UNAPOLOGETICALLY ITALIAN
Anna Maria a nonna out of the box
Summer 2018/2019 - ISSUE XVI
segmento.com.au
CONTENT COVER STORY An Italian Nonna out of the box - Anna Maria, the oldest living fisherwoman in Italy Haley J. Egan
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A recent trip to Sicily inspired by the Australian way
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Brenda Pomponio
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ENDORSEMENT
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Mario Biondi The Italian baritone’s first Australian tour Haley J. Egan
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Love, laugh and bake with Silvia Colloca Haley J. Egan An ayurvedic herb may be the best natural treatment for OCD (Obsessive Compulive Disorder) Agata Grimaldi Italy’s hottest new destination: an insider’s guide to Milan Rachael Martin The 50th anniversary of CO.AS.IT. and its significance in the past, present and future of Victorian Italians Ivano Ercole
The relevance of reframing the history of Italians in Australia Francesco Ricatti The time capsule that our generation lived in Natalie di Pasquale When a dream to chase turns into a golden captivity Daniele Curto
RECIPE 13
Raspberry swirl cake Silvia Colloca
INTERVIEWS 14
Interview with the Italian actress, Valeria Solarino and
Founder and Managing Director Daniele Curto daniele.curto@segmento.com.au 0418 891 285 Associate Editor Ivano Ercole editor@segmento.com.au Editor in Chief for Italy and China Elenoire Laudieri Di Biase elaudier@segmento.com.au Graphic Artist Elaine Bocchini marketing@segmento.com.au Creative Consultant Imbarani Poonasamy Photographers Paco Matteo Li Calzi - Daniele Curto Ksenia Belova - Jonathan Di Maggio Giorgia Maselli For features, articles and editorial submissions: segmento@segmento.com.au For advertising equires please contact: marketing@segmento.com.au 0418 891 285 Cover photo credits Annalisa Marchionna Translation Support Jenna Lo Bianco
award-winning Italo-Australian filmmaker, Lisa Camillo - Jytte Holmqvist
REVIEW 23
programme that connects Italian-speaking and Englishspeaking worlds - Jenna Lo Bianco
Agata Grimaldi Archimede Fusillo Ivano Ercole Hayley J. Egan Francesco Ricatti Rachael Martin Elenoire Laudieri Di Biase Omar D’Incecco Daniele Foti-Cuzzola Mariantonietta Rasulo Jenna Lo Bianco Natalie Di Pasquale Elaine Bocchini Raffaele Caputo Jytte Holmqvist
DISCLAIMER The Editorial-Staff ensures that every details are correct at the time of printing, however the publisher accepts no responsibility for errors and inaccuracies.
ISSUE XVI
A decision Giuseppina Liuzzi never regretted Archimede Fusillo
Ozitaly: a cultural exchange
Contributors
ENJOY THE VIEW ITALIAN PROPERTY WE COVER THE LEGALS
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Handmade Lapel flower in Italian silk, now available in Australia.
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MADE IN ITALY
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Brenda Pomponio
A RECENT TRIP TO SICILY INSPIRED BY THE AUSTRALIAN WAY
View of crater at mount Etna Photo Brenda Pomponio
Brenda, her husband and their two children spent
Sicily has been on the list of places in Italy to visit for one Australian family for quite some time now. They often would hear about the beaches and amazing food. When the time finally came to spend part of their Italy trip in the Island State, it was a surprise to find that Sicily offers so much more than first expected.
“The Australian people really inspired me, they are not afraid to take the road less explored and to seek out unique experiences themselves or with a local guide. These conversations really helped me shape my vision for Wanderjack - as our company is all about Lusting after Different Roads. It was the beginning of an idea that I knew I needed to make available in Italy.” Elena shares.
10 days exploring Sicily on a self-drive family tour of the region beginning their journey in Catania and travelling through Syracuse, Ortigia, Modica and ending in Agrigento. “As we journeyed through these old ancient towns we were given the opportunity to witness the preservation of the spirit of places and the locals that care and are passionate about their art and service” Brenda reflects.
Brenda Pomponio, Founder of Our Family Travels is passionate about inspiring other families to travel with their children and embark on the less known journey of travel and adventure. It was because of this passion that when she found company Wanderjack, she knew this was the perfect way to explore the Sicilian region. With the traveller in mind and unique and local experiences offered to families it was the perfect way to journey through the island state of Italy. Actually, the way in which Brenda and her families time in Sicily was created was due to an experience that Elena Doria (Founder of Wanderjack) had when she visited Australia. On a visit to Australia back in 2015 - Elena was overwhelmed and inspired by unique experiences she was offered as a traveller and how these types of experiences helped shape her understanding of the Australian culture, history and beauty. Elena had the opportunity to travel in various groups, sometimes with many other Australian travellers and she was curious to know how they travel.
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Bite into it! Miranda and Jude enjoying Sicilian bakery treat with Elena of Wanderjack Photo Brenda Pomponio
Sharing her travelling stories on Our Family Travels website as well as on social media, Brenda loves inspiring families to really seek out unique experiences when travelling with children. “With our own two children my husband and I often find the researching and choosing experiences and activities can be the most challenging aspect once arriving in a destination. It is difficult and time consuming to decipher which experience to prioritise and it can be hard not to fall into the trap of following the crowd and doing a standard trip. We often lust after different experiences, to make connections as we travel. We love meeting local people and getting their take on what the highlights are of their town. They are often more than willing to share the best places to eat, a great shop or place to visit. Our experience in Sicily really highlighted to me how much more there is to what I had thought we would experience.” A highlight on their recent trip was the adventure
The beautiful restaurants in the town of Marzimemi
experienced. “I never associated Sicily with being an “adventure destination” yet in so many cases it can be!”, Brenda states. This is the way Australian families love to travel - all in enjoying each moment and each experience. The accommodation chosen for us was also perfect for families. At one farm stay, the owners had bikes the children could ride around in the afternoon, and for dinner, the host would have us in their home for a big communal dinner cooked her and her mother. At each experience we made connections with local businesses, they welcomed us like dear friends and it
Her family enjoyed a day out climbing up to Mount
The Cultural Farm is an exhibition site, a meeting
Etna and even exploring the underground lava caves.
place, a communal kitchen used for classes and many
Then on another day they enjoyed water sports in
other spaces such as restaurants and bars. Sicily
Acitrezza, jumping off the pier into the sea and shar-
is so much more than great cannoli and fabulous
ing some fun whilst learning how to kayak. Another
beaches. To immerse in the culture, the landscape,
unique experience was the discovery of a cultural
adventure, art and of course the locals is a way to
farm in Favara. A town of no significance if you were
really understand Sicily.
not encouraged to visit, the Cultural Farm Park was designed by a young couple who could see that the next generation of youth in Sicily needed a reason to stay and a place to engage their work passion and creativity.
To learn more about Our Family Travels and their journey in Sicily visit www.ourfamilytravels.com.au
We also spent a day with tour guide Pierfilippo who lives in a small town of Muxaro and shares with his travellers a true Sicilian day out. We visited a local cheese maker, who still milks the goats twice a
ISSUE XVI
made our time so memorable.” Brenda reflects.
Photo Brenda Pomponio
day by hand and makes fresh cheese for the village. Afterwards we were welcomed to the smell of freshly baked bread by Sicilian baker and were treated to an authentic snack of warm bread with oil, pepper, salt and orgeno. After filling our bellies we walked around a peach farm learning how to pick the perfect peach (and of course eating peaches soaked in wine!)
“Our children loved each experience too, their favourite being riding in a tuk-tuk around Ortigia and making chocolate at the factory in Modica. What families often can struggle with is keeping everyone happy, and there is just so much to do in Sicily we were thrilled at what was on offer for us.
View from the top - enjoying the lookout over Modica Photo Brenda Pomponio
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Hayley J. Egan
MARIO BIONDI THE ITALIAN BARITONE’S FIRST AUSTRALIAN TOUR
Mario Biondi in Rio
Italian soul and jazz sensation Mario Biondi is on his way to perform in Australia for the first time, and apparently, he couldn’t be happier.
‘I’m very excited’, he says. ‘I have friends in Australia who have talked to me about this marvelous place. I’m very excited to come.’
The album was recorded in Rio de Janeiro. ‘Obviously, I’ve always loved Brazilian music, and the idea to make an album not only dedicated to Brazil, but recorded there, was a dream come true. ‘Mario says. ‘The Brazilian sound is more than music, it’s a language, its folklore, and it’s very difficult to imitate. Their sound is one of a kind. There is a rhythmic approach to the bass and percussion that is immediately recognisable. In Brazil I had the opportunity to collaborate with professional musicians of extremely high quality.’ The chance to record an album with Brazilian musicians has allowed Mario Biondi to present what he calls ‘his own vision of Brazil’. The album includes Mario Biondi’s soul inspired vocals mingling with Brazilian rhythms in an appealing fusion.
‘Mario Biondi is excited to bring this particular album to Australia at this point of his career, where he will perform as a ‘more mature and fully-realised Mario Biondi’, he says. The organiser of Mario Biondi’s Australian tour, Peppe from Trinacria Promotions, knows the singer personally and has seen him live numerous times. The show is just amazing’ he says. ‘It just gets under your skin. Hearing the album is one thing, but Mario Biondi is particularly good live’, says Peppe, who is confident that Australian audiences will feel the same way. ‘We’ve chosen the venues carefully; the Palais in Melbourne and the Enmore Theatre in Sydney. They are both beautiful old venues that will really suit the show’.
The singer is no stranger to international touring. When I speak to him he is awaking in Ukraine after just a few hours slumber. His effortless baritone is in such demand that his 2018 tour has 50 dates in Europe alone. Mario Biondi’s career boasts numerous chart topping hits and a number of platinum albums, and when listening to his music, it’s hard not to see the appeal. The vocal-driven soul detours just enough into the pop genre to keep things fresh and current. His voice recalls the big names of soul, like Barry White and Isaac Hayes, but his timbre and technique are in no way derivative. Mario Biondi is undeniably authentic. After exploding into the European Soul music scene with the 2006 album Handful of Soul (Schema Records) Mario Biondi has collaborated with big names like James Taylor and Al Jarreau among others. With a Christmas Album and a ‘Best of’ compilation among his impressive discography, his most recent offering is Brasil, homage to the country whose unique sound has inspired him throughout his career.
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Mario Biondi in Rio
The fact that Mario Biondi sings in English (and Brasil also includes tracks recorded in French, Italian and Portuguese) makes him, according to Peppe, a relevant act for international audiences. Mario Biondi himself has also recognised that his notoriety overseas has never been limited to Italian ex-pat communities. ‘Since the release of the song ‘This is What you Are’ (Handful of Soul, 2006) in England, we’ve noticed that it was more the English than Italians living abroad coming to performances. I love to play to Italians living abroad, but I feel that I am a global performer.’ At the same, Mario Biondi does not forget where he comes from.
‘I’m definitely Italian, and more than anything I’m Sicilian.’ he says firmly.
Certainly Mario Biondi is a unique performer and the chance to see him down under is rare treat. His 2019 tour includes one performance in Melbourne and another in Sydney. Trinacria Promotions are enthusiastic about the upcoming tour, stating that this tour is ‘just the beginning of a long journey’. They are confident that Australian audiences will want more of Mario Biondi in the coming years and Peppe promises that next time Mario Biondi’s visit to Australia will extend beyond the capital cities.
ISSUE XVI
Tickets are on sale from 1st October through Ticketmaster (Melbourne) and Ticketek (Sydney).
Dates for Mario Biondi in Australia Friday 24th May Palais Theatre, Melbourne Sunday 26th May Enmore Theatre, Sydney
Meet and Greet with Mario Biondi Thursday 23rd May Italian Institute of Culture, Melbourne Mario Biondi in Rio
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Anna Maria makes herself ready to go out to sea. The night is very cold, although it is mid June, and she has to dress warm even in summer. She pays particular attention to covering her hair well, as she does not want the salt to damage it.
Photo Annalisa Marchionna
Hayley J. Egan
AN ITALIAN NONNA OUT OF THE BOX Anna Maria, the oldest living fisherwoman in Italy
She looks like any other 80-year-old Italian woman. Her body is weathered but lithe. Her hair is cut into a smart bob. She sits at a café with her arms folded, gazing into the distance. In another image, she is at the stove, her great grandson playing at her feet.
Then there are images of Anna Maria Verzino on her boat, Gloria, hauling fishing nets in with a strength that defies her small, elderly frame. A starfish in the palm of a wrinkled hand, and a waterproof jacket pulled up over a scarf-covered head. This is The Bride of the Sea and the subject of the journalist Annalisa Marchionna’s photographic essay by the same name. Marchionna was among the first journalists to be granted an interview with Anna Maria, and certainly the first to be allowed to photograph her. It was a privilege that took a while to earn, and came with the promise to avoid all interference in the subject’s life, especially while they were out on the boat.
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Anna Maria on her boat, Gloria, cleaning the nets with a wooden hammer that she rhythmically hits on a board to crush the shells trapped in the mashes.
Photo Annalisa Marchionna
‘I have tried to depict her love of the sea through her small gestures’, Marchionna has said, ‘that affection that every now and then she would show to her boat.’
The images are captivating, and they tell a story of courage, of a life lived at sea. As is not uncommon with the stories of female pioneers of her age, they also tell of a kind of unwitting feminist activism brought about through the simple act of following one’s dreams. Though Anna Maria Verzino was born into a fishing family, and had been on boats with her father since the age of four, it was not until she was 30, when the laws regarding gender equality were passed in Italy, that she was able to apply for a fishing license and become an independent fisherwoman. Before this she was obliged to accompany some male colleague or relative in their boat. Of her calling to the sea, Anna Maria has said ‘The immensity of the sea has captured me forever. When I was a child, my father thought that I would be scared and that I’d give up going out to sea with him… but actually I’ve never really got off that boat.’
‘Why aren’t you at home knitting like all other women’ she recalls a ship captain asking her once. ‘I knit when I get home, after I’ve been out at sea’ she replied at the time. Her refusal to apologise for her femininity in a man’s world is the very quality that attracted Annalisa Marchionna to her as a subject for her photo essay.
Anna Maria returns after a fishing afternoon and takes the planks to shore the boat. Despite her age, she still does all the heavy work Photo Annalisa Marchionna
ISSUE XVI
Her determination to dedicate herself to such a male dominated profession has been, perhaps unsurprisingly, met with scepticism from her male colleagues throughout the years.
‘This is my sea, my life; I love the sea as if it were a person. Out there I am at peace as I’ve never been on land.’ Anna Maria has also told Marchionna that she would not change a thing about her life, stating ‘if I could go back, I would do everything again exactly the same way.’
Anna Maria’s fierce feminine presence has inspired Marchionna to continue her work with fisherwomen. ‘There are hardly any left,’ Marchionna says on her website. ‘In a brutal and masculine world, like the world of fishing, these women are able to transmit a love, a passion and a complete dedication towards the element that hosts them. They respect “their sea”, “their river”, and “their lake”. They are all Brides of Water.’ Perhaps the most captivating aspect of Marchionna’s series of portraits of Anna Maria is the depiction of an elderly woman entirely satisfied with her life and her achievements.
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‘This is a strong woman, hard as driftwood, but at the same time, esoteric, feminine, delicate. What struck me was the love she expresses for the sea. In contrast to many male fishermen, she is not a predator towards the sea, she is maternal and affectionate.’
Anna Maria does look like any other 80-year-old Italian woman, but she certainly is young and fit for her age. Perhaps that is the reward for a lifetime of doing what she loves. Perhaps the secret to longevity is a combination of early starts, a daily dose of sea air and avoiding a lifetime of regrets.
It is almost dawning and the air is cool. Anna Maria fixes a rope and moves nimbly like a young girl, even if she will turn 82 in January 2018.
Photo Annalisa Marchionna
Morning after morning a small group of people gathers on the beach and waits for Anna Maria to buy the catch of the night. Many people just come for a chat, or to have a look at it.
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Photo Annalisa Marchionna
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Hayley J. Egan
LOVE, LAUGH AND BAKE WITH SILVIA COLLOCA
Photo Rob Palmer
As I write this, the smell of raspberry swirl cake is wafting through the room, filling the house with a scent that is sweet, fruity, vanilla, and just plain heavenly. It’s everything you want to smell
It’s fitting then that the book be such a deeply genuine family experience, featuring photographs of Silvia herself in her own kitchen, her husband (Richard Roxburgh of ABC’s Rake), and their baby Luna. All are shown sampling treats fresh from the oven. Real rep-
coming from your oven, and the anticipation is
resentations of a real family eating real, home-cooked
building.
food. Silvia Colloca is known in Australia mostly for her television presence. ‘Made in Italy with Silvia Colloca’
You see, yesterday I received a copy of Love,
was a 10-part TV series premiering on SBS in 2014. It
Laugh, Bake by Silvia Colloca, and today, a lazy Sat-
was filmed in Italy, and featured her family and her
urday morning, is the day I finally get to turn on the
mother’s kitchen in Abruzzo.
oven and try out my first recipe.
It wasn’t easy to choose. Love Laugh Bake is one of the densest cookbooks I’ve ever come across. The theme is baking, and the book is filled with recipes and information on bread (rye, sourdough, no-knead, flat breads and gluten-free), as well as cookies, pies, pastry, cakes, tarts and more. There are over 120 dough-based recipes in the book, which Silvia says
‘(My family were) so proud and so happy that I managed to create that show’, Silvia says. ‘It’s so hard. What goes into producing a show like that, is a monumental effort and a lot of money. We managed to create that one show with 10 episodes, and that is what I’m most proud of.’
she had a lot of fun putting together.
Two years later, the ABC brought us ‘Silvia’s Italian
‘I was pregnant when I wrote it, and all I wanted to do was cook and eat cake,’ she laughs.
Table.’ In this 8-part series, Silvia plays host to notable Australian personalities, creating a hybrid of the reality show and the cooking show formulae. It gave Silvia the opportunity to dine with Australian celebrities.
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Photo Rob Palmer
‘Some of them I had met, some I met on the day. It was a wonderful opportunity to meet these people.’
Silva Colloca has not always been a celebrity chef. Before migrating to Australia in 2009, she worked throughout Europe as a film and musical theatre actress. She is also a classically trained mezzo-soprano. ‘Opera is a small industry in Australia,’ she says. ‘I needed to do something else. I was forced to think outside the box and find a new face to wear. I was just lucky that my fallback plan has become my number one passion.’ Of her move to Australia and leaving a career behind she says, ‘I feel like it was a brave decision on my part. I had to start from zero. I had to get a visa. For a while, I couldn’t even work. A move like that means you have to build your network again as well as all of your personal connections. You leave all of your friends behind, and as you get older, that gets a bit harder. I needed to start again and being shy was not an option!’ In a country where food and cooking shows are certainly in no shortage, one could ask what is so
Photo Rob Palmer
special about Silvia Colloca. Where does this Italian woman, a relative newcomer, fit into the picture? The answer comes to me during our phone call
You’re not portraying the true version of yourself.
when Silvia encourages me to watch her YouTube
On set, when it came to being me, it was hard. I have
channel. ‘That’s me. That’s the real Silvia’ she says. She
to remind myself that that’s ok. The hardest thing is
appears at home, in her own kitchen. ‘That’s what I
being the true version of yourself.’
like. No pressure from networks.’
Photo Rob Palmer
Silvia has grown up cooking, and she is clearly
We discuss briefly the scrutiny Colloca faced when
comfortable in the kitchen, as well as in front of the
commentators mistakenly identified the luxurious set
camera. It certainly could be this realness that ap-
of Silvia’s Italian Table as her and Roxburgh’s own
peals to Australian audiences. Well, that, and the
home. The network chose the space because of its
mouth-watering recipes.
beauty and the large space for film equipment, but filming there was ‘a mistake’, she acknowledges.
Speaking of which, my raspberry cake is ready now, and it tastes even better than it smells. I flick through
‘Love, Laugh, Bake! Author Silvia Colloca Published by Plum
be easy because I’m an actor.’ She muses. ‘But when
be speckled with dried dough and batter in no time,
RRP $39.99
you’re acting, you’re not performing as yourself.
I’m sure of it.
Recipe
RASPBERRY SWIRL CAKE
ISSUE XVI
my copy of Love, Laugh, Bake. It’s still new, but it will
‘I thought (having my own show) was going to
by Silvia Colloca
This pretty, delicate cake is just the thing to serve at an ‘it’s a girl!’ baby shower. The basic batter truly shines when paired with tangy berries, and the hot pink swirls within the mascarpone and yoghurt topping are as delightful to behold as they are to devour. It’s also a keeper for a school fete cake stall – simply bake it in a 30 x 20 cm lamington tin and cut into squares. The cake can be made a day ahead, then wrapped well and stored at room temperature. Ice with the mascarpone mixture just before you are ready to serve.
olive oil and plain flour, for greasing and flouring 1 quantity of basic yoghurt and olive oil batter 200 g raspberries 150 g mascarpone 1 tablespoon thick Greek yoghurt 1 tablespoon icing sugar
Preheat your oven to 180°C and grease and flour a 20 cm round cake tin. Make the batter as instructed. Add 100 g of the raspberries and gently mix them in. Pour the batter into the tin and bake for 35–40 minutes or until golden brown and a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Just before you are ready to serve, beat the mascarpone with the yoghurt and icing sugar. Drape the mixture on top of the cake to form soft waves. Crush the remaining raspberries (minus a few for the top of the cake) with a fork, and pass them through a sieve, then add the juice to the mascarpone mixture, swirling gently to create a pink, streaky pattern. Scatter a few raspberries on top and serve. Photo Rob Palmer
SERVES 8–10
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Interview
INTERVIEW WITH ITALIAN ACTRESS VALERIA SOLARINO by Jytte Holmqvist
Many thanks for agreeing to see me for this interview and welcome to Melbourne! It is a privilege to meet you. Is it the first time you come for a visit?
It is actually very interesting because as I was watching the film myself I was reminded of the plot structure of the play “God of Carnage” by Yasmina Reza (2006). It develops like a Greek tragedy: harmony followed by chaos, catharsis or rather mayhem in the film, and a possible resolution in the end although Muccino’s film is open-ended for several characters. What do you think is the main message that the director wants to give the audience?
Yes, it’s the first time in Melbourne and Australia. I arrived in Melbourne yesterday and a few days ago in Sydney. I will spend some days in Sydney again after Melbourne and then travel to Alice Springs and on to Darwin. I’d like to return in January when the weather is nice, to watch the Australian Open.
He wants to describe maybe his personal point of view of the family and of relationships because sometimes we try to be kind or not to show our true feelings with people, to hide, but when people are free to express themselves maybe they start fighting each other. The family is maybe not the first but the second topic of the movie. Maybe the first one for Italian people is the food ... but in many cases we have this kind of family where people are very close to each other.
Are you excited to have your new film “A casa tutti bene” screened at the Lavazza Italian Film Festival tonight and to be further talking about it during the Q&A session afterward? Yeah, I’m very happy first of all to have three movies in this festival; they are three comedies but all very different. A casa tutti bene (2018) is a film by Gabriele Muccino, a great director and a great person too. [While filming] we stayed for two months on the island of Ischia off the coast of Naples. I love working with him.
How do you manage to make acting look so effortless?
The title of the movie is quite ironic given that the seemingly perfect idyll and the harmony in the group begins to fall apart. It seems Ischia, having such a rugged landscape - wild and beautiful at the same time can be considered, in a way, a character in its own right. Yes, we shot the movie on a little island that is part of Ischia but not as big as the main island … These people [the characters in the film] are supposed to stay for one day only but then they stay for three days and all the things that they try not to show [come to the surface].
My character, I think at the beginning the audience thinks she is fine. She doesn’t have a man but she’s fine like this. Then we discover that maybe there is something behind and I love the scene with the ring. In that scene we understand that maybe there is something behind that, maybe she needs something more … Possibly the fragility of this woman came out in that scene. Indeed, she’s very strong on the surface but she is crumbling just like everyone else whose flaws are showing at the end.
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Yes, there is all this restrained energy and frustrations. I was watching an online interview with you in Italian and you say with reference to your character in the movie, that she is “probabilmente ancora legata a quella vita che non ha più, che non può più avere”. Do you think your character wants her past married life back?
You have to memorise the lines and forget the lines and then you have to step into the life and situation of the character.
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Is there anything in particular about this movie that you would like to highlight to the audience during tonight’s Q&A session? I am very curious about the reactions … I know there will be a lot of Italian people but people who no longer live in Italy have a very different culture so I am interested to know about the different emotions. Generally, I watch the last 10 minutes with the audience also because I love the final part.
Thank you very much, Valeria. Good luck with your current and future projects and endeavours!
IT L
marketing design, events and digital strategy for Italian Magazine
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Interview
INTERVIEW WITH AWARD-WINNING ITALO-AUSTRALIAN by Jytte Holmqvist FILMMAKER LISA CAMILLO
Lisa, you are an accomplished filmmaker concerned with humanitarian and human rights issues. Where does human rights as a driving force come from?
Yes, very participatory. They call me the Erin Brockovich of Italy because there is a personal story involved, I take the audience into a journey of investigation, so it’s biographical and investigatory all at once. It is a new genre that I think is developing more and more. It’s quite trendy.
My family has always been quite political and quite active. We always grew up supporting charities and my mum used to vote Pannella. She was a bit radical. But also, growing up in Italy and having to fight for everything since we were really young. And then coming here to Australia I got to learn about Aboriginal culture and this was really what got me interested even more to support ethnic communities that were struggling and try to do whatever I could.
“Balentes” features very effective documentary footage where you cover the recent history of Sardinia – going from island paradise in the 1950s/60s to the population later being exploited by forces from surrounding countries as well as from NATO (with Sardinia being used as a military testing ground also by countries like Israel, France and Germany – which has led to a suffering people also health-wise). Are Sardinian people still being exploited to this day?
Filmmaking is indeed a very effective tool, in fact often better than other forms of media. Yes, because [as an anthropologist] I used to work in Aboriginal communities on a one to one basis and felt this is not enough because unfortunately it’s the system that needs to be changed, but unfortunately most audiences don’t know what these people are going through every day and they don’t care… Let’s make them care.
Absolutely, now that it is September we are actually going to have the military again starting their military training and it is going from March/April. How did you manage to get these witnesses to stand up and tell the truth? They would have been quite worried and concerned about their personal safety?
In your view, what elements must be included in a documentary for it to be effective and reach through to the audience? It needs to be thorough. That’s why we spent four years doing it [Balentes, 2018]. We really needed to spend a lot of time researching and speaking the truth without being scared. There will be repercussions on myself but I hope not on the film. You just have to do it. You have to tell the truth no matter what it is. This remarkable and very important new documentary is being screened also for Melbourne audiences tonight at the Lavazza Italian Film Festival and is followed by a Q&A session with you. What was the effect it had on Sydney viewers when it was initially shown at LIFF in Sydney?
Has the film been shown in Italy yet? No not yet. We’re screening it first in Australia making it really strategic so the film is safe and I’m safe too. One thing is targeting, you know, an unknown woman and another is targeting someone who has already got a profile. “Balentes” is masterfully shot. Please comment on your cinematographic style as well as your choice of narrative style in the documentary, which is very sleek also from a technical point of view. You yourself have said that the film is “expository, observational, participatory, poetic and performative.”
Thanks very much for sharing your insights and thoughts. I commend you for embarking on and completing this incredible and very important project and wish you luck in your humanitarian and documentary endeavours.
Please hashtag “I am Balentes” to help make a difference: https://twitter.com/hashtag/balentes
ISSUE XVI
It was incredible, I couldn’t believe it. It was a sold-out show. Everybody couldn’t believe it. They were shocked, they were moved, they wanted to start fighting and they
were asking: “What can we do to help you?” They loved it and keep writing me messages congratulating me on what a brilliant film it was. It exceeded my expectations.
Yes, that was incredible and that’s why I called the documentary Balentes – The Brave Ones, because they are very brave, people who have been affected so badly by this tremendous horrible problem so it was easy to get them involved, but it was hard to get some other people who were too scared to talk because of possible repercussions on themselves and on their families …. It is going to be really hard but we are gonna fight til we get some results.
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Agata Grimaldi
AN AYURVEDIC HERB MAY BE THE BEST NATURAL TREATMENT FOR OCD (OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER) As the name suggests, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) manifests in behaviours that the affected person feels urged to execute, in order to release their anxiety. Common indications of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder include repetitive washing of hands, checking door locks, keeping inventories, and repeating mantras.
Obsessive-compulsive thinking is quite common; most of us experience a degree of unwanted or intrusive thoughts at some point in life. But when does this become a problem? The answer is when there is an interference with daily activities. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, when severe, can impact people’s performances at work, and waste hours of time. It is difficult to identify the underlying reasons for this disorder, but it is important to make an effort understand its causes, as this could help to find the most appropriate solution.
It is believed that possible causes for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder are genetics, environment, a history of psychiatric disorders, and emotional trauma. Through scanning processes, scientists have noticed that the brain of people with OCD looks different.
The difference could be the result of a low Brain-Derived Neurotropic Factor (BDNF); a very important protein that stimulates the production of new brain cells and makes existing ones stronger. It could also be caused by the detection of a high level of the stress hormone cortisol, or the presence of other chemical imbalances. The good news is that these imbalances in the brain can be addressed, if not solved.
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Apart from working on proper sleep, stress management, exercise, and spending more time in nature, among the current treatments for OCD are pharmaceuticals, cognitive behaviour therapy, or a combination of the two. However, drugs may have side effects. There are a surprising number of supplements that can assist with various neurological mechanisms, such as balancing brain chemicals or reducing inflammation. These supplements can be an alternative to prescription drugs. They appear to cause less side effects and interactions compared to drugs. Ashwagandha contains bio-chemicals called withanolides, which are precursors to some of our hormones. When the withanolides attach themselves to hormone receptor sites in our body, the hormones that normally park there and excite the nervous system have nowhere to sit, rendering the hormone ineffective. It is theorised that Ashwagandha may help our brain’s neurotransmitter GABA do its job, which is suppressing over-excited brain activities. GABA does much of its work in the basal ganglia, the part of our brain that manages reward, voluntary control, and motivation.
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Photo iStock People with OCD are thought to have abnormal activity in the basal ganglia.
Ashwagandha may repair damaged neural networks.
Ashwagandha is an ‘adaptogen’ herb, meaning that it can be used to manage stress, and it has been used this way for thousands of years, as it reduces the hormone cortisol. According to some studies, Ashwagandha helps to regenerate axons and dendrites, which are specialised projections that allow communication between neurons. It may also help to reconstruct synapses, the connecting points between parts of the brain.
Ashwagandha carries out some of this magic in the brain by stimulating levels of BDNF. Also, research shows that Ashwagandha can inhibit the decline of BDNF levels in the brain. So next time you feel trapped in your head, get up and make a cup of Ashwagandha tea.
Rachael Martin
ITALY’S HOTTEST NEW DESTINATION AN INSIDER’S GUIDE TO MILAN According to the Wall Street Journal, it’s official. Milan is Italy’s hottest new destination. Tourism figures show 2017 as a record year with over nine million tourists choosing to visit the city of fashion and design. Rachael Martin looks at what Milan has to offer this autumn.
Culture Milan celebrates artist and photographer Sarah Moon with two exhibitions that opened alongside September Fashion Week in recognition of Moon’s contribution to fashion photography. Galleria Carla Sozzani’s exhibition “Sarah Moon: Time at Work” traces her work from 1995 to 2018. (www.fondazionesozzani.org) At the Armani/Silos exhibition “From one season to another,” Moon places her fashion photography alongside other photographs to create a dialogue between the two. The Armani/ Silos also has a permanent collection of clothing and extensive digital archive that is a must for any fashion lover. (www.armani.com/silos) Both exhibitions show until 16th January 2019.
No visit to Milan would be complete without a visit to the Prada Foundation. The Milan Osservatorio in Galleria Vittorio Emaneule II is dedicated to photography and visual languages, and has amazing city views. The Milan venue in Largo Isarco (there’s another venue in Venice) has a 60 metres tower that opened earlier this year. It houses the Atlas project, a dialogue between Miuccia Prada and art historian and critic Germano Celant. Highlights include Jeff Koon’s Tulips and Cartsen Höller’s Upside-Down Mushroom Room. “Sanguine: Luc Tuymans on Baroque” juxtaposes contemporary artists with Old Masters. (until 25th February 2019). Also visit Bar Luce, designed by Wes Andersen and inspired by typical mid-century Milanese cafés, for panini and cakes in a retro atmosphere. (www.fondazioneprada.org)
Photo Pixabay
Navigli, Milano
Also check out Milan’s vintage clothing scene for vintage Prada, Gucci and the rest. Cavalli e Nastri (www.cavallienastri.com) specialises in clothes, accessories and jewellery from the early 19th century onwards, while Madame Pauline (www.madamepaulinevintage.it) is distinctly French. Pourqoui Moi Vintage (via di Ripa Ticinese, 27) sells Scandinavian names such as Marimekko and Vuokko alongside many Italian designers. Also go to East Market in Lambrate, one of Milan’s edgier art and design areas. The market is inspired by London’s East End markets and sells vintage clothing, accessories, sneakers, vinyl and more. Check their website (www.eastmarketmilano.com) for dates. While you’re up there, call in at Lambrate 20134 (www.20134lambrate.it) for vintage clothing from the early 20th century onwards.
Breakfast at the bar (for bar, read café) is a must. Soak up a traditional Milanese atmosphere at the original Pasticceria Marchesi (www.pasticceriamarchesi.com) along Corso Magenta or head to hip and trendy Pavé (www.pavemilano.com) in the Porta Venezia district for divine pastries that are on everyone’s lips. For lunch, try the recently opened LùBar (www. lubar.it) for elegance amidst the greenery. It’s in the city’s modern art gallery (www.gam-milano. com). Or head to Pasto (via Zecca Vecchia, 4) near the 5 vie design district (www.5vie.it). They make fresh artisan pasta and offer a daily lunchtime menu. Aperitivo is a Milanese event. Go to Champagne Socialist (www.socialist.wine) for natural wines and a traditional Italian aperitivo of salami and cheese, or to Mint Garden Café (www.mintgardencafe.it) for cocktails amidst the flowers. Both are in the Porta Venezia district. For dinner, head to Via Solferino near the Brera district. Dry Milano (www.drymilano.it) serve cocktails and pizzas and related to Pisacco (www. pisacco.it) across the road, the Michelin Guide restaurant with a team that includes chef Andrea Berton. Alternatively, head to Drogheria Milanese (www.drogheriamilanesi.it) for pasta and burgers alongside the locals. They also have a restaurant near the Navigli.
Shopping Take a walk around the fashion quadrilateral for inspiration. It’s extra pretty when dressed in Christmas lights. Or stay warm in 10 Corso Como (www.10corsocomo.com), Milan’s ground-breaking concept store for clothes, accessories, books and more. Excelsior (www.excelsiormilano.com) is another concept store with designer names, books and lifestyle accessories, and a food hall in the basement. Prada in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II was where Miuccia Prada’s grandfather began the family firm, with original fittings and a cabinet with a collection of early 20th century products. (www. prada.com) Foodies should head to Eataly (www. eataly.net) for three floors of food, cookery books and kitchen equipment.
Food and drink
ISSUE XVI
Autumn also brings the third edition of Photo Vogue Festival that examines photography, and particularly fashion photography, and its place within society. The theme for this year is “Embracing Diversity.” (www.vogue.it/en/photo-vogue-festival). At the Triennale Design Museum “Stories: Italian Design” explores Italian design between 1902 and 1998 via 180 works. (www.triennale.org) The Palazzo Reale welcomes “Picasso – Metamorphosis” until 17th February 2019, an exhibition that includes works by the artist and ancient works that inspired him. (www.palazzorealemilano.it)
Photo Pexels
Milano, Italy
East-Market in Lambrate, Milano
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Ivano Ercole
THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF CO.AS.IT. AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE IN THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE OF VICTORIAN ITALIANS
CO.AS.IT. Melbourne the main Italian welfare and cultural organisation of Australia has turned fifty. The anniversary was celebrated last September with a number of events and a social gathering at The Docklands. The celebration brought together many people of different generations, from those who came to Australia during the great Italian migration wave of the 1950s/1960s, to the last generation born in the 1990s. CO.AS.IT. has played an important role in the community. Its major accomplishments have been outlined in a bilingual magazine-style publication that has been distributed as a supplement of the newspaper Il Globo. Apart from its services for elderly Italians, today CO.AS.IT has grown into a dynamic community organisation. CO.AS.IT is involved in a wide variety of social, educational and cultural activities. When it was founded by a group of volunteers lead by the entrepreneur and philanthropist Gualtiero Vaccari and his wife Elda, its aim was to make welfare services accessible and appropriate to the linguistic and cultural reality of the Italian community.
Museo Italiano, 199 Faraday Street, Carlton - www.coasit.com.au - @2013 Museo Italiano
Children of Italian origin also have the possibility of attending an after-school session run by the Language and Culture Department. A language school for adults with day and evening classes for every level is also in operation at CO.AS.IT. Over two hundred people attend lessons there, mostly English-speaking, attracted to the romance of the Italian language and the cultural enrichment it generates.
In 1968, immigrants were required to assimilate with the local population, adopting its customs, culture and language.
People attending the official opening of Museo Italiano in Faraday Street, Carlton - @2013 Museo Italiano
Alice Pasqualini’s mural on the facade of the Italian Museum
CO.AS.IT’s efforts in affirming the welfare needs of Italian immigrants combined with that of other community institutions, such as the Italian media, the Italian associations, the Church, and the trade unions, were crucial in changing the social climate of Australia and fostering multiculturalism. It has not been easy. It was a long time until the Australian government finally adopted a multicultural approach to policy-making. In its early years, CO.AS.IT conducted a campaign to allow elderly Italian immigrants to receive aged care services from qualified people who speak their language and are familiar with their cultural heritage. Today a large number of Italian-speaking elderly people are assisted in their homes through a variety of services coordinated by CO.AS.IT. An even larger number of elderly Italians, who live in social isolation, are regularly visited thanks to a home visitation program managed by CO.AS.IT.
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CO.AS.IT. has not limited its work to the provision of welfare services. CO.AS.IT’s Department of Language, Culture and Heritage provides support to the teaching of the Italian language through a Resource Centre which began operating when CO.AS.IT. introduced the Italian language-teaching program to public and private primary schools. After the program passed to the control of the State Department of Education, CO.AS.IT. has acquired a greater role in developing and supplying a wide range of resources that allow teachers to adopt new educational approaches, undertake innovative paths, improve teaching practices and share their experiences. Among the various support activities for teachers, the Resource Centre publishes “Orizzonti”, available to teachers online or in print, which offers hints and tips on how to combine language learning with topics of specific interest to children and educational issues of primary importance, such as nutrition, health and the environment.
The Language Assistant Program is another form of support to Italian programs in schools. About thirty young Italian graduates, who arrive each year from Italy as part of an agreement between CO.AS. IT, the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Victorian Department of Education. Each of them is assigned to a school as a teaching aid. They also collaborate in the development of study units based on topics chosen from year to year. The history of Italian immigration to Australia, with particular regard to the Italians who settled in Melbourne and across Victoria, also forms part of CO.AS.IT’s activities. Together with the Italian Historical Society, the Italian Museum in Carlton plays a valuable role in promoting Italian culture. Established with funds made available by the State Government, the museum presents a history of Italian presence in Victoria from the colonial era to the present day. Audio-visual documentaries and a variety of objects including household and work tools, various artifacts and musical instruments, offer a glimpse of Italian lifestyles of times past. Fifty years after its humble beginnings, CO.AS. IT. represents today a vibrant community organisation, well suited to face the challenges of the future. A major test will be the effectiveness of its role in making the Italian language and culture relevant to the descendants of Italian migrants who, last century, helped make this nation one of the most advanced, industrious and hospitable democracies in the world.
Archimede Fusillo
A DECISION GIUSEPPINA LIUZZI NEVER REGRETTED Immigration stories are important. Some give a voice to those who found a sense of freedom in Australia that they never enjoyed in their native country. One such story belongs to Giuseppina Liuzzi, originally from Montemurro, and now a citizen of Australia. She was visiting her birthplace as a ‘returning tourist’ when we arranged to meet.
And so the family arrived in Australia under their own steam, with the intention of perhaps feeling their way and seeing what might eventuate. As it happened, family friends were able to get work for both Mrs Liuzzi and her husband, and they very quickly saw the potential to save enough money to return to Montemurro and rebuild their lives. However, just over a year after arriving, Giuseppina’s husband suffered a serious car accident and could not work as he had.
In the early 1960’s Giuseppina Liuzzi’s father left the southern Italian village of Montemurro for Australia, seeking a better life for himself and his family. He left behind a wife, two daughters and two sons. By 1967 he had established himself enough to send for his family to join him.
‘Our children needed to find part-time work,’ Mrs Liuzzi says softly. ‘There was no other option.’ By then her own children had grown and developed their own lives in Australia, just as she herself had done all those years before, when her parents and siblings had left Italy.
‘To my father, Australia was marvellous.’ Mrs Liuzzi tells me over coffee on a family member’s property just outside of Montemurro. ‘To him, Australia offered opportunities that weren’t possible in Italy at that time. There was still a certain melancholy here after the war, and certainly not enough work. In Australia, though, my father found work and was able to improve our family situation.’
Yet when the time came for the entire family to relocate to the other side of the world, Giuseppina was already married and had started to lay down roots of her own, alongside her new husband, who had found work as a bricklayer.
She explains that Australia was never attractive for her or her husband, that while she missed her immediate family she saw merit in making a life where she was. But for a catastrophic act of Mother Nature, Giuseppina Liuzzi might have never even set foot in Australia. When the catastrophic earthquake hit in the Italian winter of 1980, Giuseppina and her family, which by
Review
Photo Archimede Fusillo
then included three children, found themselves living in their car, as authorities struggled to understand the sheer extent of the disaster. ‘It was a dire time’, she recalls. The Italian government began to pay for families to migrate to Australia while their towns and villages were being assessed and made safe, but a local official refused to sign the necessary documents on the family’s behalf. An old feud had reared its ugly head according to Giuseppina, though she discreetly refuses to elaborate. ‘Schools were closed, people lived wherever they could.’ Mrs Liuzzi remembers of that difficult time. ‘We decided that we’d go, with or without the government’s help. Even if just for a change of scenery after the earthquake, and to see my family and my parents again.’
It’s no surprise then, that Giuseppina and her children, along with their own growing families, return time and time again to Montemurro, because as she told me, Italy and the village in particular, are a cornerstone in all their lives. It is where all of their stories began. ‘I’ve never regretted it,’ she assures me, and I believe her, especially when she speaks so proudly of what that first decision meant for the future of her children. And with the relative ease of travel now, Australia doesn’t seem as far away, or as foreign as it once did, and the families are not as distant from one another as they were when Mrs Liuzzi’s father first set out on that journey of hope across the vast seas.
ISSUE XVI
‘Everyone left,’ she continues. ‘and we stayed. My husband had a job, and we didn’t have the economic need to leave everything we knew to go so far away, even though my family was there.’
Giuseppina Liuzzi
At this point, Giuseppina observes that, ‘it was obvious that although our children may have returned to Italy, it wasn’t for them anymore and they’d never have stayed. These villages of ours are beautiful places to visit, but my son always says that there is freedom in Australia. My children come to visit the village, but village life isn’t for us anymore. People here say “Lucky you! Australia is marvellous!” and it’s true. Australia has come a long way since we got there in the 1980s.’
OZITALY: A CULTURAL EXCHANGE PROGRAMME THAT CONNECT ITALIAN-SPEAKING AND ENGLISH-SPEAKING WORLDS by Jenna Lo Bianco
Native English speakers are in constant demand in Italy, and this incredible initiative is one way to connect the Italian-speaking and English-speaking worlds. If you have ever considered an extended period of time abroad, then this could be for you. ‘OZITALY’, the work of Francesca Breda, seeks to unite Australian English speakers (tutors) with host families in Italy’s Veneto region by bringing about language exchanges for adults. “I wanted to create a connection, a sort of “bridge” between Italy and Australia because I couldn’t decide where I wanted to live my life” says Francesca. “When I was in Italy I always missed something about Australia and when I was in Australia I always missed something about Italy. I love the idea of being constantly exposed to both cultures, and keeping in touch with both realities.” The premise of the exchange is quite simple: “a full immersion experience, authentic, intense and inexpensive,” she tells me. Australian ‘tutors’ travel to Italy and live with a host family for 1, 2 or 3 months at a time. Tutors share in the rhythm of daily life with their host families, who provide food and board in exchange for 8 hours of English lessons a week.
Tutors are free to enjoy themselves and explore their new Italian surroundings around their tutoring schedule. This could be the first stepping-stone to a new career in teaching, or perhaps even a ‘taster’ for those of you considering a more permanent move to Italy. To some this might seem a daunting process – but that’s where Francesca’s personalised exchange program is unmatched. “I personally select and match host families from Italy and tutors from Australia. I get to know them, talk to them and try to find out what their needs and their expectations are. The interaction between the family and the tutor is extremely important for me, as it is the starting point for a rich and successful cultural exchange. I consider this experience as a unique treat for tutors, in Italian we would say a “chicca”. I basically want to try to use my life experience to help others “contaminate” each other, as it happened to me,” Francesca explains. OZITALY provides a complete service to support you through the transition from door to door.
Francesca Brenda, Founder of Ozitaly www.ozitaly.com - info@ozitaly.com What could be better than losing yourself in Italy, enjoying the creature comforts of home, while relishing in the freedom and liberty of independent travel? “By taking part in this exchange programme, tutors have the chance to fully appreciate Italy, in its wholeness. I am sure that tutors will take a piece of Italy with them when they go back to Australia.” Who could ask for anything more?
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Francesco Ricatti
THE RELEVANCE OF REFRAMING THE HISTORY OF ITALIANS IN AUSTRALIA
When I ask my students at Monash why they are studying Italian, many of them reply ‘because of my Nonni’. Many of them have in fact learnt to speak (or at least understand) some Italian, while talking to their grandparents, who usually migrated to Australia in the 1950s and 1960s.
At a recent presentation of my new book, Italians in Australia: history, memory, identity, an Italian migrant woman told me that her grandchildren, who were born in Australia from parents who were also born in Australia, still don’t really consider themselves Australian. What she really meant was that they don’t feel Anglo-Australian.
Many of these students feel a strong attachment to their grandparents, which is reflected in their inter-
This conflation of the term Australian with the
est for the Italian language and culture. And many of
Anglo-Australian identity is a persisting and paradox-
them consider themselves, to a certain extent, Italian,
ical problem. With almost 50% of people in Australia
though they often struggle to make clear sense of
being born abroad or having at least one parent born
their complex identity.
abroad, one would expect Australia to be a linguis-
While politicians often celebrate Australia as ‘one
tically and culturally complex society. It should be a
of the most successful multicultural countries in the
society in which the grandchildren of Italian migrants
world’, Australian society remains at its core a stub-
feel ‘Australian’, without having to downplay or deny
bornly monolingual and monocultural nation. Decades
their Italian roots and their complex identities.
of colonialism, racism and assimilationism have left all
Francesco Ricatti is Cassamarca Senior Lecturer in Italian, and coordinator of the Italian program at Monash University.
Meanwhile, many of the associations and institu-
those who are not white (enough), and not (solely)
tions that represent Italian communities in Australia
Anglo, wonder about their position in society. Many of
have struggled to engage productively with the third
the grandchildren of those Italians who arrived after
generation. Many grandchildren of Italian migrants
their Italian language and culture, and their Italian
WWII have heard about the difficult experiences of
from the postwar period have complex family histo-
identity, beyond the family and the ethnic communi-
their grandparents and parents, being exploited and
ries, with mothers, fathers, relatives or dear friends
ty: for instance, at school and university, through the
bullied into assimilation.
who are not Italian. Many of them have developed
Internet and social media, or by travelling to Italy.
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M E L B O U R N E
M
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And many of them experience their Italian back-
that made them feel happier and more comfortable,
more complex both culturally and linguistically.
ground at the intersection of often more powerful
but that were too easily dismissed by the broader
markers of identity (such as gender, class, racial
society as markers of backwardness and an unwilling-
generation with the tools to recognise that what their
appearance, sexual preferences, and bodily ability).
ness to integrate. For instance, Italian migrants lack
grandparents and parents have achieved goes well
Complexity is of course what makes them special, and
of literacy, and their limited control of the English
beyond the trite stereotype of the hard working, con-
vital to the future of Australia. But it makes the dia-
language, have usually been emphasised, while the
servative and nostalgic migrant. This will allow them
logue with migrant associations more difficult.
fact they can speak multiple languages is overlooked
to find and develop by themselves more comfortable
or even scorned.
and powerful ways to recognise, respect and reshape
My book was written with these young women and men in mind. When I see them in class, I ask them to
Similarly, with the second generation, the focus
More importantly, we need to provide this third
their complex identities and their complex family histories.
explain their complex identities. As an historian of Ital-
has often been on their ‘in-between’ position, their
ian migration to Australia, I ask myself what aspects
struggle with identity, and the generational gap with
of their grandparents and parents’ history have been
their parents. These are real issues. Yet the incredible
lished by Palgrave and is available for purchase online
for too long misinterpreted, denied or overlooked;
ability of the second generation to negotiate across
(hard cover or eBook). Monash University students
and what aspects of that history may be particularly
cultures and languages, and to blossom at a time of
have free access to the eBook through their library
helpful for the third generation.
profound transformation in Western habits and values
catalogue (this might also apply to other universities
has not been recognised enough.
and public libraries).
Italian in Australia: history, memory, identity is pub-
My contention is not that we should celebrate these skills and successes in a rhetorical manner. On the contrary, my hope is that a new history of Italians in
Can history help these young people make sense of their complex family histories, their complex identities, and their role in contemporary Australia?
Australia, built on the work of many other scholars over the past 30 years, may begin to change the way
Author Ricatti, Francesco
third generation with a stronger understanding of the
Series Title
in the development of Australia, and the role this third generation can now play.
claring Italian ancestry, this question is of vital importance not just for these young men and women, but for the broader Australian society. What has become apparent to me, while research-
History, Memory, Identity
this story is usually told. In turn, this may provide the key role their parents and grandparents have played
With more than one million people in Australia de-
Italians in Australia
In facing the challenges and opportunities of glo-
Palgrave Studies in Migration History Publisher
balisation, transcultural and multilingual families and
Palgrave Pivot
individuals have an extraordinary potential for leader-
© 2018
ship, which is often hindered by the persisting monocultural and monolingual attitudes prevailing in Australian society. What most of my students of Italian background have learnt from their Nonni is an ability
who arrived in the fifties and sixties have been able to
to live and flourish across cultures. If these transcul-
travel, live, work, and thrive across multiple countries,
tural skills are acknowledged in the broader Australian
continents, cultures and languages. These transcultur-
society, then these students will have great potential
al and multilingual skills have been underestimated,
for leadership in a society that is increasingly
ISSUE XVI
ing and writing the book, is that most Italian migrants
You can contact Francesco at francesco.ricatti@monash.edu
21
Natalie Di Pasquale
THE TIME CAPSULE THAT OUR GENERATION LIVED IN “Are you Italian?” “Yes, but I was born and raised in Australia.” “Well, you’re Australian then.” This conversation is usually followed by an explanation that in Australia our cultural identity goes beyond our place of birth. I am sure a lot of Italo-Australians can relate to this. After high school I worked at Brunetti Café. There I interacted with many other Italians, both those born here, and those and born in Italy. I learned that though we Australians of Italian descent tend to identify ourselves as ‘Italian’, Italians see us as Australian. I always dumbfounded by this because Italian is Italian, right? It’s in our blood AND our hand gestures.
However, throughout recent years working at Brunetti and meeting many new people, I have recently begun to understand the differences between Italians and Italian-Australians.
Trends in history tend to repeat themselves, and I can see one reoccurring in Australian society. Consider the wave of migration after WWII, which saw our parents or nonni create opportunity and contribute immensely to Australian society. The ‘two cultures’, that is, Italians and Italian-Australians, should now merge together as one culture, and new migrants should be welcomed into the workforce. When the Italians migrated 60 years ago to Australia, they may have brought with them just one suitcase. But they also brought a lot of knowledge, passion and morale from Italy during that time. That is, traditions dating back to several generations ago. Old-school discipline, values and work ethic. What we Italo-Australians know as Italian culture is archaic. We have been a living in a sort of ‘time capsule’ of Italy of the 1950s post-WWII. La dolce vita, right? It is what we know from our nonni. We have pressed pause and kept these traditions strong and alive. Songs like ‘tarantella’, ‘that’s amore’ and ‘italiano vero’ are strongly embedded in our veins. After recounting to Italians my knowledge of Italian artists, they would laugh when I tell them I grew up listening to Al Bano, Andrea Boccelli and Eros Ramazotti. Italian contemporary music today is another genre altogether and initially felt quite foreign to me. Five course meals at Nonna’s are imperative and church on Easter and Christmas is not optional. For the majority of Italo-Australians, our Italian origins come from poverty.
Immerse yourself in Italy
Photo National Archives of Australia Many of our nonni either came from farming or labouring backgrounds. Most of us grew up listening to broken Italian and dialetto. We get excited for passata and salumi season. Try and relate to the new wave of immigrants and they will laugh at you. These are ancient concepts to them. What we have not fully recognised yet is that Italians our age have modernised along with Western society, perhaps more than us in Australia. And having only lived in Italy for over a month, I can say my Nonna would be surprised by the lack of conservatism among the youth, and the abundance of piercings and tattoos. Most of the youth have either moved to the capital cities or gone abroad to work. There is an open, cosmopolitan mentality, slowly breaking away from what was the past, and those little traditions we hold so close to our hearts. Very few have maintained the traditions of their grandparents and it’s sad to think that one day they might be forgotten altogether. In Australia there is a growing trend of partnerships in business, Italo-Australians are collaborating with new Italian migrants, and we must adjust to one another to work. The collaboration has a strong potential and is seen in many existing businesses today specifically the hospitality and commerce industry such as Brunetti, DOC, Genobile, ALTO and the Italian Chamber of Commerce. Without realising, we are creating another ‘era’ in Australian society itself. A mixed breed of two distinct
Us Italo-Australians can show the new migrants how much their culture is appreciated and well maintained in and outside of the home. Take the annual Italian Festa for example, celebrated in every state in Australia and the first bilingual Italian school that has opened in Melbourne. I have spoken to many Italians after leaving Australia, about how much more they appreciate their culture upon returning, seeing their country in a new, positive light. Organisations such as VITA, ALTO and ICCI are prime examples that represent these changes and seek ways to collaborate and move forward as a society. Events range from business to food, to fashion and science. International relations are getting stronger with the presence of our Italian consulate being highly involved in Australian culture. Italian culture is present in almost all aspects of our lives and it is the importance of recognising the cultural presence daily; that needs to be brought to our attention. My hope is that we can open our minds and take the best from the old and the new and step forward together as one. I believe this could be a potentially new field of study and by completing a study abroad program in Milan, I hope to note many differences in the education system, the workplace and social practices in Italy today and the Italy that we remember back home. Stay posted ragazzi and follow my journey! Instagram: @signorinatalina
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22
Daniele Curto
WHEN A DREAM TO CHASE TURNS INTO A GOLDEN CAPTIVITY
A departure is always good, or at
a young country unfettered by history
least ‘good enough’. Joseph Conrad
and culture substrates. Nonetheless,
said that even if we leave during
I rapidly figured that the isolation can easily turn into oppression, and
gloomy weather we still have the
the dream I was chasing instead of
open sea in front of us deploying
fulfilling was rather draining. It is
endless possibilities; intoxicated
perhaps then that I start longing for
by a fresh start, we feel the archi-
something inexpressible and vague.
tect of the marvels there are in the
A yearning for something that it
world.
is not, has not been, and couldn’t have been. Coincidentally the fortunes of my life became marked by
Return journeys are different.
an existential ennui and tinged by a melancholy detachment. I believe such a discrepancy in a man’s journey is somehow inescapable and
Ulysses comes to mind, the mythological Greek hero narrated by Homer
not unheard of (although not many
in the Odyssey. I recall him on the is-
globetrotters are at ease talking
land of Ogygia at the court of Calyp-
about it). It triggers silently when the
so, the nymph who rescued him after
world around us makes a hell of a lot
drifting nine days in the open sea and
of noise. I still have no answers to
fell in love with him. Calypso seduced
this pensive disbelief of mine, but at
and subsequently detained Ulysses
this stage in my odyssey the question
(if a difference exists...) with enchant-
that needs to be asked is:
ing singing, the promise of immorhim to continue his journey. Initially, Ulysses was comforted by the love of the nymph, and quite frankly, who
What really troubled Ulysses?
wouldn’t have been? Despite this, he
Was it the confinement?
soon started dreaming about going
ISSUE XVI
tality and eternal youth, preventing
Living a life on hold? Or, perhaps
back to his homeland, Ithaca, to be
the nostalgia for his family and
with his wife Penelope and for his cir-
homeland? Certainly.
cumstances to change. Ulysses would have surely left, if only he had a ship with which to depart on.
However, Ulysses’ hypochondria came also from the awareness that his ship was shattered and that he Isn’t it like that? People move, trav-
Photo Daniele Curto
could never return home without it.
el, see the world, meet other people,
He withstood seven years, lost and
call into question their fates and
desperate, until the Gods decided
convictions, they embrace brand
that it was time to free the broken
new lifestyles, and they get rescued
Nevertheless, it isn’t until the coast
Whoever we are or however
man from the mellifluous embrace
is no longer in sight that the under-
society might label us, a migrant, a
of the devilish Calypso and continue
taking of the crossing has begun.
traveler or an explorer, we all meet,
his journey towards home. He had
at least once, a Calypso, the ‘nascon-
been absent from Ithaca for ten years
heavenly place, on a land gener-
ditrice’, the one who harbours and
already (he fought in the Trojan war)
ous of fruit, where a cave overlooks
simultaneously hides ‘the way’ from
after leaving his ‘jailer’ took another
natural gardens. It could even be a
us. Calypso lures and imprisons that
decade, after many twists and turns,
own inner demons. Some escape
sacred woods with large trees, where
to which we are destined. At the start
to reach his realm and family.
from their self-loathing and some,
springs flow through the grass (the
beauty and the absence of struggle
conversely, find it enlightening. In
depiction of Ogygia in the Odyssey),
dazzle us, but this comes at a great
most cases, they return to their
as we lie cradled in the arms of a
price. Life, as we know it, is simply
homeland changed or estranged
suave creature that offers us nectar
missing.
(perhaps both), other times, howev-
and ambrosia, the food of the Gods.
Not even I escaped my encounter
er, life, God (or the Gods), take the
A life without breaking a sweat and
with the sweet Calypso. She incarnat-
lead and their ‘homeland’ becomes a
human suffering, on an island sus-
ed soon after my arrival in Australia
paralysing nostalgia. The place they
pended in time and in a dimension of
and, although neither promised me
live in turns into an oneiric experi-
everlasting happiness is a life dis-
immortality nor had the silhouette of
ence, as if in captivity - a golden one,
abled. A life where there is no hope
a nymph, she had the placid face of
more precisely. The fact is that ships
to pursue our own destiny or to see
isolation, the mellifluous promise of a
leave the port and sail for days.
home again.
dream to chase and the lightness of
and lured along the way.
It doesn’t matter if we live in a
They fight real enemies or their
Undoubtedly return journeys are different.
23
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