans-lator between the Italian patients and themedical staff.

Meanwhile the Rocco DiNardo fromher past had been released from a pris-oners of war camp four years earlier andhad made his way back to Italy He hadgone to Ada’s parents’ house to ask forher hand in marriage. Again.

“My parents wrote me and told me,”she says, smiling. “I kinda liked him, youknow.”

Rocco’s entrance into Canada was de-layed by two years because her formerhusband had not been declared dead anda marriage to an immigrant only had a 90day window. Ada credits Father Ferrarowith helping her get a death certificate.

Once in Canada, Rocco DiNardo mar-ried Ada DiNardo in 1954 in a ceremonyperformed by Father Ferraro in St. Antho-

ny’s Church.Ada laughs, remarking how although

she married twice, she has never had tochange her name. George, her eldest son,speculates that DiNardo is as common aname in Italy as Smith is here.

Rocco and Ada have been married 47years.

Four sons were born to the DiNardos.Giorgio, Giuliano, Italo and Elio. With theexception of Giuliano, who studied ac-counting and works at London Life, all areemployed in computer and software-re-lated fields.

In order to raise her children, Ada quitwork. Four boys were a handful and hersons still remember fondly the door theybroke fighting each other, which remainsbroken today, and the brand new couchthey busted almost immediately after itsarrival.

“What can you do?” Ada shrugs. “Takea stick to them?”

Ada returned to Italy only once afterher arrival in Canada. Twenty-seven yearsafter she left, Ada took her boys for a visitbut said that Italy had changed and wasnot as she remembered it. She currentlyholds no desire to go back.

“I’m happy. I have my boys,” she says.“When I was young I suffered but nowI’m here. I’m proud of myself.”

Ada has eight grand-children and theyflock around her like bees to a flower, ea-ger to hear her stories. Even in their for-ties, her sons still listen intently as shespeaks of her life as do their wives.

Ada isn’t the only one proud of whatshe’s accomplished.

Ada Dinardo (second from right) with her parents (seated) and siblings.

Ada and her husband Rocco.

I L P O S T I N O May 2001Page 8

I L P O S T I N O • O T T A W A , O N T A R I O , C A N A D A

Villa MarconiHealth and Social Services Committee

ANNOUNCEMENTThe group “Taking Care of your Health” is

pleased to invite you to four workshops on thefollowing topics:

1. Are You Taking Care of an Ill Loved One? “Stressand Loneliness”

Wednesday May 2, 2001: 2:00-4:00 pmSpeaker: Cristina Begliomini, BA, BSW, MSW, Social

Worker. The workshop will be held in Italian languageonly.

2. Cardio Vascular Illness: Can we avoid them?Tuesday May 15, 2001: 2:00-4:00 pmSpeaker: Nancy Lauzon, RN, BA, BScN, Health Pro-

motion Nurse, Heart Institute. The workshop will be heldin English language with Italian translation.

3. Keeping Fit and Protecting our Mental Health:Challenging Depression

Wednesday May 30, 2001: 2:00-4:00 pmSpeaker: Cristina Begliomini, BA, BSW, MSW, Social

Worker. The workshop will be held in Italian languageonly.

4. Confronting and Living with ArthritisWednesday, June 13, 2001: 2:00-4:00pmSpeaker: Marian Falconair, Physiotherapist at the Ar-

thritis Society. The workshop will be held in Englishlanguage with Italian translation

Il gruppo “Prendiamo cura della nostrasalute” ha il piacere d’invitarvi a quattroincontri, che avranno luogo a Villa Marconi,sui seguenti soggett:

1. Prendi cura di una persona cara malata? Stresse solitudine

Mercoledi, 2 maggio 2001: 2:00-4:00pmPresentatrice: Cristina Begliomini, BA, BSW, MSW,

Social Worker. La conferenza sarà presentata soltanto inlingua italiana

2. Le malattie cardiovasculari: possiamo evitarle?Martedi, 15 maggio 2001: 2:00-4:00pmPresentatrice: Nancy Lauzon, RN, BA, BScN, Health

Promotion Nurse, Heart Institute. La conferena saràpresentata in lingua inglese con traduzione italiana

3. Teniamoci in forma e proteggiamo la nostra sa-lute mentale: una sfida alla depressione.

Mercoledi, 30 maggio, 2001: 2:00-4:00pmPresentatrice: Cristina Begliomini, BA, BSW, MSW,

Social Worker. La conferenza sarà presentata soltanto inlingua italiana

4. L’Artrite: viveria ed affrontarlaMercoledi, 13 giugno, 2001: 2:00-4:00pmPresentatrice: Marian Falconair, Physiotherapist

all’Arthritis Society. La conferenza sarà persentata in lin-gua inglese con traduzione italiana.

Le groupe “Prenons soins de notre santé”solicite votre participation à quatre seminaires,qui auront lieu à quatre seminaires, qui aurontlieu à Villa Marconi, sur les sujets suivants:

1. “Donnes-tu des soins à une personne prôchemalade?” Stress et solitude

Le Mercredi 2 mai 2001: 2:00 à 4:00 pmConférencière: Cristina Begliomini, travailleuse sociale.

La conférence sera donnJe seulement en langue italienne.

2. Les maladies cardio-vasculaires. Pouvons-nous leséviter?

Le mardi 15 mai 2001 de 2:00 à 4:00 pmConférencière: Nancy Lauzon, infirmière responsable

de la promotion de la santé, Institut du coeur. La conférencesera donnée en anglais avec traduction en italien.

3. Restons en forme et protegions notre santé. Faisonsdéfi à la dépression.

Le mercredi 30 mai 2001 de 2:00 à 4:00pmConférencière: Cristina Begliomini, travailleuse sociale.

La conférence sera donnée seulement en langue italienne.

4. Vivre avec l’arthrite en l’affrontantLe mercredi 13 juin 2001 de 2:00 à 4:00 pmConférencière: Marion Falconair, physiothérapeute,

Société de l’arthrite. La conférence sera donnJe en anglaisavec traduction en italien.

Refreshments will be served after each workshop. Please confirm in advance.For information and reservation please call the following persons:

Alla fine di ogni incontro sarà servito un piccolo rinfresco.Si prega di confermare in quanto i posti sono limitati. Per pernotazioni e ulteriori informazionipotete rivolgervi a:

Un goûter sera servi à la fin de chaque rencontre.Prière de confirmer comme les places sont limitées. Pour réservation et information appeler à:

• Cristina Begliomini, 727-6201 ext. 6660• Pina Giorgio, 228-8628• Maria Cesare, 225-3665• Salvatore Lamonica, 733-9766

Health / Salute

La Leggenda del Piave (E. A. Mario)Il Piave mormorava calmo e placido, al passaggio dei primi fanti, il ventiquattro

maggio:

l’Esercito marciava per raggiunger la frontiera, per far contro il nemico una barriera...Muti passaron quella notte i fanti: tacere bisognava, e andare avanti!S’udiva intanto dalle amate sponde, sommesso e lieve il tripudiar dell’onde.Era un presagio dolce e lusinghiero. Il Piave mormorò: “Non passa lo straniero!”

Ma in una notte triste si parlò di un fosco evento, e il Piave udiva l’ira e lo sgomento...Ahi, quanta gente ha visto venir giù, lasciare il tetto, poi che il nemico irruppe a Caporetto!Profughi ovunque! Dai lontani monti, venivano a gremir tutti i suoi ponti.S’udiva allor, dalle violate sponde, sommesso e triste il mormorio de l’onde:come un singhiozzo, in quell’autunno nero, il Piave mormorò: “Ritorna lo straniero!”

E ritornò il nemico, per l’orgoglio, per la fame: volea sfogare tutte le sue brame...Vedeva il piano aprico, di lassù: voleva ancora sfamarsi, e tripudiare come allora...- No! - disse il Piave. - No! - dissero i fanti, mai più il nemico faccia un passo avanti!Si vide il Piave rigonfiar le sponde! E come i fanti combattevan le onde...Rosso del sangue del nemico altero, il Piave comandò: “Indietro, va’, straniero”

Indietreggiò il nemico fino a Trieste, fino a Trento... E la Vittoria sciolse le ali al vento!Fu sacro il patto: Tra le schiere furon visti risorger Oberdan, Sauro, Battisti...L’onta cruenta e il secolare errore infranse, alfin, l’italico valore.Sicure l’Alpi... Libere le sponde... E tacque il Piave: si placaron le onde...Sul patrio suolo, vinti i torvi Imperi, la Pace non trovò - “né oppressi, néstranieri”.....

24 Maggio .....finchè un’altra guerra, vent’annidopo, decise del destino di quelle terreredente, che, avulse dal patrio suolo,furono date ad un altro... “torvo Impero”.Ne seguì la diaspora degli Italiani dellaVenezia Giulia, dispersi per il mondo,partiti in volontario esilio piuttosto checedere all’assimilazione slava.

Oggi questi Giuliani, ancoraintimamente legati alla Madrepatria,ricordano la data del 24 maggio comeinizio della loro liberazione dal giogoaustriaco e dell’unione con l’Italia.Guardano ancora alla “Leggenda delPiave” come poetico ma tragicamentereale riassunto delle alterne vicende -Piave, Caporetto, Monte Grappa, VittorioVeneto - eventi tristi e gloriosi, di quellaguerra che l’Italia intraprese nella fatidicadata del 24 maggio e che finX coronatada vittoria.

Per celebrare la ricorrenza del 24maggio, quest’anno i Giuliano-Dalmati diOttawa riceveranno la visita dei lorocorregionali provenienti da Chatham,Hamilton, Toronto e Montreal, domenica20 maggio prossimo, per un fraternoincontro.

In tale occasione, la mattina, alle ore11:15, nella chiesa Sant’Antonio, Mgr.Renato Volante, della NunziaturaApostolica, triestino di origine, presiederà

una santa messa per onorare i caduti dellaguerra 1915-1918 e per implorare da Diola pace del cuore per tutti gli esuli che,nonostante il tempo, la distanza e lefredde leggi di governanti insensibili,continuano - troppo spesso dimenticati -a vivere di ricordi, di nostalgia del suolonatio e di struggente speranza, fedeliall’ideale delle loro giovinezza “Dio, Patria,Famiglia.”

La sera di domenica 20 maggioprossimo, i Giuliano-Dalmati si riunirannonella sala St. Anthony Soccer Club, alle ore18:30, per festeggiare la ricorrenza dellastorica data con un incontro conviviale inallegria, seguito da musica, canti e danze.

Noi tutti Giuliani-Dalmato di Ottawa,italiani non per caso ma per scelta e peramore, invitiamo i nostri connazionali pijfortunati, italiani per nascita, ad unirsi anoi in gran numero, per riconoscereinsieme il 24 maggio, una data che pertutti i “Fratelli d’Italia”, individui eassociazioni d’arma, provenienti daqualsiasi provincia, rimane simbolo disuccesso, di redenzione, di unione elibertB.

Per informazioni e biglietti preghieradi comunicare con: C. Hribar (225-7469),R. Giurgevich (235-6979), D. Zanini (838-5785).

—Dolores S. Cavallero

I L P O S T I N OMay 2001

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Page 9

Opinions / Opinione

Storia dimenticatadi Carletto Caccia

Si capisce subito quando si ha un buon librotra le mani. É questo il caso del libro di DelisoVilla intitolato “Storia dimenticata” la cui secondaedizione è stata curata dall’Ente Vicentini nelmondo. La storia dimenticata è quelladell’emigrazione italiana che, nel corso dei secoli,ha coinvolto 27 milioni di Italiani.

L’autore inizia con una rassegna concisa deimali che affliggevano la giovane nazione italiananella seconda metà del diciannovesimo secolo.Per dirla con le stesse parole dell’autore: “Nellanuova Italia tutto era diviso: la Destra traconservazione e modernizzazione, la Sinistra trariforme e rivoluzione, i Socialisti tra rivendicazionie anarchia, i Cattolici tra rifiuto e conciliazione.Lo stato era molto fragile: poggiava su una solaclasse, su una borghesia ancora scarsa, egoista,impaurita. Le classi popolari non avevano il dirittodi voto. Per loro lo stato era un padrone abusivoda combattere con tutte le forze. L’emigrazioneitaliana nasce da questo contesto.”

Tra i tanti citati nel libro, merita ricordarel’episodio dei contadini del Montello ai quali lo

stato confiscò i 6.000 ettari bosco su cui vivevanoa migliaia, costringendoli ad emigrare in massain Brasile dove coltivarono “le piane del caffè alposto degli schiavi negri appena liberati.” Oppurel’episodio raccapricciante del linciaggio di 13italiana New Orleans nel 1891, motivatounicamente da ragioni razziali. Nel libro si parladelle donne che rimanevano a casa mentre Imariti “facevano l’America” e si assumevano leresponsabilità della famiglia e il peso di lungheseparazioni. Si parla dell’immenso contributocoesivo della religione che, indipendentementedalla religiosità di ciascuno, ha unito con feste eprocessioni gli emarginati, che nelle chiesetrovavano un centro di ritrovo non solo fisico, madi indentità.

Ai nostri giorni si raccolgono i frutti di duesecoli di sofferenze, sacrifici e del grossocontributo economico dell’emigrazione. Gliemigrati italiani sono usciti dalle “Little Italies” perarrivare ai più alti vertici della vita politica,industriale e commerciale dei paesi in cui vivono.

Il libro di Deliso Villa ci aiuta a ricordare,perché dalla storia abbiamo molto da imparare.

How international ports sweetenedthe smell of the Roman Empire

by Heather LoubeThe ancient world was a smelly place.

According to archaeologist Tom Parker,this made products such as perfumes andits ingredients valuable trading items inthe Roman Empire. These valuable com-modities and others were the reason forfounding of the ancient settlement of Alia,created as a commercial port for the Ro-man empire and built on a road linkingSyria to the Red Sea.

Parker’s presentation at the NationalLibrary, “Aila, A Roman Port on the RedSea”, was the result of several seasons ofexcavations in what is now Jordan. Hewas in Ottawa in March to give a series ofillustrated talks on the eastern Romanfrontier as part of the extensive lectureprogram of the Archaeological Institute ofAmerica.

The AIA sends eminent archaeologiststo share their discoveries with local ar-chaeological societies throughout Canadaand the United States.

Parker, a professor of History at NorthCarolina State University in Raleigh, hasappeared on a number of television docu-mentaries including Ancient Mysterieswith Leonard Nimoy. Since 1971 he hasbeen digging around the eastern limits ofthe Roman Empire in the Middle East.

Aila was located at the southern ter-minus of the road from Damascus knownas the via nova Traiana. Connecting Syriato the Red Sea, this road was constructedearly in the second century during thereign of the emperor Trajan. The buildingof this the line of communication alongthe edge of the desert followed Trajan’s

annexation of the kingdom of theNabataeans and its incorporation into theRoman province of Arabia.

The Nabataeans are best known todayfor the magnificent rock cut structures oftheir capital, Petra, a popular destinationfor travellers to Jordan. In antiquity, Petrawas the hub of an international overlandtrade route linking China, India and South-ern Arabia with the markets of the Romanempire.

The Nabataeans established Aila as atransfer point for luxury goods such asmyrrh, frankincense and spices comingby ship. While the commercial impor-tance of Aila was appreciated by the Ro-mans, its strategic importance was under-lined by the transfer of the famous XFretensis Legion to Aila about 300 AD. Thiswas the legion that had taken part insieges of Jerusalem and Masada duringthe Jewish War.

The hard work of excavating in the heatof the Jordanian summer commenced,hoping to reconstruct the economy of Ailaas an international port of the south-east-ern frontier of the Roman Empire.

Several seasons of excavations haverevealed a wide array of artefacts sugges-tive of the international trade whichpassed through the port. The find of alarge pottery container with small fishbones in the bottom may indicate that Ailawas also a manufacturing site for the fa-vourite Roman condiment of garum.

In the desert environment, fuel re-quired for cooking and manufacturingseems to have come from the dung ofanimals herded to the port for fresh meat.

Parker reminded his audience that theancient world was a smelly place andtherefore valued perfume and its ingre-dients highly. Myrrh and frankincense,derived from the resin of a thorn bushnative to Yemen and Somalia, wereused not only in perfumes but also incosmetics and medicines. Arabianfrankincense, the most important va-riety in ancient world, was widelyburnt as a religious offering.

Spices were also used for fragrancein perfumes, flavouring wines, cooking,and medicines. Such valuable commodi-ties were unloaded from the ships ontocamels at Aila. The camels with their 600pound loads then headed for Gaza on theshores of the Mediterranean.

Although the existence of the commer-cial and military centre was known fromancient writers, the remains of ancientAila were no longer visible. Showing hisaudience aerial satellite photographs ofastonishing clarity and plans of scatters ofsurface artefacts, Parker demonstratedhow he was able to pinpoint the locationof the once prosperous port.

A large square outline thought to bethe legionary fortress proved to be of dis-appointingly later Islamic construction.However, mud brick buildings and seg-ments of the stone city wall providedgreater but unexpected rewards.

Part of the later city wall was erectedover an earlier mud brick structure whichappears to have been a fourth centuryChristian church. It is this building whichhas been the special project of local ar-chaeologist, Dr. Mary Louis Mussell, and

students from both Carleton and the Uni-versity of Ottawa.

Reunited for Parker’s lecture at theNational Library, the students shared theirexperiences with an interested audiencewhile enjoying the vin d’honneur gra-ciously offered by the Mario Boffo, CulturalAttache for the Embassy of Italy.

The presentation on Aila was spon-sored by the Ottawa Hull Society of theAIA, with support from the Canadian In-stitute for Mediterranean Studies and theNational Congress of Italian Canadians.Parker concluded his visit to Ottawa withtwo more lectures at the University of Ot-tawa and Carleton the following day.

The Ottawa Hull Society of the Ar-chaeological Institute of America will behosting a new series of illustrated talksbeginning in the fall. They invite all inter-ested in exploring new frontiers with ar-chaeologists distinguished in their field.For further information, visit their Web siteat http://phrontisterion.uottawa.ca/aia.

Arts / Arti

CALENDAROF EVENTSMay 6, Sunday, after the 11:00am Mass

Refreshments for the Feast of St. DomenicSt. Anthony’s Community Hall

May 12, SaturdayThe Miracle of St. Domenic

Lakeside GardensHosted by the Assocazione Pretorese

May 13, SundayMuseum’s Day 2001

Billings Estate MuseumFree Admission all day 10:00 am to 5:00 pm

May 19, SaturdayFeast of St. Leo

Hosted by the Circolo Sammartinese di OttawaSt. Anthony’s Soccer Club

May 26, Saturday30th Anniversary

Bowling League of CastropignanoSt. Anthony’s Soccer Club

I L P O S T I N O May 2001Page 10

I L P O S T I N O • O T T A W A , O N T A R I O , C A N A D A

By Laura D’Amelioand Fiona Story

The magnificent arias, artistic setsand powerful music combine to makea spectacular presentation of Verdi’s IlTrovatore. What combines to be a storyof love, power and jealousy on stage isthe work of a talented cast and stagecrew.

One member of this cast is SharonGraham, playing the part of Azucena, agrief-ridden gypsy out to avenge hermother’s death. In the rush of dress re-hearsal Graham nods her approval ofthis role and states that she is “very hon-oured to perform this part.” BothAzucena and Santuzza in CavalleriaRusticana have been her favourite char-acters to play.

As a makeup artist hovers aroundGraham mixing colours and searchingfor the right brush, Graham explains herreasoning. She must speak over thesounds of a tuning orchestra and menin soldiers uniforms clamouring past thedoor.

“They are both so all-encompass-ing,” says Graham from her place in themakeup chair, “ they both have tremen-dous dramatic demands and also someof the glorious music God ever put onthe page. They are both very fulfillingand very difficult emotionally.”

Graham goes on to say that she lovesparts that are psychologically intriguing,which most of Verdi’s characters tendto be, slightly distracted by someonerushing in to tell her that her hair looksgreat. A jumble of straight and curly bitsmixed in with her natural hair sits atopher head. She is “witchified” through themakeup and costume process, which isjust one challenge to this role.

“Initially, when I was first learning the

part, vocally it was unbelievably de-manding. And then, as with a lot of thegreat acting/singing parts I get to do, youhave to find the line between singingand acting. You can’t go overboard inthe ‘physicalisation’ of the part that youtire yourself out so that you can’t reallysing it.”

Graham has performed this role be-fore, most notably in Edmonton andCalgary where the production was no-ticeably different. “There was not arock, not a chair, not a wall,” saysGraham about the minimal set, “So this,to me, to have something to lean on isgood. This much more traditional pro-duction that the one I did in Edmontonand Calgary.”

After working across this country andin many other countries, Graham hashad a positive experience in Canada. “Ihave met some wonderful colleagueswho have now become dear friends ofmine,” says Graham of her Canadianproductions. She adds that the Cana-dian opera scene compares “quite fa-vourably” to the international stage.

The international opera star haspicked up a few languages, includingItalian, to help her along the way.Graham learned Italian as part of ayoung artist program in Chicago whereher teacher, from La Scala in Italy, spokeno English, while Graham spoke no Ital-ian.

“About a year later, I spoke Italian andhe still spoke no English,” says Grahamwith a laugh. Picking up Italian has beenhugely helpful to her career she says, cit-ing that it is very difficult to sing partsand pick up rhythms if you don’t knowwhat you are saying.

Graham came into the business“atypically” as she has no formal musictraining or education and wasn’t raisedin the art form as many young artists are.Once she began taking voice lesson she

Behind the scenes ofIl Trovatore

Sharon Graham as Azucenafound the challenges unparalleled.

“It’s a totally unique art form,” saysGraham, who performed her first operain her early twenties, “and I am also verymuch drawn to the complexity of the artform including the orchestra and thecostume and the great people like Lizmaking me look wild.” She gestures tothe woman hunched over her forehead,painting black eyebrows almost an inchthick over her natural ones with a smallbrush. The makeup is supposed to lookrealistic from about 15 metres away.

“Opera is just like looking at a greatpainting that you can look at for hoursat a time,” she concludes, “It’s very com-plicated, it’s something you can spenda lot of time with before you really evenunderstand it.”

The cast has been very busy prepar-ing for the long-awaited per-formance. “Be-cause of thedemands ofthe repertoire,we aren’t out alot sightsee-ing,” saysGraham whoquickly asksfor recom-mendationson a goodItalian tratto-ria in thearea in caseshe hastime to visitone.

S h edoubts shewill have the time though and she wasprobably right. Graham left April 29, theday following the last show, to returnhome to her six-year-old daughterFrancesca in California.

by Monique MoreauEnding their 2000-2001 series, Opera

Lyra Ottawa paid tribute to the one-hun-dredth anniversary of the death of Italiancomposer Guiseppe Verdi by performinghis classic opera, Il Trovatore. In its sixteenthyear under the general direction of TyronePaterson, this is Opera Lyra’s first produc-tion of the piece.

Opening on April 23 at the National ArtsCenter, Il Trovatore, sponsored in part by theItalian Cultural Centre of Eastern Ontario,was hailed as an “explosion of lust, murderand revenge”. Playing to a nearly full housewith English and French supertitles, the op-era was very well directed.

Renowned Czech stage director LudecGolat featured his talents in creating fan-tastic scenes, most of which provided theright amount of movement and artistry butdid not distract the audience from themusic and the singing, the essence of op-era in the end.

Il Trovatore tells the story of corruptionand passion, linking the Count di Luna, thegypsy Azucena and the duchess Leonora.These characters are over the top and largethan life, which must be taken into consid-eration when casting these roles.

“You need strong voices to handle thesecharacters,” says Patterson. He believes thatthe character Leonora, played by BarbaraLivingston, is one of the most difficult rolesto sing, for it requires not only a decisivestrength but a lightness as well.

At a reception held by the Ital-ian Cultural Centre and the Em-bassy of Italy after the performance,the cast joined members of the au-dience to celebrate the perform-ance. Many members of the Italiancommunity were in attendance fora presentation of a poster of the op-era, signed by the cast, to the ItalianCultural Centre of Eastern OntarioInc., for their contributions to the pro-duction.

Also in attendance was LennyLombardi, president of Chin radio,based in Toronto. Lombardi was in Ot-tawa in part to strengthen his bid to theCRTC for a new FM station in Ottawa.

“There is definitely a market here,”insists Lombardi. Chin is a multi-lan-guage radio station that broadcasts inover thirty languages.

Among the five principle singers - allmaking their Opera Lyra Ottawa debut - is

Barbara Livingston, who plays the principlerole of Leonora. She was “not too nervous thisgo around,” she says. “This is my third timesinging this role so it has allowed me to focuson the freedom of my character.”

Making her debut later than most operasingers, she is a classic Verdian soprano.When asked about the stamina required forher role, she is quick to respond that shebuilds strength off the music and the energyof the audience. “The audience definitelyhas an effect on the show. You can feel itwhen they’re enjoying themselves.”

Overcoming a sinus infection just beforethe run of the opera, Ms. Livingston per-formed beautifully. “I could do it again rightnow!” she exclaimed.

Opera Lyra’s 2001-2002 season is fast ap-proaching with another company debut: Ri-chard Strauss’s Salome, followed byPuccini’s La Bohème. The company willalso join the NAC Orchestra for the Blackand White Soirée, as well as presentationsof Mozart and the Magic Flute from theirYoung Artists Programme. For subscriptionsand more information please contact Op-era Lyra Ottawa at (613) 233-9200 orTicketmaster at (613) 755-1111.

Opera Lyra wraps upanother successful season

Arts / Arti

PHOTO: ANGELO FILOSO

After enjoying Il Trovatore, membersof the Italian community gather at areception to chat with the artists.

I L P O S T I N OMay 2001

I L P O S T I N O • O T T A W A , O N T A R I O , C A N A D A

Page 11

CHIN RADIO Ottawa FM 97.9SIAMO LA STAZIONE RADIO MULTICULTURALE EMULTILINGUE PIÙ POPLARE DI TORONTO E VOGLIAMOESSERE LA STAZIONE RADIO MULTICULTURALE EMULTILINGUE PIÙ POPLARE DI OTTAWA.

PRESTO POTRETE ASCOLTARE LA VOSTRA MUSICA, ILVOSTRO TELEGIORNALE, LE OPINIONI DELLA VOSTRAGENTE, NELLA VOSTRA LINGUA - ARABO, CINESE,SPAGNOLO, ITALIANO, HINDI, LIBANESE, PUNJABI,VIETNAMESE, TEDESCO, POLACCO e tante altre.

Noi della CHIN RADIO stiamo mandando in onda programmimulticulturali e multilingue da oltre 35 anni. Durante questoperiodo siamo stati come un ponte fra il vostro paese d’origine eil nuovo paese. Abbiamo partecipato ad eventi comunitari,abbiamo celebrato vari festivals e pregato insieme ai nostri amicidi Toronto. Come ente radiofonico, abbiamo fornito attrezzature,mano d’opera, ispirazione e incoraggiamento che hannocontribuito a trasformare Toronto in una delle più eccitanti evibranti città multiculturali e multilingue del Canada.

Volgiamo fare al stessa cosa per Ottawa.Come capitale del Canada, dobbiamo mostrare tutti i nostricolori, celebrare le nostre molteplici culture e cantare le nostresvariate canzoni.

MA ABBIAMO BISOGNO DELVOSTRO AIUTO

Una vostra lettera all CRTC aiuterà la CHIN ad ottenere ilpermesso di radiodiffusione per la stazione FM 97.9pianificata per mostrare Ottawa come la città multiculturalee multilingue che è. Scrivete all CRTC e fate loro sapereche voi appoggiate la CHIN, la stazione radio multiculturalee multilingue. Per ulteriori informazioni, consultate lanostra pagina Web al www.chinradio.com

Indirizzate la lettera a: E inviatene una copia via fax a:SECRETARY GENERAL LENNY LOMBARDICRTC PRESIDENT CHIN Radio/TV Int’lOTTAWA, ON Fax (613) 595-8944 oppureK1A 0N2 (416) 531-5274

O speditela al 622 College Street, Toronto, ON, Canada, M6G 1B6Per ulteriori informazioni, mettetevi in contatto con Tina al(613) 733-4438

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