Panoram Italia Montreal Feb/March 2015

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THE ITALIAN-CANADIAN MAGAZINE MAILED TO HOMES IN THE GREATER MONTREAL AND OTTAWA AREAS

LIVING ITALIAN STYLE

LE POUVOIR DES

LETTRES D’AMOUR BABIES OF

THE YEAR SPLENDORI

DELLA COSTA

IONICA

SICILIANA COVER: LORIS PALMA & ANTONIETTA PETRIS TWO OF US • DUE DI NOI • DEUX D’ENTRE NOUS FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015 • VOL.10 • NO.1

PM40981004

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Panoram Italia’s

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Treasures of Italy Tours BOOKED ONLY THROUGH PANORAM ITALIA MAGAZINE EXCLUSIVE TO PANORAM ITALIA READERS

Tour Italy with Panoram Italia in June or September, 2015!

June 26 departure accompanied

by Weatherman Frank Cavallaro

16 Days - 14 Nights Venice Florence Montecatini Cinque Terre Siena

San Gimignano Assisi Sorrento Rome

Departures / Prices June 26, 2015: $3895 Sept. 4, 2015: $3995

Includes

per person for double occupancy (taxes incl.)

• Direct flight to Venice and return from Rome • Guided tours of Venice, Florence, Siena, Assisi and Rome • Boat trip to the islands of Murano and Burano

• Air conditioned coach • 14-night accommodation in 4-star hotels

For booking information please contact: Tony Zara, Publisher info@panoramitalia.com 1 855 866 2151 In collaboration with

• Wine and olive oil tasting in San Gimignano • 13 dinners and daily breakfast

Le prix exclut le 1.00$ / 1000.00$ de service touristique acheté représentant la contribution des clients au fonds d’indemnisation des clients des agents de voyage.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015

20 Volume 10 Number 1

EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER’S NOTE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 OPINION The identity of the Santa Cabrini Hospital in jeopardy . . . 14 A rischio l’identità dell’Ospedale Santa Cabrini . . . . . . . . . 15

MONTREAL BRICK BY BRICK Italians of Ahuntsic, Montreal-North & St. Michel . . . . . . . 16

LOVE LETTERS The Power of Love Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Will You Remember Me? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

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BABIES Mommy Confidential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Babies of the Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

LIVING ITALIAN STYLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 FASHION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 EASTERN SICILY Sicily’s Ionian Riviera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Mount Etna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Taormina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Val di Noto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

PUBLISHER AND EDITOR Tony Zara

EDITORIAL DEPUTY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Adam Zara MONTREAL MANAGING EDITOR Gabriel Riel-Salvatore

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT & COMMUNITY AFFAIRS Carole Gagliardi

WEB MANAGER Gabriel Riel-Salvatore

PROOFREADER Aurélie Ptito

ART DEPARTMENT ART DIRECTION David Ferreira Gabriel Riel-Salvatore GRAPHIC DESIGN David Ferreira

PHOTOGRAPHY Vincenzo D’Alto Michel Ostaszewski Fahri Yavus Giulio Muratori

ADVERTISING ADVERTISING SALES EXECUTIVES Frank Crisafi Anthony Zara

CONTRIBUTORS Dominique de Pasquale • Sonia Cancian • Sara Germanotta Alessia Sara Domanico • Amanda Fulginiti • Francesca Spizzirri Tanya Solari • Sabrina Marandola • Chef Roberto Marotta Claudia Buscemi Prestigiacomo • Nicola Di Narzo • Joey Strizzi

Montreal’s Eastern Sicilians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Sumptuous Sicilian Cuisine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Eastern Sicilian Specialties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Teatro dei pupi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

9300 Henri-Bourassa West, suite 100, Montreal, Québec H4S 1L5 Tel.: 514 337-7870 I Fax: 514 337-6180 or by e-mail at: info@panoramitalia.com Legal deposit - Bibliothèque nationale du Québec / National Library of Canada - ISSN: 1916-6389

ADVICE La Quaresima…di cosa si tratta? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

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Distribution par / by

EVENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Publications Mail Agreement #40981004

SPORTS Enzo Concina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Erratum: Filippo Salvatore was included in the Table of Contents as Editor-in-Chief of Panorama Italia of the December 2014/January 2015 Edition (Vol. 9, No. 6). He has however stopped working for the magazine since August 2014.

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Subscribe or Contribute to

Only$20 for 3 years! *You can WIN an all-inclusive trip to Italy for 2!

Contest Start: December 1, 2014

Deadline: Nov 6, 2015

Draws: Nov 9, 2015 Must be 18 years or older Subscribe to the magazine online at www.panoramitalia.com or fill out the attached envelope

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PUBLISHER’S NOTE

A Taste of Things to Come Dear readers, ith this 9th edition of Babies of the Year, I am proud to announce that we have, to date, cumulatively featured over 2,000 babies within our pages.

It really means the world to us that year in and year out, parents and grandparents make it a point to show off their new arrivals in our magazine. With this simple gesture, they are not only submitting a photo for publication, but they are also displaying their intentions of passing on their heritage to their newborns who are third, fourth and sometimes fifth generation Italian-Canadians. Let us hope that these same parents and grandparents strive to continue on this journey and make it a point to teach them the language of our roots throughout their upbringing.

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Love letters Our cover this issue is a bit of a departure from what we’ve done in the past. It’s an old black and white photo of Antonietta Petris and Loris Palma in the 1940s, a couple brought to our attention by a new special contributor to the magazine, Ms. Sonia Cancian. Theirs is a story of love across continents, bound by the power of love letters. It should put you in the Valentine’s Day mood, and perhaps prompt the men to dust off their pens and compose a heartfelt hand-written profession of love to their special someone.

Facebook During the month of December, Panoram Italia hit another milestone on its Facebook page – 50,000 likes. The page more than doubled its followers organically since last February. We now have more Facebook followers than many of Canada’s most circulated daily newspapers; not too bad for an independent

Meshing Modern

magazine. The formula is simple: post about things people love, without descending into stereotyping and clichés. Far too many Italian-related pages in North America do the opposite, but rest assured, our online presence is firmly aligned with our print mission of highlighting Italian-Canadian and Italian culture in an informed and professional manner. As I type this, we are at 53,000 likes and counting.

Treasures of Italy Tour I must also mention that sales for Panoram Italia’s 2015 Treasures of Italy tours are well underway with departures on June 26 and September 4, 2015. This 16 day/14 night excursion is perfect for anyone looking to explore Italy’s mainland from top-to-bottom in a comprehensive way, with your favourite magazine’s stamp of approval. The tour is priced very competitively and you even have the option of extending your stay if you wish to do so. I’d also encourage you or a friend to subscribe to the magazine in order to be entered in our 2015 contest to WIN two spots aboard the tour. The draw takes place in November 2015.

Eastern Sicily Our travel dossier this issue explores the beautiful Eastern Coast of Sicily, which is, admittedly and unfortunately, a place I have yet to travel to. That said, I'm glad my team has assembled such a great collection of articles to peek everyone’s appetite for Sicilian sun; it truly makes me wonder what I’ve been waiting for all these years.

My recommendation: pop open a chilled bottle of limoncello and read all 18 pages in one sitting!

Sincerely, Tony Zara Publisher

Elegance with Old World Heritage

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OPINION

Health Reform Riforma Sanitaria The identity of Santa Cabrini Hospital in jeopardy A rischio l’identità dell’Ospedale Santa Cabrini

By Dominique de Pasquale steamroller of reforms to Quebec’s Health and Social Services sector is about to hit the province’s hospitals. How will these changes affect Santa Cabrini Hospital – one of the Italian community’s most treasured institutions for over fifty years?

According to the Liberal government, the proposed modifications to the health care and social services network would save the province $220 million dollars and eliminate 10 percent of the sector’s management positions. In addition, the reforms would theoretically bring improvements to the delivery of health care services.

The government’s restructuring plan calls for greater centralization of powers with the Minister of Health and Social Services and other functionaries within a new administrative unit: Centres intégrés de santé et de services sociaux (Integrated Centres for Health and Social Services). Various administrative bodies will be merged (decreasing their total number from 182 to 28) and 200 board of directors’ positions will be eliminated, to be replaced by the Minister’s newly appointed administrators, who will have the final say in selecting new directors for the restructured health care network.

Former Liberal minister, Claude Castonguay, known in Quebec as the father of Medicare, is concerned by the significant concentration of powers in the hands of the Minister and worries that the system might become mired in stifling bureaucracy.

In light of these announced changes, what might the future hold for Santa Cabrini? The upcoming dissolution of its board of directors, which had provided a measure of local control, is likely to undermine much of the hospital’s independence. It is moreover unclear which services will be impacted or eliminated by this wave of mergers.

Santa Cabrini Hospital was founded by the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart in 1960. Its first mission was to care for Italians who settled in Montreal. Despite numerous changes and expansions, the hospital always remained true to this core purpose, while simultaneously satisfying a remarkably diverse and multicultural clientele.

Thanks to the Italian community’s steadfast support, the hospital enjoyed sustained growth, offering new services, such as permanent and temporary accommodations, training courses, magnetic resonance imaging, and the Dante care centre for functionally dependent seniors from the Italian community. With each wave of expansion, the newly added services, facilities, doctors and qualified staff all contributed to maintaining Santa

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n’ondata opprimente di riforme nel settore dei Servizi Sanitari e Sociali del Québec sta per colpire gli ospedali della provincia. In che modo questi cambiamenti interesseranno l’Ospedale Santa Cabrini, per oltre cinquant’anni una delle istituzioni più preziose della comunità italiana?

Secondo il governo liberale, le modifiche proposte per la rete dei servizi sociali e sanitari farebbero risparmiare alla provincia 220 milioni di dollari ed eliminerebbero il 10 per cento delle posizioni manageriali del settore. In aggiunta, le riforme apporterebbero in teoria delle migliorie alle prestazioni dei servizi del sistema sanitario.

Il piano di ristrutturazione del governo prevede una maggiore concentrazione dei poteri per il Ministro della Salute e i Servizi Sociali ed altri funzionari all’interno di una nuova unità amministrativa: Centres intégrés de santé et de services sociaux (Centri integrati per la Sanità e i Servizi Sociali).

Vari organi amministrativi verranno fusi (facendo abbassare il numero complessivo da 182 a 28) e 200 consigli d’amministrazione verranno eliminati, per essere rimpiazzati dai nuovi amministratori incaricati dal Ministro, che avrà l’ultima parola nella selezione dei nuovi direttori per la rete sanitaria riorganizzata.

Il precedente ministro liberale, Claude Castonguay, noto in Québec come il padre di Medicare, si dice preoccupato dalla notevole concentrazione di potere nelle mani del Ministro e teme che il sistema possa impantanarsi in una burocrazia soffocante.

Alla luce di questi cambiamenti annunciati, cosa potrebbe riservare il futuro al Santa Cabrini? L’imminente scioglimento del suo direttivo, che aveva fornito un certo controllo locale, indebolirà verosimilmente l’indipendenza dell’ospedale.

Non è inoltre chiaro quali servizi verranno intaccati o eliminati da quest’ondata di fusioni.

L’Ospedale Santa Cabrini fu fondato dalle Suore Missionarie del Sacro Cuore nel 1960. Il suo obiettivo primario era quello di curare gli italiani trasferitisi a Montreal. Nonostante numerosi cambiamenti ed espansioni, l’ospedale è sempre rimasto fedele al suo scopo primario, soddisfacendo al contempo un’utenza straordinariamente variegata e multiculturale.

Grazie al costante supporto da parte della comunità italiana, l’ospedale ha goduto di una crescita sostenuta, offrendo nuovi servizi, come sistemazioni temporanee o permanenti, corsi di formazione, risonanza magnetica ed il centro di cure assistenziali Dante per gli anziani della comunità italiana. Ad ogni ondata d’espansione, i nuovi servizi aggiunti, le strutture, i medici e il personale qualificato hanno tutti contribuito a mantenere la reputazione eccellente del Santa Cabrini

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OPINION Cabrini’s international reputation for excellence, as well as its mission to satisfy its diverse constituency. As such, the hospital remains a point of pride for Italian-Montrealers more than fifty years after it was founded.

With cultural sensitivity being such an important aspect of quality care, the fact that a substantial 30 percent of the hospital’s 10 000 patients are of Italian origin is not trivial. Language is surely one relevant consideration, but other things are just as important, such as culinary traditions and the role of families in patient care. The way in which we deal with life and death varies tremendously according to our culture. How do we measure the value of such traditions and cultural preferences? How do we price community pride when it applies to a cherished cultural institution?

The expected changes to health services, and its concomitant wave of mergers, will establish a series of administrative mega-structures that are unlikely to leave institutions much room to address the specific needs of their affected populations.

Santa Cabrini Hospital risks abandoning not only those who helped it become the hospital it is today but also its primary mission, which the departure of former CEO, Irene Giannetti, in 2011, may have already compromised. The hospital was at that time in the throes of the first phase of its integration into the conventional health system. As things stand now, Santa Cabrini’s charitable foundation still thrives, but one wonders whether Italian-Montrealers will be as dedicated to supporting an institution if they see it as no longer representing their community.

Curiously, while many other communities have voiced opposition to the reforms, Italian-Montrealers appear to have greeted them with surprising indifference, or perhaps resignation. This despite the fact that the Minister’s proposed changes cast doubt on Santa Cabrini’s ability to continue providing dedicated services to the Italian community’s elderly population, potentially depriving them of the very care their taxes paid for during their working years.

Going forward, will Santa Cabrini Hospital be in a position to keep fulfilling its primary mission? Will the hospital succeed in sustaining its identity? And, will it stay faithful to its core purpose? It remains to be seen what the Italian community intends to do before the last page is turned on this chapter of a great hospital’s history.

a livello internazionale, così come la missione di soddisfare la propria variegata circoscrizione. In quanto tale, l’ospedale rimane motivo d’orgoglio per gli italo-montrealesi a più di cinquant’anni dalla sua fondazione.

Essendo la sensibilità culturale componente importante per una cura di qualità, il fatto che un sostanzioso 30 per cento dei 10.000 pazienti dell’ospedale sia di origine italiana non è di poco conto. La lingua è sicuramente una componente rilevante, ma altri elementi sono altrettanto importanti, come le tradizioni culinarie e il ruolo delle famiglie nella cura del paziente. Il modo in cui ci rapportiamo con la vita e la morte varia notevolmente a seconda della nostra cultura. Che valore attribuiamo a tali tradizioni e preferenze culturali? Che prezzo diamo all’orgoglio della comunità quando si tratta di una preziosa istituzione culturale?

I cambiamenti attesi nel sistema sanitario, e la concomitante ondata di fusioni, daranno vita a una serie di mega strutture amministrative che inverosimilmente lasceranno alle istituzioni lo spazio per occuparsi dei bisogni specifici della propria popolazione coinvolta.

L’Ospedale Santa Cabrini rischia di abbandonare non solo coloro i quali l’hanno aiutato a diventare l’ospedale che è oggi, ma anche la sua missione prima, che la partenza del precedente CEO, Irene Giannetti, nel 2010, ha già possibilmente compromesso. L’ospedale era allora alle prese con la prima fase del proprio inserimento all’interno del sistema sanitario convenzionale. Per come stanno adesso le cose, la fondazione caritatevole del Santa Cabrini prospera ancora, ma ci si chiede se gli italo-montrealesi si impegneranno altrettanto nel supportare un’istituzione qualora non dovessero più considerarla rappresentativa della propria comunità.

Curiosamente, mentre molte altre comunità esprimono la propria opposizione alle riforme, gli italo-montrealesi sembrano averle accolte con un’indifferenza sorprendente, o forse con rassegnazione. Ciò, nonostante il fatto che i cambiamenti proposti dal Ministro mettano in discussione la capacità del Santa Cabrini di continuare a fornire servizi scrupolosi agli anziani della comunità italiana, privandoli potenzialmente della stessa assistenza per la quale hanno pagato le tasse durante i propri anni lavorativi.

Con il tempo, l’Ospedale Santa Cabrini sarà nella posizione di poter continuare ad adempiere al suo scopo primo? Riuscirà l’ospedale a mantenere la propria identità? E rimarrà fedele al suo obiettivo di base? Resta da vedere cosa abbia intenzione di fare la comunità italiana prima che si volti l’ultima pagina del capitolo della storia di un grande ospedale.

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Church of Madonna di Pompei

Ahuntsic, MontrealNorth and Saint-Michel Fond memories and demographic transitions hereas Montreal’s flag has long commemorated the historical legacies of French, Scottish, British and Irish settlers by prominently featuring the fleur-de-lis, thistle, Lancaster rose and shamrock, many feel local officials would do well to honour Italians’ role in developing Quebec's largest city too, by adding a depiction of an olive branch alongside the other symbols. As we have shown in our four previous issues, Italians have left an indelible mark on every one of Montreal’s neighbourhoods over the past hundred years. But, as the community ages and mixes into the city’s general cultural melting pot, its decreasing relevance in several core areas is giving way to new influences from a range of more recent immigrant communities, whose members are just as eager to make a better life as were Italian migrants in past decades.

According to Statistics Canada, in 2006 nearly 87% of the province’s estimated 300 000 Italian descendents lived in Greater Montreal, more than half of them (58.3%) in Montreal’s administrative region, with another 11.5% in Laval and 12.1% in the Montérégie region.

Even though the historical heart of the community is still Little Italy, the boroughs of Saint-Leonard and Rivière-des-Prairies-Pointe-aux-Trembles have long since become the true demographic centres of Montreal’s Italian community, being home to 18.4% and 14.9% of its members respectively.

2006 data also revealed that 8.6% of ItalianMontrealers resided in the borough of Villeray-SaintMichel-Parc-Extension, 8.0% in Ahuntsic-Cartierville and 7.9% in the Montreal-North borough.

As hotbeds of employment for newly arriving Italians, particularly in the 1960s, the working class neighbourhoods of Montreal-North, Ahuntsic and Saint-Michel have maintained a strong contingent of Italians ever since WWII. Seeking affordable housing, they settled in this newly urbanised area, which had at its heart the Parish of Madonna di Pompei, near the Sauvé/Saint-Michel intersection.

Just like the small towns of the mezzogiorno, these areas were filled with grocery stores and local shops, which proudly displayed Italy’s tricoloured flag.

Giuseppe D'Alto, who owned and operated Lido supermarket on the corner of boulevard Couture and 25th avenue for 36 years, recalls the scene in the 1960s

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and 1970s: “The area was filled with Italians. It was a new sector where houses weren’t very expensive. But slowly, from the around the 1980s on, people started moving away into semi-detached plexes and bungalows in Saint-Leonard and RDP. People wanted to leave the row-housing and apartment buildings they had come to find uncomfortable. Things are definitely different today.” D'Alto ultimately gave in to the exodus too. In early 2000, he sold his business to Vietnamese entrepreneurs, who converted his old shop into a hair salon.

Italy, which had for decades led all nationalities in Montreal with respect to births by immigrants, finally relinquished its position to Haiti in 2011. This finding from Statistics Canada’s 2011 National Household Survey, mainly reflects the aging of first generation Italian immigrants within the city’s general population. Between 1996 and 2006, the number of Italian immigrants in Montreal dropped from 59 170 to 49 240. The most noticeable reductions were found in the boroughs of Rosemont-Petite-Patrie (-32%), Villeray-Saint-Michel-Parc-Extension (-31%) and Côte-des-Neiges-Notre-Dame-de-Grâce (-30%).

Meanwhile, the city’s contingent of Haitian immigrants grew from 53 750 in 2006 to 65 140 in 2011. For the most part, the demographic flood of Italian immigrants dried up after 1971. Data from 2011 showed an average of 500 new immigrants arriving annually from Italy, which is eight times lower than the average inflow between 1946 and 1978. In recent years, the exodus of second and third generation Italians toward the suburbs and the declining number of community elders has gradually transformed areas historically inhabited by Italians. While these transformations have surely contributed to eroding much of its social fabric, they are also an example of the Italian community’s continuing evolution throughout Greater Montreal and Quebec.

Sources: Portrait statistique de la population d’origine ethnique italienne recensée au Québec en 2006, Statistique Canada.

Portraits démographiques: Coup d’oeil sur les immigrants nés en Italie. Division des affaires économiques et institutionnelles (Mai 2010).

Statistique Canada 2011.

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LES QUARTIERS DE MONTRÉAL

Ahuntsic, MontréalNord et Saint-Michel Entre mémoire et transitions démographiques le drapeau de Montréal arbore la fleur de lis, le chardon, la rose et le trèfle pour commémorer le legs des communautés francophone, écossaise, britannique et irlandaise, beaucoup d’immigrants italiens seraient d’avis qu’il faille sans doute aujourd’hui y ajouter un rameau d’olivier tant le rôle des Italiens fut important pour le développement de la métropole québécoise. Comme nous l’avons vu dans les quatre éditions précédentes, en l’espace d’une centaine d’années, la population italienne s’est dispersée à travers les différents quartiers de Montréal laissant sa trace un peu partout sur le territoire de la ville.

Avec le vieillissement de la communauté et l’intégration progressive de ses membres au sein de la société d’accueil, cette place s’effrite inexorablement dans plusieurs secteurs centraux au profit de nouveaux arrivants venus à leur tour profiter d’un avenir meilleur dans la Belle Province.

En 2006, selon les données de Statistique Canada, près de 87 % des quelques 300 000 personnes d’origine italienne du Québec se concentraient dans la région métropolitaine de Montréal. Plus de la moitié de cellesci (58,3 %) résidaient dans la région administrative de Montréal, contre 12,1 % en Montérégie et 11,5 % dans la région de Laval.

Bien que le coeur historique de la communauté se situe toujours dans la Petite-Italie, les quartiers de Saint-Léonard et Rivière-des-Prairies–Pointe-auxTrembles constituent aujourd’hui les réels bastions démographiques de la communauté ital-ienne, accueillant respectivement 18,4 % et 14,9 % de ses membres.

Les données de 2006 révèlent aussi que 8,6 % des Montréalais d’origine italienne résidaient toujours dans l’arrondissement de Villeray–Saint-Michel–ParcExtension, 8,0 % dans celui d’Ahuntsic-Cartierville et 7,9 % dans l’arrondissement de Montréal-Nord.

Intimement associés aux premiers emplois occupés par les Italiens débarqués à Montréal dans les années 1960, les quartiers ouvriers de Montréal-Nord, Ahuntsic et Saint-Michel ont longtemps abrité une portion importante des nouveaux immigrants italiens de l’après-guerre. Cherchant des logements abordables, ils se sont établis dans ce nouveau secteur qui avait pour coeur la paroisse de Madonna di Pompei, située au coin des rues Sauvé et Saint-Michel.

Telies des petites villes du mezzogiorno, ces secteurs étaient remplis d’épiceries et de services de proximité aux couleurs du tricolore italien. Giuseppe

Si

D’Alto, copropriétaire pendant 36 ans du supermarché Lido, au coin du boulevard Couture et de la 25e avenue, se souvient de l’atmosphère qui régnait dans les années 1960 et 1970: «C’était un coin rempli d’Italiens. C’était une zone nouvelle où les maisons n’étaient pas très dispendieuses. Mais tranquillement les gens ont commencé à partir au courant des années 1980 pour déménager dans des plexes semi-détachés et des bungalows à Saint-Léonard et RDP. Les gens voulaient quitter les maisons en rangée et les blocs appartements qu’ils jugeaient moins confortables. Les choses ont bien changé aujourd’hui. » D’Alto a lui-même dû se résigner à suivre la vague. Ce qu’il a finalement fait au début des années 2000, en vendant son commerce à des Vietnamiens qui ont converti le local en salon de coiffure.

Signe des temps, l’Italie qui occupait pendant des décénnies le premier rang comme pays de naissance des immigrants établis à Montréal, a finalement cédé le pas en 2011 à Haïti. Ce constat révélé par l’Enquête nationale auprès des ménages de 2011 de Statistique Canada résulte principalement du vieillissement de la population italienne de première génération. Entre 1996 et 2006, le nombre d’immigrants originaires d’Italie, recensé dans les arrondissements de Montréal, est passé de 59 170 à 49 240 personnes. Les plus importantes variations de cette population ont été enregistrées dans les arrondissements de Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie (-32 %), Villeray–SaintMichel–Parc-Extension (-31 %) et Côte-desNeiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce (-30 %). Dans la métropole, le nombre de personnes nées en Haïti s’élevait à 65 140 en 2011 contre 53 750 en 2006. Le flot des immigrants italiens s’est progressivement tari après 1971. Les données récentes de 2011 démontrent une moyenne annuelle de 500 nouveaux arrivants d’origine italienne, alors qu’on en recensait annuellement en moyenne huit fois plus de 1946 à 1978. Conjuguée à l’exil des Italiens de deuxième et troisième génération vers la banlieue, la disparition de la portion plus âgée de la communauté a progressivement contribué à la transformation au courant des dernières années des quartiers centraux historiquement habités par les Italiens. Ces changements signifient dans bien des cas l’effritement d’un tissu social et d’un sentiment de proximité qui traduit une transition démographique naturelle à l’image d’une communauté italienne en constante mutation.

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LOVE LETTERS

The Power of Love Letters Il Potere dell’Amore Le pouvoir des lettres d’amour Sonia Cancian

“Tutto il giorno non faccio altro che pensare a te! Quanto tempo debbo ancora aspettare prima che ti possa riabbracciare??”

« J’ai passé la journée entière à penser à toi! Combien de temps vais-je devoir patienter encore avant de pouvoir t’étreindre à nouveau?? »

“When you write, imagine that the first thing that your husband does upon returning home from work is check if there is any mail for him, and only upon seeing your handwriting does his fatigue pass.”

“Quando scrivi, pensa che tuo marito quando torna dal lavoro la prima cosa che fa guarda se c'è niente per lui, e solo al vedere la tua calligrafia, le passa la stanchezza.”

« Quand tu écris, imagine que la première chose que fait ton mari à son retour du travail c’est de vérifier s’il a reçu du courrier, et à la seule vue de ton écriture s’estompe toute sa fatigue. »

“I reread your last two letters. In them I find so much true love, so much affection, so much comfort in your words that you cannot imagine. They bring me everything I need to continue to love, to hope.”

“Ho riletto le tue due ultime lettere, trovo in esse tanto sincero amore e tanto affetto, tanto conforto dalle tue parole che non puoi immaginare, esse mi portano tutto ciò che mi occorre per poter ancora amare, ancora sperare.”

« J’ai relu tes deux dernières lettres.

Elles contiennent tant d’amour, tant d’affection, tant de réconfort dans tes paroles, tu ne peux pas t’imaginer.

Elles m’apportent tout ce dont j’ai besoin pour pouvoir continuer à aimer et espérer encore. »

these words hurdled before me on waferthin paper customarily used for airmail postal delivery in the 1940s and 1950s, I wondered about the power of love, the heightening of affections and words, and ultimately, the extraordinary telepathy that these etchings of the heart evoked for the letter writers.

“You won't find anything interesting in these letters,” I had been cautioned by a potential research participant prior to viewing a collection of letters. “But if you want to see them, I will lend them to you. There are about twenty pages.” It was my brother's birthday party and while the music played and friends and family cheered, Renzo had quietly confided to me about the letters that remained couched in the household cantina.

Several years before Renzo and his wife Ester had fallen in love and married, she had had a long distance relationship with a young man in Rome named Giordano.

In March 1957 when Ester had been compelled to leave her life in the Eternal city and join her older brothers in Montreal, Giordano had remained behind fuelled by the flaming hope of Ester's imminent return. It would not be so.

As I absorbed the emotional urgency with which the letters were penned, my mind drifted to the countless women and men who had been separated from their dear ones – fiancés, lovers, spouses – in Italy and

on appena queste parole mi si sono presentate dinnanzi su carta sottilissima usata di norma per la posta aerea negli anni ’40 e ’50, mi sono interrogata sul potere dell’amore, l’intensità degli affetti e delle parole, ed infine, sulla straordinaria telepatia che queste acqueforti del cuore hanno suscitato negli autori delle lettere.

“Non troverai niente d'interessante in queste lettere,” ero stata messa in guardia da un partecipante potenziale alla ricerca prima di esaminare una raccolta di lettere. “Ma se le vuoi vedere, te le farò avere, sono solo una ventina di fogli.” Era la festa di compleanno di mio fratello e mentre la musica suonava ed amici e parenti festeggiavano, Renzo mi aveva confidato sottovoce delle lettere rimaste nascoste nella cantina di famiglia. Pochi anni prima che Renzo e sua moglie Ester s’innamorassero e si sposassero, Ester aveva intrattenuto un rapporto a distanza con un giovane ragazzo chiamato Giordano. Era il marzo 1957, anno nel quale Ester era stata costretta a lasciare la sua vita nella città eterna per raggiungere i fratelli maggiori a Montreal. Giordano, dal canto suo, era rimasto indietro a Roma alimentato dall’ardente speranza di un imminente ritorno della sua amata. Non sarebbe andata cosi’.

Non appena recepita l’impellenza emotiva con la quale le lettere erano state scritte, la mia mente si è riv-

lors que ces mots défilent devant moi sur le fin papier communément utilisé pour la poste aérienne des années 1940 et 1950, je m’interroge sur le pouvoir de l’amour, sur l’intensité de l’affection et des paroles, et finalement, sur l’extraordinaire télépathie que ces eaux-fortes enflammées évoquent pour les auteurs de ces lettres. « Tu ne trouveras rien d’intéressant dans ces lettres », me prévenait un participant potentiel avant que j’étudie sa collection de lettres. « Mais si tu souhaites les voir, je peux te les prêter; il y en a une vingtaine. » C’était l’anniversaire de mon frère et alors que la musique résonnait et qu’amis et parents s’amusaient, Renzo s’est livré à moi à voix basse à propos des lettres restées cachées dans le sous-sol de la maison. Quelques années avant que sa femme Ester et lui ne se soient rencontrés et se soient mariés, elle avait entretenue une relation à distance avec un jeune homme nommé Giordano.

C’était en mars 1957, alors qu’Ester fut forcée de quitter sa vie dans la Ville éternelle pour rejoindre ses frères aînés à Montréal. Giordano, de son côté, dû rester sur place à Rome, habité par l’espoir brûlant de voir sa dulcinée lui revenir un jour.

Comme j’absorbais l’urgente émotion avec laquelle ces lettres avaient été écrites, mes pensées s’attardèrent

“I spend my entire day thinking of you!

How much time do I still need to wait before I can hold you again??”

As

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LOVE LETTERS Canada in the early years following the end of World War II. What was it like to feel so unconditionally loved yet so intensely apart? Did distance make their hearts grow fonder? Did separated couples ever reunite? As a scholar, I also thought about the challenges of unearthing extraordinary love stories told through letters.

How did these letters survive all this time?

Under what conditions? And, what can they reveal about the intersections of romantic love and immigration? The genre itself raised a panoply of questions around themes of literacy, print culture, gender, and acceptable forms of describing the affairs of the heart, not to mention the overarching need to fare bella figura (make a good impression) when the letter, in many ways, embodied their love.

Letters have historically been an object of acute fascination since antiquity. Public and private letters pertaining to family, business, spiritual, or personal and intimate matters have been vital to the communication of information. Yet, the elixir of letter writing has been, and remains, the love letter. Indeed, while many of us speculate that digital technologies have decidedly eclipsed the ancient art of letter writing, we should ask ourselves if the effect of a love letter is the same if sent by email, text, or other digital technologies. In other words, does technology matter in the way we express and understand romantic emotions?

And, what of immigrant letters?

Throughout my childhood, my father would often turn to his family’s letters tucked away in a dark-green carton luggage with which he had first crossed the Atlantic Ocean on the S.S. Argentina in December of 1951. Like other immigrants, he had carefully archived the thirty or so letters his parents had sent to him in the first years of his life in Canada. While these letters held a degree of interest to me, it was, upon visiting my grandmother Maria in Spilimbergo (Pordenone) in 1986 that my curiosity about letters, and especially love letters, was bolstered.

In the kitchen, under my grandmother’s observant gaze, I witnessed first-hand the romance that had imbued my grandparents as a young married couple. My grandfather Giovanni had immigrated to Amiens, France, to work in a cinder-brick factory shortly after their wedding in 1929. To stay in touch, they exchanged letters. With words, elegantly choreographed, thoughts, carefully allegorized, and endearments of love, delicately meditated, the letters stood neatly side by side in a white shoebox – never to be seen again.

No photograph was taken of that memorable moment shared between me and my grandmother. However, my grandfather’s closing words in the letters “tuo per sempre” (“forever yours”) remain firmly etched in the memory of my heart.

“Love letters straight from your heart, keep us so near while apart, I’m not alone in the night, when I have all the love that you write. I memorize every line, I kiss the name that you sign. And, darling, then I read again right from the start, love letters straight from your heart.” Much as the lyrics of Love Letters, a 1945 song recently relaunched by Diana Krall echo, love letters are more than instruments of nostalgic romance. In fact, there is far more to love letters than we might assume: the time, the attention, the effort required in conveying intimate thoughts and affections in a language we normally would not use in face-to-face conversations, the effect of paper touched by the hand of an absent lover, and the calligraphy, urgently unravelling a lover's most pressing concerns. All of these elements offer a constellation of meanings beyond words.

They represent a vital part of our humanity.

olta agli innumerevoli uomini e donne che erano stati separati dai propri cari – fidanzati, innamorati, sposi – in Italia e in Canada nei primi anni successivi alla fine della Seconda guerra mondiale. Com’era sentirsi amati così incondizionatamente ed essere tuttavia così profondamente divisi ? La distanza ha reso i loro cuori ancor più uniti? Si sono mai riunite le coppie separate?

In quanto studiosa, ho anche riflettuto sulle difficoltà del portare alla luce storie d’amore straordinarie narrate attraverso lettere. Come sono sopravvissute queste lettere al tempo? In quali condizioni? E cosa possono rivelare riguardo alle confluenze tra amore romantico e immigrazione? Il genere letterario stesso suscita una panoplia di domande riguardo argomenti quali alfabetismo, cultura stampata, genere, e forme accettabili nel descrivere gli affari del cuore, per non parlare del bisogno onnicomprensivo di fare bella figura quando la lettera, in molti modi, rappresenta l’unico legame con il tuo amore.

Le lettere sono storicamente oggetto di profondo interesse sin dall’antichità. Le lettere pubbliche e private riguardanti la famiglia, il lavoro, la sfera spirituale, o le questioni intime e personali sono fondamentali per trasmettere informazioni. Tuttavia, nella composizione delle lettere, la lettera d’amore è stata, e resta, la quintessenza. Pertanto, mentre molti di noi congetturano che le tecnologie digitali abbiano decisamente soppiantato l’arte antica della composizione delle lettere, dovremmo domandarci se l’effetto di una lettera d’amore sia lo stesso se inviata via e-mail, messaggio di testo o altre tecnologie digitali. In altre parole, la tecnologia conta nel modo in cui esprimiamo e comprendiamo le emozioni romantiche?

E cosa dire riguardo le lettere degli immigrati?

Durante l’infanzia, spesso mio padre tornava alle lettere di famiglia conservate in una valigia di cartone verde scuro con la quale aveva inizialmente traversato l’Oceano Atlantico sulla S.S. Argentina nel dicembre del 1951. Come altri immigrati, aveva custodito con cura le trenta lettere o giù di lì che i suoi genitori gli avevano spedito durante i suoi primi anni di vita in Canada. Sebbene questa corrispondenza suscitasse in me un certo interesse, è stato durante una visita a mia nonna Maria a Spilimbergo (Pordenone) nel 1986 che la mia curiosità riguardo le lettere, e specialmente le lettere d’amore, si è rafforzata. In cucina, sotto lo sguardo attento di mia nonna, sono stata testimone in prima persona dell’amore che si era sprigionato tra i miei nonni in qualità di giovani sposini. Mio nonno Giovanni era emigrato ad Amiens, Francia, per lavorare in una fabbrica di mattoni di cemento poco dopo il loro matrimonio nel 1929. Per rimanere in contatto, si scambiavano lettere. Con parole elegantemente presentate, pensieri attentamente allegorizzati, e vezzeggiativi d’amore, delicatamente ponderati, le lettere giacevano ordinatamente una accanto all’altra in una scatola di scarpe bianca – mai più rivista.

Non fu scattata alcuna fotografia di quel momento memorabile condiviso da me e mia nonna. Tuttavia, le parole di mio nonno a chiusura delle lettere “tuo per sempre” rimarranno saldamente impresse nei ricordi del mio cuore.

“Le lettere d’amore dritte dal tuo cuore, ci tengono tanto vicini mentre siamo lontani, non sono sola di notte, quando ho tutto l’amore che scrivi. Memorizzo ogni riga, bacio il nome con cui firmi. E, tesoro, poi leggo di nuovo dal principio, le lettere d’amore dritte dal tuo cuore.” Come recitano le parole di Love Letters, canzone del 1945 recentemente rilanciata da Diana Krall, le lettere d’amore sono più di uno strumento di romanticismo nostalgico. Infatti, c’è nelle lettere d’amore molto più di quanto si possa pensare: il tempo, l’attenzione, lo sforzo richiesto per trasmettere pensieri intimi ed affetto con un linguaggio che di norma non utilizzeremmo in conversazioni faccia a faccia; l’effetto della carta toccata dalla mano di un innamorato assente, e la calligrafia che svela insistentemente le sue preoccupazioni pressanti. Tutti questi elementi offrono una costellazione di significati che vanno ben oltre le parole. Rappresentano una parte vitale dell’umanità.

aux inombrables hommes et femmes qui furent séparés de leur douce moitiée – fiancé, amant, époux – en Italie et au Canada lors des années d’après-guerre. Comment était-ce de se sentir autant aimé, pourtant si éloigné? La distance contribua-t-elle a renforcer leur amour? Les couples séparés purent-ils finalement se réunir? Comme chercheure, j’étaits aussi préoccupée par la difficulté de déterrer d’extraordinnaires histoires d’amour couchées sur papier. Comment ces lettres ont-elles survécu si longtemps? Dans quelles conditions? Et que peuvent-elles nous révéler à propos des liens qu’entretiennent amour courtois et immigration? Le style en soi soulève toute une panoplie de questions associées aux thèmes de l’alphabétisation, de la culture de l’imprimé, de genre, et des formes acceptables employées pour décrire ses sentiments, sans oublier l’importance de fare bella figura (faire une bonne impression) lorsque la lettre constitue le seul gage de son amour.

Les lettres ont historiquement fait l’objet d’une profonde fascination depuis l’antiquité. Les lettres publiques et privées associées à la famille, aux affaires, à la sphère spirituelle, ou aux questions intimes et personelles, ont joué un rôle fondamental pour la transmission d’information. Toutefois, la quintessence des correspondances écrites a toujours été, et demeure, la lettre d’amour. En effet, alors qu’on pourrait croire en cette ère digitale que cette longue tradition ait été éclipsée, il serait opportun de se demander si l’effet d’une lettre d’amour demeure le même si celle-ci est envoyée par courriel, message texte ou par l’entremise de médias sociaux. En d’autres mots, les nouvelles technologies de communication influencent-elles la façon dont on exprime et ressent nos sentiments amoureux?

Qu’en est-il des lettres d’immigrants? Dans mon enfance, mon père regardait souvent ses lettres de familles conservées dans la valise de carton avec laquelle il avait traversé l’Atlantique pour la première fois à bord du S.S. Argentina en décembre 1951. Comme bon nombre d’immigrants, il a précieusement archivé la trentaine de lettres que ses parents lui avaient envoyé lors de sa première année au Canada. Alors que ces lettres soulevaient déjà chez moi un grand intérêt, c’est lors d’une visite chez ma grand-mère Maria à Spilimbergo (Pordenone) en 1986 que ma curiosité pour les lettres, et en particulier pour les lettres d’amour, se manifesta plus concrétement. Dans la cuisine, sous le regard attentif de ma grand-mère, je fus le témoin privilégié de l’amour naissant de mes grands-parents alors à peine marriés. Mon grand-père Giovanni avait immigré à Amiens, en France, pour travailler dans une briqueterie peu après leur marriage en 1929. Ils s’échangeaient des lettres pour maintenir contact. Avec des mots élégament chorégraphiés, des pensées remplies d’allégories, et des déclarations d’affection soigneusement méditées, les lettres reposaient précieusement les unes sur les autres dans une boîte à chaussures blanche – aujourd’hui à l’abri des regards.

Aucune photographie n’immortalisa ce moment mémorable partagé entre ma grand-mère et moi. Néanmoins, les derniers mots de mon grand-père au pied de ses lettres « tuo per sempre » (à toi pour toujours) demeurent fermement imprimés dans mon fort intérieur. « Ces lettres d’amour qui me touchent droit au coeur, nous maintiennent si proches malgré l’éloignement, je ne suis pas seule dans la nuit, lorsque j’ai avec moi tout l’amour de tes mots.

Je mémorise chaque ligne, j’embrasse le nom avec lequel tu les signes. Et, mon cher, je relis à nouveau du début, ces lettres d’amour qui me touchent droit au coeur. » Comme l’évoquent ces paroles de la chanson “Love Letters”, titre de 1945 récemment revisitée par Diana Krall, les lettres d’amour dépassent de loin la simple idée d’une romance nostalgique. En effet, les lettres d’amour incarnent bien plus que ça: le temps, l’attention, l’effort investi pour transmettre ses pensées intimes et son affection dans un langage auquel nous ne sommes pas accoutumés lors de simples tête-à-têtes, l’impact émotif associé au fait de toucher une feuille de papier incarnant l’être cher et la calligraphie, livrant fougueusement ses préoccupations les plus pressantes. Tous ces éléments contribuent à faire en sorte que ces lettres résonnent beaucoup plus fort que les seuls mots qu’elles contiennent. Elles représentent ainsi une part vitale de notre essence même en tant qu’humain.

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LOVE LETTERS

Photography by Vincenzo D’Alto

Antonietta Petris

Will You Remember Me? Ti ricorderai di me?

A love story across the continents Una storia d’amore al di sopra dei continenti

By Sonia Cancian

“My

adored Loris, today is Sunday, a Sunday that is filled with memories and nostalgia, the first Sunday that I am here in Canada. I have everything I need here, even today when I went to visit a friend of my father’s, I was given the red carpet treatment; the table was adorned with all of God’s blessings, every kind of delicacy was mine, but never, not even for an instant did I stop thinking of you, every passing minute reminded me of last Sunday, where we were, your face, still smiling and radiating with joy, a joy that imbues us only when we are together, when I thought of the distance that divides us, and as I think of it now, I feel my heart tightening into a knot, I become breathless, completely breathless! Oh! how much I love you, even here, yes, my darling, maybe even more so than when I was in Italy, because now I can appreciate even more your attributes, I know what treasure is mine, and the precious gem I would lose if I lost you, always be worthy, not of me, no, because I am no different from other women, I have my weaknesses and my strengths, my good and bad traits, be worthy of my love that is strong, as deep as the ocean, try to understand me, my darling, and love me forever, will you do this?”

Following two years of constant writing back and forth between the Carnian 20

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“M

io adorato Loris, oggi è domenica, una domenica piena di ricordi e nostalgia, la prima domenica che sono in Canada, ho tutto ciò di cui ho bisogno, anche oggi quando sono andata a trovare un amico di mio padre, sono stata accolta con il tappeto rosso; la tavola era imbandita con tutte le benedizioni di Dio, ogni tipo di prelibatezza era per me, ma mai, nemmeno per un istante ho smesso di pensarti, ogni minuto che passava mi ricordava della scorsa domenica, dov’eravamo, il tuo volto, ancora sorridente e radioso di gioia, una gioia che ci pervade solo quando siamo assieme, quando mi sono soffermata sulla distanza che ci divide, e mentre ci penso adesso, sento il cuore stringersi in una morsa, mi lascia senza fiato, completamente senza fiato! Oh! Quanto ti amo, anche qui, sì mio caro, forse ancor più di quanto facessi in Italia, perché adesso posso apprezzare ancor di più le tue qualità, conosco il mio tesoro, e la gemma preziosa che perderei se perdessi te, sii sempre degno, non di me, no, perché io non sono diversa dalle altre donne, ho le mie debolezze e le mie forze, i miei tratti buoni e cattivi, sii degno del mio amore che è forte, profondo quanto l’oceano, cerca di capirmi, mio caro, ed amami per sempre, lo farai?”

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LOVE LETTERS

town of Ampezzo, and Venice, a mere 200 km apart in northeastern Italy, Antonietta Dopo due anni d’incessante scrittura avanti e indietro tra la città di Ampezzo, Petris and Loris Palma were suddenly faced with an unprecedented obstacle: the deep Carnia, e Venezia, distanti solo 200 km l’una dall’altra nel Nord-Est d’Italia, Antonietta waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Never could they have imagined when they first met in Petris e Loris Palma improvvisamente si ritrovarono a fronteggiare un ostacolo imprevisthe summer of 1946 that their lives would be immersed in a love story that would span to: le acque profonde dell’Oceano Atlantico. Non avrebbero mai immaginato quando s’incontinents. Never could they have envisioned that migration would make a claim on contrarono per la prima volta nell’estate del 1946 che le loro vite sarebbero state assorbite one of them, and pull the other one over. The War was over, finally, and a feeling of da una storia d’amore che avrebbe abbracciato continenti. Non avrebbero mai immaginahope and euphoria abounded. Among the throngs of young men employed by the to che l’emigrazione avrebbe reclamato uno di loro, trascinandosi pure l’altro. La Guerra Società Adriatica di Elettricità (S.A.D.E.) to contribute to the final phase of la Diga del era finita, finalmente, ed abbondava un sentimento di speranza ed euforia. Tra le folle di Lumiei project (Europe’s highest dam), bordering Ampezzo, was Loris Palma, temgiovani assunti dalla Società Adriatica di Elettricità (S.A.D.E.) per contribuire alla fase porarily assigned to the region. During one of the nightly walks with friends and cofinale del progetto per la Diga del Lumiei (la diga più alta d’Europa), al confine con workers along Ampezzo’s main street Via Nazionale, Loris’s gaze caught sight of a Ampezzo, vi era Loris Palma, temporaneamente assegnato all’area. Durante una delle beautiful young woman, Antonietta Petris, the woman who would become the protagpasseggiate serali con amici e colleghi lungo il corso principale di Ampezzo, via onist of his life.

Nazionale, lo sguardo di Loris notò una bella giovane, “Imagine, my dear Antonietta, how I must feel, Antonietta Petris, la donna che sarebbe diventata la OUR COVER so far away from you, as I longingly look back to our protagonista della sua vita. “Immagina, mia cara hours together,” confided Loris in Udine on his way to Antonietta, come devo sentirmi, così lontano da te, Venice. While Antonietta was moved by such heartfelt quando ripenso con nostalgia alle nostre ore assieme,” words, she worried that the city of Venice would lead confidò Loris ad Udine sulla strada per il ritorno a him astray from her affections: “Now you are in Venezia. Sebbene toccata da simili parole affettuose, Venice, your magnificent city, where everything Antonietta si preoccupava che la città di Venezia lo speaks of love, where one truly lives, will you rememavrebbe distolto dai propri sentimenti: “Adesso che sei ber me now?” She asked him not to forget her – a Venezia, la tua meravigliosa città, dove tutto parla “Write to me often, very often, tell me what you do, d’amore, dove uno vive davvero, ti ricorderai di me where you go, and I will do the same.” While their ora?” Gli chiese di non scordarla:“Scrivimi spesso, hearts, bodies, and souls yearned for an imminent molto spesso, dimmi cosa fai, dove vai ed io farò lo reunion, family and work obligations required them stesso.” Mentre i loro cuori, corpi ed anime bramavano to be apart for several months at a time. To help per un ricongiungimento imminente, la famiglia e i cement their relationship, the couple was formally doveri del lavoro imposero loro di stare separati molti engaged a few months later. On this occasion, both of mesi alla volta. Per contribuire a consolidare il proprio their parents met in Ampezzo – all except Antonietta’s rapporto, la coppia si fidanzò ufficialmente un paio di father who had not seen his family since 1928 when mesi dopo. In quell’occasione, i genitori di entrambi he immigrated to France, and from there, to the s’incontrarono ad Ampezzo – tutti ad eccezione del Islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon, and then to padre di Antonietta che non vedeva la famiglia dal Montreal, Canada.

1928 quando era emigrato in Francia, e, da lì, alle isole The story of Antonietta Petris and Loris Palma di St. Pierre e Miquelon, e infine a Montreal, Canada. takes us from a rather ordinary love story of a young La storia di Antonietta Petris e Loris Palma ci couple falling in love at the end of the Second World porta dalla storia d’amore piuttosto ordinaria di una War to an extraordinary love story that unfolds amid giovane coppia innamorata alla fine della Seconda words of longing, resilience, music, and migration guerra mondiale, alla straordinaria storia d’amore che across long distances and time. Their letters allow us si svela lentamente tra desiderio, flessibilità, musica ed to pry open the intimate worlds of migrants and their emigrazione oltre il tempo e le lunghe distanze. Le loro loved ones as viewed and contextualized in their perlettere ci consentono di scoperchiare il mondo intimo Loris Palma and Antonietta Petris, late 1940s sonal letters written solely for one another. The letters degli immigrati e dei loro cari osservati e contestualizare part of a large private collection composed of roughly 450 love letters written zati nelle loro lettere personali scritte esclusivamente per l’altro. Le lettere appartengono between 1946 and 1949. Remarkably, both sides of the correspondence have been pread un’ampia collezione privata che conta circa 450 lettere d’amore scritte tra il 1946 e il served for nearly seventy years – a rare phenomenon that is compounded by the cou1949. Straordinariamente, la corrispondenza da entrambe le parti si è conservata per ple’s immigration to Canada, their return to Italy, and their final trek to Canada in the quasi settant’anni – un fenomeno raro caratterizzato dall’emigrazione in Canada della early 1960s. They are intimate letters written by two prolific individuals whose intercoppia, il loro ritorno in Italia, e il lungo viaggio finale in Canada nei primi degli anni est in reading, writing, Italian opera, and the world around them contribute to shedSessanta. Sono lettere intime scritte da due individui prolifici il cui interesse per la lettura, ding light on the cultural-historical cosmologies that surrounded them. la scrittura, l’Opera italiana e il mondo circostante ha contribuito a far luce sulle prospetAs Antonietta’s and Loris’s daily correspondence intensified, “life will smile upon tive storico-culturali che li circondavano. us,” declared Antonietta. They dreamed of being married and living in Venice “where Dato che la corrispondenza giornaliera tra Antonietta e Loris s’intensificava, “la vita we will have our little home, and our beautiful baby,” and La Fenice where they would ci sorriderà,” dichiarò Antonietta. Sognavano di sposarsi e vivere a Venezia “dove avremo have within reach the opportunity to attend their favourite operas. Fate, however, had la nostra casetta e il nostro bel bambino,” e La Fenice dove avrebbero avuto l’opportunità other plans. di assistere alle loro opere preferite. Il destino, tuttavia, aveva altri piani.

In the span of a year or so, Antonietta was faced with the opportunity of joining Nel giro di un anno o giù di lì, ad Antonietta si profilò l’opportunità di raggiungere her father in Montreal with her mother. During this period, Loris was called for miliil padre a Montreal assieme alla madre. Durante questo periodo, Loris fu chiamato per il tary service and wrote, “my thoughts are only for you, only you, my little darling, you servizio militare e scrisse: “i miei pensieri sono solo per te, solo per te, mia piccola cara, who worries over me, and wonders what will become of me.” tu che ti preoccupi per me, e ti chiedi che cosa ne sarà di me.”

Excitement and trepidation infused their lives. Yet, resilience, patience, and optiEuforia e trepidazione alimentarono le loro esistenze. Tuttavia, flessibilità, pazienza mism prevailed even in the face of extraordinary distance, “You will come here, my ed ottimismo prevalsero anche dinnanzi alla distanza notevole. “Verrai qui, Loris. Loris,” urged Antonietta in her letter, “You will come because I want you here, without scrisse Antonietta in una lettera – Verrai qui perché ti voglio qui, senza di te la mia vita è you my life is so empty!” così vuota!”

Life in 1948 Montreal brought change, adventure and familiar ways. Antonietta La vita nel 1948 a Montreal portò cambiamento, avventura e abitudini. Antonietta took English classes, worked in a garment factory, attended dances at the Casa d’Italia, frequentò corsi d’inglese, lavorò in una fabbrica d’abbigliamento, andò a balli alla Casa movies, and theatre, spent time with friends, attended mass, marvelled at the magic of d’Italia, al cinema, a teatro; trascorse del tempo con gli amici, andò a messa, si meravigliò street lights and the enormity of department stores, and tolerated the frigid winters. dinnanzi alla magia delle luci delle strade ed alla maestosità dei grandi magazzini, tollerò Ultimately, it was the silence from Loris, the long delays between the letters received gli inverni rigidi. In sostanza, furono il silenzio di Loris e lunghi ritardi tra le lettere riceand delivered that was unbearable. As Antonietta defiantly wrote on May 8, 1949, “I vute e recapitate ad essere intollerabili. Come audacemente scrisse Antonietta l’8 maggio restlessly waited all of this week for your letter. You can just imagine. I would call my 1949: “Ho atteso impazientemente una tua lettera tutta la settimana. Puoi solo immagmamma every day at my break to find out if there was something for me, but the inare. Ho chiamato la mia mamma ogni giorno durante la pausa per sapere se ci fosse answer was always no. Yes, I received the letter you sent me from Ampezzo with a 15qualcosa per me, la risposta è sempre stata no. Sì, ho ricevuto la lettera che mi hai spediday delay from the other letter, and then nothing. What happened? Tell me what I to da Ampezzo con 15 giorni di ritardo rispetto all’altra lettera, e poi nulla. Cos’è successhould be thinking. Or do you want me to go crazy?” so? Dimmi cosa dovrei pensare. O mi vuoi fare impazzire?”

As immigration became an avenue of change and opportunity for millions of Poiché l’immigrazione divenne una via verso il cambiamento e l’opportunità per Italians (over 27 million) over the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, countless milioni d’italiani (oltre 27 milioni) durante il diciannovesimo e ventesimo secolo, innucouples – courting, engaged, and married – were separated, and many of them merevoli coppie – che si corteggiavano, fidanzate, e sposate – vennero separate, e molte penned their thoughts and affections in letters. What survives of these letters and di loro impressero i propri pensieri e il proprio affetto su lettere. Ciò che sopravvive di the extraordinary stories they unravel remains to be discovered. queste lettere e le storie straordinarie che queste svelano resta da scoprire.

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ADVERTORIAL

Zinman Marché de Volailles Montreal’s friendly neighbourhood meat emporium

By Katia Jean Paul

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estled on a quiet stretch of St. Dominique Street in Little Italy, Zinman Marché de Volailles is a meat lover’s dream. To pull open its glass doors and enter this pristine specialty shop is to step into a mecca where fresh foods and farm-to-table fare are king. Poultry, meat and game, alongside oils and cheeses imported from Italy line its plentiful display cases and shelves while friendly and knowledgeable staff are at the ready to help patrons with requests, big and small. Sabrina Guarascio’s meat emporium is ostensibly modern but its old-world charm and the bygone neighbourly shopping experience it fosters go way back.

Some 40 years before Ms. Guarascio, president, would take the helm, Zinman was a Jewish-owned slaughterhouse servicing the Montreal area. After immigrating to Canada from Calabria, a mountainous region in Southern Italy, Ms. Guarascio’s father, Luigi Guarascio, began working for the family-owned business.

“They had him cleaning the cages while the live chickens were being delivered,” says Ms. Guarascio. Despite speaking neither French or English, let alone Hebrew, the young Italian immigrant, edified by several stints in local butcher shops and his own experience as a shop owner back home, quickly learned the ropes, picking up both languages and functional Hebrew along the way. Before long, Mr. Guarascio was selling poultry directly to clients. “My father is very personable,” says Ms. Guarascio. “You can be the Prime Minister of Canada or a janitor in a school, and he’ll make you feel like God.” After Zinman, Mr. Guarascio went on to open his own butcher shop in St. Michel. St. Michel Chicken Market became a popular destination, and Mr. Guarascio, the go-to guy for fresh, quality poultry. “He was known as Luigi the chicken guy,” says Ms. Guarascio. During this time, the passing of some, retirement of others and children uninterested in the family business found the two remaining partners at Zinman looking to their former employee to take the reins. Under Mr. Guarascio’s ownership, the slaughterhouse continued to thrive, furnishing local shops and markets with fresh poultry slaughtered daily while staying true to its roots, right down to its Jewish moniker. “My father wanted to honour his former bosses and at the same time keep the name for its reputation,” says Ms. Guarascio. However, on July 17, 1999, a fire ravaged the storied fixture on St. Dominique Street. Adding to the sour turn of events, two months later, Mr. Guarascio, then 59, suffered a debilitating heart attack. While the prognosis wasn’t favourable, Mr. Guarascio applied the same dedication that saw him excel in the food industry to his recuperation. During his convalescence, the patriarch continued to oversee things from his hospital bed as his wife Iole Rusotto, Ms. Guarascio and her husband Enrico Sasso kept things going at Zinman, which since the fire, was operating from a small storage space salvaged from the ruins. This 24

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included Sasso driving to and from the slaughterhouse in Drummonville where they source poultry nightly for several years. It’s now been almost five years since Mr. Guarascio and his kin rebuilt Zinman into the retail and wholesale emporium it is today. In addition to its signature produce, the specialty shop now offers all manner of meat and game – think beef, partridge and veal – as well as fresh sausage, all of which, like its vegetable grain-fed poultry, remain free of hormones, steroids and animal by-products. “My father has always been a firm believer in natural grain-fed and vegetable grain-fed poultry,” says Ms. Guarascio. “It’s been that way for over 40 years.”

A one stop-shop, the revamped boutique also offers locally made spices, garnishes and even tableware, alongside seasonal meats and specialty items like Panettone. The novelties come from Ms. Guarascio, who given carte blanche by her father who’s since taken a backseat, applied her marketing background to capitalize on the potential of the new space. At the wholesale level, Zinman not only services independent shops but restaurants, hotels and chains across Quebec and Ontario.

Aside from Ms. Guarascio, Russotto who oversees administration, Sasso, sales and purchases and more recently, her brother Luca Guarascio, who is earning his stripes by learning the business from the inside out like Ms. Guarascio once did, Zinman counts a total of 20 employees. However, judging by the warm atmosphere and the friendly banter, they may as well be part of the brood. “It’s a family-run business with family values,” she says. “We treat our employees as family.”

What’s next for Zinman? Ms. Guarascio plans to celebrate the store’s fifth anniversary with a revamp, while in-store tastings and chef demonstrations will soon follow.

Despite such big plans, Ms. Guarascio’s goal is to remain small and at the service of her loyal clientele. “We don’t want to go too big,” she says. “You lose quality and control when you go big. To me, good service is the key to success.”

Poulet . Lapin . Boeuf . Veau . Porc . Agneau . Saucisse Maison Venez voir nos bouchers maitrisés

7010 St-Dominique Montreal, QC H2S 3B7 Tel. 514-277-4302 Fax. 514-277-1553

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BABIES

Mommy Confidential How stay-at-home moms and moms who work from home can maintain a sense of self – and their sanity – while raising a family

By Sara Germanotta

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hen Panoram Italia editor, Gabriel Riel-Salvatore, asked me to do a piece on stay-at-home moms and moms who work from home, I jumped at the opportunity. It’s a subject I know a bit about. Last year, after more than a decade of working as a journalist for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), I gave up a permanent, full-time job that I loved to stay at home and take care of my two young sons. It’s one of the toughest decisions I've ever had to make. I was torn between the need to raise my kids and wholly be there for them in every way and my hard-earned career. I chose to put my professional dreams on hold so I could be the constant for my children. It was the right decision for my family and I am blessed to be able to spend so much time with my little guys. But I’d be lying if I say that my ego didn’t take a hit; I didn’t realize until I gave it all up how much of my sense of self was connected to my career. Being a stay-at-home parent, or one who works out of the home, can be a pretty thankless job sometimes - the hours are long, the pay stinks. But, the rewards are immeasurable if you can keep from losing yourself in the never-ending demands of motherhood.

In Canada, the most recent numbers show that one in five couples have one employed parent and one stay-at-home parent, according to Statistics Canada.

The majority of stay-at-home parents are women, although more and more fathers are stepping up to the plate as well. In 2011, 12 per cent of Canadian fathers chose to stay home with their children. As well, a recent public opinion poll from the Institute of Marriage and Family Canada found that 76% of Canadians believe that children under six should be at home with a parent.

Loneliness & Isolation Jessica Gallant says being a stay-at-home mom was not part of her life plan; it just sort of happened: “After the birth of my child, my life changed – as it does for every parent. But for me everything I thought I knew about the world, and my place and role in it, changed,” explains the 38-year-old. “When my maternity leave was coming to an end, I was not ready, emotionally, to go back to 26

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work full-time. I had an overwhelming desire to stay home with my daughter and actively participate in her development.”

Gallant and her husband, Johnny Macri, decided that she would leave her job as a Social Engagement adviser for a large Canadian retail company and hold down the fort at home while he would continue his career as creative director of marketing for Cirque du Soleil. Gallant says the benefits of being a stayat-home parent are numerous, but there are some challenges as well. “For me, the biggest challenge is the isolation. At this point, my social life pretty much revolves around my husband’s friends and co-workers and there are moments where I feel almost invisible,” admits Gallant. “There are so many times when everyone is sharing stories of exciting projects they are working on, people they are meeting, places they get to travel to, and I feel left out. People do not naturally question what I do on a daily basis. What I do is almost a conversation closer,” she says.

Feelings of loneliness and boredom are a big issue for many stay-at-home moms. Rosangela Chiarappa is a psychologist and certified life coach. She offers these tips to break the isolation: Keep in contact with old friends. Organize a meet up for coffee or keep in touch by phone if getting together proves difficult. This way you will feel in the loop.

Make a plan to get out of the house every day. Take a walk with the baby, run errands or volunteer at your kid’s school.

Keep active with your interests and hobbies. Being a stay-at-home mom does not change who you are, so make the time to keep doing what you love.

Guilt Another issue for many stay-at-home moms and parents who work from home is finding time for themselves. Sometimes even taking a shower or going to the bathroom without an audience is a luxury. It’s a challenge Melissa Gentile is often faced with. The 27-year-old has two children – six year-old Enzo and five-

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BABIES month-old Elena. She is also a real estate agent who works from home. “It is difficult to find time for myself. My time is usually when I get my nails done or relax in my bath,” laughs Gentile. “Spending time and taking care of my family is my number one priority and I would feel too guilty taking that time away for me and not giving it to my kids. My time will eventually come.”

But psychologist Rosie Chiarappa says it’s essential for stay-at-home parents to put aside feelings of guilt: “Take care of yourself. This is not a luxury but rather a necessity. If you put your health at risk you will not be able to care for your family the way you want,” she explains. “Put aside feelings of guilt; they serve no purpose.”

“

I've lost a bit of my partner, I've lost a bit of who I am as a professional woman. And I'm okay with that for now because I know that one day Alerio won't need me the way he needs me now.

“

Losing yourself Vicki Odorico is a part-time Sociology teacher at John Abbott College. She works two days a week and spends the rest of her time at home with her 17month-old son, Alerio. Odorico and her husband, Montreal comedian Franco Taddeo, decided early on that they did not want to put Alerio in daycare.

Although going back to work part-time has allowed Odorico to keep her footing on her career, the 34-year-old says she sometimes struggles to keep up: “In terms of being a woman and a wife, I've definitely lost part of myself,” admits Odorico. “My priority has been Alerio and sometimes it's a little disheartening and frustrating to know that I've lost myself, I've lost a bit of my partner, I've lost a bit of who I am as a professional woman. And I'm okay with that for now because I know that one day Alerio won't need me the way he needs me now.”

For her part, Chiarappa says self-esteem issues often come up when women allow their roles as mothers to supersede everything else. She says it's important for stay-at-home moms – and mothers in general – to avoid falling into this trap: “This myth of the supermom is unrealistic. If your expectations are unrealistic you will set yourself up for disappointment and feelings of inadequacy.”

She continues, “It is ok to be imperfect. Your children will be fine if one night you order a pizza because you're tired, or hire a babysitter and have a date night with your husband to reconnect. Give yourself permission to breathe and remember there is no shame in seeking help.”

Beaucoup plus qu’un boucher So much more than a butcher

♥♥♥

♥♥♥

Boucherie Capitol MTL. ( Marché Jean-Talon ) 158, Place Marché du Nord Montréal ( Québec ) H2S 1A1 Tél: 514 276-1345 Fax: 514 274-0410

www.boucheriecapitol.com PANORAMITALIA.COM

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BABIES OF THE YEAR

Babies of the Year 2014 I neonati dell’anno 2014

1-Rudy Leandro Trubiano February 11, 2014 Tania Simoncelli & Yann Trubiano

2-Aryana Khosla Simoncelli March 28, 2014 Rina Khosla & Daniel Simoncelli

3-Giuliano Renato Cavalluzzi January 22, 2014 Cinzia Marcovecchio & Nicola Cavalluzzi

7-Téa Rose Campione April 5, 2014 Jessica Asselin & Joey Campione

8-Danaka Carosielli November 13, 2014 Annette Vaccaro & Marco Carosielli

9-Joseph Fiorenzo Moshopoulos May 26, 2014 Melanie Nardozza & Alex Moshopoulos

13-Lily Giovanna Dolce August 2, 2014 Émilie Gagnon Thibault & Jason Dolce

14-Stefano Antonio Cicora October 24, 2014 Loredana Romanelli & Giulio Cicora

19-Giuliano Dante Farinaccio September 10, 2014 Carla Boyling & Giovanni Farinaccio

20-Matteo Ciocca July 29, 2014 Marie-Josée Lamy & Raffaele Ciocca

25-Vittoria Anna Argento March 9, 2014 Jennifer Silva & Rio Argento

26-Eva Lilly Racanelli August 28, 2014 Stephanie Passucci & Gianni Racanelli

5-Jasmine Rodi July 20, 2014 Danielle Bouffard & Lucas Rodi

6-Noah Henri Oldfield May 5, 2014 Melissa Mastrocola & Tom Oldfield

10-Philip James Boscato May 4, 2014 Sophia Panayotidis & Michael Boscato

11-Reigna Reis Macri June 16, 2014 Veronica Reis & Nicodemo Macri

12-Luca Gauthier June 16, 2014 Tanya D'Amico & Brian Gauthier

16-Sofia Teresa Maria Goffredo March 25, 2014 Marilina Ruscitti & Raffaele Goffredo

17-Simona Baratta February 17, 2014 Tanya Cella & Carmine Baratta

18-Ava Ally Fox May 2, 2014 Nadia Farinaccio & Andrew Fox

21-Dalia Rose Di Iorio August 4, 2014 Melissa Miglialo & Gabriele Di Iorio

22-Viviana Grace Galasso June 13, 2014 Nadia Stellato & Vince Galasso

23-Giuliano Pigafetta September 14, 2014 Maria Cerone & Giovanni Pigafetta

24-Emma Luisa Colatosti September 7, 2014 Emily Antonucci & Dino Colatosti

27-Ginevra Lo Verso July 21, 2014 Josie Cammisano & Maurizio Lo Verso

28-Camila Cirrincione May 20, 2014 Tania Di Zazzo & Joe Cirrincione

29-Livia Lozza June 21, 2014 Marie-Pier Therrien & Lino Lozza

30-Alexander Bruno November 8, 2014 Giovanna Lancellotta & Giorgio Di Lillo

15-Emma Santeusanio May 6, 2014 Melissa Spinelli & Mike Santeusanio

4-Adrian Mancini-Bevilacqua February 6, 2014 Maggie Mancini & Tommy Bevilacqua

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31-Anthony Gabriele Gennarelli November 4, 2014 Pina Grandillo & Gabriele Gennarelli

32-Sienna Veronica Pitacciato July 11, 2014 Claudia Aragona & Anthony Pitacciato

37-Sofia & Rayan Mahboobi September 25, 2014 Darlene Jaja & Ali Mahboobi

42-Luca Michele Cefaloni October 26, 2014 Julia Sciscente & Michael Cefaloni

43-Milan Anthony Niro October 30, 2013 Mary Marcangione & Tony Niro

33-Tristano Missori November 20, 2014 Sabrina Di Iorio & Massimo Missori

34-Thomas Kastrantas August 5, 2014 Laura Vena & Billy Kastrantas

35-Romeo Hart Cucuzzella Leal February 4, 2014 Francine Cucuzzella & Rui Leal

36-Natalia Donatella Calla November 16, 2014 Lucia Iacovelli & Marco Calla

38-Vasco Gazzaruso January 2, 2014 Elisa Argondizzo & Fabio Gazzaruso

39-Serena Botros May 29, 2014 Carmelina Sciascia & Robert Botros

40-Sandy Rose Bentivegna July 16, 2014 Rosalie Sciascia & Anthony Bentivegna

41-Alessia Beatrice Beltrano March 3, 2014 Tammy Karawi Beltrano & Patrizio Beltrano

44-Gabriella Christine De Minico September 6, 2014 Adrianna Guerrera & Carlo De Minico

45-Sophia Jarrouche July 22, 2014 Melania Cartillone & George Jarrouche

46-Olivia Mambro May 3, 2014 Laura Saviano & Carmine Mambro

47-Sofia Costantino December 12, 2014 Michelle Marchese & David Costantino

48-Melina Ida Arduini June 13, 2014 Assunta Forte & Giuseppe Arduini

49-Olivia Santori October 5, 2014 AmĂŠlie Gosselin & Alex Santori

51-Giordano Rossi November 20, 2014 Melissa Cannavino & Mike Rossi

54-Julian Ruggeri July 9, 2014 Shanel Leger & Benedetto A. Ruggeri

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52-Matteo David Gallucci September 30, 2014 Melanie Funk & Arthur Gallucci

55-Letizia Galve September 2, 2014 Ada Nazzari & Carlos Galve

50-Serena Vardaro Lalonde November 7, 2014 Josie Vardaro & Eric Lalonde

53-Luca John Ruggeri September 1, 2014 Jessica Visconti & Rosario A. Ruggeri

56-Evan Caswell October 31, 2014 Rosa Rossi & Matthew Caswell

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58-Mia Cadia De Palma November 17, 2014 Rosemary Iafigliola & David De Palma

59-Camila Cirrincione May 20, 2014 Tania Di Zazzo & Joe Cirrincione

60-Olivia Rose Caporicci June 3, 2014 Sylvie Beaudin & Nando Caporicci

61-Marciano Riti July 13, 2014 Enza Iacono & Stefano Riti

62-Daniella Marie Notarangelo March 6, 2014 Pamela Nocella & Robert Notarangelo

63-David Palma September 26, 2014 Christine St-Pierre & Patrick Palma

64-Giada Lombardi October 16, 2014 Melissa Pezzullo & Joe Lombardi

65-Emma Carmela Stivaletta September 30, 2014 Antonella D'Angelo & Fernando JR Stivaletta

66-Stefano Joseph Capraro January 10, 2014 Elisa Mucciacciaro & Vittorio Capraro

67-Gisele Lebel September 24, 2014 Cynthia De Sanctis & Eric Lebel

68-Fabrizio Longo Koufos July 7, 2014 Alessia Longo & George Koufos

69-Gemma Barone-Tiberio February 4, 2014 Carmela Barone & Nunzio Tiberio

70-Alessio Angelo Marguglio March 20, 2014 Vanessa Giancioppi & Roberto Marguglio

71-Massimo Malacria September 19, 2014 Virginia Parente & Luigi Malacria

57-Leo Ciarlo May 15, 2014 Tania Decobellis & Johnny Ciarlo

72-Eva Caruso May 11, 2014 Sabrina Della Sala & Fabio Caruso

73-Michael Lapolla February 2, 2014 Francesca Accardi & Anthony Lapolla

74-Milena Nicolina Di Iorio August 1, 2014 Sabrina Cavallaro & Anthony Di Iorio

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BABIES OF THE YEAR

75-Fabiano Amato June 25, 2014 Vanessa Antonacci & Vincenzo Amato

76-Nicolas Luongo June 10, 2014 Tonia Theodorou & Carmen Luongo

77-Michael Miroslav Carozza November 8, 2014 Kristina Moraru & David Carozza

78-Delia May Fabrizio May 31, 2014 Lisa Montesano & Dino Fabrizio

79-Sofia Pisano March 3, 2014 Maria Gesualdi & Stephane Pisano

80-Fiorella Mariano August 7, 2014 Constance Trepanier & Domenico Mariano

81-Leo D'Onofrio July 23, 2014 Tanya De Nardis & Biagio D'Onofrio

82-Mia Romano September 7, 2014 Tina Gallo & Michael Romano

83-Kassia Elsa Cinquino July 16, 2014 Grace Petrucci & Antonio Cinquino

84-Giuliano Fortino November 22, 2014 Teresa Broccolini & Danny Fortino

85-James Tarantino July 19, 2014 Jennifer Tarantino & James Tarantino

86-Marianna Addesso September 3, 2014 Lina Vincelli & Vince Addesso

87-Alessandro Mormina January 23, 2014 Lia Mezzacappa & Anthony Mormina

88-Olivia Anita Della Neve October 2, 2014 Elysia Pietracupa & Alessandro Della Neve

89-Sienna Marlowe Bisecco December 15, 2014 Mena Vitelli & Riccardo Bisecco

90-Donato Broccolini III February 21, 2014 Eliana Freitas & Donato Broccolini

91-Theo Bisceglia June 11, 2014 Irina Ionescu & Giancarlo Bisceglia

92-Leah Anne Hugron February 17, 2014 Erica Ferrara & Pascal Hugron

93-Dante D'Abramo April 21, 2014 Daniela Colafabio & Joe D'Abramo

94-Mila Antonia Zampini July 7, 2014 Carmy Ippolito & Johnny Zampini

95-Olivia Nastatos June 3, 2014 Lucia Cartillone & Jerry Nastatos

96-Massimo Nicola Catanzaro July 4, 2014 Debora Mortelliti & Pino Catanzaro

97-Mila Rosa Subrani August 9, 2014 Tanya Luongo & Franco Subrani

98-Vincenzo Nicola Sollazzo August 10, 2014 Maria Cinelli & Joe Sollazzo

99-Adriano Ellis Valiquette November 6, 2014 Marisa Falco & Andre Valiquette

100-Simona Ventola May 31, 2014 Concettina Fusco & Mike Ventola

102-Matteo Iozzo May 13, 2014 Sofia Quaresma & Carlo Iozzo

103-Isabella Splendora Della Ripa August 19, 2014 Lisa Bruni & Eric Della Ripa

104-Raffael Longo December 8, 2014 Adriana Giannini & Nicholas Longo

105-Elisa Alexandra Tortorici January 15, 2014 Claudia Calderon & Giuseppe Tortorici

106-James Sivilla July 29, 2014 Sonia D'Addario & Andrew Sivilla

108-Joseph Ragusa November 18, 2014 Victoria Bartoszewicz & Domenico Ragusa

109-Driano John Costanzo November 18, 2014 Jessica Perrotta & Gianluca Costanzo

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101-Alessio Anthony Pellegrino September 28, 2014 Nadia Longo & Anthony Pellegrino

107-Cristiano Carmosino January 24, 2014 Gina Sasso & Antonio Carmosino

110-Riccardo Vincenzo Di Cesare May 7, 2014 Melanie Manna & Roberto Di Cesare

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BABIES OF THE YEAR

111-Oliver Charlie Di Maulo May 27, 2014 Christina Chilelli & Vincent Di Maulo

112-Sabrina Sgrignuoli December 17, 2014 Angela Micciche & Jason Sgrignuoli

117-Gaetano Vassetta September 28, 2014 Cinzia Mendicino & Pietro Vassetta

118-Michele De Stefano July 12, 2014 Emilia Vinci & Salvatore De Stefano

122-Milo Cardillo November 13, 2014 Daniela Mercadante & Jonathan Cardillo

123-Siena Fusco March 1, 2014 Carla De Fazio & Sergio Fusco

113-Katia Bruna Santana January 1, 2014 Jackie Iannotti & Roberto Santana

114-Antonio Campopiano April 4, 2014 Genevieve Chevalier & Rossano Campopiano

119-Giada & Carlo Foschi June 23, 2012 February 2, 2014 Anna Maria Cataldo & Enrico Foschi

124-Layla Ariana Muro December 7, 2014 Claudia Lo Cascio & Angelo Muro

125-Vittorio D'Elia May 3, 2014 Julie-Anne Moreau & Maurizio D'Elia

115-Marcello Palermo November 14, 2014 Tiziana Iannone & Enzo Palermo

116-Alessia Grace Bijian September 16, 2014 Claudia D'Abramo & Krikor Bijian

120-Giulio Valela April 17, 2014 Cristina Baranello & James Valela

121-Ariana Faith Subrani June 10, 2014 Soula Giannopoulos & Rino Subrani

126-Laura Sofia Martino August 1, 2014 Laura Aranda & John Martino

127-Biagio Rino Granata July 10, 2014 Connie Comerci & Jonathan Granata

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BABIES OF THE YEAR

128-Lorenzo Fonicolo January 12, 2014 Diane Viveiros & Biagio Fonicolo

129-Mason Lucca D'Amato Germain November 12, 2014 Tanya D’Amato & Thierry Germain

130-Luca Furgiuele August 19, 2014 Anna Esposito & Marcello Furgiuele

131-Serena Giglia December 4, 2014 Rosie Fata & Carlo Giglia

134-Fabiano Nicola Volpicella March 10, 2014 Maria Villani & Nick Jr Volpicella

135-Loredana Di Minno April 11, 2014 Enza D'Adderio & Antonio Di Minno

136-Giada Nunes June 17, 2014 Claudia Maiolo & Michael Nunes

137-Rebecca Marie Carlomusto December 6, 2014 Laura Maiolo & Luigi Carlomusto

139-Adriano Severino Teoli March 24, 2014 Ivana Di Menna & Vincenzo Teoli

140-Charlotte Esposito September 14, 2014 Jennifer Conforti & Robert Esposito

141-Alexa Esposito November 7, 2014 Andrea Honiges & Danny Esposito

142-Julia Armerinda Polacco-Romero May 21, 2014 Stephanie Polacco & Rafael Romero

132-Kayla Zaccheo February 16, 2014 Melinda & Giovanni Zaccheo

133-Stefano Giuseppe Mathieu August 3, 2014 Sonia Marchica & Steven Mathieu

138-Adamo & Stefano Iaizzo May 1, 2014 Laura Piro & Lino Iaizzo

143-Elisia Luscri July 16, 2014 Nadia Di Sano & Dominic Luscri

144-Ryan Lucas Calitri May 27, 2014 Analisa Calitri

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BABIES OF THE YEAR

145-Julia Katie Montaleone February 18, 2014 Tony Monts & Karen A. Baquiran

146-Davide Prata July 8, 2014 Luigina De Luca & Eddy Prata

147-Joseph Iannello January 7, 2014 Luigi Iannello & Angela Casella

148-Anthony Joseph Iannetta June 27, 2014 Tilda Carbone & Elmo Iannetta

151-Nathan Benvenuto October 30, 2014 Stephanie Zinicola & Mario Benvenuto

152-Nicolas DesRosiers January 29, 2014 Sabrina Notte & David DesRosiers

153-Melina Renda-Dubeau December 6, 2014 Mirella Renda & Curt Dubeau

154-AmĂŠlia Robillard December 1, 2014 Lucia Lagatta & Jean Robillard

157-Emma Petrino June 6, 2014 Sonia Ciccone & Franco Petrino

158-Julia Di Serio February 6, 2014 Marie-JosĂŠe Mouri & Danio Di Serio

159-Thomas Alberto Spiridigliozzi 160-Marilyne Grimaudo June 2, 2014 August 6, 2014 Tanya Carriero Claire Charles Grimaudo & Robert Spiridigliozzi & Jonathan Grimaudo

149-Alexander Martiniello June 8, 2014 Nancy Beros & Frank Martiniello

150-Sophia Guglielmo June 6, 2014 Jennifer Zinicola & Angelo Guglielmo

155-Sofia Katerina Di Criscio 156-Alessandro Tristan Di Giovanni January 9, 2014 September 19, 2014 Marlaena Young Rosanna Anobile & Giordano Di Criscio & Alido Di Giovanni

161-Ava Gabriella Grimaudo December 25, 2014 Samantha Snead & Jack Grimaudo

162-Gemma Spizzirri May 17, 2014 Lucia Brizzi-Spizzirri & Ettore Spizzirri

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LIVING ITALIAN STYLE

Go to panoramitalia.com and click on “Living Italian Style” to submit your profile!

Derrick Carzoli Nickname: D Occupation: Sales Representative at Audi Prestige St. Laurent Age: 29 Generation: Third Dad’s side from: Tuscany Mom’s side from: Syria Speaks: English, French & Italian Raised in: St-Leonard & Laval Clothes: Franco Antico tailored suit, Eton shirt, Michael Kors tie, Salvatore Ferragamo Belt, Luca Del Forte shoes and Happy socks Favourite boutique: Massimo Dutti Goal in life: To one day own my own car dealership.

Thing about you that would surprise most people: That I am a walking encyclopedia.

Favourite restaurant: Restaurant Pranzo Favourite dish: Zia Ilia’s ravioli Your best dish: My filet mignon Best pizza in Montreal: Industria Brasserie Italienne Best caffè in Montreal: Caffè Italia Best panino in Montreal: Boucherie Marchigiani Favourite vino: Il Bruciato Preferred drinking establishment: Grinder You know you are Italian38

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Canadian if: You always find homemade cookies in the freezer.

Last time you went to Italy: When I was three Favourite Italian city or town: I’ll know after my honeymoon in July 2015 Favourite Italian song: Cose della vita by Eros Ramazzotti Italian soccer team: Juventus Sexiest Italian: My fiancé Lisa Triestino Best way to feel Italian in Montreal: Walking around Little Italy during Italian Week.

How long have you been reading Panoram?

Since issue #1 Best memory growing up ItalianCanadian: Going to the park with my Zio to play soccer, followed by a walk to Friulano bakery to pick up fresh bread every day!

Debora Elisa Mortelliti Nickname: De, Deboris, Debs Occupation: HR Coordinator at Ardene and mother Age: 29 Generation: Second Dad from: Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto (Messina), Sicily Mom from: Santa Elisabetta (Agrigento), Sicily Speaks: English, French, Italian & Sicilian Raised in: Pointe-Claire Clothes: Bershka pants, Zara boots, Donna Karan top.

Favourite boutique: Boutique 1ere Avenue Fashion idol: Olivia Palermo and Kate Middleton Goal in life: To retire in Florida.

Thing about you that would surprise most people: I’m a preacher’s daughter.

Favourite restaurant: Mikasa Favourite dish: The antique fine bone china dish in my credenza.

Your best dish: My papardelle con panna e tartufo, pancetta e zuchinni Best pizza in Montreal: Bottega Best panino in Montreal: L’Auto Grill at BMW Laval Favourite aperitivo: Averna Siciliano with tonic water and lemon

Preferred drinking establishment: Nonno’s cantina Favourite Italian saying: “Chi va piano, va sano e va lontano.”

You know you are ItalianCanadian when: When you tell your nonna you’re not hungry and she thinks you have an eating disorder.

Musical preference: Hillsong United Favourite Italian song: I migliori anni della nostra vita

by Renato Zero Sexiest Italian: My husband Best way to feel Italian in Montreal: Nothing makes me feel more Italian than sitting around the dinner table with lots of food, wine and family.

Best memory growing up ItalianCanadian: Cultivating the giardino

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Photography by Vincenzo D’Alto

Makeup by: Jennifer Low

Location: Industria Brasserie Italienne

Stephanie Scappaticcio

Fabio Macera Occupation: Auditor at KPMG and CPA student at John Molson School of Business Age: 24 Generation: Third Dad’s side from: Caserta, Campania Mom’s side from: Celano, Abruzzo Speaks: English, French & Italian Raised in: Ahuntsic & Ville Saint-Laurent Clothes: Massimo Dutti sweater, Zara jeans and Aldo shoes.

Favourite boutique: Zara Goal in life: To find a good worklife balance and to teach my future family the same Italian values my parents instilled in me.

Thing about you that would surprise most people: I used to model as a kid and was featured in kids magazines as well as Zellers flyers.

Favourite restaurant: Da Emma Favourite dish: Nonna’s gnocchi Your best dish: My veal parmigiana Best caffè in Montreal: San Simeon Best panino in Montreal: Milano’s Preferred drinking establishment: La Distillerie You know you are Italian-

LIVING ITALIAN STYLE

Canadian: When the language being spoken at the dinner table consists of a mix of English, Quebecois French and your Italian dialect.

Last time you went to Italy: 2009 Favourite Italian city or town: Firenze Musical preference: Anything but country music Sexiest Italian: My nonna Lina What you like most about Panoram: Learning about our Italian culture and staying up-todate with Montreal’s Italian community.

Best memory growing up ItalianCanadian: The family gatherings, which include: entertaining gossip from Italy, Nonna’s five course meals, constant laughter and of course, playing Tombola on special occasions.

Nickname: Steph, Scapp Occupation: Graduating Marketing student at John Molson School of Business, Sales Associate at Kid Biz Age: 25 Generation: Third Dad’s side from: San Giorgio, Casino Mom’s side from: Muro Lucano, Potenza Speaks: English, French & Italian Raised in: Laval Clothes: Robert Rodriguez top and J Brand pants (both from La Mode Rococo); Schutz shoes.

Favourite boutique: La Mode Rococo in Laval Fashion idol: Nicole Richie Passion: Fashion and anything to do with animals Goal in life: To be happy, live healthy and never have regrets.

Favourite restaurant: Vino Rosso in St. Laurent (the grilled octopus and calamari are to die for!)

Favourite dish: My mother’s eggplant parmigiana Your best dish: My white wine shrimp linguine Best panino in Montreal: Veggie Panino at Café Gentile Favourite vino: Any Tuscan wine

Favourite Italian saying: As my nonna Maria would say, “Chi domanda no fa errore.”

You know you are ItalianCanadian if: The cookie tin has needles and spools of thread inside instead of cookies.

Last time you went to Italy: Never, but looking forward to my first visit to Rome this summer to watch my cousin become ordained as a priest.

Sexiest Italian: I don’t know about sexiest, but my nonnos win for cutest Italians.

Most common name in your family: Enrico (5) Best memory growing up ItalianCanadian: Having the biggest and best lunches at school.

PANORAMITALIA.COM

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FASHION

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Leggerissimi Spring is almost here, so pack up the coats, pull out the foulards and ditch the layers!

By Alessia Sara Domanico

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implicity is trending in 2015, a fresh change for a fresh start. That undeniable nostalgia for the early 1970s that dominated the runways has set the “less is more” rule for this season so forget about layering your look. Fashion’s elite is calling for a barely there statement that will uncomplicate your wardrobe choices and your chequing account.

The ladies of spring 2015 are ethereal ballerinas in tulle, linen and sheer fabrics.

The ever-popular Altuzarra proposes sweeping gowns with plunging necklines for your first gala appointment this spring. Céline keeps with that ’70s vibe with its effortlessly chic jumpsuits in smooth fabrics in a wide variety of colours. Speaking of which, whites and creams are popular fixtures at all the major major maisons: Alberta Ferretti brings us romantic floor-length hippie dresses and Haider Ackerman goes for pale lavender and beige cashmere and wool that have been worked into an ultra soft (and of course extra light) blend. The likes of Hermès and Dior play it safe for a change with classic knee-length white dresses. Picking up on the ballerina persona, brands like Pretty Ballerinas and Repetto bring back their classics in new limited edition colours and fabrics, while Dior puts its own unconventional spin on the slipper with a satin pink flat shoe with a neon yellow toe-point – very Postmodern.

White carries over to the men’s universe as well. Match a pair of white trousers with a colourful pullover and you have the instant prep of a Ralph Lauren ad campaign. From light colours to thread counts, keep the grammage down for jackets – opt for a suit if you can or at the very least a light trench as seen at Ermenegildo Zegna and religiously each year at Burberry Prorsum. Some brands take the light windbreaker in a playful direction for menswear: Brioni proposes a floral-printed version that looks very stylish with a pair of dark denim pants, Dunhill opts for pastel pink, and Valentino dares you to splurge on polka dots. In terms of accessories, go for weekender bags in light fabrics, hues or both. Loewe’s iconic Amazona bag in tan suede and dark brown leather makes you sophisticated and ready for anything.

So now that you’ve lightened your load, jump into these new styles and feel the weight of winter and the heavy coats that come along with it roll off your shoulders.

Spring has sprung!

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FASHION

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1. ALBERTA FERRETTI 2. DIOR 3. LOEWE - MEN'S BAG 4. DIOR 5. BRIONI 6. DIOR 7. HERMES 8. ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA 9. ALTUZARRA 10. LANVIN

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EASTERN SICILY

Siracusa

Sicily’s Ionian Riviera La costa ionica della Sicilia An authentic island vacation, Italian style Una vera vacanza isolana, all’italiana

By Francesca Spizzirri unique melding of Mediterranean cultures, Sicily’s Ionian Riviera is a land of ancient wonders whose varied landscape, sun-soaked beaches, vibrant culinary scene and mesmerizing charm will lure you in at every turn.

The beautiful Ionian Riviera is made up of mountains, hills and glittering sea.

It extends down the east coast of Sicily, from the straits of Messina, through a series of charming seaside villages and beaches to the scenic town of Taormina, the Pearl of the Riviera. It continues on through the lively lava-stone city of Catania onto Siracusa, the most important city of Magna Graecia. The brooding Mount Etna dominates the coastline, her presence forever shaping and molding this fascinating region.

Because of its strategic position in the Mediterranean, the island has been ruled by Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Normans and Spaniards – their collective influence evident in the region’s food, fashion, architecture and traditions, giving it a unique personality. Perhaps that is why Goethe wrote that “To have seen Italy without having seen Sicily is not to have seen Italy at all, for Sicily is the clue to everything.”

This is a land of incredible colours and flavours; a place where history and

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ingolare combinazione di culture mediterranee, la costa ionica della Sicilia è terra di antiche meraviglie il cui territorio variegato, le spiagge baciate dal sole, le vivaci abitudini culinarie e il fascino ammaliante vi sedurranno ad ogni momento.

La meravigliosa costa ionica è caratterizzata da montagne, colline e mare luccicante. Si estende lungo la costa orientale della Sicilia, dallo stretto di Messina, attraverso una serie di affascinanti paesini costieri e spiagge, fino alla suggestiva città di Taormina, perla della costa. Prosegue attraverso la vivace città lavica di Catania fino a Siracusa, la città più importante della Magna Grecia. Il Monte Etna, minaccioso, domina la costa, delineando e forgiando con la propria presenza questo territorio affascinante.

A causa della sua posizione strategica nel Mediterraneo, l’isola è stata dominata da Greci, Romani, Arabi, Normanni e Spagnoli – la cui influenza è evidente nelle pietanze della regione, negli stili, nelle architetture e nelle tradizioni, conferendole una personalità unica. È forse per questo che Goethe scrisse: “Vedere l’Italia senza aver visto la Sicilia è come non aver visto affatto l’Italia, perché la Sicilia è la chiave di tutto.”

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EASTERN SICILY culture, excitement and leisure, are in perfect balance. Every curve in the coast Questa è una terra dai colori e sapori incredibili; un luogo in cui storia e unveils something new and spectacular. It could be a glorious cathedral built on a cultura, eccitazione e svago, sono in perfetto equilibrio. Ad ogni curva la costa Greek temple in Siracusa, the lively seaside resort of svela qualcosa di nuovo e spettacolare. Potrebbe tratGiardini Naxos south of Messina, or one of the many tarsi di una splendida cattedrale costruita su un temfestivals in celebration of patron saints; Catania’s Festa pio Greco a Siracusa, della vivace località costiera dei di Sant’Agata is one of the most dramatic and is accomGiardini Naxos a sud di Messina, o di una delle tante panied by spectacular fireworks. Witness a place sagre in onore dei santi patroni; la festa di Sant’Agata untainted by the hands of time and experience a taste a Catania è una delle più suggestive ed è accompagof authentic island life - Italian style. nata da fuochi d’artificio spettacolari. Siate testimoni Gabriele Montenegro of Visit Sicily, describes di un luogo inalterato dallo scorrere del tempo ed the Ionian Riviera as “A mix among volcanic rocks assaporate l’autentica vita isolana – all’italiana. and white sandy shorelines, showcasing the fantasGabriele Montenegro di Visit Sicily, descrive la tic Baroque and the charming Taormina. It’s where costa ionica come “un mix di rocce vulcaniche, the myth becomes landscape. Where the time bianchi litorali sabbiosi che mettono in mostra un becomes life.” barocco fatastico e l’affascinante Taormina. È dove il The beautiful cities of Messina, Catania and mito si fa paesaggio. Dove il tempo diviene vita.”

Siracusa provide the ideal base; their old-world streets Le belle città di Messina, Catania e Siracusa rapbrimming with lavish Baroque cathedrals and palaces, presentano una base ideale; le loro strade antiche trahistoric wonders, colourful markets, great restaurants boccanti di sontuose cattedrali e palazzi barocchi, and local artisan shops. meraviglie storiche, mercati ricchi di colore, ottimi The Ionian Riviera begins at the ‘Door of Sicily’ ristoranti e botteghe di artigianato locale. in the ancient port city of Messina located in the La costa ionica comincia dalla “Porta di Sicilia” northernmost point of the island. It is here that ferries nell’antico porto di Messina, situata nel punto più make their crossing to mainland Italy. As with most settentrionale dell’isola. È qui che i traghetti fanno trading cities, Messina is bursting with life. A series of da spola con la penisola italiana. Come molte città violent earthquakes changed the cityscape, but its commerciali, Messina scoppia di vita. Una serie di grand, sweeping boulevards lined with elegant turnviolenti terremoti ne ha cambiato il paesaggio of-the-century buildings remain as enchanting as ever. urbano, ma i suoi viali grandi ed ampli, delineati da Ancient and noble, Messina is home to magical places eleganti palazzi d’inizio secolo, rimangono incanlike the Piazza Duomo, the Church of Santissima tevoli come sempre. Antica e nobile, Messina è sede Catania fish market Annunziata dei Catalani, the Quattro Fontane (Four di molti posti magici come Piazza Duomo, la Chiesa Fountains), and the gothic-style Messina cathedral with its famous clock. della Santissima Annunziata dei Catalani, le Quattro Fontane e la cattedrale For an unforgettable experience, visit the scenic hilltop towns of Savoca and gotica di Messina con il suo famoso orologio.

Forza d’Agrò, where scenes from The Godfather movies were filmed. Then continPer un’esperienza indimenticabile, visitate i panoramici paesini collinari di ue onto the lovely Castelmola, rated as one of Italy’s most beautiful villages.

Savoca e Forza d’Agrò, dove sono state girate alcune scene de Il Padrino. Poi

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EASTERN SICILY No one can resist a visit to the picturesque town of Taormina. Perched high above the sea, its panoramic views of the coastline, the ancient Teatro Greco, the enchanting bay of Isola Bella and snow-capped Mount Etna will remain etched in your memory forever.

The island’s fiery Mount Etna is a must-see. A guided climb up this active volcano is an emotionally charged experience. A thrilling way to see this wonder in its entirety is on a helicopter ride. The bird’s eye view is spectacular.

At the base of Mount Etna is the vibrant city of Catania. Chaotic and full of energy, it is a feast for the senses. Living in the constant presence of an active volcano has given residents an added thrill for life. Its beautiful UNESCO-listed historic city centre is filled with grandiose palazzi fashioned out of volcanic rock that tower over baroque piazzas such as Piazza Duomo, which houses the splendid Cattedrale di Sant’ Agata and the Fontana dell’Elefante. Take a stroll through La Pescheria, the city’s famed old fish market. Catania is bustling with wonderful restaurants, lively bars and a renowned nightlife set in the most incredible surroundings. Imagine dancing the night away in a villa surrounded by orange groves or inside a botanical garden under a starlit sky.

The charming seaside villages of S.Tecla, S. Maria la Scala, Acireale, Acitrezza and Acicastello are perfect for day trips. In Acitrezza, visit the fascinating Faraglioni, spectacular lava cliffs that rise out of the marine protected waters of the Cyclopi Islands. For one of the best seafood meals, head to the small fishing village of Capomulini.

“Never a day without sun,” said Aeschylus of his favourite city. The largest city in the ancient world, Siracusa is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to a treasure-trove of ancient Greek ruins set among lush citrus groves against a backdrop of blue sea and sky – it is postcard perfect. Inland, visit the Neapolis Archeological Park to see the Greek theatre that dates back to the 5th Century BC, which still hosts popular theatrical productions.

There is also a Roman amphitheatre and the ancient quarry of Latomia del Paradiso. The city is divided into two areas: the urban part and the beautiful island of Ortigia, Siracusa’s historic centre, booming with tourists who fill its magnificent baroque piazzas and stroll down medieval lanes that lead to its stunning seafront.

South of Siracusa, some of the best swimming awaits you in a sea of turquoise at the Cassibile’s lagoons. Incredibly beautiful and inviting, the lagoons are located at the bottom of a great gorge, the deepest in Europe. It’s

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continuate fino al delizioso paesino di Castelmola, classificato come uno dei borghi più belli d’Italia.

Non si può resistere a una visita alla pittoresca Taormina. Incastonata in alto sul mare, la sua veduta panoramica della costa, l’antico Teatro Greco, l’incantevole baia di Isola Bella e l’Etna con la cima imbiancata dalla neve, rimarranno impressi nei vostri ricordi per sempre.

Il fiammeggiante Monte Etna sull’isola è imperdibile. Una salita guidata su questo vulcano attivo è un’esperienza emotivamente intensa. Il giro in elicottero è un modo eccitante di vedere questa meraviglia nella sua interezza. La veduta aerea è spettacolare.

Alle falde dell’Etna sorge la vivace città di Catania. Caotica e piena di energia, è festino per tutti i sensi. Vivere sotto la costante presenza di un vulcano attivo offre ai residenti un fremito in più per la vita. Il suo splendido centro storico, patrimonio dell’UNESCO, è ricco di magnifici palazzi ricavati dalla roccia vulcanica che campeggiano su piazze barocche quali Piazza Duomo, sede della splendida Cattedrale di Sant’Agata e la Fontana dell’Elefante. Fate una passeggiata alla Pescheria, il vecchio mercato ittico della città. Catania eccelle in ottimi ristoranti, bar vivaci e una rinomata vita notturna che si svolge negli ambienti più incredibili. Immaginate di ballare tutta la notte in una villa circondata da agrumeti o all’interno di un orto botanico sotto un cielo stellato.

Gli affascinanti paesini costieri di S. Tecla, S. Maria la Scala, Acireale, Acitrezza e Acicastello sono perfetti per escursioni di una giornata. Ad Acitrezza, visitate gli accattivanti Faraglioni, spettacolari picchi rocciosi lavici che emergono dalle acque protette delle isole Ciclopi. Per uno dei migliori pasti a base di pesce, dirigetevi verso il piccolo borgo marinaro di Capomulini.

“Mai un giorno senza sole,” disse Eschilo della sua città preferita. Città più grande dell’antichità, Siracusa è patrimonio dell’umanità dell’UNESCO e sede di un tesoro di antiche rovine greche distribuite tra lussureggianti agrumeti con un cielo e un mare blu che fanno da sfondo. È una cartolina perfetta.

Nell’entroterra, visitate il Parco Archeologico della Neapolis per vedere il Teatro Greco risalente al V secolo a.C., che ancor oggi ospita famose rappresentazioni teatrali. Ci sono anche un anfiteatro Romano e le antiche cave Latomie del Paradiso. La città è divisa in due zone: quella urbana e la bellissima isola di Ortigia, centro storico di Siracusa, piena di turisti che ne riempiono le sue magnifiche piazze barocche e passeggiano lungo stradine medievali che conducono ad uno splendido litorale.

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EASTERN SICILY an experience like no other.

Not to be missed is the “Baroque City” of Noto. It’s not only a UNESCO Heritage Site, but it also boasts one of Italy’s best bars, Caffé Sicilia, in Corso Vittorio Emanuele.

Their granitas are heavenly!

The Ionian Riviera is surrounded by green olive groves, almond trees, citrus orchards and vineyards that stretch out to sea. This bounty of fresh fish and local fare has inspired a hearty array of local dishes such as fresh fish spiced up with capers and tomatoes, homemade pasta like pasta alla norma, arancini (rice balls), gelato, granita (a semi-frozen dessert) and creamy, ricotta stuffed cannoli that have long delighted palates across Italy.

With the sun shining 300 days a year, the Ionian Riviera is a great place to visit all year long. Each season seduces you with its unique charm, however, summer is without a doubt the most popular time to visit as thousands of travellers migrate to the east coast to relax on some of Sicily’s most spectacular beaches including S. Teresa di Riva, Mazzarò, Letojanni, S. Lorenzo and Giardini Naxos.

Pack your camera, sense of adventure, and set off to explore ancient relics and soak in the Sicilian sun on the exciting Ionian Riviera.

Messina

A sud di Siracusa, vi attende una delle migliori nuotate nelle acque turchesi dei laghetti del Cassibile. Incredibilmente belli e invitanti, i laghetti si trovano al di sotto di una grande gola, la più profonda d’Europa. È un’esperienza unica.

Da non perdere la “città barocca” di Noto. Non è solo patrimonio dell’UNESCO, ma sede anche di uno dei migliori bar d’Italia, il Caffè Sicilia, in Corso Vittorio Emanuele.

Le sue granite sono paradisiache!

La costa ionica è circondata da uliveti, mandorleti, agrumeti e vigneti che si estendono fino al mare. Quest’abbondanza di pesce fresco e cibi locali ispira una ricca gamma di piatti tipici come il pesce fresco insaporito con capperi e pomodoro, la pasta fatta in casa come la pasta alla Norma, gli arancini, il gelato, la granita (dolce semi-congelato di vari gusti) e i cannoli ripieni di ricotta cremosa che da molto deliziano i palati di tutta Italia.

Con un sole che splende 300 giorni all’anno, la costa ionica è un posto bellissimo da visitare tutto l’anno. Ogni stagione vi sedurrà con il suo fascino unico. Tuttavia, l’estate è senza dubbio il periodo prediletto per una visita dato che migliaia di viaggiatori si spostano verso la costa orientale per rilassarsi in alcune delle più spettacolari spiagge siciliane, incluse quelle di S.Teresa di Riva, Mazzarò, Letojanni, S. Lorenzo e Giardini Naxos.

Mettete in valigia la macchina fotografica, lo spirito d’avventura e partite all’esplorazione di antichi cimeli, lasciandovi assorbire dal sole siciliano lungo la costa ionica.

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The Allure of Mount Etna’s main crater erupting at night

Mount A look at life and adventure near the largest active volcano in Europe

By Rita Simonetta

T

he ancient Greeks called it the god of fire and the home of Cyclops, the oneeyed monster. In modern days, Mount Etna is known as the largest active volcano in Europe. At 3,350 metres above sea level, it dominates Catania, Sicily, and can be seen from just about every part of the island. “The volcano is so huge, both in a physical sense and in terms of its historic and cultural weight,” say Jürgen Horn and Michael Powell, two travelling companions who chronicled their Mount Etna adventures on the blog “For 91 Days.”

And the volcano is also a treasure trove of gems.

“Its shape and system are quite complex,” points out Rocco Davide Federico, a tour guide with Continente Sicilia. “It has hundreds of craters – five active craters at the top plus more than 300 around the main ones.”

Beyond its unique system of craters, there are also caves, unusual landscapes, and all those darn lava flows. “The lava flows are frequent, but the lava itself is thick and sticky; therefore, it is very slow moving,” explains Giacomo Mazza, an associate at touring company Sicily TravelNet. But there’s a darker side. The god of fire’s boiling lava and ash, which have been erupting on and off for thousands of years, are a constant threat of danger.

This past June 2014, an eruption forced the local airport to close down.

Despite this, the residents, who were born and raised near Mount Etna, take life near a volcano in stride.

Antonio Di Giovanni, the founder and co-CEO of Sicily Off-Road, which operates jeep tours to Mount Etna, was born and raised near the volcano and affectionately refers to it as “a muntagna” (the mountain). “Every day when we wake up our first look is turned towards ‘her’ to know if it will be a quiet day,” he says. “We have no fear to live here. Even as children, we learn to live with the negative aspects of the eruptions like the rain of ash and sand, and so on.”

Natalie Milano, a tour leader at Sicily Off-Road, has similar sentiments. “It's

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Etna “

We have no fear to live here.

Even as children, we learn to live with the negative aspects of the eruptions like the rain of ash and sand, and so on.

“

amazing how little importance the local inhabitants give to the fact that they are living on an active volcano. They party, have dinners and laugh while Etna is giving a show, enjoying watching eruptions as if they were watching fireworks. They are theoretically aware that an entire village could be devoured by lava, but positive that nothing like that will ever happen to them.”

As part of its dichotomy, Mount Etna has given beauty and life to the residents down below who live in its shadow. Oak trees and plants cover its sloped surface, and the nearby forest is home to frogs and squirrels.

Its eruptions have made the surrounding soil fertile and created a rich agriculture that abounds with vineyards and fruit orchards.

Mazza explains: “Volcanoes often accumulate rain and melted snow in their depths, which reappear in the form of freshwater springs around the base, permiting the cultivation of highly-prized crops.”

From the perspective of the scientific community, Mount Etna is endlessly fascinating with its diverse range of volcanic features. And its scientific, educational and cultural aspects were officially given the nod by UNESCO in 2013 when it added the volcano to its list of world heritage sites.

The volcano’s allure continues to attract tourists from all over the world.

Tourism, in fact, is the economic lifeblood of nearby towns like Adrano, Randazzo, Zafferana and Nicolosi, whose 5,000 inhabitants are mostly made up of tourists.

These towns and their bustling restaurants, hotels, bed and breakfasts, marketplaces and wineries are indebted to the volcano.

And though it’s been said that life at the top can be lonely, Mount Etna seems to be in good company.

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Taormina Living with gusto

Ancient Greek Theatre of Taormina

By Tanya Solari

M

idway between Catania and Messina lies a chic, hillside town some 200 metres above the sea with an old-world charm and an undeniable southern flair: Taormina. In 1885, French writer Guy de Maupassant described it as “only a landscape, but one in which you can find everything that seems to have been created to seduce the eyes, the mind and the imagination,” and he couldn’t have said it better. The Pearl of the Mediterranean is a gateway to breathtaking beaches, ancient ruins and architectural styles spanning the eras, beckoning anyone who appreciates antique beauty and seaside splendour to experience the magic for themselves.

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Sights and sounds Synonymous with the Sicilian good life, Taormina has long been a favourite hideaway for artists, nobles and the rich and famous, welcoming the likes of Oscar Wilde, Federico Fellini, Woody Allen, Francis Ford Coppola and Elizabeth Taylor, to mention a few. But many centuries before their time, the most notable Mediterranean civilizations took turns settling in Taormina and made it their own, leaving traces of their legacy all over the city—from the spices, crops and culinary traditions to the structures that became an important part of Taormina’s rich heritage. Most monuments were reinvented with each

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EASTERN SICILY wave of invaders to reflect the Roman, Arab, Spanish, Norman and other influences that were introduced throughout history. See what remains of the Roman Odeon, located behind the medieval Corvaja Palace and the 17th century Church of Saint Catherine of Alexandria. Discover the symbol of Taormina, the mythical, two-legged female centaur atop the baroque marble fountain on Piazza Duomo. Cross the black-and-white-paved Piazza IX Aprile to the oldest part of town and its historical Clock Tower, restored by popular demand in 1679. Wherever you go, 360-degree views of grandeur will follow.

Built by the Greeks, rebuilt by the Romans and restored in the 1800s, Taormina’s most iconic landmark is the Teatro Greco, an ancient theatre dating back to the 3rd century BC with a privileged hillside location overlooking the water. Test the acoustics of this open-air auditorium that’s still in use today, particularly during the summer months when concerts, plays, fashion shows

Blue Grotto, or simply spend the day working on your tan while sipping on refreshing cocktails from one of the many beach bars. Snorkellers and scuba divers in search of dive spots other than the coral reefs of the Caribbean will also be pleased to know that the bluish green waters, abundant marine life, peculiar rock formations and hidden caves make for a unique adventure under the sea. If you fancy a little more privacy, the beaches of Spisone, Letojanni and Giardini Naxos are all within 5 km of Mazzarò. Life at these lush retreats moves at a slower pace, but there’s no shortage of shops, restaurants and bars to satisfy your need for fun and excitement.

Al mercato Lined with countless cafés, posh nightclubs, tempting trattorias and pizzerias rivaling those of Naples, Corso Umberto I is the city’s main thoroughfare and

Isola Bella, Taormina

and prestigious events like Taormina Arte bring it back to life. This one-of-akind entertainment venue gets crowded with Taorminesi and tourists alike, who gather to celebrate local and international talent while enjoying dramatic vistas of Mount Etna and the Ionian Sea, right from their seats. Spectators are not only guaranteed a great show, but a great view as well. How’s that for added value?

Beauty and the beach Visitors come from all over to bask in the sun and enjoy life’s unhurried pleasures on Taormina’s famed coastline. A €2 ride on the funicular will get you from the Old Town to the most popular beach, Lido Mazzarò, in just four minutes.

With water sports equipment, lounge chairs and umbrellas for rent, you can kayak your way around Capo Sant'Andrea to Isola Bella and Sicily’s very own

your one-stop shopping area for designer fashions, hand-painted ceramics, antiques, lava figurines, and evil eye paraphernalia. For a more budget-friendly experience and a peak into the local culture, check out the variety of items on offer at Taormina’s weekly street market, whose charismatic vendors invite passersby to browse their products every Wednesday. Try your luck at bargaining for souvenirs, colourful paintings or unique additions to your wardrobe, and feast your eyes on the selection of locally grown fruits and veggies like bright red tomatoes, sweet eggplants, blood oranges, wild fennel, incredibly oversized figs and lemons, and olives used in the production of some of the world’s finest olive oils. Mount Etna has blessed the land with fertile, mineralrich soil which, combined with the mild year-round climate, provides ideal growing conditions for the enhanced produce featured in the flavourful recipes Sicilians take great pride in. Your taste buds are in for a treat!

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Cathédrale San Nicola et l’église du San Salvatore, ville de Noto

Les jardins de pierres de la vallée de Noto Visite au coeur de l’art baroque tardif sicilien Par Gabriel Riel-Salvatore

«L

’image de l’âme se trouve surtout dans l’art de la Sicile, » écrivait Goethe dans son récit de voyage en Italie de 1787. Bien que l’auteur de Faust visita Venise et le nord du pays pendant son séjour, c’est à Rome et à Naples, alors la ville la plus riche et la plus populeuse d’Italie, et dans le sud qu’il s’attarda le plus longuement. Son périple sicilien eut sur lui un effet des plus stimulants. Son introduction aux chefs d’oeuvres de l’antiquité à Taormina, aux splendeurs de Palerme et à la majestuosité de l’Etna, contribua à nourrir sa soif de culture et d’exotisme. Son aventure sicilienne le mena aussi à explorer les fastes de la noblesse espagnole et du clergé local incarné par l’art baroque de la ville de

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Catane et de la vallée de Noto, un territoire aux beautés uniques que les autorités locales cherchent aujourd’hui plus que jamais à préserver et à valoriser.

Classées patrimoine de l’humanité en 2002 par l’UNESCO, les huit villes du baroque tardif – Caltagirone, Militello in Val di Catania, Catane, Modica, Noto, Palazzolo, Raguse et Scicli, composent un unicum dans l’histoire de l’art et de l’architecture en Méditéranné. Intimement associées à l’apogée et à l’épanouissement final de l’art baroque en Europe, ces villes véhiculent une exceptionnelle homogéniété architecturale révélatrice de l’incroyable vitalité artistique en Sicile au settecento.

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EASTERN SICILY Tristement liée au courroux de l’Etna voisin, cette zone située dans le sud-est de l’île fut victime le 11 janvier 1693 de la force destructrice du mont des monts.

Les 93 000 personnes qui sucombèrent au violent tremblement de terre généré par son activité volcanique révèlent toute l‘ampleur de la tragédie qui rasa en partie ou en totalité près de 70 villes et villages de la région. Estimé à une magnitude de 7,4, ce séisme est considéré comme le plus puissant jamais ressenti en Italie.

La gravité du cataclysme réveilla rapidement une incroyable ténacité et une énergie créatrice qui contribua à transformer l’aire sud-orientale de la Sicile en ce qui deviendra le plus grand chantier d’Europe du 18e siècle. L’exubérance du style baroque de la vallée de Noto avec ses volumétries débordantes, ses campaniles en forme de flèche et ses scènographies grandioses sonna le glas du passé médieval de la région la propulsant dans la modernité suivant un mouvement de pensée clairement illuministe. Tel que l’affirme l’écrivain Comiso Gesualdo Bufalino: « Il nous vient presque envie de bénir, avec le cynisme des contemporains, le tremblement de terre de 1693, dont la force destructrice engendra la secousse nécessaire pour l’épanouissement d’une admirable et créative saison de rénovation urbaine dans l’île. » La reconstruction immédiate des villes prévue par l’administration espagnole, sous la supervision du duc de Camastra, impliqua les efforts de tous les groupes sociaux, de l’artistocratie au clergé, en passant par les architectes et les maesteri lapidici (maîtres tailleurs de pierre). Cet effort collectif qui s’échelonna sur plusieurs décennies, donna naissance à l’expression du style baroque tardif sicilien inspiré à la fois par l’école baroque de Rome, initiée par Bernini, et les canons stylistiques espagnols prévalant à l’époque. La reconstruction s’accompagna aussi d’un jeu politique qui visait à assoir l’emprise et l’influences des classes dirigeantes sur le territoire de la vallée de Noto. L’Église profita de l’occasion pour édifier des monuments incarnant son pouvoir de manière physique et symbolique empruntant un language figuratif axé sur l’exaltation du sentiment religieux et prévilégiant les artifices spectaculaires.

En l’espace de trente ans, sous les bons auspices du « baroque lumineux », les villes de Catane, Noto, Modica, Raguse et bien d’autres renaquirent de leurs cendres dans un bouquet de fantaisie architecturale souvent comparé à des jardins de pierres.

Le résultat de cette entreprise toujours visible de nos jours s’inscrit dans un ensemble caractéristique reflétant l’expression d’un style baroque nouveau qui évoluera plus tard vers le style Rococo et Néoclassique. La qualité de l’ensemble, comme le mentionne le décret de l’UNESCO, repose sur une homogénéité géo-

graphique et chronologique sans pareille qui continue d’émerveiller les visiteurs qui s’attardent dans la région. Érigée au rang de « capitale du baroque », la ville de Noto constitue un des exemples les plus réussis et les plus cohérents de la reconstruction. Redonnant vie aux pierres de couleur or rose caractéristiques des environs, cette ville théâtre construite sur deux paliers, offre des effets scénographiques grandioses avec ses places en escaliers et ses parvis aux volumétries démesurées tel qu’observé aux abords de la cathédrale de San Nicola et de l’église du San Salvatore.

C’est à Catane que la nouvelle philosophie urbaine imaginée par le duc de Camastra marque la cohésion la plus prononcée entre initiatives aristocratiques et cléricales. Cette signature urbaine exceptionnelle ayant comme épicentre la Piazza del Duomo et la Via dei Crociferi propose une majestueuese enfilade de batîments religieux et nobiliaires. L’abbaye de Sant’Agata, la Collegiata, le monastère bénédictin et le Palazzo Biscari s’agencent ici dans des compositions uniques d’espace et de monumentalité.

Raguse, aussi connue comme l’antique Ibla, compte deux centres historiques intercallés dans un dédale de ruelles et d’escaliers offrant un parallèlle saisisant entre son passé médiéval et ses adjonctions baroques tels le magnifique Duomo di San Giorgio, l’église de San Giuseppe et le palais La Rocca.

Suspendue dans les collines des monts Hybléens (monti Iblei), le centre historique de Modica conserve toujours son caractère médiéval bien que les bâtiments baroques trônent ici en maîtres. L’admirable cathédrale de San Giorgio di Cappadocia, dont la façade s’élève comme une voile au vent, est considéré comme un véritable emblème du baroque sicilien. Symbole d’une ferveur indéfectible, elle resplendit tel un ex-voto incarnant l’image de Saint-Georges terrassant le dragon, réel pied de nez des locaux aux sautes d’humeurs de l’Etna.

L’architecture, la planification urbaine et les décors des bâtiments de nombreuses autres villes de la région épousèrent la vision régénératrice du baroque tardif sicilien dans un élan de cohérence stylistique rarement atteint ailleurs à l’époque. Zone confrontée à un risque permanent, la vallée de Noto continue à vivre avec le spectre d’une dévastation prochaine. Le tremblement de terre du 13 décembre 1990 qui affecta encore une fois la région, poussa les autorités à classer ce territoire à la beauté unique. Reste à savoir combien de temps encore le territoire de la vallée de Noto saura charmer le monde de sa suberbe avant que l’irréparable ne survienne à nouveau.

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Celebrating 35 years of l’Associazione Messinese di Montreal Celebrando i 35 anni dell’Associazione Messinese di Montreal

By Di Sabrina Mirandola

F

or many Sicilians who immigrated to Canada, their memories of their native land remain vivid and rich. They entail deep blue seas, high mountains, flower blossoms, citrus trees and hot, sticky summer weather – a stark contrast to the view of the winter wonderland outside your window right now. “There is a story that says when God made the world, he had a bag of jewels – and he emptied the whole bag in Sicily,” says 76-year-old Pina Orofino. “The most beautiful things that can exist are in my kingdom.”

It was February of 1954 when Orofino left that “kingdom” of Messina, Sicily – the island’s most northeastern tip and Italy’s 13th largest city – to immigrate to Canada.“I was a teenager involved in theatre and singing. I left all my things behind, came to Canada and started working at 15,” she recalls. Orofino’s family was among hundreds who left Messina for Canada.

By the 1970s, it was estimated that about 300 families in the Montreal area alone were natives of the province of Messina.

Orofino, who always remained active in the community, got a call in 1979 from a Sicilian association – Associazione Trinacria – for her advice on how to develop cultural activities to promote Sicilian traditions.

Orofino says that since women were not allowed to join the board at that time – a rule that shocked and angered her – she and other women of Sicilian origin decided to create their own external committee.

Their efforts led to numerous events, all intended to attract the youth. “We created a troop of folklore dancers. That went on all the way until 1996-97,” Orofino says, adding that the dance group travelled across Quebec and Canada to promote traditional Sicilian dance and music. “We organized toy drives for Christmas where all Sicilian children got gifts, and we organized fashion shows – all ways to implicate the younger generation.”

Orofino also helped create a Miss Sicilia contest in the mid-’80s and a Settimana Siciliana. Sicilian Week featured Sicilian cuisine and arts such as ceramics, poetry and theatre.

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P

er molti siciliani immigrati in Canada, i propri ricordi della terra natia rimangono intensi e vividi. Implicano un mare profondo e blu, montagne alte, fiori che sbocciano, alberi d’agrumi ed estati calde ed appiccicose – immagini in netto contrasto con il paesaggio invernale al di fuori delle vostre finestre in questo momento. “C’è una storia che narra che quando Dio fece il mondo, aveva con sé un sacco pieno di gioielli che svuotò interamente in Sicilia,” dice la settantaseienne Pina Orofino. “Le cose più belle che possano esistere si trovano nel mio regno.”

Era il febbraio del 1954 quando Orofino lasciò il “regno” di Messina, Sicilia – l’estremità più a nord dell’isola e tredicesima città per numero di abitanti d’Italia – per emigrare in Canada. “Ero un’adolescente impegnata nel teatro e nel canto. Ho lasciato tutte le mie cose alle spalle, sono venuta in Canada e ho cominciato a lavorare a 15 anni,” ricorda.

La famiglia di Orofino era tra le centinaia che lasciarono Messina per il Canada. Si è stimato che negli anni settanta circa 300 famiglie nella sola area di Montreal provenivano dalla provincia di Messina.

Orofino, sempre rimasta attiva all’interno della comunità, ricevette una telefonata nel 1979 da un’associazione di siciliani – Associazione Trinacria – per dei consigli su come organizzare attività culturali che promuovessero le tradizioni siciliane.

Orofino afferma che, poiché a quel tempo non era concesso alle donne di far parte del comitato – una regola che la scioccò e la irritò – lei ed altre donne di origine siciliana decisero di creare un proprio comitato esterno.

Il loro impegno portò a numerosi eventi, tutti volti ad attirare la gioventù.“Abbiamo creato un gruppo di ballo folcloristico. È durato fino al 1996-97,” dice Orofino, aggiungendo che il gruppo di ballo ha viaggiato attraverso il Quebec e il Canada per promuovere la musica e i balli tradizionali siciliani. “Abbiamo organizzato campagne per la raccolta di giocattoli per Natale in cui tutti i bambini siciliani ricevevano regali, ed abbiamo messo su sfilate di moda – tutte maniere per coinvolgere le generazioni più giovani.”

Orofino ha anche aiutato a metter su un concorso per Miss Sicilia a metà degli anni ottanta e una Settimana Siciliana nella quale si mettevano in mostra la cucina siciliana e

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EASTERN SICILY More traditions were kept alive thanks to the Associazione Messinese di Montreal, which was founded in 1980.

Today, exactly 35 years later, the association counts about 150 Montreal families of Messinese origin as their members. “The first generation of Sicilians were very hard workers,” says Franco Mendolia, president of Montreal’s Messina Association. “Canada was a beautiful land with the opportunity to do business, and 99 per cent of those who came to Canada decided to stay – myself included.”

Mendolia was 17 years old when he left Santa Lucia del Mela, Messina, for Canada. He says he expected his trip overseas to be temporary. He’s now been in Canada for 40 years and is working hard to ensure that the next generations stay tied to their roots. “There are members of our association who were in their 40s when they joined – now they’re in their 70s. We need young people to take the reins and we have to get them closer to the association,” Mendolia says. The Messinese Association is very active, organizing dozens of events each year. They include outings such as picnics at Beaver Lake or going to Cabane à Sucre, charitable events such as blood drives and fundraisers with all proceeds going to Montreal hospitals, and activities for youths only.

This year, a big cultural trip is in the works to take about a dozen young adults on a two-week trip to Sicily. “When young people go to Italy with their families, they end up in a small town visiting relatives and the teenager says, ‘Where did you bring me?!’ We need to expose them to the history, the gastronomy, its nature and traditions – so that something can be transmitted to them,” says Mendolia, who will be guiding the tour this summer.

Milena Brunetta, 26, will soon start packing her bags for the trip. She’s been to Messina, where her paternal grandparents were born, only once before. “On the tour, we’ll try to visit a bit of everything so we all feel we’ve visited a part of where our ancestors came from,” Brunetta says, adding that her parents are especially pleased about her upcoming summer travel adventures. “They’re excited about it. For them, it’s about us being able to experience it. Our parents always remind us of where we came from and we’ve all heard the stories from our aunts and uncles, but then when you see the place where the stories came from, it’s real.”

Brunetta, who is also a member of COGIC (Comitato dei Giovani ItaloCanadesi) – an Italian-Canadian youth group – plans to keep spreading her sense of “italianità” once she’s back from the trip. “There are so many older people on the association boards…Once they’re gone, who’s left? It’s us,” Brunetta says. “As a group of youth, maybe we can continue and keep that going. That would be great.”

produzioni artistiche come ceramiche, poesie e teatro. Più tradizioni sono state mantenute in vita grazie all’Associazione Messinese di Montreal, fondata nel 1980.

Oggi, esattamente 35 anni più tardi, l’associazione annovera tra i propri membri circa 150 famiglie montrealesi di origine messinese. “La prima generazione di siciliani era fatta da grandi lavoratori,” afferma Franco Mendolia, presidente dell’Associazione Messinese di Montreal. “Il Canada era un bellissimo paese che offriva l’opportunità di fare affari, e il 99 per cento di quelli che sono venuti in Canada ha deciso di rimanervi – incluso me stesso.”

Mendolia aveva 17 anni quando lasciò Santa Lucia del Mela, Messina, per il Canada.

Dice che pensava che il proprio viaggio oltremare fosse temporaneo. Adesso vive in Canada da 40 anni e lavora sodo per assicurarsi che le generazioni future rimangano legate alle proprie radici. “Vi sono membri dell’associazione che erano sulla quarantina quando si sono iscritti – adesso sono sulla settantina. Abbiamo bisogno di giovani che prendano le redini e dobbiamo farli avvicinare all’associazione,” afferma Mendolia.

L’Associazione Messinese è molto attiva nell’organizzazione di una dozzina di eventi ogni anno. Questi includono gite come picnic a Beaver Lake o alla Cabane à Sucre, eventi di carità come raccolta di sangue e raccolte fondi i cui incassi vanno tutti agli ospedali di Montreal e ad attività solo per giovani. Quest’anno, si sta organizzando un grande viaggio culturale per portare circa una dozzina di giovani in Sicilia per due settimane. “Quando i giovani vanno in Italia con le proprie famiglie, finiscono in paesini a far visita ai propri parenti e gli adolescenti dicono: “Dove mi avete portato?!” Abbiamo bisogno di esporli maggiormente alla storia, alla gastronomia, alla natura e tradizioni – cosicché da trasmettergli qualcosa,” sostiene Mendolia, che farà da guida al gruppo in estate.

Milena Brunetta, 26 anni, presto farà le valigie per il viaggio. È stata a Messina, dove sono nati i nonni, solo una volta prima di questa. “Durante il viaggio, cercheremo di visitare un po’ tutto cosicché ci sentiremo tutti di aver conosciuto una parte del luogo da cui sono giunti i nostri avi,” afferma Brunetta, aggiungendo che i propri genitori sono molto contenti in merito alle imminenti avventure di viaggio estive. “Sono elettrizzati al riguardo. Per loro, si tratta di vederci in grado di vivere quest’esperienza. I nostri genitori ci ricordano sempre da dove veniamo e tutti sentiamo storie dai nostri zii, ma quando si vedono i posti da cui quelle storie provengono, tutto diventa reale.”

Brunetta, che è anche membro del COGIC (Comitato dei Giovani ItaloCanadesi) – gruppo giovanile italo-canadese - programma di continuare a diffondere il proprio senso d’“italianità” una volta rientrata dal proprio viaggio. “Ci sono così tanti anziani nel comitato dell’associazione…Una volta andati via, cosa rimarrà? Noi,” sostiene Brunetta. “In quanto gruppo di giovani, forse possiamo farlo continuare e mandarlo avanti. Sarebbe bello.”

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EASTERN SICILY

Sumptuous Sicilian Cuisine

By Amanda Fulginiti

F

rom Palermo to Taormina and everything in between, Sicily is a feast for the eyes.

Naturally, a region so full of things to see would equally have so much to taste.

Step aside Emilia-Romagna or bella Toscana and say hello to the sumptuousness of Sicilian cuisine. Dishes are heavily ingredient-driven; most dishes revolve around fish, offal (organ meats), fresh fruit and vegetables. Here, the importance of quality and simplicity is stressed for every dish, and cucina povera (peasant food) is still favoured over cucina nobile (dishes made with more luxurious ingredients). Many Sicilian cooks have over the years embraced the ingredients brought over millennia ago by occupying foreign armies, from the Greeks and Romans to Arabs, Normans and Spaniards.

Cannolo

Antipasti Caponata: A typical Sicilian dish that consists of a cooked vegetable salad made from chopped fried eggplant and celery seasoned with sweetened vinegar and mixed with capers in a sweet and sour sauce.

Gatò di patate: A kind of potato and cheese pie.

Sfincione: A local type of pizza made with tomatoes, onions and (sometimes) anchovies. Prepared on thick bread and typically found in a bakery rather than in a pizzeria.

Arancini: Fried rice balls stuffed with meat or cheese.

Arancini

Primo piatto Pasta alla Norma: Originating in Catania, this is one of the most popular and classic pasta dishes to be savoured. It is made with tomatoes, fried eggplant, grated ricotta salata cheese, and basil. The story goes that the dish was named for the opera Norma by Vincenzo Bellini.

Soups Maccu di favi: One of the oldest of all Mediterranean soups, it was served for centuries as the midday meal of peasants. The soup is made with dried fava beans, wild fennel, and chili pepper. Toasted bread is placed in soup bowls and drizzled with olive oil, and the soup is ladled on top. The name comes from “maccare” which means “to crush.”

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Farsumagru: A popular and premier meat dish that features a thin slice of beef rolled around a stuffing of breadcrumbs. The name means “false lean,” because it is a simple-looking meat roll whose insides bulge with a rich stuffing of eggs, cheese, prosciutto, salami, and peas. It can be eaten hot or at room temperature.

Maccu di favi

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EASTERN SICILY Secondi Merluzzo alla Siciliana: Grilled European sea bass with tomatoes and olives.

Cuscusu: The climax of Arab-Sicilian cuisine. Here, semolina grains are slowly poured into a large, round terracotta dish with sloping sides called a mafaradda and formed into small pellets by hand. The process of raking, rolling, aerating and forming the pellets is called incocciata by the Sicilians. Once the cuscusu pellets are formed they are then steamed over boiling fish broth in a couscoussiere (a specialty pot used to cook the dish).

The fish broth is made using a three-to-one ratio of white fish to oily fish. The fish used to make the broth is not eaten. Small fish or shrimp are cooked and enjoyed with the cuscusu.

Pesce spada alla ghiotta: This Messina specialty is a dish made with swordfish cooked in onion and tomato sauce with potatoes, olives, capers, celery and black pepper.

Merluzzo alla Siciliana

Dolci Granita: A semi-frozen dessert made from sugar, water and various flavourings. In Sicily, unlike other areas, it has a coarser, more crystalline texture. Granita with coffee is very common in Messina, while adding almonds is popular in Catania. Combining it with a brioche is a typical breakfast in summer time. Often a palate cleanser between meals, it is most typically enjoyed as a slush-type drink during hot summer days.

Pignolata: Hailing from Messina, it is a soft pastry half covered or iced in lemon and half covered in chocolate.

Cannoli: Meaning “little tube,” probably the most well-known edible treat to come out of Sicily. Fried pastry dough lovingly filled with sweet, creamy filling usually containing ricotta. They range in size from “cannulicchi,” which are no bigger than a finger, to the fist size proportions found south of Palermo. Historically they were prepared as a treat during Carnevale season.

Pignolata Femminello

Vino Frutti Biondo comune: The “common blonde” orange.

Tarocco: A high-quality blood orange found in Catania, Siracusa and Francofonte from November to January.

Femminello: This is the lemon that makes up 80% of Sicily’s lemon crop, found in Catania, Siracusa, Messina and Palermo.

The soil and the climate in Sicily are ideal for growing grapes, mainly due to Mount Etna. A wine-making tradition has operated since the Greeks set up their first colonies on the island. Well-known red wines include the Cerasuolo di Vittoria and the Nero d’Avola, mainly those produced around Noto (Siracusa). In addition, various dessert wines are produced, such as the famous Marsala, Moscato and the Malvasia delle Lipari.

More typical Sicilian drinks are the limoncello, a lemon liqueur, and the Amaro Siciliano, an herbal drink, which is often consumed after meals as a digestif. There is also Amaro Averna, which is produced in Caltanissetta. The herbs, roots and citrus rinds are allowed to soak in the base liquour before caramel is added. Averna is sweet, thick and has a gently herbal bitterness.

Limoncello

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EASTERN SICILY

Eastern Sicilian Specialties

Ricette preparate dallo Chef Roberto Marotta del ristorante Nodo di Toronto. Nativo di Messina, Sicilia.

Pesce Stocco a’ghiotta o alla Messinese (Serves 4 / 4 prozioni) Ingredients / Ingredienti • 2 lbs (900 g) stockfish (dried cod) / stoccafisso (merluzzo essiccato) • 1 white onion, finely chopped / cipolla bianca, finemente tritata • 4 potatoes, cubed / patate a cubetti • 1 cup extra virgin olive oil / olio extravergine d’oliva • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped / spicchi d’aglio, finemente tritati • 2 lbs (900 g) of peeled tomatoes / pomodoro pelato • 1 cup white wine / vino bianco • 2 oz (56 g) salted capers (rinsed) / capperi salati (sciacquati) • Handful of Sicilian green olives (pitted) / manciata di olive verdi siciliane (disossate) • Salt and black pepper to taste / sale e pepe nero a piacimento 58

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Instructions / Istruzioni Soak cod in cold water for 2-3 days. Change water once a day. Pat dry. Cut fish into 4 squares. Warm olive oil in a non-stick pot and sauté onion and garlic. When onion is golden, add fish. Then pour in wine and let reduce by 3/4. Add potatoes, tomatoes and salt and pepper. Pour in 1 cup of water and cover. Let cook for 30-45 minutes on very low heat. Remove lid and add capers and olives. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Serve with crostini (optional).

Immergere il merluzzo in acqua fredda per 2-3 giorni. Cambiare l’acqua una volta al giorno. Tamponare per asciugare. Tagliare il pesce in 4 quadrati. Riscaldare l’olio d’oliva in un tegame antiaderente e saltare la cipolla e l’aglio. Quando la cipolla si dora, aggiungere il pesce. Quindi versare il vino e farlo evaporare di 3/4. Aggiungere le patate, il pomodoro, sale e pepe. Versare 1 cup di acqua e coprire. Lasciare cuocere per 30-45 minuti a temperatura bassa. Rimuovere il coperchio ed aggiungere i capperi e le olive. Guarnire con prezzemolo tritato. Servire con dei crostini (facoltativo).

Photography by Giulio Muratori

Recipes prepared by Chef Roberto Marotta of Nodo Restaurant in Toronto. He hails from Messina, Sicily.

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T

he east coast of Sicily takes full advantage of its culinary treasures, so it is only fitting that the first featured recipe showcases the versatility of stockfish. Another staple from eastern Sicily is Pasta alla Norma, which was named after the opera Norma by Catania-born composer Vincenzo Bellini. The star of this pasta dish is eggplant, one of the most popular vegetables in Sicilian cuisine. costa orientale della Sicilia trae grande vantaggio dai suoi tesori culinari. Ciò spiega la pletora di ricette a base di pesce, incluse alcune a base di stoccafisso. Un altro pezzo forte della Sicilia orientale è la pasta alla Norma, così chiamata per la Norma, opera del compositore catanese Vincenzo Bellini. La star di questo piatto è la melanzana, uno degli ortaggi più rinomati della cucina siciliana.

La

Pasta alla Norma (Serves 4 / 4 porzioni) Ingredients / Ingredienti • 5/8 lb (280 g) rigatoni • 1/2 lb (230 g) eggplant (long or Sicilian) / melanzana (lunga o siciliana) • 3/4 lb (340 g) peeled tomatoes / pomodoro pelato • 1 ¾ oz onion, chopped / cipolla tritata • 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil / olio extravergine d’oliva • 5 basil leaves / foglie di basilico • 1 garlic clove, chopped / spicchio d’aglio tritato • 4 tbsp canola oil / olio di canola • 2 tbsp of salted ricotta (grated) / ricotta salata (grattugiata) • Salt and pepper to taste / sale e pepe a piacimento

Instructions / Istruzioni Cut eggplant into cubes and lightly salt. Leave them to drain any excess water.

Add oil in a frying pan and sauté garlic and onion. Add tomatoes, salt and pepper. Cook for 15-20 minutes.

In another pan using canola oil at medium heat, fry eggplant until golden brown and add to tomato sauce. Meanwhile, boil rigatoni in salted water. When cooked, toss the pasta with the sauce. Add basil and salted ricotta.

Tagliare la melanzana a cubetti e salare leggermente. Mettere a scolare per eliminare l’acqua in eccesso. Aggiungere l’olio in una padella e saltare l’aglio e la cipolla. Aggiungere i pomodori, il sale e il pepe. Cuocere per 15-20 minuti.

In un’altra padella, utilizzando l’olio di canola a temperatura media, friggere la melanzana fino a doratura ed aggiungere il sugo di pomodoro. Nel frattempo, cuocere i rigatoni in acqua bollente, salata. Una volta cotti, mescolare la pasta e il sugo. Aggiungere il basilico e la ricotta salata.

Tips / Suggerimenti Before frying the eggplant, it is best to cut it into pieces, put in a colander, sprinkle with salt and place a weight on top for 10-15 mins. This will remove the excess liquid contained in the vegetable and remove its bitterness, which will result in a sweeter and crunchier eggplant.

Prima di friggere la melanzana è meglio tagliarla a pezzetti, metterla in un colapasta, spolverarla con del sale e mettervi un peso sopra per 10-15 minuti. In questo modo, si toglieranno il liquido in eccesso contenuto nell’ortaggio e il gusto amarognolo, con il risultato di una melanzana più dolce e croccante.

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EASTERN SICILY

La tradizione siciliana del teatro dei pupi

Claudia Buscemi Prestigiacomo

N

el 2013, i siciliani Dolce e Gabbana dichiararono il proprio amore alla Sicilia portando in passerella elementi del patrimonio artisticoculturale dell’isola. Tra carretti e maioliche, fecero la loro comparsa anche i pupi.

Dichiarata dall’Unesco Patrimonio orale e immateriale dell’umanità nel 2011, secondo la maggioranza degli studiosi l’opera dei pupi risale a metà dell’800 quando, durante la dominazione spagnola, lentamente questa forma d’intrattenimento si diffuse sempre più a sud.

Il teatro dei pupi s’incentra tradizionalmente sulle gesta dei paladini di Carlo Magno intorno ai temi cavallereschi di giustizia, amore e fedeltà, propri di un genere letterario della Francia medievale. Nel 1500 furono poi ripresi in opere della letteratura italiana quali L’Orlando Furioso di Ludovico Ariosto o La Gerusalemme Liberata di Torquato Tasso.

Perché “patrimonio orale”? Le gesta narrate venivano tramandate oralmente di generazione in generazione. Le rappresentazioni, inoltre, venivano suddivise in cicli, puntate. Rientrava dunque nella maestria del puparo-cuntista interrompere il racconto in un momento chiave e incuriosire lo spettatore a tal punto da garantirne il ritorno allo spettacolo successivo.

Nel corso dei secoli i temi trattati sono rimasti pressoché invariati, tuttavia non senza un certo sperimentalismo.

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A tal riguardo,Lina Scalisi, storica e docente presso l’Università di Catania, afferma che lo sperimentalismo è sempre più presente e cita come esempio una “rappresentazione del Faust [...] in cui i pupi hanno dialogato con gli attori con un esito veramente felice.”

Alfredo Mauceri, drammaturgo e direttore artistico del Teatro e del Museo dei pupi di Siracusa, ricorda il detto: “Sunu Orlando e Rinaldu cha pottunu u pani a casa” (“Sono Orlando e Rinaldo che consentono un guadagno certo”), per dire che le storie dei paladini di Francia sono le più rappresentate. Spiega, tuttavia, che sono stati anche creati nuovi filoni, alcuni dei quali volti a rendere omaggio a Siracusa attraverso antichi miti e leggende. “I pupi hanno una duttilità che va oltre il loro normale spazio, superano la teatralità per diventare essenza d’arte,” spiega Mauceri.

In generale, in Sicilia, vengono distinte due scuole principali: palermitana e catanese. Secondo Mauceri, tale classificazione è erronea considerato che: “già nello stesso territorio catanese esistono differenze di costruzione e messinscena dei pupi tra Catania e la vicina Acireale” [...]“Siracusa ha un suo stile, un modo del tutto diverso di mettere in scena gli spettacoli; [...]”

Se i contenuti rappresentano un elemento comune tra le varie scuole, lo stesso non dicasi per l’aspetto strutturale.

A tal proposito, spiega Mauceri: “I pupi siracusani hanno un’altezza di

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EASTERN SICILY

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“

Dichiarata dall’Unesco Patrimonio orale e immateriale dell’umanità nel 2011, secondo la maggioranza degli studiosi l’opera dei pupi risale a metà dell’800 quando, durante la dominazione spagnola, lentamente questa forma d’intrattenimento si diffuse sempre più a sud.

“

ottanta centimetri e il viso realizzato in cartapesta, cosa non riscontrabile nelle tradizioni delle altre due città. Inoltre, per le armature si utilizzano rame, ottone e alpacca abbinandoli tra loro, con applicazioni in contrasto o rivestendo il pupo con un unico metallo arricchito da sbalzi e ceselli [...] Altre differenze si riscontrano nel colore delle vesti dei personaggi principali, come Rinaldo ad esempio, che veste di rosso a Palermo, di verde a Catania e di giallo a Siracusa.”

Scalisi, a proposito delle differenze costitutive riguardanti altezza, articolazioni e dimensioni, afferma: “A differenza della scuola palermitana, quella catanese è caratterizzata da pupi più alti e più raffinati nelle vesti anche se meno flessibili e, quindi, meno adattabili a spazi piccoli.”

Per quanto riguarda l’avvento della tecnologia, entrambi concordano.

Secondo Scalisi è: “la maniera per “esportarla” fuori dai confini italiani.” Per Mauceri, similmente, “i nuovi devices possono veicolare il messaggio molto più di un cartellone posto all’angolo della via.”

Da cosa va dunque protetto questo patrimonio?

Scalisi non ha dubbi: “...ogni patrimonio immateriale ha un nemico/amico che è il tempo. Esso si fonda infatti su saperi trasmessi generazionalmente da alcune famiglie, il che vuol dire che se si interrompe questo circuito, gli effetti saranno devastanti [...] Un pupo di per sé è un oggetto inanimato. Sono i pupari a renderlo vivo e a permettergli di raccontare e raccontarsi.”

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COME ACQUISTARE E/O VENDERE UN IMMOBILE IN ITALIA

By Pasquale Artuso sogno di acquistare un immobile nel “Bel paese” è sempre presente nelle menti di ogni individuo che abbia a cuore le sue bellezze paesaggistiche ed artistiche, anche per gli allettanti prezzi di acquisto, stante la perdurante crisi economicopolitico-sociale che attanaglia l’Italia.

Quindi una domanda si pone spontanea, nell’ipotesi che si giunga a tale decisione, quali sono i costi, le tasse, le imposte, oltre alle formalità burocratiche da espletare per acquistare un immobile?

Dapprima, bisogna munirsi dei documenti atti a formalizzare l’atto d’acquisto, che sono il passaporto ed il codice fiscale italiano – quest’ultimo può essere richiesto presso il Consolato italiano nella nazione di residenza dell’acquirente o al momento in cui lo stesso giunga in Italia, altresì, quest’ultimo dovrà aprire un conto bancario estero in euro; tuttavia, qualora l’acquirente non possa partecipare alla transazione immobiliare, può incaricare un procuratore “ad hoc”, residente sul posto, che potrà effettuare tutte le operazioni necessarie al buon esito della stessa.

Successivamente, vi è da considerare l’eventuale mediazione dell’agenzia immobiliare che incide per una percentuale variante da un minimo del 2% ad un massimo del 5%, oltre all’I.V.A del 22% sull’importo del compenso. Vi sono poi gli onorari del notaio rogante l’atto di compravendita, che oscillano secondo il valore catastale (non quello commerciale ben più

Il

elevato) da un minimo di euro 2000, oltre all’I.V.A del 22%, ad un massimo non quantificabile di preciso, giacché dipendente dal prezzo dell’immobile, tuttavia vi è semprela possibilità di trattativa con il professionista summenzionato.

Ancora, la tassazione sull’acquisto varia da una percentuale del 4% (I.V.A.) dovuta al costruttore per un nuovo immobile, oltre agli importi fissi di euro 168 cadauno per registro, tassa ipotecaria e catastale, nonché, in alternativa, la percentuale del 2% (con un minimale di euro 1000) a carico dell’acquirente che la dichiara come “prima casa”, oltre ad euro 168 cadauna per tassa ipotecaria e catastale, per arrivare a quella del 10% (7% registro, 2% ipotecaria, 1% catastale) per le normali compravendite.

Infine dall’anno 2014 vi è l’imposta unica comunale (I.U.C.) che ha sostituito la precedente (I.M.U.) che viene versata annualmente in due rate, sul valore catastale inferiore a quello commerciale dell’immobile, la cui percentuale, decisa autonomamente da ciascun comune italiano, oscilla da un minimo del 2,5 per mille ad un massimo dell’11 per mille a seconda se l’abitazione è residenza principale o secondaria; tuttavia, per quanto concerne gli italiani residenti all’estero (A.I.R.E.), vi sono delle agevolazioni fiscali che permettono di pagare un’imposta minore.

Per quanto riguarda, invece, la vendita dell’immobile, l’unico onere a carico del venditore è l’eventuale mediazione dell’agenzia immobiliare nelle percentuali dapprima citate.

Da ultimo, si vuole evidenziare la possibilità, prima della stipula dell’atto notarile, di redigere, fra le parti, un contratto preliminare di vendita da registrare, tassativamente, presso l’Ufficio del Registro competente, così da eliminare il possibile pericolo, per il promissario acquirente, che il promittente venditore ceda, più di una volta, ad altri soggetti interessati, l’immobile; come ulteriore garanzia, si consiglia, altresì, d’inserire, nel preliminare di vendita, la clausola dell’immissione immediata nel possesso dell’immobile a favore del promissario acquirente.

Questa rubrica legale contiene informazioni giuridiche generali e non sostitiusce i consigli di un avvocato che terrà conto delle particolarità del vostro caso.

Lo Studio Legale Pasquale Artuso & soci si avvale della collaborazione di corrispondenti in tutte le regioni d’Italia, coordinati dallo Studio Fallerini.

Pasquale Artuso Avvocato di Fiducia Consolato Generale d’Italia

Valérie Carrier Avvocatessa

Julie Therrien Avvocatessa

Mathieu Di Lullo Avvocato

Steven Campese Avvocato

Caroline Francoeur Avvocatessa

T.: 514.259.7090

Pierre Fugère Avvocato - diritto criminale e penale Joseph W. Allen Avvocato dal 1976 diritto dell’immigrazione

F.:514.256.6907 artmars@securenet.net

Complexe Le Baron, 6020, rue Jean-Talon Est, bureau 630 Montréal (Québec) Canada H1S 3B1

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ADVICE

La Quaresima… di cosa si tratta?

O

gni anno, quaranta giorni prima di Pasqua, noi cattolici cominciamo un periodo di penitenza e digiuno che chiamiamo Quaresima. Sarebbe più corretto parlare di quarantasei giorni prima di Pasqua benché in realtà, vanno sottratte sei domeniche non considerate dalla Chiesa giorni di digiuno.

Questa tradizione ebbe inizio nei primi secoli della Chiesa. Presto, i cristiani vollero ricordare i quaranta giorni trascorsi da Gesù Cristo nel deserto, prima d’iniziare il suo ministero pubblico (Cf. Mc 1, Padre Nicola Di Narzo 12-13). Di questo suo periodo nel deserto sappiamo ben poco, se non che fu tentato dal diavolo e che fu per lui periodo di digiuno e preghiera. Il numero quaranta evocava già vari passi dell’Antico Testamento e tra questi si ricordano, ad esempio, i quarant’anni vissuti nel deserto dal popolo ebraico prima di poter entrare in Terra Santa.

Questi quaranta giorni prima di Pasqua hanno dunque acquisito questo senso di preparazione, o meglio di purificazione, di penitenza.

Portando avanti questo spirito dei quaranta giorni di penitenza, la Chiesa decise di esortare tutti i cristiani a vivere questa quaresima. Ha inizio con il Mercoledì delle Ceneri quando si impongono le ceneri sulla fronte della gente per ricordare che cenere eravamo e cenere torneremo. Una frase che può sembrare dura, ma che vuol far riflettere sul fatto che non siamo nulla senza Dio. Egli infatti ci ha creati e noi dobbiamo saper rinunciare alle cose terrene per avvicinarci maggiormente a Lui. Non era raro trovare gente che per quaranta giorni vivesse di solo pane e acqua nel tentativo di imitare il nostro Salvatore.

All’epoca, la quaresima non aveva niente a che vedere con ciò che facciamo oggi. I cristiani dovevano rinunciare alla carne, alle uova, al latte ed ai suoi derivati.

Rimaneva ben poco per nutrirsi bene. Iniziarono allora a celebrare il Martedì grasso, prima del Mercoledì delle ceneri, giorno in cui si abbuffavano e che finì per trasformarsi nel famoso Carnevale (già esistente in altre tradizioni, ma di cui i cristiani si sono appropriati).

Erano dunque quaranta giorni di pietanze povere. Da lì sono sicuramente nate tante tradizioni culinarie soprattutto per ciò che riguarda il periodo successivo alla quaresima. Non potendo mangiare i vari prodotti della terra, i contadini dunque dovevano mettere da parte le uova, con il latte produrre del formaggio da far stagionare e lo stesso dicasi per la carne. Se guardiamo ad esempio i dolci tipici di Pasqua ne troviamo di fatti con molte uova: la corona di Pasqua, la pastiera napoletana, il tortano, per citarne alcuni. Se pensiamo alla grande festa che facciamo a Pasqua ed a Pasquetta, non possiamo non pensare a quanto dovessero sembrare buoni i formaggi e salumi consumati dopo un lungo periodo di astinenza.

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La quaresima era dunque caratterizzata soprattutto dal digiuno. Al digiuno si unirono poi poche altre tradizioni con caratteristiche simili sia al Nord che al Sud Italia. Al Sud, ad esempio, si faceva un pupazzo di paglia con addosso un cappello e un mantello che lo rendevano simile a una persona anziana, se non addirittura ad una strega. Al Nord, si faceva lo stesso ma creando pupazzi più simili a bambole. Un altro elemento comune era dato dal fatto che il giorno di Pasqua si sparava a questi pupazzi oppure si facevano saltare in aria. Sicuramente, attraverso questi fantocci dalle sembianze diaboliche, si voleva evocare la tentazione provata da Cristo nel deserto.

Il momento più suggestivo della quaresima era la Settimana Santa. Il Giovedì e Venerdì santo ne rappresentavano l’apice per poi celebrare la Veglia pasquale e, infine, la grande gioia della Resurrezione, cioè la Pasqua. Villaggi interi si mobilitavano per partecipare alla messa della sera del Giovedì santo che ricordava l’ultima Cena, l’istituzione dell’Eucaristia, ma anche il tradimento di Giuda. Il Venerdì santo, poi, alle ore quindici si celebrava in chiesa la Passione, cioè la morte di Cristo. Ufficio senza messa per sottolineare la morte e rivivere l’angoscia della scomparsa di Cristo prima della Risurrezione. In questo giorno di lutto non si suonano le campane e la celebrazione comincia nel silenzio, senza musica alcuna.

In vari paesini d’Italia si organizzano in questo giorno delle processioni con il crocifisso, o anche con il corpo di Cristo sdraiato su un feretro, che si concludono con la visita ai sepolcri nelle varie chiese.

Questo periodo di tristezza si concludeva dunque la sera del Sabato santo, quando la Chiesa celebrava già la Risurrezione di Cristo. Allora sì che a quel punto si interrompeva il digiuno.

Detto ciò… Buona e Santa Pasqua a tutti voi, cari lettori.

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EVENTS

Des Gens et des Événements People and Events Vous connaissez des gens d’exception ou des événements qui méritent d’être connus ?

PARLIAMO ITALIANO • NOUS PARLONS FRANÇAIS • HABLAMOS ESPAÑOL

Oceanfront Properties • Pre-Construction-Condos Homes • Commercial • Investments Golf Communties • Luxury Rentals

carole.gagliardi@panoramitalia.com

MARIA GUZZO, FEMME D’ACTION Trouver l’équilibre entre ma vie de mère, d’épouse, de philanthrope et d’auteure, tel était le thème de l’allocution de Maria Guzzo lors du neuvième Brunch annuel Femmes d’Action organisé par la Fondation d’Israël pour la recherche sur le cancer et la Fondation Pink Lady qui honorait également la docteure Sima Goël, chiropraticienne et Jennifer Heil, médaillée d’or aux Jeux Olympiques.

Maria Guzzo est une femme discrète et efficace.

Elle n’a pas besoin d’épater.

Elle s’habille sobrement, parle peu et possède une retenue qui nous renvoie d’elle l’image d’une femme réfléchie et équilibrée. Dans son discours il était question des différents rôles qu’elle occupe et qu’elle aime remplir. Comment faire ce que l’on aime et trouver l’équilibre dans la vie de tous les jours ? Depuis plusieurs années, Maria Guzzo voit à l’organisation d’une soirée haut-de-gamme unique, la NOTTE IN BIANCO, dont l’objectif est d’amasser des fonds pour la Chaire de recherche Environnement-Cancer Guzzo de la Société de recherche sur le cancer en partenariat avec l'Université de Montréal. Le projet créé en 2007 a comme objectif de réunir et d’explorer un maximum d’informations scientifiques dans le but de comprendre l’impact de l’environnement sur le développement du cancer. Maria a choisie de s’impliquer auprès de plusieurs organismes dans sa lutte contre le cancer. Elle a offert d’innombrables heures en tant que bénévole à l’Hôpital de Montréal pour enfants, à l’Hôpital général juif et à l’Hôpital Shriners pour enfants. À partir de 2015, Maria Guzzo se consacrera à la recherche sur la santé mentale auprès des enfants, tout particulièrement au sein du Kids Write Network qui offre un programme thérapeutique préventif aux enfants de plus de 4 ans, basé sur la littérature et l’estime de soi. Maria Guzzo siège aussi au conseil d’administration des Grands Ballets Canadiens.

Néanmoins, sa tâche principale est d’être la maman de trois jeunes enfants âgés de moins de 12 ans. Belle-maman de deux jeunes adultes et l’épouse de Vincenzo Guzzo, chef des opérations et vice-président exécutif des Cinémas Guzzo Inc., elle a terminé l’écriture de son premier livre intitulé How To Train Your Dreams, qui sortira en mai 2015, une œuvre écrite dans le but d’offrir aux enfants la force de croire qu’ils ne sont pas seuls au monde, de leur donner le courage de poursuivre leurs rêves et de leur rappeler qu’il y a toujours de l’espoir. Maria Guzzo poursuit elle-même sa quête de bonheur et d’équilibre à travers sa famille, son travail, ses passions. Elle se dit privilégiée de pouvoir s’accomplir et d’évoluer avec succès dans ces différentes sphères. « Tout est question de choix et de rythme », ajoute-t-elle avec sérénité.

Organisme à but non lucratif, la Fondation d’Israël pour la recherche sur le cancer a été créée en 1975 par des chercheurs, oncologues et gens d’affaires canadiens et américains afin d’amasser des fonds pour aider la recherche contre le cancer ainsi que pour contrer le mouvement d’exil des chercheurs israéliens, en leur offrant des bourses postdoctorales. La Fondation Pink Lady quant à elle a pour objectif d’amasser des fonds dans le but d’assurer une meilleure qualité de vie aux personnes atteintes de cancer qui ont peu de moyens financiers.

Miami Beach • Downtown Miami • Bal Harbor • Sunny Isles AventuraFort Lauderdale • Hollywood • Hallandale • Fort Lauderdale Pompano Boca Raton • Delray Beach • Palm Beaches

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Giuseppe (Pino) Giancaspro Courtier immobilier agréé

Alliance G.G. inc.

Agence immobilière Franchisé indépendent et autonome de RE/MAX Alliance inc.

514 826-0606 • Pinoremax.com

Trust a professional. Trust RE/MAX. Trust Pino Giancaspro, with over 25 years of experience.

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EVENTS

ENTREVUE AVEC LA CHANTEUSE GIORGIA FUMANTI demande encore si les deux vont de pair, mais lorsque j’entends les commentaires de mon public, je sens quelque chose de plus grand que mon ego. Quand je chante, je suis tellement heureuse. Je dois chanter, c’est indispensable pour mon bonheur.

PI : Le bien-être des personnes handicapées vous tient à cœur. Pourquoi avoir choisie cette cause ?

GF : Quand j’étais petite, je voulais être religieuse ou missionnaire. Longtemps j’ai fait du bénévolat pour les personnes âgées et handicapées et auprès des enfants malades. Cela me fait du bien, si je peux partager et être utile, cela me rend heureuse.

PI : Vous êtes une femme très réservée. On ne connaît pas votre vie privée.

Est-ce votre décision ?

GF : Oui, car quand j’étais plus jeune, je voyais des stars et je trouvais qu’on leur accordait trop d’importance. On oublie qu’ils sont des gens comme tous les autres. Je suis de nature réservée et quand je ne chante pas, je veux protéger ma vie privée. Je ne veux pas que mon ego soit trop gros. Je ne veux pas devenir esclave de mon image.

PI : Quels liens maintenez-vous avec votre langue et culture d’origine ?

GF : Ma famille vit en Italie, je leur parle régulièrement. Ce fut très difficile de les quitter pour m’installer ici et tout recommencer. Mais, j’avais une vision de l’Amérique. J’y voyais un tremplin pour une carrière internationale. Ma petite Crystal parle italien et la toute dernière, Jasmine, le parlera bientôt. L’Italie est pour moi le plus bel endroit au monde, mais la vie y est très difficile. À travers ma musique et ma voix transpirent mon italianité, ma culture et ma langue.

Giorgia Fumanti a produit 7 albums: Like A Dream, From My Heart, Je Suis, Magnificat, Elysium, Collection et Corazon Latino. Essence, son 8ième sortira en Mars 2015.

La chanteuse soprano Giorgia Fumanti, née en Italie le 22 février 1975, a grandi et étudié à Aulla en Toscane. Adolescente elle est timide et introvertie, mais adore chanter. Par pudeur, elle choisit d’étudier le Droit. Elle se rappelle cette étape de sa vie comme d’un moment difficile. Ce ne sera qu’à l’âge de 23 ans qu’elle se consacrera entièrement à son art, car ditelle « J’ai découvert que chanter me faisait du bien, que je n’étais plus cette jeune fille introvertie et renfermée. Chanter me permettait d’exulter une timidité excessive. » Giorgia Fumanti vit au Québec depuis 2002. Auteure et compositeure, elle fait ses propres arrangements musicaux. Son style pop classique plaît particulièrement aux marchés asiatiques où elle se produit régulièrement. On la compare à Andrea Boccelli, Sarah Brightman et Enya.

PI : Pourquoi quitter la Toscane pour vous installer au Québec ?

GF : J’ai enregistré un démo avec Zucchero en Italie et Maurice Velenosi (son actuel manager et mari) a entendu cette chanson. Il a demandé à me rencontrer et c’est ainsi qu’a commencé notre aventure professionnelle et amoureuse. En 2002, sans connaître un seul mot de français et très peu d’anglais, je suis arrivée au Québec et nous avons commencé à nous aimer. J’ai enregistré un premier album et nous avons produit un premier concert à l’Oratoire Saint-Joseph.

PI : Vous avez découvert votre talent et votre passion un peu tardivement…

GF : Oui, toute petite je chantais avec ma grand-mère. Elle me berçait tout en chantant, c’était notre petit secret et cela me réconfortait. Plus tard, j’ai cessé, par timidité. Vers l’âge de 15 ans, j’aimais me réfugier à l’église. Je m’y sentais bien, car pour moi l’adolescence était une période difficile. Un jour j’ai appris que la chorale cherchait des chanteurs.

Courageusement, j’ai proposé d’y participer et le directeur de la chorale a découvert ma voix de soprano. Trois mois plus tard, je devenais soliste, c’est ainsi que tout a commencé.

PI : Vous vous intéressez depuis longtemps à la spiritualité, vous pratiquez le yoga, vos spectacles sont empreints d’une douceur ésotérique… Cet intérêt semble loin du monde du show-business. Comment alliez-vous les deux ?

GF : C’était ma plus grande peur, car j’ai découvert ma voix dans l’église, j’aimais cette sérénité, cette spiritualité… Je crois aux anges et pour moi chanter c’était magique.

Imaginez pour une fille si timide, si peu sûre d’elle-même… Lorsque je chantais, j’étais bien. Je devenais sûre de moi. Mais, l’Amérique me faisait peur. J’ai mis du temps avant de finalement partir. Plus de 5 ans. J’ai connu Zucchero, je l’admirais, mais j’avais peur de cet univers. J’ai refusé les producteurs qui me demandaient de faire une musique plus sexy et plus commerciale jusqu’à ce que je rencontre Maurice. Il a respecté mon style. Je me

PI : Vous êtes maintenant maman de deux petites filles, Crystal 5 ans et Jasmine 6 mois, comment cela a-t-il changé votre vie ?

GF : J’avais très peur de perdre des possibilités de travail lorsque ma première est née, car à New York où je travaillais, je sentais le regard parfois sévère des hommes de l’industrie. Mais j’ai suivi mon cœur et je vis une histoire d’amour inconditionnel auprès de mes enfants. De plus, l’artiste en moi s’est transformée. Ma voix est plus profonde, mes émotions plus intenses, la superficialité ne m’intéresse plus, j’adore être maman.

PI : Votre plus grand rêve Giorgia Fumanti ?

GF : D’être en paix avec moi-même, de trouver la sérénité, le bonheur, d’aimer et d’être aimée. Je veux enseigner à mes filles d’être fières d’elles et j’espère chanter encore très longtemps.

LE NOUVEAU MUSÉE DUFRESNE-NINCHERI Le nouveau Musée Dufresne-Nincheri, présidé par M. Marc Poirier, a procédé à l’inauguration de son complexe muséal le 9 décembre dernier en ouvrant officiellement le Studio Nincheri, le plus ancien atelier de vitrail du Québec encore existant, et en présentant sa nouvelle exposition permanente au Château Dufresne dont le clou est sans conteste la prestigieuse collection d’objets et de tableaux royaux et impériaux des collectionneurs M. Alexandre de Bothuri et Mme Élaine Bédard. Il s’agit de l’une des collections d’œuvres et d’objets royaux et impériaux français les plus prestigieuses à l’extérieur de la France. Complétant cette exposition, le livre La mémoire des objets rédigé par Alexandre de Bothuri, chez Del Busso Éditeur, raconte le parcours surprenant de ces objets et la passion qui anime l’auteur-collectionneur pour ceux-ci. Le grand public pourra aussi découvrir l’un des plus anciens ateliers de vitrail du Canada, de l’artiste d’origine florentine Guido Nincheri, artiste emblématique de la communauté italo-canadienne de la première moitié du XXe siècle. Le Studio Nincheri a produit plus de 5 000 verrières à l’échelle de l’Amérique du Nord entre 1925 et 1996, date de sa fermeture.

La famille Nincheri a offert au musée 625 œuvres (vitraux, maquettes, cartons, outils) qui se trouvaient au Studio et qui documentaient le travail de conception et de fabrication des vitraux. La nouvelle mission du musée sera de célébrer l’héritage historique et patrimonial de l’Est de Montréal par la valorisation du Château Dufresne et du Studio Nincheri en un complexe muséal unique et novateur, conçu pour la collectivité et en vue de sa conservation pour les générations futures. Le Château Dufresne, situé au 2929, avenue Jeanne-d’Arc, et le Studio Nincheri, situé au 1832, boulevard Pie-IX, sont ouverts au public du mercredi au dimanche de 10h à 17h.

Pour information : 514 259-9201 ou www.dufresne-nincheri.ca.

Integrity, hard work, fair pricing!

Senz’acqua non cresce niente! Éclairez votre monde!

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EVENTS ENTREVUE AVEC MARIO RIGANTE PREMIER VICE-PRÉSIDENT DE LA DIRECTION DU QUÉBEC, BMO. C'est en 2002 que Mario Rigante a commencé sa carrière chez BMO. Il dirige d’abord tout le secteur du centre-ville de Montréal, avant d'être nommé directeur principal, ventes et services. Il devient ensuite vice-président des services pour la région de Laval et du nord-ouest, puis vice-président des services aux entreprises pour la région métropolitaine de Montréal. Depuis juin dernier, M. Rigante est le premier vice-président de la direction du Québec. Il assume maintenant la direction d'une équipe de plus de 2000 employés. Mario Rigante a terminé, en 1996, un baccalauréat en Finance à l'université Concordia. Puis, en 2007, il a obtenu un MBA services financiers à l'université Dalhousie, à Halifax, en Nouvelle-Écosse.

PI : Tout au long de vos études, vous avez travaillé, comme bien des étudiants, au service à la clientèle d'une grande banque. Aviez-vous déjà un plan de carrière ?

MR : Je dirais plutôt que c’était naturel pour moi que de me diriger dans le domaine de la finance, mais je ne peux pas dire que c’était conscient. Enfant, j’avais déjà un esprit d’entrepreneur : je coupais le gazon, je déneigeais les allées des voisins, je faisais de la peinture résidentielle… Vers l’âge de 13 ans, je suis devenu le trésorier du conseil étudiant de l’école. Plus tard à l’université, j’ai étudié en finance, comptabilité et gestion tout en gérant ma PME de décorations de fêtes et de livraison de télégrammes. J’adorais cela !

PI : Est-ce que l’entreprenariat vous manque ?

MR : Non, car chez BMO j’ai assez de liberté pour prendre les décisions qui me semblent les meilleures. L’institution a une excellente structure en marketing ce qui me permet d’exécuter nos stratégies tout en ayant la liberté nécessaire pour avoir du succès. C’est motivant, car j’ai l’opportunité d’être impliqué dans plusieurs stratégies à la fois. Il y a plusieurs axes et lignes d’affaires à évaluer et c’est excellent.

PI : Pour les étudiants qui visent une carrière de haut niveau, est-il fondamental d’obtenir un MBA ou y a-t-il d’autres titres qui sont tout autant valorisés ?

MR : Tout dépend. Avoir un MBA c’est un atout, une attestation de sa polyvalence au niveau de la stratégie, de la finance, du marketing. Ça donne une variété de connaissances. Tout dépend de son plan de carrière, par exemple pour un analyste financier, il est préférable d’avoir un CFA ou une maîtrise en finance, alors que pour un généraliste le MBA est préférable. Si je peux donner un conseil à ceux et celles qui veulent devenir leader : tout ce que l’on peut faire comme formation en leadership est un plus, car on apprend à se connaître et à connaître les autres. Il faut savoir se nourrir de relations interpersonnelles.

PI : Comment définissez-vous votre style de gestion ? Après tout, vous êtes responsable de plus de 2,000 employés au Québec.

MR : Je ne crois pas avoir un style unique. Je crois que pour avoir du succès, il faut faire appel à plusieurs styles selon la situation. Je me vois comme consultatif et inclusif. J’écoute

l’opinion de mes collègues avant de prendre une décision. Je préconise la diversité. En groupe, on est plus intelligent qu’individuellement.

PI : Votre maîtrise de la langue française est impressionnante…

MR : J’ai fréquenté les écoles anglophones c’est vrai, par contre je me suis toujours assuré de prendre des cours de français pendant mes études. Je dois donner beaucoup de crédit à BMO. Nos communications sont d’abord en français. Je me suis grandement amélioré depuis que j’ai joint BMO, car ici, la connaissance et la maîtrise de la langue française sont d’importants atouts.

PI : En tant que premier vice-président de la direction du Québec, avez-vous l’intention et aurez-vous l’opportunité d’apporter des changements dans la façon dont BMO opère ?

MR : J’occupe ce poste depuis le 17 juin dernier. Déjà, il y a eu des changements importants. Mais je suis héritier d’une structure optimale pour les prochaines années. Au niveau de notre vision, de nos valeurs, mon rôle est d’exécuter la stratégie des changements qui ont été décidés et de m’assurer que les clients pourront en bénéficier, qu’ils pourront vivre une expérience qui dépasse leurs attentes.

PI : Vous avez 45 ans, les dirigeants sont de plus en plus jeunes dans les grandes entreprises….

MR : À mon avis, l’âge est secondaire. En tant que responsable, je dois être capable de communiquer avec toutes les générations. Pour un leader qui compte autant d’employés, il faut comprendre comment ces gens-là pensent et il faut avoir la capacité de s’adapter. Les valeurs d’un individu sont fondamentales dans le choix du candidat. Je recherche une diversité à tous les niveaux et l’âge est l’un de ces facteurs. Les jeunes amènent une connaissance pointue de la technologie alors que les gens plus âgés ont l’expérience et les connaissances.

PI : Mario Rigante, êtes-vous attaché à votre culture d’origine ?

MR : Mes parents sont nés tous les deux à Bisceli, Bari, dans la région des Pouilles. Je suis né à Montréal et j’ai développé une appréciation tardive pour mes origines. Lorsque j’ai complété mon MBA, j’ai emmené mes parents à Halifax visiter Pier 21. Ce fut un moment très marquant. Là, j’ai compris les sacrifices et la douleur des immigrants. Après avoir vu la réaction très émotive de ma mère, ce fut un véritable déclic pour moi et je suis devenu encore plus fier de mes origines. Aujourd’hui, je m’assure de donner à la communauté. Je suis actif au sein de la Casa D’Italia, au Gala annuel qui vise à célébrer nos origines. Je parle le dialecte et je prends des cours d’italien afin de maîtriser la langue. Mes parents m’ont appris à être travaillant, à respecter les gens et à avoir confiance. Je me rappelle quand nous allions à des fêtes italiennes où il y avait plus de 300 invités, ils m’obligeaient à saluer tous ceux que je connaissais à mon arrivée et à mon départ. Cela m’a permis de tisser des liens et mon travail est fondé sur les relations interpersonnelles. Ma mère me disait « fai bene e scordi » (fais le bien et oublie le reste). J’aime croire que cela a contribué à façonner l’homme que je suis devenu.

10300, boul Pie-IX - Angolo Fleury

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EVENTS

GINO VANNELLI TO PLAY THE GRAN GALA MOLISANA On April 11, the Federazione delle Associazioni Molisane del Quebec will hold it’s first annual gala under the presidency of Panoram Italia Publisher Tony Zara at Le Club de Golf Metropolitain in Anjou. On the night, famed Molisan-Montrealer, singer Gino Vannelli, will grace the stage for a special performance dedicated to his Molisan roots.

For tickets and info, please email info@panoramitalia.com.

LES BOURSES D’ÉTUDES CIBPA

L’éditeur en chef de Panoram Italia, Adam Zara remet la bourse PANORAM ITALIA à la mère d’Ariana Stachrowski, étudiante en Business, Marketing & International Business à l’Université Concordia.

L’association des gens d’affaires et professionnels italo-canadiens du Québec (CIBPA) fut créée en 1949 dans le but d’offrir aux gens d’affaires d’origine italienne un lieu de rencontres et d’échanges favorisant le développement des affaires. Au fil des ans, divers événements ont été mis sur pied afin d’assurer à la CIBPA un rayonnement dans sa communauté. Ainsi, en 1961, Alfredo Gagliardi, Antonio Capobianco et Raffaele Esposito ont mis sur pied le Programme de Bourses d’Études en vue d’offrir une aide financière aux étudiants talentueux. Depuis, plus de trois millions de dollars et environ 2,000 bourses ont été octroyés à des étudiants d’origine italienne de niveau universitaire faisant du Programme de Bourses d’Études de la CIBPA, le plus important au Canada. Des bourses donc, dont la valeur varie de 4,000$ pour le niveau Doctorat, à 3,000$ au niveau Maîtrise et à 2,000$ pour le niveau Baccalauréat. Les récipiendaires étudient principalement aux universités McGill, Concordia, de Montréal, à l’UQAM et à l’université d’Ottawa. En 2014 47 bourses d’études incluant 21 bourses au mérite ont été attribuées grâce à la contribution de généreux donateurs. Les critères de sélection pour obtenir une bourse de la CIBPA sont l’origine italienne (pouvant remonter à quelques générations) et le besoin d’aide financière. L’association a instauré en 2012 le concept de Bourses d’excellence attribuées depuis aux étudiants qui se distinguent par une réalisation académique hors du commun. Si vous êtes étudiant de niveau universitaire, vous pourrez consulter à partir du mois de mars le site www.cibpamontreal.com. Vous y trouverez les informations relatives aux modalités d’inscription pour l’obtention d’une Bourse en 2015.

Vous pouvez aussi contacter l’association au 514 254-4929.

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SPORTS

Enzo Concina From Canada to Italy and back again

By Joey Strizzi

I

talian-Canadian Enzo Concina has had a revolving door relationship with Canada and Italy as a professional in the soccer world. Born in Prato Carnico, Udine, in 1962, the former centre back’s family moved to Mississauga, Ontario, when he was only four years old. At 20, he left to play professionally in Italy, and at 32, he came back to Canada to help the Montreal Impact win an American Professional Soccer League championship in 1994 – his final season as a pro.

Concina’s coaching career has mimicked his playing career: he returned to Italy (Piacenza) after retiring and eventually coaching Napoli in Serie A for three seasons (2010-2013) as an assistant. He joined MLS last year with D.C. United before, you guessed it, he came back to Canada as an assistant coach with the Montreal Impact in 2015.

Panoram Italia caught up with Concina to find out a bit about his experiences on and off the pitch in Italy and Canada.

Panoram Italia: How did you end up playing in Italy?

Enzo Concina: I started playing for a travelling soccer team coached by an incredible Italian-Canadian, Aldo Lista, at 10 years old. Then when I got older, I took part in a tournament with Toronto Italia playing against big clubs like Celtic and Dinamo Zagreb. Francesco Scorsa, who was playing for Ascoli in Serie A, happened to be on vacation visiting family and was asked to play with us. He set up a trial for me and I was eventually signed by Cesena from Serie A, although I spent most of my playing career in Serie B. PI: Any memories that stood out for you when you first arrived in Italy as a player?

EC: I was back in the homeland and I was proud of that. I arrived in August and Italy had just won the World Cup that year (1982 over West Germany), so the league was flooded with all the top stars as a result. Maradona, Matheus, Platini, Zico, Passarella – there were so many. And then a few years later, I ended up playing against guys who won the World Cup. I played with probably the best man-marker in the world in Claudio Gentile. Here was a Canadian who played street hockey as a kid in Mississauga marking Paolo Rossi, the 1982 World Cup scoring champion!

PI: What was your experience like coaching Napoli?

EC: I coached in Napoli with a former teammate of mine, Walter Mazzarri, from 2010-2013. I am very proud of the work we did there. We took a team that toiled with mediocrity after being such a huge club during the Maradona years back to glory – a third place finish in 2010-2011 and runners up in 2012-2013 to go along with Champions League and Europa League appearances. They are mad about soccer in Napoli. There is one team in a region of five million people who aren’t split between two clubs like Milan or Rome. It’s demanding because there is a lot of pressure. The city historically is important and beautiful. There was an expression about Napoli that goes: “Vedi Napoli e poi muori (You see Naples and then you die).” The coastline is unbelievable, but the city centre has been going through really hard times in recent years, like with the garbage situation. It is in need of a lot of maintenance. The people are incredible and it was a privilege to help give them something to cheer about and a way to escape their current situation.

PI: What was your favourite place to visit in Italy?

EC: It has to be Rome. For me, the capital is a city with so much beauty and history that it affects you. It has something magical to it.

PI: Why did you decide to come back to Montreal as a coach?

EC: The people involved in the club. The city is great, but I believe in the people here in place. There is trust there. I’ve known Joey [Saputo], Nick [De Santis] and Mauro [Biello] for years. Over the last 20 years, we’ve exchanged notes, tactics, player info and now that I’m back here, it feels like no time has passed. I came here in 1994 to help the club and we won a title. I’m back here to do the same. Here in Montreal, there are knowledgeable fans, so there is some pressure to perform and we have to earn their support. I believe we can make this team a consistent winner. The dedication that Joey Saputo has put into soccer and this team is second to none and because of the people here in place, the game has grown exponentially. I am really excited for what’s to come this season.

Joey Strizzi is the Editorial Manager for the Montreal Impact.

PANORAMITALIA.COM

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Wall of Memory remembering our immigrants

Immortalize your family history on the Casa D’Italia’s Wall of Memory!

Available at store.panoramitalia.com

2. Small Family Plate

1. Individual Name Plate

Two full names Place of birth Year of arrival in Canada Option of photo

Full name (29 characters) Place of birth Year of arrival in Canada

size 4” x 8” middle section

size: 2” x 8”

upper / lower section $250* middle section $400*

$750

3. Large Family Plate

Up to two photos and six lines of text OR Up to ten lines of text, no photo Must include place of birth and year of arrival in Canada size: 8” x 8” middle section

$1200

Official Certificate of Registration * A certificate will be issued for each plate as a souvenir for the family.

*Must be picked up at Casa D'Italia

Log on to store.panoramitalia.com to choose an option, upload your photo, input your information and make payment.

Acknowledge • Honour • Remember Call Panoram Italia Editor Adam Zara at (514) 337-7870 for assistance.

CCPI — Casa d'Italia sustains, promotes and develops Italian-Canadian culture in Montreal.

505 rue Jean-Talon Est, Montreal QC H2R 1T6

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Un Salami, plusienrs saveurs...

Many flavours, one salami...

Il s’agit de nourriture...

It’s all about food...

2866 Daniel Johnson, Laval Qc

H7P 5N7

Tél: 450 934-6220

Fax: 450 934-6961 www.papille.ca