IL POSTINO VOLUME 1, NUMBER 2 November 2000 101-865 GLADSTONE AVENUE, OTTAWA, ONTARIO, K1R 7T4 [email protected] • (613) 567-4532 CUSTOMER NUMBER: 04564405 PUBLICATION AGREEMENT NUMBER: 1835041 IL POSTINO • OTTAWA, CANADA IL POSTINO Page 2 IL POSTINO November 2000 VOLUME 1, NUMBER 2 865 Gladstone Avenue, Suite 101 Letters / Lettere have just read the first edition of Il nadians by always recognizing what this just had to tell you how much I en Ottawa, Ontario K1R 7T4 Postino (October 2000) and felt great country has given to all its people. joyed reading your article Grow Ithat it was important to write and It is now time, in some way, to recog- Iing up Italian; it was a trip down (613) 567-4532 congratulate this “brain child” idea. I nize what our parents and grandparents memory lane. I also had my husband enjoyed it thoroughly, and in reading, did to make this city great and to con- and sons read it. They too thought it [email protected] there were several things that came tinue to build on this spirit. was great. It was reminiscent of many to mind. I especially loved the articles on happy times. Good luck on the suc- Publisher First of all, I think that it is a great Mary Ierullo and Mr. Tiezzi, as well as cess of Il Postino. idea to attract the many generations Growing up Italian. The new genera- —Gloria (Asquini) Bortolotti Preston Street Community Foundation of Italians who speak one of the tions need to hear about our roots and three languages, Italian, English or these people including all their humble hat a pleasure it was to re Executive Editor French. This truly shows a respect and hard work before their secrets die. ceive a first issue of ll for the Italian people and their ac- Our elders genuinely enjoy reading WPostino. I read it from A to Angelo Filoso complishments, while at the same about people they know and connect Z, all the French and English articles time it mirrors the spirit of Canada, to the present through their past. Many since my Italian is not up to par. Managing Editor a country that respects its people. It people tore down walls of prejudice and I was laughing out loud when is recognized what the Italian peo- fear so that we can have it easier. Many reading “Growing up Italian”. I mar- Zeljka Gaspar ple have accomplished, what they will also recognize the importance of ried into the culture but have lived are presently doing, and what they Italian women in the 1950s, breaking the through many similar circumstances. Associate Editors will be doing in the future. rules, and how difficult it must have I found the format and typesetting I have passed my copy to neigh- been. We all should honour Mary Ierullo quite interesting. The only disappoint- Genevieve Forte, Laura D’Amelio bours and friends of different nation- and her devotion. Bravo Mrs. Ierullo! ment I had was, that I couldn’t read alities, and they too remarked on the Thank you Il Postino for starting to docu- all the articles and also that my in- Advertising Director paper’s approach. They truly enjoyed ment some of our great history. laws could not read the article about reading the articles about people they —R.M., Ottawa Mary Ierullo, the woman who sold Lillian Franovic know and were happy to see that these them their first house in Ottawa. My people were being recognized for their olgo l’occasione per suggestion would be to do a shorter efforts in the community and city. congratulare Lei ed i suoi version in Italian for the benefit of all Graphic Designer In addition, this paper crosses lan- C collaboratori per questa those who still don’t converse in any Vlado Franovic guage and cultural boundaries and, iniziativa che sicuramente contribuirà al other language but Italian. most importantly, it provides informa- progresso della nostra comunità ed alla Keep up the good work. Con- tion on the importance of the Italian promozione della lingua, della cultura gratulations, congratulations for a job Layout & Design people and culture in this city and e dei valori italiani nella comunità well done. Glen Gower country. For this reason it will only canadese e nel vilaggio globale. —Diane Ladisa grow. It is no secret how patriotic Congratulazioni, buon lavoro ed i We love to hear from our readers. Italians are and I feel I can say that migliori auguri. Please include your full name and Contributors for this issue Italians have proven to be proud Ca- —Luciano Pradal phone number with every letter. (in alphabetical order) Maria Bonacci, Colin Donelle, Bojan Franovic, Oliviana Mingarelli, and Fiona Story Congratulations from... Front Cover Photos Airmetrics Energy Systems Inc. Centro Abruzzese Canadese Oliviana Mingarelli Alia Realty Corporation Central Precast Group of Companies Special thanks to Francesco Loriggio, Italo Tiezzi, and Glen Gower Italian-Canadian Community Centre Tony D’Angelo Submissions of the National Capital Region Luciano Pradal We welcome submissions, letters, articles, story ideas and photos. All materials for editorial consideration Italian Cultural Centre of International Tailor / Gino Buffone must be double spaced, include a word count, and your Eastern Ontario full name, address and phone number. The editorial Alpha Energy Systems staff reserves the right to edit all submissions for length, clarity and style. Casanetics Inc. Overbrooke Bingo Palace Next Deadline Aurum Refrigeration and Charities Association November 20, 2000 Technical Services Saint Rita Italian School Il Postino is a publication supported by its advertisers and sale of Fisher Heights Community the issues. It is published monthly. The opinions and ideas Eastern Ontario Italian expressed in the articles are not necessarily those held by Il Postino. Health Centre Charitable Foundation ©2000 Il Postino. All rights reserved. Any reproduction of the contents is strictly prohibited without Frank’s Auto Centre written permission from Il Postino. Central Storage of Ottawa SUBSCRIPTION / ABBONAMENTO I prefer to pay by: / Scelgo di pagare con: Sempre lieta di servire cash / contanti cheque / assegno ~ Yes, I want to subscribe to twelve issues of Il Postino ~ ~ gli elettori di Nepean Sì, vorrei abbonarmi a Il Postino per 12 numeri ~ money order / vaglia postale Credit card: / Carta di credito: Visa Lee (Pavan) ~ $20.00 Subscription Canada / Abbonamento Canada ~ ~ My credit card number is: Farnworth ~ $38.00 Subscription Overseas / Abbonamento Estero Il numero della mia carta di credito è Consigliere Comunale Quartiere Merivale Name and Surname: / Nome e cognome:________________________________ Ufficio: Ben Franklin Place Street: / Via:_____________________________ Postal Code: / Cp.: ___________ 101 Centrepointe Drive City: / Città:_______________________ Province: / Provincia: __________ Expiry date Nepean, Ont., K2G 5K7 Tel.:___________________________ Fax.:____________________________ Signature / Firma Data di scadenza Tel: 727-6724 FAX: 727-6653 to / intestato a: Preston Street Community Foundation Inc., Suite 101 Gladstone Avenue 865, Ottawa, Ontario K1R 7T4 email:[email protected] November 2000 IL POSTINO Page 3 Memories / Ricordi S. Nicola da Crissa A Trip to the Past by Genevieve Forte grew up listening to my dad tell stories about his ond cousins bought me a beautiful watch to remem- hometown in Southern Italy. My dad is a wonder ber them by. (Of course, lousy me, I promptly lost it a Iful story teller and he painted a picture for me of few months later.) I met my great-grandfather’s sec- Italy as a beautiful, innocent, and timeless place, far ond wife, who still wears the traditional white blouse away from all the problems of the modern urban con- and black overdress and who cried when she met dition. It was a vision much like the nostalgic child- me. Life for them did indeed seem to move at a hood memories rendered in the movie Cinema slower, kinder pace than in Canada. Paradiso. As we looked at the view of mountains and the For years I wanted to visit Italy and I finally sea, my dad exclaimed, “Could you imagine, this is got my chance two years ago. My dad rented a where I grew up! What a lucky kid I was!” He showed car and we toured Italy for three weeks, visiting me the parcel of land that our family still owns, where family and tourist sites. The Italy that we saw the barn that my dad used to milk cows and feed was a complex contradiction of modernity and pigs still stands. This was my dad’s first trip to Italy in tradition. If you want to see the last 2,500 years almost 20 years. He mused that he should have vis- of western history compacted on a small penin- ited more often; to see his old relatives. We dreamed sula the size of Nova Scotia, Italy is the place to about building a small cottage on the land that we go. But while in Italy, I did not feel at all Italian. I still own and visiting more frequently. And yet, a sense felt very Canadian. I was just another tourist queu- of nostalgia, time gone past, and the people long ing to see Il Vaticano. Italy was beautiful, but when passed away permeated our short trip. I saw the grave asked by an elderly uncle which I preferred, Italy of my grandmother who died when my dad was only or Canada, without hesitation I chose Canada. eleven. Although she died nearly two decades before The old barn that belongs to The last stop on our trip was my dad’s home- I was born, I still have a sense of missing her. town, S. Nicola da Crissa. S. Nicola is located in Since we had a car, Dad and I were able to visit Genevieve Forte’s family, above.