ITALIAN TIMES THE
Published 11 times annually by the Italian Community Center 631 E. Chicago St., Milwaukee, WI 53202 www.ICCMilwaukee.com NOVEMBER 2016 • VOL. 38, NO. 5
– CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED –
Members elect Emanuele for Vice President
Catalano, Lupo, Zingale and Di Pronio win full director terms; Jannazzo and Dickinson appointed to director vacancies
by Thomas Hemman Times Editor If the Italian Community Center election proved one thing, it is that civility can still be displayed when hotly contested seats are on the line. In the race for the vice presidency between two very popular longtime members who ran on their merits and not accusations against one another, Joseph Emanuele defeated RoseAnne (Ceraso) Fritchie. The campaigning remained on an equally dignified par in the race for director-at-large seats. Eight candidates were in the running. There were four openings for the two-year term positions. In addition, Emanuele and Susie (DeSanctis) Christiansen, directors with a year left on their respective terms, were running for officer positions, leaving the door open for possibly having two vacancies to fill. There would definitely be one with Christiansen running unopposed for secretary. As it turned, the two-year director terms went to Ted Catalano, Anthony Lupo, Anthony Zingale and Blaise Di Pronio. (Their names appear in the same order as they finished in the voting.) With Emanuele winning the vice presi-
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ICC volunteers present cultural and educational experience to area students
dency, appointments to both oneyear vacancies became a reality. Those were granted, in accordance with the ICC bylaws, to the fifthplace finisher in the voting, Joseph Jannazzo, and the sixth-place finisher, Karen Dickinson. Running unsuccessfully for director-at-large seats were Bruno Giacomantonio and Valorie (Sanfilippo) Schleicher.
The new Board After all the ballots were counted, here is the way the ICC Board stacks up for the 2016-2017 term. The officers are: • President Dean Cannestra • Vice President Joseph Emanuele • Treasurer Salvatore “Sam” Purpero • Secretary Susie (DeSanctis) Christiansen • Seregeant-At-Arms Joanne (Sanfilippo) Czubek • Immediate Past President (non-elective): Giuseppe Vella The director-at-large with twoyear terms are Catalano, Lupo, Zingale and Di Pronio. The directors with a year remaining are MaryAnne Ceraso-Alioto, Pietro Tarantino, Dickinson and Jannazzo.
For the first time since October 2013, the Italian Community Center Culture Committee – with the superb assistance of several volunteers – was able to present its Student Culture Day, an event that provides area grade school children with an Italian cultural, educational and recreational experience. The Oct. 17 event – made possible this year by major donations ICC members Joseph Mangiamele, Rose Purpero Spang and Sam Purpero – was part of the organization’s celebration of October’s national designation as “Italian Heritage Month.” One of the activities of the day was a re-enactment of the Italian immigration experience at Ellis Island, New York in the early 1900s. The students played the immigrants and the volunteers were in the roles of immigration officials and medical personnel. Before concluding this activity, each student came to a table where volunteer Tony Zingale was seated. His job was to require the immigrants to read a statement pledging their allegiance to the government of the United States of America. Look for an article on Student Culture Day and more pictures inside this issue. (Times photo by Tom Hemman)
ICC to host Holiday Boutique on Nov. 26
Holiday boutiques are a most wonderful way to get into the holiday spirit – they inspire holiday cheer and provide shoppers with an opportunity to give a unique gift to the people in their lives. On Saturday, Nov. 26, the Italian Community Center will host its second annual Holiday Boutique
Please turn to page 19
featuring artists, designers, and brilliantly creative crafters to showcase their work in a festive atmosphere. “It was a fantastic, well-attended event last year, and we’re expecting an even greater response this year,” said Karen Dickinson, who is chairing this fundraiser.
Festival di Danza e Cultura coming to ICC on Nov. 1
by Thomas Hemman Times Editor Several ethnic dance and music groups will come together to perform at the Italian Community Center’s fourth annual Festival di Danza e Cultura on Tuesday, Nov. 1. This multi-cultural program will be presented in the Pompeii Grand Ballroom starting at 6:30 p.m. Light snacks, dessert, and coffee will be available during the performance. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. for a reception. A cash bar will also Please turn to page 8
Tradizione Vivente will be one of the folk groups that will perform. (Times photo by Tom Hemman)
The ICC Holiday Boutique boasts a number of artisan booths where shoppers will find a magnificent variety of goods – handcrafted goods, unique items and gifts that you won’t find in stores. “We will offer ‘package check’, so you don’t need to carry your purchases while you continue shopping or having lunch,” Dickinson said. There will also be a silent auction, where you will win an artist’s donation if you are the highest bidder.
List of artists Cathy Adams and Mary Janik – Unique handbags Karen and Bill Dickinson – Jewelry Trina Frost – Letter word art Faith Givings – Watercolor ceramics John and Trudie Hechel – Wood Jenn Hintz – Wire sculpture Lynn Kallas – Knit Hats Ladies of UNICO – Handmade items Please turn to page 4
Cosa c’è dentro?
President’s message
(What’s inside?) page 2
Italian culture showcased at Holiday Folk Fair page 3 Simplified membership dues structure of 2017 page 3 Calendar of events
page 4
Answering Columbus’ critics
page 6
Give to Thanksgiving dinner for less fortunate page 5 Pompeii Women’s Club
awards scholarships
Genius of Da Vinci on display The flag of Sicily
page 7 page 12
page 13
How to avoid the draft – and the battle of the bulges page 14 Turkey hunting in italy page 15
Sezione Italiana pagine 16-17 Italy on shaky ground page 19
A message from Giuseppe Vella, Italian Community Center President
Since this is my last message, I want to thank all of my fellow officers and the directors as well as the members of the Italian Community Center who have supported me and encouraged me. It has been a pleasure to serve as your president these past two years. I know our organization will be in good hands with our new president, Dean Cannestra. Dean has worked side-by-side with me through everything we have accomplished the last two years. He is ready to move our organization forward. With your continuing support, volunteerism and contributions of time and resources, we will see growth and prosperity under Dean’s leadership. I want to congratulate all of the officers and directors who were
elected this past Thursday (Oct. 20). I look forward to working with you in the next year in my new position of immediate past president.
November changes Starting Nov. 1, there will be a major change at the ICC with The Bartolotta Restaurant Group taking over the catering and restaurant operations, replacing the Italian Conference Center. When you come to the ICC, it won’t look like much of a change. You will see many of the same people who were employed by the Conference Center working for Bartolotta. The restaurant will be open and events will be going on as usual. The transition is expected to start out at a slow pace and pick up
after the first of the year. As I said in my message last month, the transaction that the ICC Board approved with Bartolotta was something that our organization needed to do. By having Bartolotta in charge of the restaurant and the catering operations, we can concentrate on what our organization does best. Upcoming events There are three upcoming events that I’d like to draw your attention to and encourage your support. These include: • The ICC Installation Dinner on Friday, Oct. 28. • The ICC Culture Committeehosted “Festival di Danza e Cultura” on Tuesday, Nov. 1. • The ICC’s second annual
Holiday Boutique on Saturday, Nov. 26.
– Giuseppe Vella ICC President
Italian culture to be showcased at Holiday Folk Fair by ICC volunteers, Tradizione Vivente and I Bei Bambini Multi-cultural event is set for Nov. 18-20
by Thomas Hemman Times Editor Preparing to serve as the representatives of Italian culture at the 73rd annual Holiday Folk Fair International are volunteers from the Italian Community Center, members of Tradizione Vivente, the Italian Dance Group of Milwaukee, and its youth group, I Bei Bambini. The Folk Fair will take place Friday, Nov. 18 through Sunday, Nov. 20 in the Wisconsin Expo Center at State Fair Park, 8200 W. Greenfield Ave., West Allis. ICC volunteers will operate a culture booth under the guidance of
Culture Committee Chair Gina Jorgensen. Tradizione Vivente and I Bei Bambini will perform. Tradizione Vivente will also be in charge of an Italian booth. Advance tickets for the event, priced at $10, are available at the ICC. Individuals will be able to buy Folk Fair tickets if they are attending the ICC’s third annual Festival di Danza e Cultura on the evening of Tuesday, Nov. 1. The ethnic folk dance festival serves as a precursor to the Holiday Folk Fair. (See separate story on this event.) Admission during the fair will be $12 for adults, $10 for seniors
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(62 and over with an ID) and children (ages 6-12). Children, age 5 and under, will be admitted for free. The Folk Fair is also offering free admission to military personnel (with a military ID). Family four-packs are available in advance for $36 and can be purchased online at www.folkfair.org. Folk Fair hours are 2 – 10 p.m., Nov. 18; 10 a.m. – 10 p.m., Nov. 19, and 10 a.m. – 7 p.m., Nov. 20. There is an Education Day program on Nov. 18 for area students before the fair opens to the public. Folk Fair details This year’s theme, “Celebrate the Culture of Water,” will allow fair-goers the opportunity to learn the ways in which water and its symbolism are incorporated into the music, food, dance, arts and crafts of the Holiday Folk Fair. Special attractions in 2016 include invited international performers and artisans, a Japanese photographic exhibit, the Sister Cities International 2016 Young Artist and Authors Showcase, the Artisan corner, the Kohl’s Color Wheels display, the Wisconsin Woodturners, and a bonsai exhibit.
The three-day event features the All Nations Theater with traditional music and dance, the World Café offering traditional dishes, the International Stage where young people perform their ethnic dances, the Tanzhaus (Music Pavilion) where attendees dance and sing along with a variety of musical stylings, the Coffee House where patrons enjoy a beverage and baked goods while listening to talented musicians, Heritage Lane, with unique traditions and customs through interactive exhibits, the International Bazaar, where cultural artifacts create a unique shopping experience, and the Chef’s Stage featuring local chefs preparing traditional cuisine. Italian participants In keeping with the theme of the Folk Fair, the culture exhibit run by ICC volunteers, will feature displays and information on the aque-
ducts of Rome, the famous fountains in Italy, the Italians’ belief in the use of therapeutic water (hot springs and spas), the Venetian gondolas, and the use of water in baptism. Sabrina Lupoli, a kindergarten teacher in the Italian Immersion Program at Milwaukee’s Victory K8 School, will conduct a cooking demonstration of the making of pasta e fagioli (pasta and beans), a traditional Italian dish.
Tradizione Vivente will perform daily at both the All Nations Theater and the Music Pavilion. At Please turn to page 5
THE ITALIAN TIMES
631 E. Chicago St. Milwaukee, WI 53202-5916 (414) 223-2180 Published 11 times annually
Publisher . . . Italian Community Center ICC President . . . . . . . . .Giuseppe Vella Newspaper Committee Chairman . . . . . . . . . . . . Blaise DiPronio Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Thomas Hemman Advertising Sales Manager . . . . . . . . . . . .Thomas Hemman Advertising Sales Representative . . . . . . Faye Ann Kessler Editorial Contributors, Reporters and Columnists . . . . . . .Blaise Di Pronio, Barbara Collignon amd Donato Di Pronio Staff Photographers. . . . . . .Joe Spasiano, Tim Townsend and Tom Hemman
For advertising information, please call (414) 223-2180 or send an e-mail to: themman@italiancc.org. Copyright 2016 The Italian Community Center, Inc. All Rights Reserved
All advertisements must be in accordance with the rules and requirements as determined by editorial policy. Paid advertisements are not to be interpreted as an endorsement by the Italian Community Center or its newspaper, The Italian Times. In addition, the Newspaper Committee reserves the right to reject ads based on editorial policy approved by the Board of Directors of the Italian Community Center. The Italian Community Center is a member of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, Visit Milwaukee and the Historic Third Ward Association.
THE ITALIAN TIMES
Simplified ICC membership dues structure to be implemented for 2017
A revised and simplified membership dues structure has been approved by the Italian Community Center Board for implementation in 2017. Dues will be payable at the first of each year and will expire at the end of the year. Multi-year memberships, such as the three-year deals offered the last few years, have been discontinued. The new structure establishes four categories of membership: Under Age 20 and younger, Ages 21-65, Ages 66-84 and Age 85 and Older with differing membership rates in the latter three categories for individuals and couples or families. Membership dues will be as fol-
ICC bocce update
The fall bocce league season at the Italian Community Center will conclude on Monday, Nov. 14 with the championship playoffs. The first place and second place teams from each of the four leagues will earn entry into the championship tournament. The tournament will begin at 7 p.m. and is open for public viewing.
lows: • Age 20 and younger: Individual – Gratis. • Ages 21-65: Individual – $50 per year; Couple/Family – $100 per year. • Ages 66-84: Individual – $50 per year; Couple/Family – $75 per year. • Age 85 and Older: Individual – $30 per year; Couple/Family – $50 per year. Those who are eligible to sign up for the under 21 free membership should know that an individual in this category, who is 18 to 20 years old, will not have voting rights. To acquire this privilege, an individual must purchase an annual membership. In-year memberships will be pro-rated. Benefits of membership remain in place. They include: • Four Festa Italiana tickets; maximum of eight per family. • Voting privileges (21 and older). • Postal delivery of The Italian
Times newspaper. • Member discounts of social events, classes and bocce leagues. • Member discounts on advertising in The Italian Times. • Use of the Members Room. • Opportunities to participate in cultural, educational and social activities. • Opportunities to establish lasting friendships. • Opportunities to establish stronger bonds between your family and your culture. Members in the category “Age 20 and younger” receive two free Festa tickets. They do not, however, have voting rights. Persons, age 18 to 20, who wish to vote may do so by purchasing a membership.
“The Membership Committee decided that, after hearing the comments of members, that the commitment-based program was too confusing,” said Karen Dickinson, Membership Committee Co-Chair. “This new membership program is straight forward with a simple dues
structure. We are excited about offering young members the free membership until they turn 21. Our goal is to get them involved in the ICC.”
December issue deadline
All advertising copy, news stories and photos for publication in the December 2016 issue of The Italian Times must be submitted to the editor no later than Wednesday, Nov. 10. Advertisers: This will be our pre-Christmas issue. If you have holiday specials that would interest our readers, this is the issue to place your advertising. All materials can be emailed to editor Tom Hemman at themman@italiancc.org, sent to The Italian Times, 631 E. Chicago St., Milwaukee, WI 53202. For further information, call 414-223-2189.
Winter leagues The winter league season will get underway the week of Jan. 9. Seniors can choose to play in either a Tuesday or Thursday afternoon league. The ICC will offer mixed couples’ leagues on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday night. The regular season lasts eight weeks. The winter season championship playoffs will take place on Monday, Mar. 13. If you are interested in registering a team to play in a winter league, here are a few things you should know. There are two sets of player registration fees. The lowest fee is for players who are members of the ICC. That fee is $30 per person per league season. The non-member registration fee is $40 per person per league season. Each team must consist of at least four players, with one player designated as the team captain. Each league is interested in having an even number of teams (up to 8). That way every team can compete each week. Team registration forms are available from the league coordinators: Dan Conley (Monday night), Craig Lieber and Carole Casamento (Tuesday afternoon), Tony Tarantino (Wednesday night), Loretta O’Boyle (Thursday afternoon) and David Alioto (Thursday night). The form can also be obtained by picking up a copy at the ICC or by visiting the ICC’s website: www.iccmilwaukee.com.
THE ITALIAN TIMES
NOVEMBER 2016 – PAGE 3
Calendar of Events October 25 – November 29, 2016
Wednesday, Oct. 26 • Pompeii Women’s Club general meeting and dinner, 6:30 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 28 • Italian Community Center Installation Dinner, 6 p.m., social, 6:30 p.m., dinner. Reservation deadline has passed. Tuesday, Nov. 1 • Italian Community Center Culture Committee and the International Institute of Wisconsin present “Festival di Danza e Cultura,” 7 p.m. Details in this issue. Wednesday, Nov. 2 • Pompeii Women’s Club Board meeting, 6:30 p.m.
Monday, Nov. 7 • ICC Finance Committee meeting, 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 8 • ICC Culture Committee meeting, 5:30 p.m. • Milwaukee Chapter UNICO National meeting, 7 p.m.
• Final night of the fall semester of the Italian I class, 7:30 to 9:15 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 16 • Order Sons of Italy in America/Filippo Mazzei Lodge meeting, 5:30 p.m. • Pompeii Women’s Club Christmas party, 5:45 p.m., social, 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17 • Italian Community Center general membership dinner, 5:30 p.m. • Italian Community Center general membership meeting, 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 24 • Thanksgiving Day. The Italian Community Center will be closed. Saturday, Nov. 26 • Italian Community Center Holiday Boutique, 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 29 • Milwaukee Ladies of UNICO Board meeting, 6 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. 10 • Italian Community Center Board meeting, 6:30 p.m.
Daily and weekly classes and activities • Bocce leagues. The fall season is underway with mixed couples’ leagues on Monday and Wednesday nights and seniors’ leagues on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. The championship playoffs will be Monday, Nov. 14 at 7 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 12 • Italian Family History Club meeting, 10 a.m. Details in this issue.• Final day of the fall semester of the ICC’s Free Children’s Italian class, 2 to 4 p.m.
• ICC Italian classes. The fall semester of Italian I and Italian II, held every Tuesday night will end on Nov. 15. The Italian I class runs from 7:30 to 9:15 p.m. The Italian II class begins at 5:30 p.m. and ends at 7:15 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 11 • Abruzzese Society social, 2 p.m. • UNICO Semi-Final Bocce Fundraiser for Scholarship program, 6 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 13 • Italian Community Center volunteers host Thanksgiving dinner for the less fortunate at the Open Door Cafe at St. John’s Cathedral, 11:30 a.m. Monday, Nov. 14 • Fall season bocce championship playoffs, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 15 • ICC Culture Committee meeting, 5:30 p.m. • Final night of the fall semester of the Italian II class, 5:30 to 7:15 p.m. • Milwaukee Ladies of UNICO general meeting, 6 p.m.
• Hula hoop dance class. Every Tuesday night, 5:45 – 6:45 p.m. in the bocce court room. Everyone is welcome. Cost: $5 per member, $10 per non-member.
• ICC free Children’s Italian class. The fall semester of these free classes takes place each Saturday from 2 to 4 p.m. through Nov. 12.
• I Bei Bambini, The Children’s Italian Dance Group. This children’s folk dance group practices weekly on most Monday nights at 6:30 p.m. at the ICC. New dancers are welcome. For details, visit: www.tradizionevivente.com. • Tradizione Vivente, The Italian Dance Group of Milwaukee. This folk dance group practices weekly on most Tuesday nights at 7 p.m. at the ICC. Visit: www.tradizionevivente.com for details. Ballate con noi! Dance with us!
Come to the Holiday Boutique on Nov. 26
from page 1 Judith Lesniewski and Marlene Kowalski – Hand painted ornaments Laura Livermore – Hand painted silks Zia Maskara – Hand painted clutches Linda Menge – Exquisite sweatshirts Maureen Modlinski – Paper Casting Evelynn Mubasa – Clothing Eric Nelson – Pottery Stephanie Olson – Fiber Sarah Pelishek – “Upcycled” clothing Nancy Rollag – Silk embroidery Renee Scherr – Baskets
Betty Scopp and Leigh Peterson – Jeweled Objects Mark Seay – Rock Candles Mary Spencer – Stained glass Ruchita Varma – Block prints
For those interested in taking home something edible, they will be strongly encouraged to visit the Boutique Pantry, where vendors will offer chocolates, Italian cookies, homemade bakery and jellies.
Guests are encouraged to have lunch at Cafe La Scala, which is next to the ballroom. The restaurant will be open continuously from 11 a.m. to closing at 10 p.m. that day.
Boutique pantry Tradizione Vivente – the Italian Dance Group of Milwaukee – Cupcakes and Italian cookies Jennifer Grundy and Gil Petrovic – Gourmet jelly Lynn Sobye – Gourmet
Tired of the traditional Thanksgiving menu? Try one of my unique recipes that will please everyone’s tastes. “Recipes My Nonna Taught Me” makes a great hostess gift, stocking stuffer, an addition to your cookbook collection. It contains many easy, elegant holiday recipes for the special sale price of $12 with FREE S&H. Send cash, check or money order to FRANCENA, 125 Boyce Road, Centerville, OH 45448. 937-433-7313 • fslyd@aol.com I love spreading the word of my Italian heritage of which I am so proud. PAGE 4 – NOVEMBER 2016
Chocolate candy Ladies of UNICO – Specialty breads The Holiday Boutique will take place in the Festa Ballroom from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Admission is $2 per person.
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THE ITALIAN TIMES
Contributions welcome for ICC’s Thanksgiving dinner for less fortunate
Tony Lupo, chairman of the annual Thanksgiving dinner for the less fortunate, announced that donations are now being collected for the 2016 meal. The dinner will once again be held at the Open Door Cafe, a meal site at St. John’s Cathedral in downtown Milwaukee. The date of the event is Sunday, Nov. 13. The feast will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. ICC volunteers, led by Lupo and vice chairs Tony Zingale and Ray Martinez, organize the dinner in consultation with the meal site director, conduct the fundraising to buy a complete Thanksgiving dinner and have the meal prepared and delivered to the Open Door Cafe. They also serve as volunteers at the event. Anyone wishing to make a donation is asked to submit a check payable to the Italian Community Center. Donations can be mailed to the ICC, 631 E. Chicago St., Milwaukee, WI 53202. Please list on the memo line of your check
that this donation is for the “Thanksgiving Meal.” This will ensure that your donation is properly credited for the dinner. Envelopes should be directed to the attention of ICC Receptionist Shamyra. She will accept donations at her desk during regular business hours, Monday through Friday. Persons who hae previously made donations should have received a reminder in the mail. Lupo, Zingale and Martinez collected contributions at the ICC’s general membership meetings on Sept. 15 and Oct. 20. The Milwaukee Ladies of UNICO became the first major donor with the presentation of a $200 check to Lupo and company at the Sept. 15 meeting. “You might think that the vast majority of people fed at this dinner are homeless or jobless men, but that would be incorrect,” Lupo said. “Many of the dinner attendees in recent years are women and children. We are seeing more and more families each year that are home-
Holiday Folk Fair: ICC volunteers, dance groups ready to display Italian culture
from page 2 the All Nations Theater, the group will perform San Vito. The dance of San Vito is a celebratory dance in a small Pugliese town which was saved from a passing storm and surrounding massive floods. The pizzica-style dance is in recognition of San Vito, who is the patron saint of dancers and protector against storms. On Sunday, Nov. 20, the young members of I Bei Bambini will surely delight the audience with their dance, il Frosinone. This fast-paced, energetic dance begins in a “V.” According to Dance Director Susie (DeSanctis) Christiansen, “The routine makes beautiful use of the entire stage as the children skip and wind around the stage in different formations, spinning their partners and showing off creative footwork.” Folk Fair guests can dine at
ICC’s Installation Dinner Friday, Oct. 28
Festival di Danza e Cultura hosted by ICC Culture Committee and the International Institute of Wisconsin Tuesday, Nov. 1 ICC’s 2nd annual Holiday Boutique Saturday, Nov. 26
ICC’s annual Membership Christmas Party Thursday, Dec. 15
ICC’s La Befana Children’s Party Saturday, Jan. 7
THE ITALIAN TIMES
the Italian food booth, which will be staffed by Tradizione Vivente and supporting volunteers. The booth will feature cavatappi pasta with breadstick, cavatappi pasta with meatballs and breadsticks, meatball sandwiches, Italian beef sandwiches with giardiniera, arancini (rice balls) and pizza, along with desserts such as cannoli (regular and chocolate), tiramisu, pizzelle and Italian ice cup (strawberry). “This year, in celebration of the bean, Tradizione Vivente is thrilled to have pasta e fagioli soup on the menu,” Christiansen said. Local vendors Sciortino Bakery and Palermo’s Pizza provide the Italian fare that has constantly remained a favorite of fair-goers. For a performance schedule and additional information on the Holiday Folk Fair, please visit www.folkfair.org.
ICC’s 38th annual Il Grande Carnevale Saturday, Feb. 25
ICC’s 24th annual St. Joseph’s Day Luncheon Friday, Mar. 17 ICC’s 22nd annual “A Taste of Italy” Sunday, Apr. 2
40th annual Festa Italiana Friday, July 21 – Sunday, July 23
ICC’s 4th annual Casino Night Friday, Sept. 8 ICC’s 3rd annual Holiday Boutique Saturday, Nov. 25
less and desperately in need of everything many of us take for granted.” Persons interested in volunteering to help out at the dinner are asked to contact Lupo or Zingale. This annual Thanksgiving dinner for the less fortunate has been going on since the 1970s. It was initiated by a group that called itself
the Ragione Club. Throughout the years, the culinary staff at the Italian Conference Center has prepared the feast, and the set-up staff delivered it to the meal site. The ICC made donations of food and labor towards the event. These donations will continue under The Bartolotta Restaurant Group’s direction this year.
Thanks for your donations to the ICC
The officers and directors of the Italian Community Center wish to thank and acknowledge all those who pledged, fulfilled a pledge, or made a contribution to the nonprofit organization. To obtain information on how to make a pledge or make a donation, please call 414-223-2808. The following donations were received between Sept. 7 and Oct. 7, 2016.
In memory of Peter Frank Sorce Peter T. and Kathy M. Sorce Christina Sorce
In memory of Clara Balistrieri Sonny and Melody Gensler Tony Machi Gino A. Dentice In memory of Catherine (Boggio) Seeby Tony Machi
In memory of John J. Hotter, M.D. Phillip and Gerry Accetta Purpero
In memory of Grace J. (Vitucci) Morrisey Sonny and Melody Gensler In memory of Tony “Boom Boom” Gazzana Jimmy and Linda Spataro Anna L. Pitzo
In memory of Paula Collura Johnson George and Judy Menos In memory of Lorraine Castagna Tony Machi
In memory of Lucy Ziino Bill and Rita Jennaro Anna L. Pitzo Nancy Castrovinci Oberleitner Mary Castrovinci
2017 schedules of Italian societies and organizations that regularly meet at ICC are needed promptly
The 2017 meeting and social event schedules of all of the societies, clubs and organizations that regularly use the Italian Community Center for their activities are needed by The Italian Times. Times editor Tom Hemman needs the information to provide an accurate reporting in the calendar published in each issue of the newspaper. All groups are asked to submit their schedules including the starting time of all events as soon as possible. The goal is to have the schedules from all societies, clubs and organizations by Nov. 30. Please submit schedules using any one of these methods: • Send an email to Tom Hemman: themman@italiancc.org. • Fax the information to 414223-2804.
• Drop off the schedules in person at the ICC. Groups that fail to comply with this request may experience difficulty in securing the accommodations they most desire. Please note: Starting Nov. 1, Bartolotta Catering will be in charge of booking the Pompeii Grand Ballroom, Festa Ballroom and the Conference Rooms, and all food and beverage services. The ICC will book the activities in the Board Room, the Members Room and the Bocce Courts. “If we don’t have the schedule of events for your organization with the starting time of each event, it is impossible to prepare an accurate calendar listing for the newspaper. We depend on the presidents or the designated representative of the many Italian organizations to supply this information,” Hemman said.
NOVEMBER 2016 – PAGE 5
Answering Columbus’ critics
by Paul Basile Spanish philosopher George Santayana once noted that those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. When it comes to Columbus, the Italian-American community seems condemned to have history rewritten right out from underneath it for the same reason. To be fair, backing Columbus has been a nobrainer for much of the last century. His mindboggling accomplishments had earned him the adoration of Americans in general along with a special place in the hearts of Americans of Italian descent. Defying conventional wisdom as well as outlandish odds, he sailed west toward the Indies and into the great unknown. In doing so, he stumbled upon continents undreamt of by his European contemporaries. It was an unparalleled act of determination, bravery and maritime skill that utterly transformed the world. In recent decades, however, Columbus has come under increasing assault from Native Americans and other activists who have portrayed the once-sainted explorer as a racist slave trader and genocidal barbarian who wasn’t even Italian and who rode on the coattails of at least two predecessors. Fueled by indignation and no small amount of misinformation, they have engaged in a nationwide campaign to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day, enjoying considerable success on the state and local levels. Hawaii, Oregon, Alaska and South Dakota declared the second Monday in October Indigenous Peoples Day or Native American Day and/or eliminated Columbus Day entirely. Among the major municipalities across the country to follow suit are Berkeley, Calif.; Seattle, Wash.; Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minn.; Portland, Ore.; Lawrence, Kan.; Anchorage, Alaska; Cambridge, Mass.; and Denver, Colo. Most of these campaigns were pursued despite the fact that the United Nations had declared Aug. 9 the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples in 1994. And now that movement has taken root in the Windy City, with the Chicago Public Schools system eliminating Columbus Day as an official holiday in 2012 and Evanston and Chicago recently joining the ranks of those cities that have declared the second Monday in October Indigenous Peoples Day. So which portrayal do we believe — Columbus as paragon or pariah — and which path should our metropolitan area follow? In pursuit of answers, I’ve turned to Joseph Scafetta Jr., Don Fiore, Professor William J. Connell and J. Romero. Their research and insights have been instrumental in formulating the following responses. Was Columbus Italian? The question continues to stir debate, but the best evidence indicates that he was born Cristoforo Colombo in the Ligurian capital of Genoa to Domenico Colombo, a wool weaver, and his wife, Susanna, the daughter of a wool weaver. Did Columbus actually “discover” America? Only from a European perspective. Clearly the Native populations beat him to the punch by tens of thousands of years, trekking thousands of miles from Asia across the frozen Bering Straits during the last Ice Age. Out of respect for these ancient explorers, “encounter” is a more appropriate term for what Columbus accomplished.
Was Columbus the first to “encounter” America after the Native populations? Technically, no. The Viking explorer Leif Erikson sailed from Greenland to what is now Newfoundland, Canada, around 1000 A.D., returning home after a few years on the far side of the Atlantic. But Erikson’s journey had no historical ripple effect while Columbus’ turned the world on its head. In the 1950s, a map charting Erikson’s travels turned up in Spain along with claims that it was available to Columbus before he set sail. The map was later proved to be a forgery. Recent “evidence” that the Chinese made their way to the West Coast 70 years before Columbus also has been debunked. Was Columbus a saint? By no means. As a person, he was a decidedly mixed bag: arrogant, impetuous, short-tempered and a social climber along with being well-meaning, keen-minded, devout and above all indefatigable and courageous. Motivated by profit to
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pursue a western route to the East, he resorted to desperate measures when the gold and silver he sought couldn’t be found on the tiny islands he encountered. And while he was a bold navigator, he was far less successful as an administrator. Unable to adequately control his crew, they committed a variety of transgressions against the Native populations that contributed to an escalating cycle of conflict with neighboring tribes.
Was Columbus a racist? Not by the standards of the day. A devout Christian, his first impressions of the Native populations were overwhelmingly positive. In the journals of his first voyage, he described the Tainos and other tribes as “well-made” with “fine shapes and faces.” Praising their generosity, innocence and intelligence, he considered them likely converts to Christianity because “they have a good understanding.”
Was Columbus a slave trader? Not in the final analysis. True enough, he spoke of the suitability of the Natives as slaves upon his first encounter, and he later began to advocate for slavery out of desperation when his hunt for the riches of the Orient didn’t pan out. But in the end, the 300 Natives he enchained were actually prisoners of war taken during a counterassault launched after Columbus returned on his second voyage to find that the men he had left behind had been slaughtered by neighboring tribes. After he shipped another 30 POWs back to Spain, Queen Isabella put a stop to the practice before it could go any further.
Did he engage in genocide? Not by any standard. Columbus took no Native lives himself and ordered the taking of Native lives only in retaliation for lives previously taken. Did Columbus despoil paradise? Define paradise. Most of the native tribes that Columbus encountered were hunter-gatherers who depended on slash-and-burn cultivation. Far from peacefully coexisting, they engaged in bloody tribal wars and, in some cases, slavery, torture and cannibalism.
Why do Native Americans revile Columbus? Because he opened the door to the systematic conquest of their land and the decimation of their peoples and culture. The treatment of America’s Native populations ranks among our nation’s greatest disgraces, and for that our Native brothers and sisters deserve our most profound respect and regret. But to accuse Columbus of this travesty is akin to blaming the creator of a door for those who pass through it. By contrast, Andrew Jackson led brutal campaigns against the Creeks and Seminoles as an Army general, and as president, he ordered the removal of the entire Choctaw nation from its land during the infamous “trail of tears and death.” Then there was Colorado Governor John Evans, who orchestrated one of the worst acts of genocide against a Native tribe in American history. Surely the time and energy of modern-day activists would be more meaningfully spent advocating for a name change to Jackson Boulevard or Evans’ namesake town, Evanston.
Why do Italian Americans revere Columbus? Back in 1892, when Columbus was first celebrated on a national level, Italian immigrants were widely perceived as sub-human criminals, washing up on American shores like so many rats. The year before, 11 Sicilian immigrants who had been unjustly accused of a crime in New Orleans were pulled from their prison cells and lynched by a mob led by prominent politicians.
By 1972, when President Nixon signed legislation officially declaring the second Monday in October Columbus Day, the Italian-American community had been relentlessly associated with organized crime for more than four decades. “The Godfather” film trilogy was launched that same year, hardwiring Hollywood to portray us almost exclusively as mobsters for decades to come.
In the face of more than a century of discrimination and stereotyping, Columbus stood out as one Italian of whom the entire nation could be proud. It seems beyond cruel to now demonize him, especially given the magnitude of his accomplishments, the flimsiness of the case against him and the emotional stake our community has in the debate.
Christopher Columbus
So what are we to make of Columbus’ mixed legacy? In this warts-and-all world in which we live, few of our heroes have survived unscathed. Was Thomas Jefferson a champion of independence or a wild-eyed revolutionary who believed, and I quote, that “the tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants”? Was Mother Teresa the Angel of Calcutta or a provider of minimal and unsanitary care to her desperately poor charges? Was Steve Jobs a technological visionary or a control freak who ascended to prominence on the backs of his associates? Is America the birthplace of democracy or a nation crippled by seemingly irreconcilable political differences? The answer to all of the above is “yes.” You can’t consign the world’s heroes to history’s scrapheap because they have feet of clay, otherwise the world would have precious few heroes left. Their imperfections mustn’t be allowed to diminish their deeds. Rather, we must embrace the good while allowing for the bad, learning from their mistakes as well as their virtues. If we were to look at the map of the world in the 1490s, one who find Europe, Africa and Asia to the east and nothing to the west but open sea. By sheer force of will and incomparable daring, Columbus changed all that, paving the way for the founding of America. If you believe in America, despite all of its flaws, how can you not view Columbus as one of our nation’s greatest heroes, despite all of his flaws? Given their tragic history, the Native-American community will never embrace him as such. Our best hope is that we can convince them to share our pain, leave our hero be and walk shoulderto-shoulder with us toward a brighter future for both of our communities. Editor’s note: Paul Basile is the editor of Fra Noi, the Chicago-area Italian-American magazine. Copyright 2016 Fra Noi Inc. © Reprinted with permission.
Trovato
There’s no place I’d rather be, Than you and me in Italy, Sitting in a small cafe, Reminiscing of our day. Relaxing, talking, wasting time, Sipping on a glass of wine, So, if you care to visit me, I’ll rent a villa by the sea. There we’ll watch the sun go down, For that is where my love is found. – By Lynda Yule
Editor’s note: Lynda Yule is a member of the Italian Community Center. She accepted our offer to a provide a submission of written material, in this case, a poem. Our thanks to Lynda. Other ICC members interested in offering articles or poetry can do so by submitting it to Editor Tom Hemman at themman@italiancc.org.
THE ITALIAN TIMES
Pompeii Women’s Club presents scholarships
The Pompeii Women’s Club celebrated its Scholarship Awards Presentation at the Italian Community Center with a dinner on Wednesday, Sept. 28. Pompeii President Pat Consolazione extended a welcoming greeting and asked
for all to join in a prayer. After dinner, Consolazione introduced the co-chairs of the Scholarship Committee, Carla San Felippo and Lucy Sorce. They presented the awards to several of the recipients with representatives of
their respective schools. They were: scholarship recipient Catalina Gonzalez with Debra L. Duff, Mount Mary University, Director of Financial Aid; recipient Elizabeth Hettera with Joel Cencius, Director of Development and Communica-
tions, St. Joan Antida High School; recipient Valentina Isabel Romero Morán with José Vasquez, President, St. Anthony School; recipients Madison Morris and Lukas Barnes with William A. Koehn, Principal, St. Coletta School.
A total of $8,000 was awarded to the aforementioned students. “We take great pride in being able to offer these students the ability to compete for quality education,” Pompeii President Pat Consolazione said. Thanks were offered to Pompeii Secretary Janet Corona for her delightful piano music. – Submitted by Mary (Mineo) Winard Public Relations Chair
Correcting a couple of errors in our last issue
Shown here are members of the Pompeii Women’s Club with the representatives of the area schools that were awarded scholarships. Front row (l-r): Lukas Barnes and Madison Morris of St. Colletta School; Valentina Isabel Romero Moràn of St. Anthony School; Elizabeth Hettera of St. Joan Antida High School; and Catalina Gonzalez of Mount Mary University. Back row: Carla San Felippo, Past Pompeii Women’s Club President; William A. Koehn, Principal, St. Colletta
School; Lucy Sorce, Pompeii Women’s Club Vice President; José Vasquez, Principal, St. Anthony School; Joel Cencius, Director of Development and Communication, St. Joan Antida High School; Debra L. Duff, Director of Financial Aid, Mount Mary University. San Felippo and Sorce are the chairs of the the club’s Scholarship Committee. (Photo provided by Suzanne Wypijewski)
In the “Welcome to new ICC members” column in our October 2016 issue, we misspelled the last name of one of the new members. We wish to apologize to Mary Ann Bova-Bellante of Milwaukee. We had her last name as Bova-Bellanti. On the reservation form for the ICC’s installation dinner in the last issue, it stated “dinner and dance.” There will be no dance following the dinner at this year’s installation dinner. The dinner is Friday, Oct. 28. Our apologies for making this editing oversight.
Milwaukees Italians who served in the U.S. Military during World War II – Part 17
Researched and written by the late Mario A. Carini, Italian Community Center Historian The information presented here was researched and copyrighted as a historical record of the men and women of Italian descent who lived in the City of Milwaukee and served in the United States Military during World War II. The information recorded and documented by this researcher from records kept at the Milwaukee County Historical Society and the City of Milwaukee Legislative Reference Bureau. These works were copyrighted in 2004 and an original copy has been placed in the repository at the United States Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. The research was secured from City of Milwaukee Directories 1941, 1942 and 1944-45. No directory was published in 1943. The years 1944 and 1945 were combined into one directory.
Name Randazzo, Andy Randazzo, Vincent Ranieri, Charlie Rao, John Regazzi, Joe Rappa, Salvatore Reale, Basile Reale, Frank Reale, Russ Recla, Robt V. Riccardi, Rocco Ricciardi, Ignatius Ricca, Frank Ricca, Fred Ricciardi, Anthony Ricciardi, Nick Ricco, Frank Re, Virgil Reciti, John Reciti, Joe Jr. Ricco, Vince Richardi, Anthony Rigacci, Robert Rigacci, Emilie Rigazzi, Anthony
Branch Army Army Army Army Army Army Army Army Army Navy Navy Navy Army Army Army Army Army Army Army Army Army Army Army Waves Army
THE ITALIAN TIMES
Address 2850 N. 8th St. 2850 N. 8th St. 1551 S. 6th St. 1918 N. 2nd St. 1315 W. Garfield 3922 N. 7th St. 1686 N. Cass 1686 N. Cass 1686 N. Cass 5878 N. Hopkins 3323 W. Hayes 361 N. Prospect 1734 N. Franklin 1734 N. Franklin 2454A S. Delaware 2454A S. Delaware 3228 W. Pierce 2729 W. Clarke 1732 W. Walnut 1732 W. Walnut 3228 N. Pierce 2554 S. Delaware 2321 N. 4th St. 2321 N. 4th St. 1839 E. Euclid
Name Ripatte, Elio Ripatte, Ira Rizzardi, Dave Rizzardi, Joe A. Rodinelli, Nick Romano, Frank Romano, Anthony Romano, Anthony Romano, Jack R. Romano, Nick Romano, Peter A. Ronco, Jim Rondinelli, Nick Roasco, Henry Ruberti, Arthur Rossi, Eugene F. Russo, Anthony Russo, John Russo, Josephine Mrs. Russo, John Russo, Ted Sabatini, Charlie Sabatino, Catherine Sabatino, Santo Saffouri, Albert Saffouri, John Saggio, Charlie Saggio, Tom Salamone, Carmen Salamone, Robert Salantine(i), Robert Sammarco, Joe Sandrone, Carmello Sandrone, Sal SanFelipo, Sal Sanfelippo, Ignatius Sanfelippo, John
Branch Address Army 3903 N. 60th St. Waves 3903 N. 60th St. Navy 1212 W. Highland Army 1212 W. Highland Navy 631 E. Michigan Navy 2811 N. Bremen Army 1666 N. Franklin Army 1765 N. Marshall Army 2466 N. Oakland Army 729 E. Michigan Army 625 E. Clybourn Army 1512 W. Galena Army 532 E. Menomonee Army 2567 N. Summit Army 2143 N. Buffum Navy 2778 N. Holton Army 4957 N. Newhall Army 1015 S. 18th St. Army (Nurse) 1445 N. Jackson Navy 3225 W. Wisconsin (Apt 204) Army 4957 N. Newhall Army 2629 S. Wentworth Army 116 W. Vine Army 116 W. Vine Army 3429 W. Walnut Army 3429 W. Walnut Army 3333 N. Fredrick Army 1684 N. Jackson Army 312 E. Lloyd Army 509 N. 26th St. Army 3727 N. 8th St. Army 2589 N. Maryland Navy 905 E. Pearson Army 905 E. Pearson Army 422E Reservoir Marines 1540 N. Jefferson Navy 3130 W. Juneau
Source: Wright’s Milwaukee City Directory, 1941, Wright Directory Co., Milwaukee. Continued in the next issue
NOVEMBER 2016 – PAGE 7
Festival di Danza e Cultura coming to ICC on Tuesday, Nov. 1
from page 1 be available before and during the evening. The program price has changed this year since dinner will not be offered. There is an admission fee of $8 for adults and $5 for children (12 and younger). “We will not offer dinner this year but will bring it back when the Japanese return to our state in 2017,” said Gina Jorgensen, Culture Committee chair. Reservations can be made using a credit or debit card by calling the ICC office at 414-223-2180 or by completing the form at the conclusion of this article to send in with payment. Festival di Danza e Cultura is a presentation of the ICC Culture Committee and Tradizione Vivente: the Italian Dance Group of Milwaukee, in conjunction with the International Institute of Wisconsin. This program serves as a preview to the 2016 Holiday Folk Fair International, which is Nov. 18-20 at State Fair Park – Expo Center in West Allis. Jorgensen has confirmed the participation of folk groups with cultural links to the countries of Mexico, Germany, Scotland and Italy. She was awaiting word from the heads of groups representing the African and Turkish culture. She said a Milwaukee-based belly dance group will also perform.
Details about each group Here is a bit of information on each of the groups that have been confirmed for participation. The Dance Academy of Mexico was established by Marina Croft in 2010 with the purpose of preserving the traditional dances of Mexico, promoting the arts, and having fun with friends while performing and traveling to performances. Since its creation, the Dance Academy has performed in such places as Disney World in Orlando (2012 and 2013), Mexican Fiesta (2010-2016), the Milwaukee Art Museum and numerous other places. The Donauschweben Youth Dancers are a German ethnic group comprised of dancers from the ages of 13 to 24. They perform a
The Donauschweben Youth Dancers
variety of traditional to modern German dances like the waltz, polka, schottische and landler. The group performs throughout the year at its club events as well as Germanfest, Holiday Folk Fair and
The Donauschweben Youth Dancers Oktoberfest gatherings. Currently, these dancers are the two-time reigning champions for the Donauschwaben dancing and singing competition which happens every three years over Labor Day
The Dance Academy of Mexico (Times photo by Tom Hemman)
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weekend. The Caledonian Scottish Dancers was formed in 1966 with the purpose of high quality presentation and preservation of Scottish music and dance. They perform Highland and National dances as well as some of the “lesser known” dances. Their traditional costumes are imported from Scotland and feature a colorful array of authentic tartans. The group has appeared at numerous festivals, conventions and cultural events throughout the Midwest United States. Local performances include Irish Fest, the Holiday Folk Fair, and a variety of Scottish events including those honoring the Scottish poet Robert Burns. Performances abroad include the 1987 Edinburgh Festival, the 1990 World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow, and a 1999 tour of Western Scotland and The Isles of Mull and Iona. The dancers represented Wisconsin at the 1993 Cultural Festival in Chiba, Japan and in June 1996 represented the United States at the International Folklore Festival in Montreal, Canada. In 2006, the dancers again traveled to Scotland and the Isle of Arran. They performed at the Robert Burns Cottage and Heritage Center Continued on page 9
THE ITALIAN TIMES
from page 8 near Ayr and at The Isle of Arran Distillers, Ltd., Arran. Ina Onilu Drum and Dance Ensemble is a nonprofit organization based in Milwaukee. Its mission is to unite the youth of Milwaukee through traditional West African art, which includes West African drum, dance and theater. The group draws upon the skills and knowledge of various local, national and international artists to aid in this endeavor. The group fosters a sense of unity and discipline among Milwaukee’s youth with the aim of alleviating violence in the city’s neighborhoods. The ideal way is to use African traditions, teaching and culture to rebuild and bring diversity to the community. Classes offer instruction on proper technique, positioning and posture for both dance and drum and teach the origin of dances and the rhythms. Tradizione Vivente, the Italian Dance Group of Milwaukee which has been in existence for more than 60 years, strives to preserve the Italian culture through folk dancing, music, costumes, and a genuine love for all things Italian. It is a volunteer group comprised of young men and women of all ages and backgrounds. The group practices weekly on Tuesday nights at 7:15 p.m. at the ICC and performs a variety of dances originating from various parts of Italy. Some of its past performances include Festa Italiana, Holiday Folk Fair, Taste of Italy and other ICC events, weddings, baptisms, and folk art conferences throughout the country. The group will be traveling to Sicily and Italy in June 2018. Tamarind Tribal Belly Dance Group is an internationally renowned dance group directed by Elizabeth “Super Beth” Fish based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This group of dedicated performers and instructors has been providing family friendly entertainment and superior instruction for nearly 10 years. Comprised of 12 members, the dancers are known for their unique performances and specialize in prop work, fusion, and the American Tribal Style (ATS) format created by FatChanceBellyDance director Carolena Nericcio-Bohlman. The ATS style began in 1974 and is influenced by folkloric dances from Morocco, Egypt, Spain and many other countries and is best known for its improvisational nature. Fish and members of Tamarind have been featured on two DVDs (with another currently in production) and traveled extensively domestically and abroad, with many fans in the international dance community. For information on perform-
Ina Onilu Drum and Dance Ensemble (Times photo by Tom Hemman)
\Tradizione Vivente, the Italian Dance Group of Milwaukee (Times photo by Paul Inzeo)
ances or classes, visit: www.TamarindTribalBellyDance.co m.
Reviews merit return “We continue to receive such great feedback about the past events held at the ICC,” Jorgensen said. “This is truly a mini-Folk Fair that gives people a solid glance at what they can expect at the Holiday Folk Fair International in November. We truly appreciate the visiting ethnic groups that are generously giving their time and talents to our event.” She added that the Nov. 1 event will feature a raffle with some interesting gift items. Tickets for the 73rd annual Holiday Folk Fair International and raffle tickets will be available for purchase at a table outside the Pompeii Grand Ballroom.
Tamarind Tribal Belly Dance Group
THE ITALIAN TIMES
FESTIVAL DI DANZA E CULTURA RESERVATION FORM
Names _____________________________________________________
Address _____________________________________________________ City, State, Zip ________________________________________________
Phone _________________ Email _______________________________
Number of adults attending this event: ___ @ $8.00 per person = $______
Number of children attending this event: ____ @ $5.00 per child = $_____
TOTAL AMOUNT ENCLOSED:
$____________________
Please send this form with your check (payable to the Italian Community Center) to ICC, c/o Festival di Danza, 631 E. Chicago St., Milwaukee, WI 53202. Reservation deadline: October 28, 2016.
‘A
Taste of Italy’ set for Sunday, Apr. 2
Mark your calendars now. The Italian Community Center’s 21st annual “A Taste of Italy” will be Sunday, Apr. 2. Chairperson Ann Romano announced the date at the ICC’s September general meeting. “A Taste of Italy,” at which attendees can enjoy entrée items, sandwiches, salads, dessert and beverages, at extreme low prices, is an essential fund raising activity for the nonprofit organization. It has always been a success, said Romano, who chaired the activity
21 of the 22 years it has been held. She announced that Anthony Zingale has agreed to return as volunteer food ticket chair and that Marie and Jim Schwindt are returning to be charge of the raffle held in conjunction with “A Taste of Italy.” The entire building will again be used for this Italian food extravaganza. Look for much more information on “A Taste of Italy” in upcoming issues of The Italian Times.
NOVEMBER 2016 – PAGE 9
ICC hosts Student Culture Day
Some 100 fifth grade students from southeastern Wisconsin schools participated in the Student Culture Day program at the Italian Community Center on Monday, Oct. 17. The students came from the Milwaukee Italian Immersion School (Victory K-8) and All Saints Catholic School in Kenosha. There was also one fifth-grader, who is enrolled at Washington Elementary School in Wauwatosa, who attended with her mother. Washington Elementary had been originally scheduled to participate in the program, but cancelled, said Gina Jorgensen, ICC Culture Committee Chair. Student Culture Day was organized by the Culture Committee and put on by a dedicated group of volunteers. The fifth graders participated in five educational, cultural and recreational activities. These included: • A mini-course in Italian language, taught by Enrica Tarantino Woytal. • A lesson on the history of Italian Americans in Milwaukee, presented by Valorie Sanfilippo Schleicher. She also led the students on a tour of the ICC’s Italian heritage photos which line the cor-
ridor on the west end of the building. • A demonstration in making homemade pasta, directed by Anna Rosati Pitzo and Sophia Gasbarre Michalovitz. Students were able to take part in the entire process of making various kinds of pasta. • A game of bocce, Italian lawn bowling, with instructions provided by Marie Andaloro Lieber, her husband, Craig, Carole Casamento and Barbara Zaffiro. • The Ellis Island immigration experience. A re-enactment of the experience of Italian immigrants who landed at Ellis Island in New York for entry into the United States with the students playing the immigrants and the volunteers in the roles of American naturalization officials, registrars and medical staff. After completing all of the activities, the students and their teachers and chaperones were taken to the Pompeii Grand Ballroom for a spaghetti and meatballs lunch. The food was prepared and served by the Italian Conference Center staff. The Student Culture Day program was presented for the first time since 2013 with major contributions provided by Rose Purpero Spang, Sam Purpero and Joseph Mangiamele.
Craig Lieber provided some basic instruction on the ins and outs of playing bocce on the ICC’s carpeted courts. Playing the game here were fifth graders from the Milwaukee Italian Immersion School (Victory K-8). Times photos by Tom Hemman
Ray Martinez, in the role of an Ellis Island doctor, examined one of the Italian immigrants, who is really a fifth grader at All Saints Catholic School.
Sophia Michalovitz showed a group of All Saints students how to flatten the dough, then roll it.
PAGE 10 – NOVEMBER 2016
Valorie Sanfilippo Schleicher took groups of students on a guided tour of the ICC’s invaluable Italian heritage photo collection.
Mary Medo (left) and Nancy Oberleitner questioned these Italian immigrants on their knowledge of the English language.
THE ITALIAN TIMES
Enrica Tarantino Woytal, who has taught Italian classes at the ICC for more than 30 years, led the lessons offered to fifth graders at the organization’s Student Culture Day on Oct. 17.
Elena La Spisa provided the visiting students with an overview of the immigrant experience.
Among the volunteers who helped with the re-enactment of the Ellis Island experience were (seated, l-r): Mary Castrovinci, Nancy Oberleitner and Carol Martinez. Standing: Ray Martinez, Mary Medo and Tony and Lena Zingale.
Volunteers Christina Ziino (left) and Kathy Zulli worked at the registration desk at the start of the Ellis Island immigration experience. They gave the students name tags that provided each with his or her “Italian” identity at the start of the experience. Times photos by Tom Hemman
These students sliced pasta on the chittara.
All Saints fifth graders are seen here kneading the pasta dough.
THE ITALIAN TIMES
Marie Andaloro Lieber looked on while these students played bocce.
NOVEMBER 2016 – PAGE 11
The genius of Da Vinci brought out in exhibition at Chicago’s Water Tower Place
by Barbara Collignon “Discover the Da Vinci in you!” is the inspiring mantra of the “The Da Vinci Machines Exhibition” on view in Chicago at the Water Tower Place until the end of December. This exciting exhibition of Leonardo’s 500-year-old designs is aimed at inspiring us and our children to find in ourselves the same energy that drove him to be such a curious and creative genius. This is one of four exhibitions now traveling the world through Australia, Asia, Europe and the United States. Replicas of Da Vinci’s magnificent machines were recreated and brought to life by third generation artisans working with the Leonardo Da Vinci museum in Florence, Italy. Three themes are presented in the exhibition and explanatory notes and illustrative panels with Leonardo’s drawings accompany each replica. There are war machines, flying machines, nauti-
PAGE 12 – NOVEMBER 2016
cal and hydraulic machines, as well as devices illustrating the principles of mechanics. Mark Rodgers, exhibition director, emphasizes that many of the replicas were intended for “hands on” manipulation for visitors of all ages. Adults and children alike love to manipulate the machines, he said. Everyone can thus discover for himself or herself the principles of mechanics that are used everyday in modern life but imagined by Da Vinci. He was 500 years ahead of his time. Rodgers said he hopes that learning how Da Vinci’s principles have been applied to the machines we use today will result in the appearance of new Da Vinci-like geniuses among us. This is the exciting motivational aspect of the exhibition. Since the exhibition began, it has entertained and inspired hundreds of adults and school children. Visitors will learn that Da
Vinci’s inventions were created to make a laborer’s life easier and safer. He was a scientist, an architect, an inventor, an artist – perhaps the greatest genius of all time! The machines on display illustrate just how amazing he, the original Renaissance Man, really was. Da Vinci was a man of peace at heart, yet he envisioned a battleship, a scythed chariot, a double-hulled boat, a tank, a trench excavator and other structures that have military and civilian applications even today. The “assault ladder” with its pulleys, levers and counterweights is a predecessor of the fire ladders we use today. His inventions used only wind, water, horsepower and manpower, the sources of energy available to him in his time. His inventions are, therefore, green inventions, and they number around 2,500! He designed things that couldn’t be made at the time because of limitations in technology. On exhibit is a General Motors motor using many of the principles Da Vinci designed. The amount of patents on this machine number about 3,000. You can see the first hang glider, the “air screw” that presented the principles behind our modern day helicopter, a cam shaft and “worm screw”, an underwater diving suit with air supply, and a lifesize replica of the “bicycle” with its gear belt. Da Vinci updated the catapult and even invented a portable bridge that could be constructed quickly so men could cross a ravine or river, and once across, be taken apart so the enemy could not follow. He gave us ball bearings, life buoys, hinges, gears and regulators. He gave us robots. There are many wonderful stories behind the inventions shown in this exhibition. One such story is about the sketch he made for a pro-
totype of the bicycle. Decades after Da Vinci’s death, a monk leafing through the many pages of his codices found one page thicker than the others. He discovered it was two pages stuck together, and once peeled apart, it revealed the design for a bicycle with a link chain that operated it. Of course, modern metallurgy was not available for Da Vinci to make one out of metal so he used rope, leather and string! The exhibition includes a water organ whose design was found in the Da Vinci codices less than 10 years ago. It was created by the NOVUS Corporation in conjunction with a professor from the Washington University in St. Louis as a tribute to the genius of Leonardo Da Vinci. If properly set up, it could actually play music, but Water Tower Place could not give permission to actually use it because of the risk of water damage to the exhibition room and rooms in Water Tower Place. The exhibition includes not only Leonardo’s machines but replicas of his artwork as well. He ranks among the most extraordinary artists of the world. You can see a reproduction of the Mona Lisa recreated from, as Rodgers explains, a “licensed digital image from the Leonardo Da Vinci Museum in Florence, Italy. The Mona Lisa was digitally printed on canvas, stretched and framed to the exact size Leonardo Da Vinci intended.” There is a display of “The Last Supper”. There is a reproduction of the “Battle of Anghiari,” a painting that the Florentine powers who commissioned it hoped would commemorate their victory over the Milanese 60 years earlier. But Da Vinci, truly a man of peace, depicted not images of victory but images that showed suffering, the human Continued on page 13
THE ITALIAN TIMES
from page 12 toll of war. Feeling betrayed and tricked, the painting was covered up, hidden behind a wall. “The Lost Leonardo” was rediscovered only in recent years.
One cannot talk about Da Vinci without talking about Michelangelo, his younger rival. Rodgers is proud to say that the Da Vinci Exhibition is fortunate enough to have “14 high definition photo graphics of various sizes taken of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel before the restoration. There are only two copies in existence. There is one set of photo graphics at the Vatican as documentation of Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel and the other set here at the exhibition.”
Autopsies were forbidden in Italy, but Da Vinci was so curious about the human body that he did them anyway and drew anatomical designs that are still valid today. He had to leave Italy after his own apprentices turned him in for performing illegal autopsies. Francois Ier of France so admired Da Vinci’s genius that he came to the old man’s rescue and gave him a pension and beautiful residence in France. Da Vinci was so grateful, he thanked the king in a very special and moving way – with the gift of a robotic lion. The exhibition shows the mechanisms and secrets behind this legendary robotic lion. A design once thought to be that of a “spring-like car” turned out to be the structure for the beautiful robotic lion. It strutted. It reared up. Its underside opened up to let escape doves and flowers, including lilies, the symbol of the monarch. The Da Vinci Exhibition is a
must-see for people of all ages. Rodgers emphasizes its goal is to
The flag of Sicily
by Donato Di Pronio The current Sicilian flag, whose origins date back to the 13th century, was officially adopted in 2000 after the passage of a special law which advocated its use in public buildings, schools, town halls and other places in which Sicily is represented. It has a rectangular shape and is characterized by the representation at the center of a curious figure called the Triskelion or Trinacria (similar to the winged head of Medusa or of the Gorgon, a feminine monster with hair made of snakes) from which stick out three legs (Greek treis skelos)
and three ears of corn. The three bent legs allegedly represent the three points of the triangular shape of the island of Sicily or the island’s three historical valleys. The first images of a Trinacria ( which is also an ancient name of Sicily) were found reproduced in sixth and seventh century ceramics and coins of the third century from Siracusa. The flag is divided in two diagonals colored red and yellow with red representing the city of Palermo and yellow that of Corleone. They were the first two cities to found a confederation against the Angevin rule.
make people put aside their IPhones, video games and televisions to take time to dream, imagine, create, wonder and discover their inner Da Vinci. To learn more, visit the website at www.discoverdavinci.com, Editor’s note: “Da Vinci & Michelangelo: The Titans Experience – The National Touring Multi-Media Art Experience” will make its Milwaukee debut at the Pabst Theater with an evening performance on Saturday, Jan. 21 at
7:30 p.m. Rodgers, the curator of the Da Vinci Machines and Michelangelo Exhibitions for North America, is also the creator and host of multi-media performance coming to the Pabst, 144 E. Wells St., Milwaukee. Tickets are on sale. The prices have been set at $25, $30, $35 and $40. They can be purchased at the Pabst and Riverside Box Offices or visit the Pabst Theater’s website: http://pabsttheater.org/show/davinc imichelangelo2017.
Cremona’s torrone festival set for Nov. 19-27
THE ITALIAN TIMES
The northern Italian city of Cremona (Lombardy region) claims to be the birthplace of torrone, the Italian nougat candy. An official document from Oct. 25, 1441 indicates that torrone was first made for the wedding banquet of Francesco Sforza and Bianca Maria Visconti in Cremona.
Cremona holds an annual torrone festival – Festa del Torrone – which takes place this year Nov. 19-27. The festival will feature a re-enactment of the historic wedding and over 250 other activities including games, entertainment, cultural events and programs designed to celebrate the nougat.
NOVEMBER 2016 – PAGE 13
How to avoid the draft – and the battle of the bulges
by Blaise Di Pronio You see them everywhere when you think of Italy: in movies, advertisements and in person. Men with a sweater over their shoulders and back and a purse on their sides. What’s the point? Actually, it’s evidence of both a phobia and a fashion statement. Let’s do the phobia first. Italians have a veritable fear and aversion of the simple draft – not the military kind – but rather that friendly and welcome breezy one, that respite from heat and humidity of which there is plenty in Italy. In their minds, a simple gust of cool air connotes colds, flus and pneumonias. It is a harbinger of sickness and not relief. It must be avoided at all costs as it strikes you at the shoulders and back and thus
the ubiquitous sweater placed there not to be worn but to ward off.
This unfounded fear thus attaches to the use of air conditioning (and fans) which is now readily available for homes and cars (most of which already have it). But Godforbid its use, as air conditioning is the modern purveyor of the dreaded draft. All sensible people know that germs are the culprits and not fresh, de-humidified air- but not in Italy! Car windows are sealed shut and houses are shuttered. Open windows are forbidden as your poor body cooks within. Common sense is ignored as they swelter in the heat. Should you chance the use of air conditioned air, then windows and doors are flung open to get rid of
the perceived dangerous cold air. It has become a constant battle between the locals and the returning immigrants (like your sweaty author) who have become accustomed to comfort and, mercifully, forgot the old phobias. In the end, the locals win while the repatriating relatives keep on sweating. And now on to the man purse. This custom started in the days of Fascism and subsequent world war and Reconstruction. In those days, it was critical that one be able to prove their identity, i.e., who they were and what side they were on as your life literally depended on it. Thus, the need to carry with you documentation ad infinitum. Pants pockets alone were not enough. Add to this dilemma the handkerchiefsize of the then used lira notes. So
the necessary carry-all purse was of dire necessity.
the mantle of snow obscured all. And now the town was to be leveled and destroyed by the departing Germans. The people came out of their houses wondering and murmuring. “Where do we go and what do we do?” Young, old, prosperous or poor with a scarcity of men as they were off elsewhere, taken by the misguided dreams of their Duce. As if called by a mysterious voice, the population found itself heading toward the little church at the edge of town treading slowly in the deep snow covered by rags, broken shoes and a mantle of hope, muted by the cold, speaking only in
silence. At the church of Madonna delle Grazie, candles were lit, incense perfumed the cold, and the image of the miraculous Lady was lifted and carried. A slow, steady procession left the church while an antique hymn lifted to the sky: “Queen of heaven show mercy on us and protect your children....” Hidden in their lairs, German commanders, with their penetrating eyes of glass, could not avoid the line of hopelessness and despair, these miserable souls, singing or crying, while trailing in the snow. Some among the soldiers Continued on page 15
In the 1950s and ‘60s, the resurgence of the Italian fashion industry took hold and the Italian men were avid participants. Their fashionable tight pants of the ‘60s and ‘70s could not be blemished by the unsightly and distracting, er..., side bulges. So wallets, keys, loose change and assorted miscellany went into the bag.
In America, where backwards baseball caps and sagging cut-offs are considered a fashion statement, the man purse is relegated to Italian wannabees and concealed weapon carriers (your author again). The remaining male masses, I guess, are still willing to sit on their bulges and suffer.
Legend of Madonna Delle Grazie
by Blaise Di Pronio The following is a short history of the legend of Madonna delle Grazie, which took place in the little mountain town of Roccamorice in the Abruzzo region of Italy. Literally, the name Madonna delle Grazie refers not to “grace” but to “thanks” and a Madonna who makes your prayers come true and, for which the recipient is grateful. That explains why she was specifically implored and then revered as explained below and not some other
saint or patron.
The fact During World War II, the people of Roccamorice implored the Madonna delle Grazie to save their town from the retreating and retaliating German occupiers....
The legend The date: Jan. 19,1944 at Roccamorice near the tail end of the war and German infiltration. The order: Evacuate! It had been a bitter winter, and
Word Search: Italian women’s names by Blaise Di Pronio
Word Search resolved – page 17
PAGE 14 – NOVEMBER 2016
Turkey hunting in Italy
by Blaise Di Pronio Should you find yourself in Italy on Thanksgiving Day, what would you need do to enjoy the traditional celebratory feast? Well, first you must first realize that this very important American holiday is not celebrated in Italy. There is no equivalency day. So restaurants are not an option as you will not find one that will serve the all-inclusive Thanksgiving Day dinner with which we are familiar. We all know the classic menu: turkey is, of course, the main entree, along with stuffing, vegetables, potatoes and gravy, cranberry sauce, bread, and pumpkin pie. Bits and pieces of these items might be found at some eating establishments but never this complete food ensemble. Assuming that you might have access to a kitchen, then you are on your own. What are the chances of finding the classic dinner ingredients? Let’s start with Italian names for the relevant items and particulars: • Thanksgiving – ringraziamento • Whole turkey – tacchino intero • Cranberries – mirtilli rossi americani • Pie crust – pasta sfoglia • All-purpose flour – farina Manitoba • Sweet potatoes – patate dolci • Pumpkin – zucca • Mashed potatoes – purè di patate
• Brown sugar – zucchero di canna • Stuffing – ripieno Finding some obvious items such as potatoes, bread and vegetables should not be an issue, but the more critical ones might prove to be a problem. You will not find boxed stuffing anywhere in Italy, so you are on your own homemade recipe. Canned pumpkin will also be rare, and you will have to make your own zucca puree. Canned cranberry sauce is also non-existent, so you will have to locate dried cranberries which should not be a problem, but good luck on trying to recreate our sauce. We now move to the guest of honor. And this is where the fun starts, as it may be missing in action. I probably should have discussed the tacchino (turkey) first, as without one, there would be no need to worry about all else. You won’t find whole Butterball and Jenny-O birds in Italy’s supermarkets – period! Any season. The only real option then is to befriend a butcher shop owner well in advance (allow weeks, please) of the feast day. He will need plenty of time to locate your turkey as they are not readily available in Italy. As you can surmise then, it will be a veritable, er... turkey shoot on whether or not you can enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving Day dinner in Italy, and you’ll be compelled to eat the local foods. Now that’s a problem to look forward to.
THE ITALIAN TIMES
Six feet above: Small town cemeteries in Italy
by Blaise Di Pronio In small Italian towns, like my own Roccamorice in the region of Abruzzo, cemeteries play an important and inherent role in everyday life – both for the living and the dead. Like piazzas and fountains, cemeteries are gathering places –not for groups but rather for individuals and their departed. In order to appreciate the impact of cemeteries one, must first try to understand the historical and religious mentalities of the people involved. The planning and money involved in building the burial vaults are mind-boggling. Maybe it is a remnant of the pharaoh and pyramid mentality and the belief in a comfortable after life. Or maybe it also involves the Italian’s penchant for showing off or making a “bella
figura” even after dying. Thus, the bigger the monument or mausoleum, the better. Even the poorest families spend money they don’t have to create these monuments to themselves! As the pictures show, expense is not a big concern but the perceived comforts are. Comforts not only for the dead but also the visiting living. Some of the vaults Please turn to page 20
Words in an Italian word
by Blaise Di Pronio How many words can you make with the letters in ‘”padre” (father)? Answers on page 17
List of governors of Italian descent goes back to the Revolutionary War period in U.S. history
While the United States has yet to see an Italian American elected to the office of President, a number of men and women of Italian descent have held the state office of Governor. The list of governors with Italian roots can be traced back to the Revolutionary War era in American history. The first governor of Italian descent was Caesar Rodney of Delaware, who served from 1778-1781. During that time, his title was not governor but rather State President. The position was later retitled governor. Rodney was also a lawyer, an officer in the Delaware militia, a Continental Congressman, and a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Today, there are four governors of Italian lineage serving in the United States. They are: Chris Christie of New Jersey (2010 – present), Andrew Cuomo (2011 – present), Douglas Ducey of Arizona (2015 – present), and Gina Raimondo of Rhode Island (2015 – present). There was one governor who was nominated by a national party for President of the United States. That, of course, was Democrat Alfred Emanuel “Al” Smith. Smith, who served as the governor of New York (1919-1921 and 1923-1929), was defeated in his bid for the presidency by Republican Herbert Hoover in the election of 1928. The first Italian American female to be elected to the Office of Governor was Ella Rose Tambussi Grasso, who won the position in the State of Connecticut in the fall of 1974. She served from Jan. 8, 1975 to Dec. 31, 1980 when she resigned after a diagnosis of ovarian cancer. She died Feb. 5, 1981. Grasso was also the first female elected governor of a U.S. state without having been married to a former governor. Mario Cuomo and his son, Andrew, are the only Italian American father and son to hold a state’s highest governmental position. Mario Cuomo served as governor of New York from 1983-1995. Andrew has been New York’s governor since 2011. Here is the full list of state governors of Italian descent.
Name 1. Caesar Rodney 2. William Paca 3. Andrew Houston Longino 4. Alfred Emanuel Smith 5. Alfred Emanuel Smith 6. Charles Poletti 7. John Orlando Pastore 8. Foster J. Furcolo 9. Albert Dean Rosellini 10. Michael V. DiSalle 11. Christopher Del Sesto 12. John A. Notte 13. John A. Volpe 14. John A. Volpe 15. Philip William Noel 16. Ella Tambussi Grasso 17. Richard F. Celeste 18. Mario M. Cuomo 19. Edward D. DiPrete 20. James Joseph Florio 21. George Elmer Pataki 22. Argeo Paul Cellucci 23. John Baldacci 24. Janet Napolitano 25. Donald Carcieri 26. Joseph Manchin III 27. Christopher Christie 28. Andrew Cuomo 29. Douglas Ducey 30. Gina Raimondo
State Years Delaware 1778-1781 Maryland 1782-1785 Mississippi 1900-1904 New York 1919-1921 New York 1923-1929 New York 1942-1943 Rhode Island 1945-1950 Massachusetts 1957-1965 Washington 1957-1965 Ohio 1959-1963 Rhode Island 1959-1961 Rhode Island 1961-1963 Massachusetts 1961-1963 Massachusetts 1965-1969 Rhode Island 1973-1977 Connecticut 1975-1980 Ohio 1983-1991 New York 1983-1995 Rhode Island 1985-1991 New Jersey 1990-1994 New York 1995-2006 Massachusetts 1997-2001 Maine 2003-2011 Arizona 2003-2009 Rhode Island 2003-2011 West Virginia 2005-2010 New Jersey 2010-Present New York 2011-Present Arizona 2015-Present Rhode Island 2015-Present – Researched and written by Times Editor Tom Hemman
THE ITALIAN TIMES
Legend of Madonna delle Grazie from page 14
even casting a glance and a hidden salute toward that image on their desperate shoulders. A sleepless night followed. Fresh snow fell in abundance. A morning full of uncertainty arose. As the sun began filtering through the night clouds, church bells began their beautiful song announcing the lifting of the order, saving the town and its hope. And the mothers cried.
And now, a word from Italy
by Blaise Di Pronio Punch: Strike or blow with fist. It is derived from the Italian word pugno which means fist or closed hand. It is the root word for pugnacious (the slang pug refers to a boxer or street brawler also known as a pugilist) or being quick to argue, quarrel or fight, i.e., belligerent which itself comes from belligerante or warlike. Bellum is Latin for war. Thus, our antebellum means occurring or existing before a particular war, especially the American Civil War.
States with the highest population of Italian Americans
STATE More than 1 Million New York New Jersey California Pennsylvania Florida More than 500,000 Massachusetts Illinois Ohio Connecticut
More than 250,000 Michigan Texas Maryland Virginia
More than 100,000 Arizona Colorado Rhode Island Louisiana North Carolina Missouri Wisconsin Georgia Indiana Nevada Oregon Minnesota New Hampshire
AMOUNT 2,737,146 1,503,637 1,450,884 1,418,465 1,003,977
PERCENTAGE* 14.4 17.9 4.3 11.6 6.3
860,079 744,274 675,749 634,364
13.5 6.0 6.0 18.6
450,952 363,354 267,573 257,129
4.5 1.7 5.1 3.6
224,795 201,787 199,077 195,561 181,982 176,209 172,567 163,218 141,486 132,515 111,462 111,270 105,610
4.4 4.7 19.0 4.4 2.3 3.1 3.2 2.0 2.3 6.6 3.3 2.3 8.5
All figures based on the United States Census 2000 *Of population
NOVEMBER 2016 – PAGE 15
La Pagina Italiana
Italiani sul terreno traballante
di Bill Dickinson Sono stato un allievo di movimenti della crosta terrestre per più di cinque anni. L’Italia è conosciuta come un paese inclinato al terremoto, come dimostra il recente forte terremoto nel Italia Centrale. E’ vero che ci sono più terremoti la’ che in altri paesi, ma il fatto è che l’Italia ha pochi terremoti. Secondo lo United States Geological Survey, oltre il 80 per cento dei tremori circondano l’Oceano Pacifico e circa il sei per cento dei grandi terremoti poco profondi sono nella zona dell’Alaska, dove fino a 4.000 terremoti a varie profondità vengono rilevati in un anno. La situazione Italiana è, tuttavia, fatto terribile per il numero di feriti e vittime siccome le scosse occorrano in città di montagna che molto popolate e sono precariamente situate. Il problema per l’Italia è duplice: in primo luogo è l’origine della penisola Italiana stessa. La massa di terra si trova su una base instabile. Dovete capire che la superficie della Terra non è solida e stabile. La superficie familiare a noi è infatti almeno sette larghi “piatti” che “galleggiano” e muovano su un spugnoso, strato interno nelle profondità della terra. Questo strato “spugnoso”, appena sotto lo strato su cui viviamo è chiamato astenosfera. Ci sono due di questi “piatti” che affettano l’Italia con le loro dinamiche. Il piatto Africano si muove all’incirca
Nord-Est, mentre il piatto Eurasiatica è fermo. Questa situazione è andata avanti per milioni di anni. L’Italia è sul confine tra queste due placche tettoniche - l’Africana e la placca Eurasiatica. La maggior parte di questa collisione di piatti occorrano sotto il Mar Mediterraneo. Quasi ovunque sulla Terra noi ci troviamo su è di circa 120 miglia di spessore. Sotto il Mediterraneo, la crosta solida è solo circa 50-80 miglia di spessore e ha specifiche aree di grave astenosfera. In realtà, l’astenosfera, è principalmente responsabile per la continua eruzione dell’Etna in Sicilia. L’astenosfera è una sorta di marshmallow come strato del pianeta che è essenzialmente roccia fusa. Questa roccia fusa è dove le placche tettoniche vanno mentre muovano sotto una piastra fissa. Nel caso del bacino del Mediterraneo, il continente Africano e la sua placca tettonica si sta muovendo Nord-Est e scomparendo ( “subduzione”) al di sotto della placca tettonica Europea. Anche se questo movimento è solo ‘veloce’ come la crescita delle unghie non è movimento costante, attraverso i secoli non c’è movimento attuale, ma lo stress costruisce e diventa energia conservata che deve essere rilasciata periodicamente. Questo provoca un terremoto. Questo ci porta al secondo problema che è caratteristico d’Italia. Dal l’era dei dinosauro, la
penisola Italiana è stato gettata, spinta, compressa e allungata. Questo ha causato la terra per essere incrociata da crepe profonde chiamate “faglie”. Gli Appennini sono in effetto simile a un enorme cumulo di mattoni sciolti. Come si può immaginare, quando la terra sotto i turni mattoni tumula, i mattoni scivolano e fanno scorrere gli edifici mal costruiti e loro cadano. Essenzialmente, l’Italia è un tridimensionale puzzle (Appennini) costruita sulla cima di una enorme ciotola di gelatina (il Athinesphere). La regione centrale degl’Appennini è una delle più attive zone sismiche in Italia e ha trascosso diversi terremoti significativi nella storia e in tempi moderni. Nel Settembre 1997, un terremoto di 6.0 ha ucciso 11, feriti
più di 100 e distrutto circa 80.000 case nelle Marche e Umbria e, nel 2009, un terremoto vicino L’Aquila in Abruzzo ha ucciso oltre 300 persone e circa 65.000 sfollati. Recentemente, un terremoto di magnitudo 6. 2 ha colpito l’Italia Centrale il 24 d’Agosto 2016. Fino a Settembre 29, 2016, 298 persone erano state uccise. Le città di Amatrice (famosa per la pasta alla matriciana e la sua salsa a base di guanciale [guancia di maiale], pecorino e pomodoro) e di Pescara del Tronto sono state quasi tutto distrutte. Ora che sappiamo un po’ di più della propensione per i terremoti sulla regione centrale d’Italia, lo stesso non alleggerisce la tragica onere imposto ai suoi popoli. Le loro perdite sono inconcepibili ed i nostri cuori vanno a loro.
1. La vecchiezza da ognuno desiderata; quando s’acquista viene odiata. Old age is desired by everyone, and when it comes no one likes it.
white, leave the woman and turn to wine.
Proverbi Italiani
2. Ragazzi savi e vecchi matti non furon mai buoni a nulla. Wise youth and crazy old people never did anyone any good.
3. Quando il capello tira al bianchine lascia la donna e tevuti ai vino. When the hair starts getting
L’angolo delle curiosità
La bandiera della regione Siciliana
di Donato Di Pronio L’attuale Bandiera siciliana, le cui origini risalgono al secolo XIII. è stata adottata ufficialmente nell’anno 2000 dopo il passaggio di una legge apposita che propugna il suo utilizzo su edifici pubblici, scuole , municipi e tutti gli altri luoghi in cui la Sicilia è rappresentata. Ha una forma rettangolare ed è caratterizzata dalla rappresentazione al suo centro di una curiosa
figura denominata Triscele (o Triquetra): una testa detta gorgoneion (somigliante a quella della Gorgone, favoloso mostro di natura femminile di aspetto terribile con chioma fatta di serpenti) dalla quale partono tre gambe (greco treis skelos ) e tre spighe di grano. Le tre gambe piegate presumibilmente rappresentano i tre punti della forma triangolare dell’isola di Sicilia o le storiche tre valli dell’isola. Le
prime immagini di una Triscele furono trovate riprodotte su della ceramica risalente al VII-VI secolo a. C. e su di una moneta Siracusana del III secolo a. C. La bandiera è diviso in due diagonali di colore rosso e giallo; rosso che rappresenta il comune di Palermo e giallo che rappresenta Corleone. Palermo e Corleone sono stati le prime due città per fondare una confederazione contro la dominazione Angioina.
di Blaise Di Pronio Nei piccoli paesi italiani, come il mio Roccamorice (nella regione d’Abruzzo), i cimiteri svolgono un ruolo importante e insito nella vita quotidiana - sia per i vivi e per i morti. Come le piazze e fontane, i cimiteri sono posti radunandi- non per gruppi, ma piuttosto per individui e i loro defunti.
o mausoleo, più meglio è. Anche le più povere delle famiglie spendono soldi che non hanno per creare questi monumenti a se stessi! Come le immagini mostrano, la spesa non è una grande preoccupazione, ma i percepiti comodi sono. Comodi non solo per i morti, ma anche per i vivi in visita. Alcune delle cripte sono davvero piccole cappelle in marmo con altari e posti a sedere. L’edificio, in effetto, diventa un’estensione della propria casa come una ‘casa’ in campagna!
l’organizzazione dei fiori e candele si possono vedere a qualsiasi visita. Le vedove in visita dei mariti e figli in visita dei genitori.
Cimiteri nei paesini Italiani
Per valutare l’impatto dei cimiteri si deve prima cercare di capire la mentalità storica e religiosa delle persone coinvolte. La progettazione e costi necessari per costruire le cripte di sepoltura sono incredibile. Forse è un residuo della mentalità del faraone e la piramide e la credenza nel comodo dopo la vita. O forse si tratta anche dalla propensione degli italiani per mettersi in mostra o di fare una “bella figura”, anche dopo la morte. Così, il più grande è il monumento
PAGINA 16 – NOVEMRE 2016
Ciò che è ancora più affascinante è che la ‘casa’ è messa a grand’uso. Visitando il cimitero dai sopravvissuti è quasi una parte quotidiana della vita in questi piccoli centri abitati. E ‘come se il familiare defunto è ancora lì e un partecipante in corso con la famiglia. Il solito rituale di visitare, conversare, pregare, fare a pulizia e
Sembra che questo fenomeno è visto solo nei piccoli paesi. Le città sono molto simili agli Stati Uniti, dove le persone sono sepolti o accatastati in luoghi anonimi e presto dimenticati. Forse l’intimità e la natura confinante dei paesini e la mancanza di altre diversione conduce all’inclusione del cimitero nella vita monotona. O forse la solitudine di chi è rimasto indietro.
Qualunque sia la ragione, i piccoli, isolati paesini e i cimiteri vanno mano a mano tra le montagne Abruzzese e non possono essere ignorati in ogni discussione delle caratteristiche, abitudine e vite dei nostri antenati che vi abitano.
4. Si muore giovane per disgrazia e vecchiu per dovere. If you die young, it’s a misfortune but, if old, it’s your duty.
5. Tutto cala in vecchiezza, fuorche’ avarizia, prudenza e saviezza. Everything diminishes in old age, except avarice, prudence and wisdom.
6. Un vecchio che non indovina non vale una sardina. An old man who can’t figure it out is not worth a sardine (his salt).
7. Quando il vecchio non vuole bere, nell’ altro mondo vallo a vedere. When an old man doesn’t want to drink, go see him in that other world.
8. Na nuova rete non piglia uccello vecchio. An old bird is not caught with a new net.
Italian idioms and expressions
1. Buono Come il Pane. Good as Bread.
2. Brutto Comme la Fame. Ugly like Hunger, i.e., ugly as sin.
3. Stomaco da Struzzo. Stomach of an Ostrich, i.e., a cast iron stomach.
4. Tutto fa Brodo. Everything Makes Broth, i. e. every little bit helps.
5. Botte Piccola Fa Vino Buono. A Small Cask Makes Good Wine. Compliment to a short person.
6. Inghiottire il Rospo. Swallow the Toad, i.e., eat crow.
7. Un Pollo da Spennare. Chicken Waiting to be Plucked. A stooge that can be taken advantage of.
8. O Bere o Affogare. Either Drink or Drown, i.e., sink or swim.
THE ITALIAN TIMES
Frazione di Sant’Elia – Piccola storia
Sant’Elia, piccola frazione del Comune di Santa Flavia, è un piccolo borgo marinaro distante pochi passi da Porticello (i due paesi sono praticamente attaccati). Il paese è uno dei più caratteristici e pittoreschi della zona. Baciata dalla natura per la sua felice posizione geografica, Sant’Elia si affaccia su un mare azzurro e pulito, e su una costa dal panorama incantevole. Dall’altura, in cui si trova una piccola edicola dedicata alla Madonna, nota a tutti come la “Madonnina” si può ammirare un panorama esclusivo e suggestivo, da Capo Zafferano a Solanto. Una delle caratteristiche principali di questo paese è rappresentata dalla pittoresche abitazioni che si affacciano sul mare, alcune immortalate anche da celebri fotografi. Il luogo caratteristico e la spiaggetta che si dà su una insenatura dal fondale trasparente, offre al
turista un valido momento di tranquillità. Il borgo deve la sua origine alla presenza della tonnara e all’attività peschereccia ad essa congiunta. Originariamente il territorio di Sant’Elia, faceva parte della Baronia di Solanto. Il 25 agosto 1693 Carlo II elevò questo territorio a feudo e dette obbligo a Marcantonio Joppolo Colnago, barone di Solanto, di popolarlo entro un decennio, concedendo il titolo di principe di Sant’Elia, a quest’ultimo ed ai suoi successori. In seguito il titolo passò a Baldassare Joppolo e, tramite la figlia Antonina, pervenne al di lei sposo di Cristoforo Riccardo Filangeri e lanolina, principe di Santa Flavia. Fu quindi venduto alla famiglia Strazzeri ed infine per discendenza femminile il titolo passò ai Trigona. – dal sito: comune.santaflavia.pa.it
Festa del Torrone 2016
Come ogni anno ritorna puntuale l’appuntamento più atteso da tutti i golosi e gli amanti della storia: dal 19 al 27 Novembre le strade e le piazze di Cremona saranno animate da eventi, spettacoli e degustazioni in occasione della Festa del Torrone. Oltre 250 iniziative tra giochi, momenti di intrattenimento,
appuntamenti culturali ed enogastronomici pensati per celebrare il TORRONE e il TEMPO, tema di questa edizione, in una magica atmosfera ricca di storia e tradizioni. Vi invitiamo quindi a scoprire la città durante la festa più dolce: un sua appuntamento semplicemente da non perdere.
Word Search: Italian women’s names from page 14
Village of Sant’Elia A short story
Sant’Elia is a small village in the municipality of Santa Flavia, Sicily. It is a small fishing village just steps away from Porticello (the two municipalities are practically attached). The land is one of the most picturesque in the area.
The village is kissed by nature because of its favorable geographical position. Sant’Elia overlooks a clear blue sea and a coast with beautiful scenery. From these heights, you can see a small shrine dedicated to the Virgin Mary, known to all as the “Madonnina.” You can admire a unique and impressive view from Capo Zafferano to Solanto. A key feature of this area is represented by the picturesque houses that overlook the sea, some of which were immortalized by famous photographers. Its unique
character and beach location overlooking a bay with transparent waters offer a valuable moment of tranquility to tourists. The village owes its origin to the presence of tuna and fishing. Originally, the territory of St. Elia was part of the Barony of Solanto. On August 25, 1693, Charles II raised this territory from fiefdom and ordered Marcantonio Joppolo Colnago, the Solanto Baron, to populate it within a decade and he gave him and his successors the title of prince of Sant’Elia. Later, the title passed to Baldassare Joppolo and, through his daughter, Antonina, it went to her husband, Christopher Riccardo Filangieri and lanolina, prince of Santa Flavia. It was then sold to the Strazzeri family and, finally, through female issue, the title passed to the Trigonas.
Lost in translation
by Blaise Di Pronio It appears that Italians’ preference for American movie titles to be more like a miniature plot synopsis rather than a translation of the original, so such titles are often rewritten with this mindset or seemingly with nothing in mind at all as shown by a few samples below. The original American title is listed first. It is then followed by the Italian version and its English translation. 1. The Shawshank Redemption Le Ali della Liberta’ The Wings of Liberty 2. The Producers Per Favore non Tocchate le Vecchiette Please Don’t Touch the Old Women 3. Weird Science La Donna Esplosiva The Explosive Woman
4. Risky Business Fuori I Vecchi...I Figli Ballano When the Old People Are Away, the Sons Dance 5. Trading Places Una Poltrona Per Due A Chair for Two
6. Home Alone Mamma, Ho Perso L’Aereo Mamma, I Missed the Plane
7. The Seven Year Itch Quando la Moglie E’ in Vacanza When the Wife Is on Vacation 8. The Sound of Music Tutti Insieme Appassionatamente All Together Passionately
9. Vertigo La Donna Che Visse Due Volte The Woman Who Lived Twice
10. City Slickers Scappo dalla Città – La Vita, l’Amore e le Vacche I’m Fleeing the City – Life, Love and Cows
11. Die Hard A un Passo dall’Inferno – Trappola di Cristallo One Step from Hell – Crystal Trap
12. Analyze This Terapie e Pallottole Therapy and Bullets
13. Analyze That Un Boss Sotto Stress A Boss Under Stress
14. Citizen Kane Quarto Potere Fourth Power
15. Deliverance Un Tranquillo Weekend di Paura A Peaceful Weekend of Fear
E fatt’na risata
Un ragazzo chiede al padre: “Papa’, quanto costa sposarsi?” “Non lo so, figlio mio, io sto ancora pagando...”
Una giovane donna molto ricca dice al suo uomo: “Comincio a credere che la sola ragione per la quale mi vuoi sposare sia che il mio zio mi ha lasciato un milione di dollari”. “Non essere sciocca! - risponde l’uomo. “Non mi interessa affatto chi te li ha lasciati.” - Ciao Marta... mamma mia che pila di piatti da lavare! E ora come fai? - Non ti preoccupare... io ho un amico! - Un amico? ... E Carlo? - Ma no... il mio amico è Svelto! - Può essere svelto quanto gli pare, ma se lo becca Carlo gli spacca la testa!
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Cosa dice Adamo quando vuole
fare il biricchino con Eva? - Su cara, sfogliati. -
- Pronto, parlo con il manicomio? - No! Ha sbagliato numero, noi non abbiamo il telefono!
Words in an Italian word The answers
from page 15 47 words in “padre”: 1. drape 2. pared 3. padre 4. raped 5. dare 6. pear 7. read 8. aped 9. eard 10. rape 11. pard 12. pare 13. reap 14. aper 15. rade 16. ared 17. dear 18. drap 19. prad 20. ped 21. pad 22. dap 23. ard 24. era25. are 26. per 27. par 28. red 29. rad 30. dae 31. ape 32. rep 33. pre 34. pea 35. ear 36. rap 37. de 38. re 39. ea 40. ed 41. ad 42. ae 43. pa 44. er 45. pe 46. ar 47. da.
NOVEMBRE 2016 – PAGINA 17
Italians on shaky grounds
by Bill Dickinson I have been a student of earth crust movements for more than five years. Italy is known as an earthquake prone country as evidenced by the recent major earthquake in central Italy. It is true that there are more earth shakers there than in a lot of other countries, but the fact is that Italy has very few earthquakes. According to the United States Geological Survey, more than 80% of the planet’s tremors occur surrounding the Pacific Ocean, and about 6% of the large, shallow earthquakes are in the Alaska area, where as many as 4,000 earthquakes at various depths are detected in a year. The Italian situation is, however, made terrible by the number of injuries and fatalities as the tremors occur in populated and precariously located mountain towns. The problem for Italy is two fold: First is the origin of the Italian peninsula itself. The land mass is located on an unstable foundation. You must understand that the surface of the Earth is not solid and stable. The surface we are familiar with is, in fact, at least seven world wide “plates” that “float” and move about on a spongy, inner layer deep within the earth. This “spongy” layer of Earth, just below the layer we live on, is called the asthenosphere. There are two of these “plates” that affect Italy with their dynamics. The African plate is moving roughly northeast while the Eurasian plate is stationary. This situation has been going on for millions of years. Italy is on the boundary between these two tectonic plates – the African and the Eurasian plate. Most of this plate
collision is taking place below the Mediterranean Sea. Almost everywhere on Earth, the solid crust that we stand on is about 120 miles thick. Below the Mediterranean, the solid crust is only about 50-80 miles thick and has specific areas of severe asthenosphere. In fact, the asthenosphere is principally responsible for the continuous eruption of Mount Etna in Sicily. The asthenosphere is a sort of marshmallow like layer of the planet that is essentially molten rock. This molten rock is where the tectonic plates go as one moves beneath a stationary plate. In the case of the Mediterranean area, the African continent and its own tectonic plate are moving northeast and disappearing (“subducting”) below the European tectonic plate. Although this movement is only about as fast as fingernail growth, it is not a constant movement. Through the centuries, there is no actual movement at all, but stress builds and becomes stored energy that must be released periodically. This causes an earthquake. This brings us to the second problem that is characteristic of Italy. Since the dinosaur era, the Italian peninsula has been tossed, pushed, compressed and stretched. This has caused the land to be criss-crossed by deep cracks called “faults”. The Apennine Mountains are in effect similar to a huge mound of loose bricks. As you can imagine, when the earth beneath the brick mound shifts, the bricks slip and slide, and badly constructed buildings built thereon tumble. Essentially, Italy is a three-dimensional jigsaw puzzle (the Apennines) constructed on top of a huge
by George Koleas If you visited the Culture tent, connected to the Pompeii Church and Italian Heritage Photo display at Festa Italiana 2016, presenting the featured region of Umbria, you also visited “Trova i Tuoi Antenati”, (Find Your Ancestors). This was provided by the Italian Family History Club, also known as Pursuing Our Italian Names Together, Chapter 22, along with the Milwaukee County Genealogical Society and the Family History Center volunteers. We also serve as the Milwaukee County Genealogical Society’s Italian Area Interest Group. We had tables staggered in a way that we could work side by side with visitors, similar to “Genealogy Roadshow” on PBS, http://genealogyroadshow.org/ . The tables had computers to look up family information online. The online resources we used included services such as Familysearch.org (a free resource), Ancestry.com (a fee service) and an Italian archive database, www.antenati.san.beniculturali.it (a free resource). The site is in Italian, but can be translated by clicking the English flag in the upper right of the site. However, all of the records on the site are in Italian and cannot be automatically translated. We also used www.bellanti.org. This is the website created by Peter Bellanti, with whom we collaborated for many years, until his passing in February of 2015. The site he started to share his information has continued to operate. His site
has information about many Italian families in Milwaukee. Our volunteers also brought their own private information, other favorite resources and their own computers and devices to help visitors. Some of us met new cousins we had never met before. If we found information for you, or if you were interested in finding information, but had to get more information from your family, we gave you a blank family group sheet, which is available at: http://c.mfcreative.com/pdf/trees/ch arts/famgrec.pdf and an ancestral chart, which is available at: http://c.mfcreative.com/pdf/trees/ch arts/anchart.pdf. This was done to help us provide additional help to the visitors. To determine if we have information about your family that can help, we need the details about your immigrant ancestor’s family to the present day to link you to the wealth of information we have available. If you did not see us at Festa Italiana, you can use the aforementioned forms to find out if we have information about your family. Fill in as much of the information on these forms as you possibly can and bring them to one of our upcoming meetings. We can then search our resources to determine if we have more information for you or if we can advise you on how to find the information you need about your family. If you don’t know enough background on your ancestors, family gatherings over the holidays are an ideal time to ask your relatives about them. At our meetings, we discuss new
bowl of jello (the Asthenosphere). The central Apennines region is one of the most seismically active areas in Italy. It has experienced several significant earthquakes in recorded history and in modern times. In September 1997, a 6.0 earthquake killed 11, injured over 100 and destroyed approximately 80,000 homes in the Marche and Umbria regions and, in 2009, an earthquake near L’Aquila in the Abruzzo region killed over 300 people and displaced about 65,000. More recently, an earthquake measuring 6.2 magnitude scale hit
central Italy on Aug. 24, 2016. As of Sept. 29, 2016, 298 people had been reported killed. The towns of Amatrice (famous for its pasta alla’ matriciana and its sauce based on guanciale [cured pork cheek], pecorino cheese and tomato) and Pescara del Tronto were all but destroyed. Now that we know a little bit more about central Italy’s propensity for earthquakes, it does not lighten the tragic burden placed on its peoples. Their losses are inconceivable, and our hearts go out to them.
developments in researching family history; members report on progress they are making in their research; members describe the brick walls they are bumping into and other members offer suggestions on how to overcome those obstacles. We help new members and interested visitors to get started. If you or your families are from the Milwaukee area, you may even meet a new cousin. Our website is a t : http://www.orgsites.com/wi/point22. The website includes the surnames our members are researching, a calendar of meetings and the most recent meeting minutes. Our next meeting will be
Saturday, Nov. 12, at the Italian Community Center, 631 E. Chicago St,, Milwaukee, starting at 10 a.m. and concluding at noon. Please feel free to bring guests. Whether you are just starting or have been researching your family for many years, anyone with an interest in Italian family history is welcome. If you have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact me, George Koleas, by this e-mail adress: GeorgeJK676@wi.rr.com or by calling 262-251-7216 after 7 p.m.
Finding your ancestors at Festa Italiana
PAGE 18 – NOVEMBER 2016
And now, a word from Italy
by Blaise Di Pronio Bilingual: The ability to speak two languages fluently. It comes from the Italian lingua or tongue. When combined with the Italian prefix bi which connotes two, it literally means two-tongued (or “speak with forked tongue” as the Indians used to say in the old cowboy movies). It is the root word for linguistics or the study of languages. And there’s the diminutive linguine or little tongues which describes a type of pasta made in long, slender, flat strips.
Welcome, new ICC members
The following persons became members of the Italian Community Center between September 7 through October 7, 2016. Benvenuti! (Welcome!) Wendy Olsen of Slinger, WI Denise M. Amore of Brookfield, WI
HELP!
Help us fill a space like this (or something larger) by purchasing an ad in our next issue. Get the scoop by calling 414-2232189 or sending an email to Tom Hemman at themman@italiancc.org.
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Members elect officers and directors for 2016-2017 term from page 1
The newly-elected officers and directors will be sworn-in at the installation dinner on Friday, Oct. 28 and officially take office on Tuesday, Nov. 1. Reservations for the event were taken through Oct. 24. A story appeared in our October 2016 issue. President Cannestra After serving as vice president for the last years, Cannestra moved up to the presidency. He was a
director-at-large for two terms (four years) before his election to the vice presidency in the fall of 2014. He is the owner/manager of Divino Wine and Dine Restaurant and Nessun Dorma Bar and Restaurant. Cannestra, his wife, Mary, his children and numerous relatives have been actively involved in Festa Italiana; several since its inception in 1978. His aunt, Betty Puccio, is a past president (19891990). In recent years, Cannestra has
We The Italians website founder Umberto Mucci speaks about his book at October general meeting
served on the Festa management team, as co-manager of the Festa food committee, on the advertising committee and the sponsorship committee. He also operates a food stand on the festival grounds. For Festa 2017, he will serve as general chairman. Election tidbits According to Election Committee Chairman Joe Zambito, 604 ballots were received from members in good standing (defined as those who were members for at least 60 days prior to the counting of the
ballots). The 604 ballots represented a return of 62% of all of the ballots that were mailed to members, he said.
In tabulating the ballots, Zambito said, a total of 11 were disqualified for various reasons. The most common reasons for disqualification were that the ballots were postmarked after the deadline (seven days prior to the counting of votes, a bylaws stipulation) or the voting instructions were not followed and ballots were incorrectly marked.
Eggplant Parmesan
Want to make an easy, delicious midweek meal for your family? Here is the recipe for eggplant Parmesan, as provided by Francesca Giallombardo Hall, author of the cookbook Recipes My Nonna Taught Me. Step 1: Make your favorite meat or meatless sauce. Step 2: Thinly slice one medium eggplant and dip each slice in flour, egg and breadcrumbs. Step 3: Brown each thin slice of eggplant in olive oil. Bake in your oven if you’re watching your fat. Step 4: Drain. Step 5: Spoon meat or meatless sauce in the bottom of a casserole dish, arranging slices of eggplant on top of the sauce. Step 6: Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese on top of eggplant. Step 7: Spoon sauce on each layer of eggplant, sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. Step 8: Bake at 350º until cheese melts. Serve with angel hair pasta. Hall recommends Sangiovese as the beverage to enjoy with the egg-
plant Parmesan. Editor’s note: Hall’s cookbook, Recipes My Nonna Taught Me, is available for $12 with no charges for shipping and handling. To order, send payment to: Francena, 125 Boyce Rd., Centerville, OH 45448 or call 937-433-7313 or email fslyd@aol.com. If you have a recipe that you would like to share with readers of The Italian Times, please send it to Editor Tom Hemman, 631 E. Chicago St., Milwaukee, WI 53202.
And now, a word from Italy
by Blaise Di Pronio Graffiti: Writings or drawings scribbled, scratched, or sprayed illicitly on a wall or other surface in a public place. It comes from the Italian graffito, which means scratch mark left as when one scratches your back. Graffiti is a plural of graffito and it originally meant the ancient etchings, scratches made in stones before the availability of paints.
Umberto Mucci, founder and editor of the website, www.WeTheItalians.com, attended the Italian Community Center general meeting on Oct. 20 and spoke about his new book entitled We The Italians: Two Flags One Heart One Hundred Interviews About Italy and the U.S. The book includes 100 of the interviews that Mucci had done for this website. Past ICC President Bill Jennaro is among the interviewees included in the book. Mucci presented a copy of the book to the ICC. He has done similar presentations in Houston, Miami, Washington, Chicago and New York. After the meeting, people chould purchased the book for $20, which Mucci autographed. He also donated $2 from each copy sold to the ICC. Seen in this picture with Mucci (seated) are Mary Winard and Sophia Michalovitz. (Times photo by Tom Hemman)
UNICO to host a bocce fundraiser for scholarship program on Nov. 11
The Milwaukee Chapter UNICO National will host a bocce fundraiser to benefit its scholarship program. The event will take place Friday, Nov. 11 at 6 p.m. at the Italian Community Center. The costs have been set at $20 per person, $10 for children 2-10 years old, and free those infants, two and younger. Participants can expect to enjoy pizza, soda and opportunities to win prizes. There will be a cash bar for adult beverages. “We will have a limit of eight teams consisting of four persons,” said RoseAnne (Ceraso) Fritchie,
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Milwaukee UNICO President. “If you don’t have a team and want to be on one, let us know and we will make sure to find you one, There is no age limit. This is a family event and all are welcome.” Contact Liz Ceraso at liz.ceraso@gmail,com with your name and the names of the persons who are participating. The sign-up deadline is Wednesday, Nov. 9. “Even if you aren’t able to play, you are still welcome to come and cheer on your favorite team and support UNICO’s scholarship program,” Liz Ceraso said. “The cost is the same as mentioned above.”
NOVEMBER 2016 – PAGE 19
Small town cemeteries in Italy
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from page 15 are really tiny marble chapels with altars and seating. The building, in effect, becomes an extension of one’s house – like a house in the country! What is even more fascinating is that the “house” is put to great use. Visiting the cemetery by the survivors is almost a daily part of life in these tiny towns. It’s as if the departed family member is still there and an ongoing participant with the family. The common ritual of visiting, conversing, praying, cleaning, arranging flowers and candles can be witnessed at all times. Widows visiting husbands and children visiting parents. It appears that this phenomenon is only seen in the very small towns. The cities are very similar to the U.S. where people are buried or stacked in nondescript places and soon forgotten. Maybe the intimacy and confining nature of the small town and lack of other diversion lead to the inclusion of the cemetery in their monotonous lives. Or maybe the loneliness of those left behind. Whatever the reasons, small, isolated towns and cemeteries go hand in hand in the mountains of Abruzzo, and they cannot be ignored in any discussion of the traits, habits and lives of our ancestors living there.
Have something to sell this holiday season? Let our readers know about by placing an ad in our December issue. For information, call 414-223-2189 or send an email to themman@italiancc.org.
RomaEuropa Festival runs through Dec. 3
RomaEuropa 2016 (or simply “REF16”) is Rome’s internationally acclaimed celebration of theater, music and dance occurring in venues throughout the Eternal City. The 31st edition of the festival started on Sept. 21 and completes its run on Dec. 3. RomaEuropa attracts the participation of artists from all over the world. The prestige of the festival has grown in leaps and bounds. Today, it is considered one of the greatest art events in the world. One can enjoy classical compositions side by side with modern compositions from various fields: theater, dance, literature and more. Attractions range from the more formal and glamorous events with expensive prices to the novel and free performance street art outside the cafès and bars.
PAGE 20 – NOVEMBER 2016
For more information, contact Karen Dickinson at 414-744-0937
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