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THE ITALIAN COMMUNITY OF MANITOBA
HOME > MULTICULTURALISM > COMMUNITIES > THE ITALIAN COMMUNITY OF MANITOBA
A PROFILE OF THE ITALIAN
COMMUNITY IN MANITOBA
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PREFACE
REGIONAL OVERVIEW OF ITALY
ITALIAN PRESENCE IN MANITOBA
SOCIAL PROFILE
z Home and Community
z Annual Events
z Community Facilities
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Table of Contents
Preface
Regional Overview of
Italy
Italian Presence in
Manitoba
Social Profile
Cultural Profile
Education Profile
Economic Profile
Bibliography
CULTURAL PROFILE
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z
z
z
z
z
z
Customs, Feasts & Traditions
Language
Sports
Communications
The Arts
Culinary Traditions
Winemaking
EDUCATION PROFILE
z Educational System in Italy
z Education of Manitoba Italians
ECONOMIC PROFILE
z Employment in the Public & Private Sector
z Businesses
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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PREFACE
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A community, like a living organism, is forever changing. From
the time the work on this profile began, until the final touches
were made, many changes have taken place in Manitoba's
Italian community Nevertheless, this piece reflects the essence
of the community as it exists in our province today
The community profile series is intended to promote access to
information and resources within Manitoba's multicultural
mosaic and to create opportunities for community development
in the cultural, economic and social spheres.
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Table of Contents
Preface
Regional Overview of
Italy
Italian Presence in
Manitoba
Social Profile
Cultural Profile
The community profile material is gathered through reviews of
Education Profile
existing primary and secondary documents, individual
interviews with members of the ethnic communities and
Economic Profile
informal community consultations. While every effort is made
Bibliography
to ensure accuracy material relating to needs, opportunity
assessment and cultural norms, is subjective and should be
viewed as a snapshot in time, rather than an in-depth, formal study
Mr Vincenzo (Vince) Bova, a highly respected member of the Italian community in
Manitoba, started working on this community profile in 1995. He compiled an impressive
array of materials on the Italian Manitoban culture and blended the data with optimal
portions of seriousness, passion and humour
Mr Bova passed away in 1997 before he could complete the community profile, which
meant so much to him. I have tried to ensure that this profile reflects Mr Bova's
intellectual and emotional commitment to the project -- making Manitobans aware of the
Italian community's contributions to the enhancement of quality of life in Manitoba.
STANISLAO CARBONE
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REGIONAL OVERVIEW OF ITALY
Over the centuries, Italy was occupied and settled by various
people, including Greeks, French, Romans, Arabs, Byzantines,
Normans, Hapsburgs and Bourbons, all of whom contributed to
the development of the nation's distinct identity and general
characteristics.
The Kingdom of Italy was formed in 1861, following an
expedition the previous year led by Italian soldier and
nationalist Giuseppe Garibaldi. Garibaldi and his army were
successful in defeating the ruling parties of many regions,
which were subsequently joined to form the Kingdom of Italy.
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Table of Contents
Preface
Regional Overview of
Italy
Italian Presence in
Manitoba
Social Profile
Cultural Profile
Education Profile
Economic Profile
Bibliography
Today, Italy is made up of many regions, each with its own
recognizable cultural and economic milieu. This profile
highlights the following regions: Abruzzi, Basilicata, Calabria, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Molise,
Puglia and Sicily. Most Italian Manitobans came from these regions.
Situated on the east coast in central Italy is Abruzzi. Economic activities include bauxite
mining, sheep and cattle raising, sugar-beet farming and the production of wheat,
potatoes, corn, olives and citrus fruit.
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Basilicata, located in southern Italy, depends on the cultivation of olives, oats, grapes and
other fruit to feed its economy. Although traditionally engaged in light manufacturing -ornaments, clothing and furniture -- the discovery of methane gas prompted the building
of factories for heavier industry.
Calabria is located in the southern region (or the "toe") of the Italian peninsula. Economic
activities range from agriculture and livestock to lumber and fishing. Chemical industries
also flourish in the central region since the development of hydro-electric power in the
1920s.
Northeastern Italy boasts the region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, with northern mountains
rising almost 9,000 feet. This area is renowned for its lucrative ham and dairy trade. The
southern section relies mainly on subsistence farming, primarily grapes for wine and other
fruit, wheat and corn. Along the coast, fishing is important, while tobacco is grown near
Trieste, one of Italy's chief ports. Textiles, chemicals, cutlery and machinery comprise
other key manufacturing activities.
Molise, located in eastern Italy, was once a part of Abruzzi e Molise. Its major industries
are winemaking, food processing, farming (grain, fruit and vegetables) and the
manufacturing of furniture and cement.
Situated in the southeast (heel) section of Italy, is Puglia (or Apulia). It relies
predominantly on agriculture. Wheat and oats are grown in the north; olives, grapes,
almonds, figs and vegetables, in the south. Other key industries are winemaking, fishing
and mining. Salt is mined near Foggia, which is also the region's main rail centre, and
bauxite is mined in the Gargano. Commerce and industry are largely concentrated around
Ban, where the petrochemical industry is especially prominent. Taranto boasts a large iron
and steel industry.
Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and the principal supplier of the
world's sulfur. Although mining and petrochemicals play a key role in the Sicilian economy,
agriculture remains the predominant industry and wheat, the most important crop. Other
significant sectors include the fisheries -- a quarter of Italy's fishing vessels sail from Sicily
-- and tourism, which promotes the area's natural and cultural resources.
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ITALIAN PRESENCE IN MANITOBA
Italians began immigrating to Manitoba in the late 1870s and
early 1880s, mainly settling in Winnipeg. Most of the newly
settled immigrants were peasants, artisans and farm workers,
who forged strong ties with other Italians of similar
background. Census data shows there were 147 people of
Italian origin residing in Winnipeg by 1901. That number
increased to 769 by 1911; and to 1,664 by 1941.
Before 1914, the dominant Italian sub-group in Winnipeg was
Sicilians. These immigrants were instrumental in developing
Winnipeg's wholesale and retail fruit business, an occupation
many had pursued in Sicily.
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Preface
Regional Overview of
Italy
Italian Presence in
Manitoba
Social Profile
Cultural Profile
Education Profile
Economic Profile
Bibliography
Leonardo Emma and Giuseppe Panaro were probably the first
Sicilans to settle in the city in 1892. They operated a fruit and confectionery store on Main
Street. In the late 1890s, Sicilians Agostino and Giuseppe Badali arrived in Winnipeg and
opened Badali Bros. fruit store on the corner of Portage and Smith. In 1913, the Badalis,
with Emma and Panaro, became partners in the Olympia Hotel, later renamed the
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Marlborough.
By the early 1920s, the Amatese immigrants, from Calabria, had become Winnipeg's
prevailing Italian sub-group, settling in Transcona and Fort Rouge. The Canadian National
Railway, which had shops in both areas, employed many Amatese. Once these people
were established, they sponsored family and friends from their regions.
Immigrants from the province of Cosenza, in Calabria, were also a growing segment. Like
their neighbours from Amato, most were peasants and working class individuals. The Veltri
brothers -- Giuseppe and Vincenzo -- played key roles in recruiting Italian labourers for the
North American market.
Vincenzo was a central figure in the early years of the Winnipeg Italian immigration
experience. In 1911, he was instrumental in forming the first Italian organization in
Winnipeg - the Roma Mutual Benevolent Society – and served as the group's first
president.
Immigrants from Molise were a thriving population in the early 1930s, many of them
entrepreneurs in the fruit vending business. The largest contingency of Northern Italians
was from the Friuli region. They specialized in fruit vending, brickmaking, bricklaying and
marble cutting.
A notable example is Giovanni Costigan, who resided in Winnipeg in 1879, before moving
to Portage La Prairie to establish a successful fruit and tobacco business. As well, Ernesto
Marchetti, a prominent building contractor became renowned for his construction of a
house known as the "Castle", located on College Avenue.
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CREATION OF ITALIAN SETTLEMENTS
Initially, many Italians lived in boarding houses, often in homes owned by other Italians.
By 1920, the west end became a popular area for boarders, who shared a cultural kinship
and familial ties from the old country. Boarding arrangements gave way to permanent
settlement patterns and by the late 1920s, a stable Italian population resided in
Winnipeg's west end.
The area's proximity to Market Square (the centre of Winnipeg's trade and commerce) was
conducive to the Italians' way of life, particularly the fruit vendors who would gather at the
square each morning to fill their wagons with fresh produce. The Italian Catholic parish
known as Holy Rosary Church, which opened its doors in 1923, was located in the west
end at the corner of Sherbrook and Bannatyne. Angelo Marzola, the consular agent
representing the Italian government in Manitoba, later established his office nearby. There
also remained smaller enclaves of Italians in Transcona, Fort Rouge and St. Boniface.
HOW THE SECOND WORLD WAR AFFECTED ITALIAN CANADIANS
On June 10,1940, the Italian facist regime declared war on Canada. That same evening,
Canada's Prime Minister, William Lyon Mackenzie King, announced in a radio broadcast,
that he had ordered the internment of hundreds of Italian Canadians who were identified
by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) as enemy aliens. The chain of events that
followed King's announcement constitutes a dramatic and unhappy chapter in Italian
Canadians' history.
In cities throughout Ontario and Quebec, RCMP officers interned approximately 600
Italians to Camp Petawawa in the Ottawa River Valley.
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Although no Winnipeg Italians were interned, they were subjected to the close scrutiny of
the RCMP, to whom they had to report monthly. Activities such as the teaching of the
Italian language and meetings of the Roma Society were declared illegal. The Italian
community put on a brave face throughout this period. Hundreds enlisted in the Canadian
armed forces, some in an attempt to remove the stigma associated with fascism.
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TIME OF GROWTH
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Winnipeg experienced a period of notable growth,
particularly in economic sectors like textiles, agricultural machinery, building construction
and trade services. At the same time, growing numbers of industries and businesses
relocated to the suburbs, which prompted the exodus of residents from the inner city to
Winnipeg's outer circle. By the late 1960s, areas like Transcona, Fort Garry, Charleswood
and North Kildonan were becoming major population centres, due primarily to new
enterprises, the proliferation of the automobile and the expansion of road routes and
transit services.
It was during this period that Italian immigration reached its peak. The last major influx of
Italians to Winnipeg occurred in 1967 to 1968 with the arrival of immigrants from the
Puglia region. Many of these newcomers were women who were sponsored by the federal
and provincial governments, or by the Western Garment Manufacturers Association which
sent a representative to Italy to interview prospective garment workers.
Women played a fundamental role in the economic survival of the Italian family in
Winnipeg. Female wages helped support families through the seasonal unemployment of
the men in their families. Their incomes paid for daily living expenses such as groceries,
clothing and household necessities. Men's paychecks, on the other hand, went into savings
accounts for houses and other investments.
From the early days of the fruit vendors, entrepreneurship has remained a popular way of
life for Italian Manitobans, invariably embedding itself in the Italian identity. In the 1960s
and 1970s, Italian-owned restaurants, hairdressing salons, grocery stores, masonry
contracting firms, real estate agencies and tailor shops dotted Winnipeg's economic
landscape, many of which were Italian family ventures.
While many immigrants worked as unskilled labourers when they first arrived, a significant
number advanced through the ranks. By the late 1970s, there was a noticeable increase in
the number of Italian supervisors and foremen. Similarly, a steady rise in the number of
college and university educated individuals resulted in Italians entering a variety of
professions such as business administration, law, science, medicine, teaching and civil
service.
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ITALIAN PRESENCE IN MANITOBA
Historically, the majority of Manitoba's Italians have lived in Winnipeg, with small
settlements in other parts of the province. In the 1960s, clusters of Italians made their
homes in Flin Flon and Thompson where they were active in the mining industry. Today,
the largest concentration of Italians outside Winnipeg, lives in Brandon.
SOME FACTS ABOUT ITALIANS IN WINNIPEG/CANADA
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The original owners of The Marlborough Hotel, first known as the Olympia Hotel, were from
Sicily: August Badali, Joseph Badali, Leonard Emma, Joseph Panaro. The Olympia opened
to the public in 1913.
Italia Garibaldi, the great-granddaughter of Giuseppe Garibaldi, visited Manitoba in 1923
as an emissary of the Italian government to promote the development of an Italian
agricultural settlement. She met with provincial politicians, including Premier John
Bracken, who was interested in her proposal. Within two years the North Italy Farmers
Colony was established at Lorette, Manitoba and expanded to Alonsa and Glenella.
The Shoal Lake Aqueduct was built by an Italian firm -- the Welch (Veltri) Construction
Company. The Veltris were from Grimaldi, Calabria. Vincenzo Veltri, who died before the
construction of the aqueduct, was the first President (1911) of the first Italian organization
in Winnipeg-the Roma Society.
The first person to fly out of the Winnipeg International Airport was an Italian by the name
of Bill Del Bigio. In the late 1920s Bill and brother Michael established the first sight-seeing
air rides in Winnipeg.
The Viking statue in Gimli was sculpted by an ltalian--Giorgio Barone. Barone was born in
Pizzo Calabro, Calabria in 1916 and died in California in 1995.
The first Italian family to settle in St. Boniface was the Tascona family (c. 1904). A.
Tascona (Tony) became a well-known painter.
The city of Brandon had an Italian Canadian mayor Stephen Mignacca (or Magnacca), who
was elected in 1962 and served until his death in 1970.
The first hand wood-carving business in Manitoba was operated by Italians--the Villarboito
brothers from Sicily.
The Speaker's Chair in the Manitoba Legislature was designed by an Italian, Carlo Fusetti,
who worked with the Villarboito Brothers' woodcarving company in St. Boniface.
The owner of one of this city's great nightspots, the Rancho Don Carlos, was an Italian by
the name of Carlo (Charlie) Mazzone. Mazzone was born in Bovalino Marina, Calabria, in
1905 and died in Reggio Calabria in 1992. He was responsible for bringing the following
entertainers to Winnipeg: Nat "King" Cole, Cab Calloway, the Marx Brothers, Al Martino,
the Ames Brothers, Sophie Tucker, Bob Hope, Jerry Colonna, Count Basie, Duke Ellington,
Dick Contino, to name a few.
The Mariaggi Hotel, one of Winnipeg's most luxurious hotels at the turn of the century,
was owned by a Corsican of Italian origin by the name of Frank Mariaggi (1847-1918).
Mariaggi came to Manitoba in 1870 and was a member of the Wolseley expedition which
set out to defeat the forces of the provisional government headed by Louis Riel.
When World War II broke out in 1939, Winnipeg Italian organizations pledged loyalty to
Canada. Leading the way were the Roma Mutual Benevolent Society and the Holy Rosary
Youth Club.
The first Italian radio program was "Il quarto d'ora Italiano" (radio station CKSB) which
went on the air on Monday, October 18th, 1954. The program, sponsored by the Holy
Rosary Church, aired every Monday from 8:00 pm. to 8:15 pm. By 1959, the program had
moved to a weekly 90-minute format (Sunday), was hosted by Bernardo Tucci and was
known as "L'Ora Italiana" (The Italian Hour).
Alfredo Campo, one-time President of Petrofina Oil Company, once lived in Winnipeg
(1930s) where he worked with the McColl-Frontenac Oil Company.
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The first Italian newspaper in Canada was Corriere del Canada, published in Montreal
beginning in 1895. An attempt to produce a newspaper in Winnipeg was made around
1912 by a certain Joseph Vaudognotti. There is no indication as to whether he succeeded.
The first successful Winnipeg Italian newspaper was II Messaggero Italo-Canadese,
published in the late 1960s by Franco Gotti.
Prior to 1912, most Winnipeg Italians worshipped at St. Mary's Cathedral on St. Mary
Avenue. In 1911, Father Ferdinand Anzalone (born in Sicily) congregated some Italian
families at Sacre-Coeur Church (Lydia Street). In October of 1923, the Holy Rosary Church
opened its doors on Sherbrook and Bannatyne and operated until 1967 when the new
Church opened on River Avenue.
The first Italian vice-consul was Giuseppe Barattieri di S. Pietro, who was appointed to that
position, c. 1910. At the time Barattieri was an interpreter/translator with the Police
Department; he would later operate as a steamship agent.
Some Italians came to Canada in 1813 as soldiers of two foreign regiments with the British
army--the de Meuron and de Watteville regiments.
In 1737-38 the Italian-born Paolo Marini, in the service of the French monarchy, explored
the area known as The Forks.
An Italian, Francesco Carlo Burlamacchi (Bourlamaque), served as second field assistant to
General Montcalm during the Seven Years War (1756-1763).
An Italian, Father Giuseppe Bresciani, was in Quebec in 1642 and became administrator of
Trois-Rivi res in 1643.
At the advent of World War II, James Franceschini, one of Canada's most important
contractors, was responsible for building major shipyards and paving thousands of miles of
roads and airport runways (the Dundas Highway, Alaska Highway, Dorval Airport, to name
a few). When Italy declared war on Canada, Franceschini, a Canadian citizen, was interned
at Camp Petawawa.
The Catelli spaghetti company was started in Montreal at the turn of the century by
Honore'(Onorato) Catelli.
The first Italian Society in Canada was the Societa Nazionale, founded in Montreal in 1875.
The Order of the Sons of Italy was first established in Canada in 1915, in Sault Ste. Marie,
with the formation of the Giuseppe Verdi Lodge.
After Italy declared war on Canada in June of 1940, nearly 600 Italian Canadians were
interned. Most of them served time at Camp Petawawa in the Ottawa Valley.
The first wireless telegraph was transmitted from Cornwall, Newfoundland in 1901. The
inventor was the Italian Guglielmo Marconi.
In the 1680s, Italians served in the military of New France.
Henri De Tonty, assistant to La Salle on the expedition to North America and the
Mississippi in the 1670s and 1680s, was really an Italian named Enrico Tonti.
The Donegani family, which first settled in Montreal around 1800, produced the first Italian
municipal councillor and judge in Canada--John Donegani. Donegani served as municipal
councillor from 1833 to 1835 and as judge of the Peace Sessions Court from 1836 to 1840.
The earliest Italian contact with Canada dates from 1497 when Giovanni Caboto explored
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and claimed for England the coasts of Newfoundland and Cape Breton.
In 1524, Giovanni da Verrazzano, explored part of Atlantic Canada for France.
An Italian Canadian, Mario Bernardi, was appointed the first conductor of Ottawa's National
Arts Centre Orchestra in 1968.
In 1938, Hubert Badanai of Fort William (later Thunder Bay) became the first mayor of
Italian background and in the early post war years was elected the first Italian federal
Member of Parliament.
In 1952, Philip Gagliardi of Mission City, British Columbia, previously appointed to the
provincial cabinet, was the first Italian Canadian to become a minister.
In 1973, Laura Sabia, a former alderwoman in St. Catherines, became chairperson of the
Ontario Council on the Status of Women.
In 1981, Charles Caccia was appointed Minister of Labour--the first federal Italian
Canadian minister.
In 1897, journalist William Mackenzie King (later to become Prime Minister), described the
first street entertainer who lived in Toronto (an Italian immigrant) in the 1880s. This
individual, King wrote, had worn out five street pianos and earned $15 daily in his first
years in Toronto. Some of the wandering street musicians eventually settled down to teach
music or to organize bands and orchestras.
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SOCIAL PROFILE
INTRODUCTION
The past 50 years have seen the development of a better
understanding of the true nature of Canadian society.
Multiculturalism has been officially recognized as a vital
ingredient in the fabric of our community. We are now
witnessing the dawn of a greater appreciation of the benefits
derived from this diversity. These factors have had, and
continue to have, a beneficial effect on the Italian community
in Canada.
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Table of Contents
Preface
Regional Overview of
Italy
Italian Presence in
Manitoba
Social Profile
Cultural Profile
Education Profile
Economic Profile
This section illustrates the social development of Manitoba's
Bibliography
Italian community in relation to home and family; workplace;
community organizations; facilities and resources; events;
achievements; and the relationship with the wider society in which they lived.
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HOME AND COMMUNITY
EVOLUTION OF THE FAMILY
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Winnipeg Italians, particularly first-generation, continue to be conservative in their lifestyle
and way of thinking. Their value system is based on the overriding importance of the
family and a strong attachment to their Italian origins.
Naturally, this value system was bound to conflict with the modern realities posed by life in
Canada. The result has been a gradual adaptation to the North American way of life
through the amalgamation of old and new.
A good example of this blending of philosophies is seen in the Italians' economic
adaptation to life in Manitoba. Whatever money was earned would go to
purchase essentials, such as a house or car. This produced a sense of accomplishment for
the individual and increased his status within the group.
A combination of Arrangiarsi, (making do with what you have), thriftiness and hard work,
quickly led to a growing affluence within the community and acquisition of material goods.
Thus, the value system of old Italy was transformed from one of surviving, to one of
succeeding in a new environment. It was this value system that parents sought to pass on
to their children. However, many rebelled against their parents' beliefs, thinking them too
restrictive.
The importance of the family is a given in Italy. All decisions are made to better the
financial position of the family and to increase its social status within and outside the
Italian community.
The family is also the focal point in the immigration experience. Sponsorship of family
members following the Second World War increased significantly, partly due to loosening
restrictions in the Canadian immigration policy. Winnipeg's Italian families played a role in
helping new arrivals find work and accommodations, and acting as translators with
employers and government officials.
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FAMILIES ADAPT TO NEW LIFE
The past three decades have seen tremendous changes occur within the family in the
Manitoba Italian community. Traditionally, the father was the authority figure who
commanded respect and obedience. As head of the household, he alone was responsible
for supporting his family financially. The role of the mother was largely confined to the
rigours of family life: homemaker, child-bearer and confidante.
The new generation of Italians has witnessed a blurring of traditional roles. Today, most
women work outside the home – many in professional jobs. The responsibility of child
rearing is increasingly being shared by both parents.
Another significant change to family life has been the dissolution of the extended family.
While there are still homes where older parents reside with their adult children, most
families today have abandoned this tradition as more women enter the workforce and a
greater number of senior citizens' residences and personal care homes become available.
Also notable is the change in family size among Italian Canadians. In the early years,
Italian families tended to be larger than the national average. However, the changing role
of women and the corresponding transformation in attitudes and values toward women's
roles in the family and society, have led Italian Canadians to have fewer children. In fact,
they are now on par with the national average of 1.5 children per family.
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COMMUNITY CHURCH
The Holy Rosary Church officially opened in 1923 after a group of business people
collected $25,000 from the Italian community to purchase the Icelandic Church on
Sherbrook and Bannatyne. The church remained there until the 1960s when structural
problems, increased population and changes in residential patterns determined the need
for a new location. The new Holy Rosary Church, on River near Osborne, opened its doors
to the public in 1967 and is still an important focal point for Winnipeg Italians.
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ORGANIZATIONS HELP SHAPE ITALIAN CANADIAN IDENTITY
Over the years, organizations have helped shape an Italian Canadian identity and have
provided services ranging from cultural activities to financial assistance.
The first Winnipeg Italian organization was the Roma Mutual Benevolent Society, founded
in 1911. The society was originally formed to provide financial aid to the sick and to
families who could not afford to bury their loved ones. It has since relinquished its role as
a mutual aid society, in the wake of government subsidized programs, and currently
organizes many cultural and recreational activities.
The emergence of the Holy Rosary Church in the 1 920s spawned several clubs and Italian
community organizations. Most prominent were the Holy Rosary Church men's and
women's committees, drama and youth clubs. Today the church continues to play an
active role in the social, cultural and spiritual life of the Italian community.
In 1946, the Fratellanza Amatese was founded, an organization which began as a mutualaid society and formed a credit union for its members around 1950. Today, the Fratellanza
Amatese (for people from the town of Amato) develops cultural and recreational events for
the community. In 1992, the group sponsored a documentary on the history of the
Amatese in Winnipeg, which received the Prix Manitoba Award, as well as recognition from
the Manitoba Historical Society and the American Association of State and Local History.
In the 1950s, other organizations emerged to meet the burgeoning needs of an expanding
Italian community. The Leonardo DaVinci Society promoted culture and education,
providing bursaries for college and university students of Italian background. The Fogolar
Furlan Club organizes sports and cultural activities at a campground near Anola.
In 1963, the Holy Rosary Credit Union was established. It was later renamed the Italia
Credit Union after severing its ties with the church. The credit union terminated operations
in the early 1980s.
The Italian Canadian League of Manitoba was formed in 1964 as an umbrella organization
to serve as the official representative of the Italian community. The league continues to
play a key role in providing essential services to new immigrants and developing cultural
and recreational programs to Italians in Manitoba.
In 1966, the local chapter of the International Dante Alighieri Cultural Society-headquartered in Florence with 425 branches in 58 countries -- was formed in Winnipeg. It
quickly became the principal mechanism for promoting Italian language and culture in the
city. Activities organized or sponsored by the society over the years include adult language
classes in Italian at the University of Winnipeg; teacher-training seminars and workshops;
translation services and a picture exhibit on the history of Italians in Winnipeg.
Other organizations serving the Italian community are the independently run Club Siciliano
di Winnipeg Inc. (Sicilian Club) and the Order of the Sons of Italy.
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ANNUAL EVENTS
FOLKLORAMA
Folklorama, organized by the Folk Arts Council of Winnipeg Inc., is an annual event that
captures the diversity and richness of the province's multicultural population. The Italian
community is represented by two pavilions: the Roma (sponsored by the Italian Canadian
League of Manitoba) and the Sicilian (by the Club Siciliano di Winnipeg). Both pavilions
rely heavily on volunteers and showcase Italian music and dance, cuisine and cultural and
historical displays.
COLUMBUS DAY
Columbus Day, sponsored by the Italian Canadian League of Manitoba, is celebrated in
October. It pays tribute to Christopher Columbus and to the history and contributions of
Italians in North America.
SONS OF ITALY FUNDRAISING DINNER
The Sons of Italy fundraising dinner takes place each spring to raise money for its bursary
programs and/or social and humanitarian causes. The keynote speaker is generally a
prestigious member of the community.
CORYDON FESTIVAL OF WINE AND ROSES
Created by the Sons of Italy and Corydon Avenue merchants, this festival usually takes
place in late summer. It continues to offer a good time for all, while reflecting the colour
and dynamism of Italian and Italian Canadian culture through music, dance, visual
displays and recreational activities. The growth in attendance in recent years has made the
Corydon Festival of Wine and Roses one of the most popular festivals in Winnipeg. It has
begun to adopt a multicultural orientation by inviting other ethnic groups to participate in
programming.
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SIGNIFICANT DATES/NATIONAL HOLIDAYS OBSERVED IN ITALY
March 17
April 21
April 25
May 1
June 2
July 4
September 20
Proclamation of the United Kingdom of Italy
(excluding the Papal States)(1861)
Birthday of Rome/Anniversary of the traditional founding of Rome
(753 B.C.).
Liberation day. This day is celebrated to mark the liberation of Italy
from Fascism (1945).
International Workers Day celebrated in Italy and throughout the
world.
National Day/Giorno della Repubblica. Declaration of the Republic of
Italy following a referendum in which Italians voted to get rid of the
monarchy (1946)
Garibaldi's birthday. Giuseppe Garibaldi, soldier, was one of the
principal architects of Italian unification (1807- 1882)
After much resistance the Papal States became a part of Italy.
Rejecting thisstate of affairs, the Pope withdrew inside the Vatican
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November 4
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(1870)
Armistice Day. Similar to Canada's Remembrance Day. Armistice Day
pays tribute to all those who lost their lives during the world wars.
Italian Canadians tend to observe the original holiday on the
Canadian date--November 11.
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COMMUNITY FACILITIES
CASA D'ITALIA
Until 1980, most community activities were held at the Holy Rosary Church or the Italia
Credit Union building on Corydon Avenue. With the growth of the community, however, it
soon became apparent that a central structure was needed for social, cultural and
educational activities. Hence, the Casa D'ltalia was born.
Located at 556 Notre Dame, this facility (literally the "house of Italy"), known as the
Italian Canadian Cultural Centre, soon became the focal point for the Italian community. It
regularly hosted various types of gatherings and events and its library housed one of the
largest collections of Italian and Italian Canadian publications in Manitoba. Other ethnic
groups also held events at the centre.
CENTRO CABOTO CENTRE
When the community's needs exceeded the physical and social capacity of the Casa
D'Italia, the Italian Community Development Corporation and the Italian Canadian League
of Manitoba spearheaded a campaign to build a new centre.
The structure is on Wilkes Avenue and is called the Centro Caboto Centre, after Giovanni
Caboto who landed on the east coast of Canada in 1497. The centre officially opened in
June, 1998 and includes administrative offices, a large banquet hall, a restaurant with
adjacent bocce courts, the office of the vice-consul, a library/resource centre and
classrooms for a Montessori school.
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SICILIAN CULTURAL CENTRE
The Club Siciliano di Winnipeg, mandated to promote Sicilian culture in Manitoba,
established the Sicilian Cultural Centre in the early 1980s. Located at 430 Selkirk Avenue,
the facility includes offices and a large recreational hall, used for bingo nights twice a
week. Through its fundraising efforts, it supports charitable causes.
CAMP ANOLA
The Fogolar Furlan Association of Winnipeg, whose members come from the Friuli region of
Italy, founded Camp Anola in the 1970s. Many clubs and organizations make use of this
14-acre property which includes a clubhouse, soccer field, bocce courts and outdoor dance
space.
RESIDENCES FOR SENIORS
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It became evident in the late 1970s that there was a need for a facility to accommodate
the growing elderly population. The Italian Women's Association, along with the Holy
Rosary Church, organized a campaign to establish a residence where Italian seniors could
live and congregate with one another. The result was Villa Cabrini, named after the patron
saint of Italian immigrants, Frances Xavier Cabrini. This facility, which officially opened in
September of 1985, welcomes seniors of all ethnic backgrounds.
Almost a decade later, a second seniors' residence Ñ Villa Nova Ñ opened its doors. Built
under the auspices of the Italian Community Development Corporation in December of
1993, the facility includes a large outdoor patio, bocce field and human-made lakefront
with pathways. It is located next to the Centro Caboto Centre on Wilkes Avenue.
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PRINCIPAL WINNIPEG ITALIAN INSTITUTIONS WITH THEIR ADDRESSES AND
TELEPHONE NUMBERS
Centro Caboto Centre
1055 Wilkes Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R3P 2L7
Tel: (204) 487-4597
Club Siciliano di Winnipeg
430 Selkirk Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R2W 2M5
Tel: (204) 582-2414
Holy Rosary Church
510 River Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R3L OE1
Tel: (204) 284-5140
Office of the Italian Vice-Consul
Centro Caboto Centre
1055 Wilkes Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R3P 2L7
Tel: (204) 488-8745
Villa Cabrini Seniors Residence
433 River Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R3L 0C3
Tel: (204) 284-2880
Villa Nova Seniors Residence
1035 Wilkes Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R3P 1T1
Tel: (204) 489-8648
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CULTURAL PROFILE
CUSTOMS, FEASTS AND TRADITIONS
CHRISTMAS
Christmas is a popular holiday season for Italians both in Italy
and Canada. Families generally attend church services on
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. It is common for families to
set up a nativity scene with clay figures (known as the
presepio) in their homes. Churches, as well, create large, fancy
presepios with figures in colourful costumes.
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Quick Links
Table of Contents
Preface
Regional Overview of
Italy
Italian Presence in
Manitoba
Social Profile
Cultural Profile
Education Profile
Italians lend their own special flavour to Christmas cuisine.
Economic Profile
Cappelletti (little dough "hats" stuffed with meat) is a favourite
Bibliography
dish in the north, while southern Italians dine on macaroni
followed by roast chicken in jelly. Special yule desserts include
panettone (cake filled with candied fruit), cannoli (cheese-filled pastries) and panforte
(nut-filled gingerbread). Families usually spend Christmas Day visiting friends or
entertaining guests.
EPIPHANY
Not many Italian Canadians celebrate the epiphany. Celebrated on January 6, it is a
tradition that, for the most part, has stayed in Italy. Instead of Santa Claus bearing gifts,
the Befana takes on this role. As legend has it, the Befana, a good witch, was sweeping
her house when the Three Wise Men passed by. Wanting to finish her housework, she
declined their offer to accompany them to Bethlehem. When she went later to search for
the baby Jesus on her own, she lost her way, and has been searching for him ever since.
In many Italian towns, a man dressed as an old woman plays the part of the Befana,
wearing a false hook nose, a shawl, a bandanna and a ragged dress.
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CARNEVALE
Carnevale, meaning "farewell to meat", is a period of celebration and feasting just prior to
the fasting season of Lent. It begins January 17 and lasts several weeks. On the Tuesday
before Ash Wednesday Ñ Martedi Grasso (Fat Tuesday)-- there are parades and festivities
throughout Italy. People crowd into the streets making merry, while confetti and paper
streamers fill the air. In Manitoba, this event is a much more solemn occasion.
ST. JOSEPH'S DAY
St. Joseph's Day is celebrated March 19 in honour of Joseph (the husband of the Madonna
and protector of the holy family), who became the patron of orphans. Activities on this day
are primarily feasting and sharing food with the poor. In Sicily, for example, a special
outdoor meal is prepared for widows, orphans, beggars and the needy. People also sing,
dance and light bonfires to honour St. Joseph. Like the Epiphany, most Italian Canadians
do not celebrate St. Joseph's Day.
EASTER
The celebration of the resurrection of Christ is a significant event in the cultural life of
Italians and Italian Canadians. Easter falls on the first Sunday after the full moon, on or
following March 21. In Italy, the three days before Easter Sunday are filled with
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processionals, masses and passion plays. Easter Sunday is welcomed with rejoicing,
singing and the ringing of church bells. Manitoba Italians celebrate Easter in a similar way.
They attend church on Palm Sunday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday, followed by gettogethers with family and friends. Meals served reflect the regional variations.
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LANGUAGE
Italian comes from the Romance group of languages and is spoken principally in the Italian
peninsula. This colourful language is a direct offspring of Latin. Over a long period of
evolution, numerous dialects arose.
The Gall-Italian dialect, which shares a close affinity with French, predominates in north
and northwest Italy. Habitants of the Venetian region and the Italian Tyrol use the
Venetian dialect. Central-southern dialects include Tuscan, Corsican, north Sardinian,
Roman, Campanian, Sicilian and Calabrian. South and central Sardinian dialects are so
distinct that they are considered a separate branch of the Romance language. In FriuliVenezia Giulia a Rhaeto-Romanic dialect is spoken.
The origins of vernacular Italian come from the Tuscany region and were influenced by
14th century writers, Dante Alighieri, Francesco Petrarca and Giovanni Boccaccio. Because
the Tuscan dialect is the closest to Latin and the region has significant commercial
importance, this dialect predominated.
ITALIAN LANGUAGE EDUCATION IN MANITOBA
Maintaining their ancestral language is important to Manitoba Italians. They see the
development of Italian language programs as a vital link to the group's culture history and
traditions. In 1988, when surveyed, 86 per cent of respondents of the Italian Canadian
League of Manitoba placed high priority on preserving the Italian culture and language.
School divisions offer Italian language classes in response to requests from area residents.
As of 1998, the Seven Oaks School Division offers these classes three hours a week to
students from grades one to seven.
When the University of Manitoba began teaching Italian in 1977, the demand was so great
that the Italian community requested the implementation of a minor course credit in
Italian Studies. Today, three courses are offered: introductory, intermediate and
advanced.
Originally, community-based organizations were involved in teaching Italian. The Holy
Rosary Church implemented classes in the 1930s. By far, the most comprehensive
program was, and still is, provided by the Dante Alighieri Cultural Society. Three-hour
classes are offered every Saturday morning from September to the end of May, in addition
to summer school classes in July. The curriculum was developed to provide students with
good reading and writing skills as well as knowledge of Italian history, culture and
geography.
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SPORTS
Soccer's popularity among Manitoba Italians of all ages stems from the sport's undeniable
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roots in Italy. Most immigrants, particularly men, used to spend hours chasing after a
soccer ball in the village squares of their native towns. Many were honing their skills in the
hopes that some day they could play in the premiere division. Although very few reached
that pinnacle, their attachment to the game did not subside. Soccer matches were the
topic of conversation in Italy's classrooms, social events and cappuccino bars.
After migrating to Canada, where professional soccer was virtually non-existent, they
continued to express their love and commitment to the game in a variety of ways. They
developed clubs -- Italinter, Lucania, etc -- to compete with teams from other
ethnocultural communities.
Among the newer generation of men, women, boys and girls, a wide range of sports are
practiced in addition to soccer. These include hockey, football, baseball, swimming,
gymnastics and martial arts.
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COMMUNICATIONS
Italy, being one of the seven major industrialized countries in the world, has a welldeveloped communications system, which is also used to reach Italians abroad. Services
range from the use of the Internet by major newspapers to the state-owned
Radiotelevisione Italiana (RAI), providing programming via RAI international satellite. In
1996, the Toronto-based Telelatino channel began daily national broadcasts of Italian
Canadian produced programs and RAI feeds.
The Holy Rosary Church Bulletin, developed in the 1920s, was one of the first
communiqu6s targeting Manitoba's Italian community. Since then, a variety of
communication vehicles have been created, including two short-lived newspapers Ñ Il
Messaggero Italo-Canadese and Il Progresso, and a monthly newsmagazine Ñ Umanitas -in the 1970s.
More recent Manitoba publications include Per Conoscerci Meglio (a monthly newsmagazine
produced by the Club Siciliano di Winnipeg Inc.), the Casa d'ltalia Bollettino (newsletter)
and Il Giornale Italiano del Manitoba (the Italian Newspaper of Manitoba).
The first local Italian television program was Italiani in Winnipeg (Italians in Winnipeg),
hosted by Mario Raimondi in 1972. A short time later, Bernardo Tucci introduced Ora
Italiana (the Italian Hour), which ran weekly until 1995. Both these shows, and later
entries such as Italianissimo and Tele-ltalia, were transmitted on community cable
networks.
Winnipeg is home to a popular Italian radio program, Radio Italia broadcast on CKJS since
1982. Hosts have included Italian Manitobans Graziella Bussoli-Ghilas, Adriana Lombardini
and Carmine Coppola. Tony Carta, an Italian Manitoban, is manager of the successful
ethnic radio station.
Prior to CKJS, Bernardo Tucci hosted La Voce Italiana, transmitted on the French language
radio station CKSB from 1959 to 1982. The very first Italian language radio program in
Manitoba -- Quarto d'Ora Italiana -- was also broadcast on CKSB in 1954 under the
auspices of the Holy Rosary Church.
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THE ARTS
This section encompasses music, visual arts, cinema and literature, all of which play an
important role in the Italian culture and way of life.
MUSIC
Music is an integral aspect of the Italian cultural identity. This ethnic group's contributions
cover virtually every musical genre.
Classical Music/Opera
Italy has played an important role in the evolution of classical music. The first operas were
produced by Claudio Monteverdi in the early 1600s. In the 18th and 19th centuries, Italy
was the birthplace of such great classical composers as Antonio Vivaldi, Gaetano Donizetti,
Gioacchino Rossini, Vincenzo Bellini, Giacomo Puccini, Pietro Mascagni, and perhaps the
most popular of all --Giuseppe Verdi.
In the early 1900s, the Neapolitan tenor Enrico Caruso was wowing audiences throughout
the world. Beniamino Gigli enjoyed similar success in the 1930s and 1940s and sopranos
such as Amelita Galli-Curci and Luisa Tetrazzini acquired international reputations.
Following World War II, Italy continued to produce more than its share of great sopranos
and tenors. Renata Tebaldi, Renata Scotto, Mario Del Monaco and Luciano Pavarotti are
just a few examples.
Opera, in the early years, was essentially the music of the landed gentry and did not find
an audience among the peasants, artisans and others from the lower classes. Meager
financial means and long travelling distances to the cities were obstacles to developing
classical music among these groups.
This changed significantly in the late half of the 20th century as ltalians became more
affluent and better educated. More extensive and better transportation routes also
contributed to the popularity of opera among the masses.
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Pop Music
Italian pop music can be separated into two major variations. The indigenous type is a
product of the music and dance halls of urban Italy, reflecting the cultural values of lower,
middle and working class stratas. On the other hand, the rhythm and blues/rock Ôn' roll
sound is a reflection of American and British influences.
Over the years, Italy has produced major pop stars. Most notable are Claudio Villa, Luciano
Tajoli, Domenico Modugno, Renato Carosone, Adriano Celentano, Gino Paoli and Mina,
popular in the 1950s and 1960s. More recently, Italians receiving international acclaim
include Eros Ramazzotti, Zucchero, Lucio Dalla, Toto Cutugno and Laura Pausini.
Pop music is a major industry in Italy. Record companies are always on the lookout for
new artists and regularly scout the many music competitions that occur in Italy annually.
The most prestigious one is San Remo, which takes place in the city of the same name and
draws national and international performers. The festival has become a popular event
outside of Italy as well. Manitoban Italians follow it via radio and television.
Compact discs and cassettes of Italian pop stars are available in Winnipeg, through both
Italian and mainstream music outlets. Occasionally, singers from
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Italy perform in Winnipeg, always to enthusiastic audiences. The Manitoba community
itself has produced many talented Italian pop singers and musicians, including Carmine
LaRosa and the Thunderstorms, the Combo Italiano, the Golden Boys, I Ribelli (Rebels),
Maria Loscerbo, Maria Longobardi, and Silvia DeLuca.
Folk Music
Folk music is generally specific to each region and largely the product of the peasant and
working classes. Songs are usually written and sung in the local dialect, often depicting the
harshness of daily life and the dream of a better world.
The Italian government's funding of folk groups and festivals has led to a heightened
sense of awareness of the relevance of folk music and culture among Italians. As a
consequence, folk records are in great demand. The folk songs of Naples are particularly
popular throughout the world. American singers like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Al
Martino have drawn on Neapolitan folk material. As well, in the early 1960s, Elvis Presley
recorded (in English) two Neapolitan standards: "O Sole Mio" and "Torna a Sorrento"
The Italians who migrated to Manitoba brought with them the music and costumes of their
respective regions. To preserve their cultural identity, they created clubs and associations,
many of which have established folk dance groups and musical bands. As a result, folk
music is alive and well in Manitoba's Italian community. Folk group performances at events
such as Folklorama and the Corydon Street Festival are well attended by all Manitobans.
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VISUAL ARTS
Italians' contributions to the visual arts have been highly significant. From the days of the
Roman Empire to today, the great names in Italian art and architecture make up a lengthy
list. Italy has spawned world-renowned artists like Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci,
Donatello, Botticelli and Raphael.
Twentieth Century Italians have contributed to modernist and avant-garde schools of art.
The more prominent names include Amedeo Modigliani, Giorgio De Chirico and
representatives of Futurism like Umberto Boccioni, Gino Severini and Giacomo Balla.
Architect Pier Luigi Nervi (who designed the Olympic Stadium in Rome and the Pirelli
skyscraper in Milan) and sculptor Giacomo Manzu also played significant roles in shaping
20th Century Italian visual arts.
The Manitoba Italian community has had its share of fine artists. The most famous is Tony
Tascona, whose paintings have been exhibited internationally. Giorgio Barone received
high acclaim for sculptures he created for several Manitoba towns: the Viking statue in
Gimli, the mosquito statue in Komarno and the white horse outside of St. Fran ois-Xavier.
Carlo Fusetti, a wood carver, was responsible for producing the Speaker's chair at the
Manitoba Legislature and painters like Gino Mazzei, Enzo Cilia and Sergio Betto have
developed a solid local reputation. Pat Bovino sculpted Kalash, the dome of the Hindu
Temple on Ellice Avenue in Winnipeg. This is a good example of different ethnic groups
working together for the betterment of all Manitobans.
CINEMA
Italians have played a major role in the technical and artistic development of the Italian
cinema since its early days. Italians achieved world acclaim following World War II with
neo-realist cinematic expression. Movies in this genre reflected the social, economic and
political conditions of post-war post-fascist Italy and
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captured the hopes and fears of everyday life in a country undergoing the arduous process
of reconstruction. The most celebrated directors of this style of filmmaking were Vittoria
DeSica, Roberto Rossellini, Luchino Visconti and Federico Feliini.
By the 1960s, popular issues such as alienation in a modern technological world were
treated by directors like Michelangelo Antonioni and Pier Paolo Pasolini. Political and social
topics were also explored by directors Bernardo Bertolucci and the Taviani brothers.
Among the most popular Italian motion picture stars to emerge in the post-war era were
Gina Lollobrigida, Sophia Loren, Vittorio Gassman, Anna Magnani, Marcello Mastroianni,
Ugo Tognazzi and Giancarlo Giannini.
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LITERATURE
Italian literature has enjoyed a rich and varied history. The golden age of the 14th Century
produced a wealth of great writers. Among them were Dante Alighieri, whose epic Divine
Comedy is considered a masterpiece in western literature; Francesco Petrarca, a poet
famous for his sonnets; and Giovanni Bocaccio, whose Decameron portrays a series of
tales reflecting the attitudes, values and practices of the social classes in Medieval Italy.
In the late Renaissance period, Ludovico Ariosto and Torquato Tasso emerged as the
principal poets. The Romantic era gave birth to novelist Alessandro Manzoni, dramatist
Vittorio Alfieri and the poets Ugo Foscolo and Giacomo Leopardi.
In the late 19th Century and the first half of the 20th, Italian writers explored a wide range
of social topics. Renowned during that period were novelist Giovanni Verga, poet and
novelist Gabriele D'Annunzio, dramatist Luigi Pirandello and
novelist and journalist Alberto Moravia . Writers like Carlo Emilio Gadda, Carlo Cassola,
Dino Buzzati and Leonardo Sciascia emerged in the 1950s.
Italy continues to produce writers of great stature. Today Italians and non-Italians alike
read the works of Italo Calvino, Primo Levi and Umberto Eco, whose The Name of the Rose
was an international bestseller.
The Italian community of Manitoba has produced a considerable number of writers in a
variety of literary genres. This is reflected in Caterina Sotiriadis's survey article on Italian
Canadian writers, which first appeared in the Winnipeg publication Siamo in 1992 and has
been adapted for this profile with the permission of the author.
ITALIAN CANADIAN WRITERS
Windows to Our Souls
by Caterina (Bueti) Sotiriadis
They speak to us about us. They retell the lives of the immigrants and their children. They
speak of those who felt displaced; of those who felt alienated and of the few who saw
themselves as adventurers -- all "paesani" (of the same town), one way or another. They
speak of the human condition, of the eternal conflict between parents and children; and of
the "old ways" versus the new. Their themes are culture shock, isolation, ethnic duality,
and a nostalgia for a country that can never be theirs again, other than in their memories
or return journeys home.
They speak in anger and frustration, with pride and compassion, with force and conviction.
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They possess the voices that many of us do not have. They are our "porta-parola", the
voice-boxes of an immigrant people. They help us preserve
our proud heritage and our Italo-Canadian background, so that it shall not be lost to future
generations.
As they came to terms with their past and personal feelings of belonging, as they slowly
defined themselves, they did so through that creative and powerful tool of the pen. Author
Frank G. Paci once described the process of writing as a "catharsis" and that "most writers
of immigrant literature have some sort of inner or outer wound that spurs them to engage
in such a lonely and financially unrewarding vocation as writing."
They write in several tongues: Italian, English, French and some regional dialects. Their
words take many forms: drama, novels, poetry, short stories, articles and translations.
With passion, frustration and tenderness, they speak to those immigrants who can so
readily relate to their condition.
As a recognizable body of writing, Italian-Canadian literature did not exist before 1978. The
earliest piece of Italian writing from Canada is Bressani's Breve Relazione (1653). The next
Italian to produce a separately published work is Mario Duliani with La ville sans femmes
(1945). Professor Joseph Pivato states that "it was the prosperity of the 1960s and 1970s the educational opportunities for immigrants and their children, the growth of diverse
cultural societies, community centres, language schools ... that fostered an atmosphere
conducive to literary activity." It was no small irony that in Quebec, Marco Micone
produced the play, Gens du Silence (1979), to describe these people.
In a very short period of time, Italian Canadian literature has come into its own with
writers across the country from Halifax to Vancouver Many have won prestigious literary
awards. Close to 100 Italian Canadian authors have been actively pursuing their artistic
talents over the years. In addition to these published authors, there are many whose works
remain unpublished.
Manitoba has also contributed in its own way to this area of writing. Antonio Fiorentino
wrote and published poetry in Italian and in the Amatese dialect Alexandre Amprimoz has
written poetry and prose in English, French and Italian for a wide audience of readers. His
writings convey a nostalgia for his Italy that echoes the loneliness many immigrants have
felt for their country of birth.
Giuseppe Condello, noted Winnipeg actor and mime, recreated the lost immigrant soul in
his play Peppino from Bovalino, a sensitive drama with humorous overtones about a newly
arrived immigrant to Canada. A few years later Stan Carbone, a Winnipeg historian,
recaptured our contribution to Canadian history in his The Streets Were Not Paved With
Gold. He also compiled a pictorial and oral history book regarding the life of Italians in
Winnipeg (Italians in Winnipeg: An Illustrated History) and edited a book of oral and
written accounts by Winnipeg Italians. Rosetta T. Albanese's talents created 1001 Temple
Avenue, her first suspense novel.
In the area of poetry, Sante Viselli's works in French culminated with his publication Le
Pendule. With Caterina (Bueti) Sotiriadis, Sante is awaiting the publication of their
anthology on Italian Canadian women in literature. Carmine Cop pola finished two
collections of poetry in Italian, Poesie for Giulia (Poems for Giulia) and Il tempo e le sue
cose (The Many Facets of Time). The volumes of poetry that another Winnipegger, Giorgio
Amabile has been producing over the years have garnered him critical acclaim.
Recently, more works by Italian Canadian women in the Manitoba community have
received attention. Anna P. Zurzolo's first no vet Bread, Wine and Angels, a charming story
of life as seen through the eyes of an Italian immigrant girl, has received much acclaim.
Rosina Sinopoli has written several short, comic plays regarding the dynamics of the Italian
household as contextualized in the new culture of Canada. Caterina (Bueti) Sotiriadis has
written a short story, A Weight Off My Shoulders, which reveals the father-daughter and
generational
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relationship so particular to her and other young Italian girls' lives in Canada. She also
rewrote the classic Italian Christmas story, La Befana, that was recorded for the festive
season celebrations at the Manitoba Museum of Man and Nature.
Who are these writers of our souls? There are many of them. Even as some of our writers
look beyond the immigrant experience in Canada, to more common human problems, such
as women in society and female-male relationships, their Italian roots draw them back to
what they know best -- growing up in Canada both as an Italian and a Canadian.
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CULINARY TRADITIONS
Regional distinctions, so important in defining Italian identity, are also visible in culinary
traditions.
Northern Italian dishes are rich with white sauces made mostly from dairy products. This is
reflective of the abundance of dairy farms spread throughout the Po Valley and the alpine
meadows around the valley. It is customary within this region to have dishes prepared
with fowl (turkeys, quails, pheasants) which is plentiful.
In southern Italy, the diet is based on local production. Peasants cultivated their small
plots of land to feed their families. The lack of financial resources and the scarcity of large
tracts of land necessary to raise cattle and poultry made meatless dishes customary in the
region. The diet consisted largely of fibre rich legumes like beans, lentils, chickpeas and
peas. The dishes were flavoured with the many spices and condiments grown in the balmy
Mediterranean climate.
Locally grown spices include garlic, oregano, basil and parsley. The south also produces
olive oil and great varieties of fruit and vegetables. In fact, it is not uncommon to see
rotating vegetable and legume crops during the four seasons. For example: tomatoes,
beans and eggplant are grown in the summer; broccoli and cauliflower are grown in late
fall/early winter; and fennel, broad beans and lettuce are seeded in the winter for an early
spring growth.
Pasta is common to both the north and the south. The difference resides in the sauces. In
the north, pasta is usually served with dairy sauces Ñ cheeses like ricotta, sour cream and
whipping cream. Well-known dishes include tortellini alla panna and fettuccini alfredo.
Tomato and spicy sauces are common in the south. Pasta dishes from the south include
lasagna, pasta and pesto, and spaghetti carbonara. Pasta dishes are quick and easy to
make. Pasta has a very high nutritional value that explains its increasing popularity
throughout the world.
During the period leading to World War II, there were few Italian stores in Manitoba.
Household cooks used local ingredients to make their own pasta, bread and sausage. In
the summer, tomatoes, peppers, beans, eggplant and zucchini were grown and turned into
tomato sauce or jarred in oil. To immigrants, this process was doubly advantageous: they
enjoyed the food they were accustomed to and by making their own food, they saved on
grocery bills.
The influx of Italians after World War II resulted in a variety of Italian grocery stores.
Italian food, either imported from Italy or produced by Italian Canadian companies, filled
the shelves of these stores. Most of them were located in Italian neighbourhoods. Italian
food is extremely popular among non-Italians. Consumers recognize the high nutritional
value in these foods and major grocery store chains now carry Italian foods as staples.
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WINEMAKING
Winemaking is an ancient tradition that dates back to the Etruscans who settled in Umbria
and Tuscany around 600 B.C. In Italy, making wine is an art, with each step carefully
planned and executed.
When Italians arrived in Manitoba, they quickly realized that not only did this new land
produce no grapes, but legislation also made it illegal to make wine. Despite these
obstacles Italians pressed ahead. Rather than purchase wine at the local liquor
commissions, many enlisted the aid of Italian grocers to bring in grapes from the Napa
Valley in California.
Initially lacking the necessary equipment to crush grapes, new immigrants resorted to the
traditional method of stomping on them in a half-cut barrel. They also built rudimentary
torchi (grape pressers) to squeeze the juice and purchased huge whiskey barrels to store
it for fermentation. They constructed wine cellars in their basements where they could
store the barrels and rack the wine bottles. These cellars had to be built in areas where
the ideal temperature could be maintained for aging.
Today, winemaking is a respected industry. Legislation now allows winemaking at home.
Larger retail chains, recognizing the commercial potential, bring in large quantities of
California grapes and Italian stores sell barrels as well as electric and manual grape
crushers. However, as it often is with traditions, younger Manitoba Italians tend not to
pursue winemaking. Instead, they buy wine at the local liquor commission or private wine
stores.
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EDUCATION PROFILE
EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN ITALY
Italy's educational system is designed to meet the challenges
inherent in providing the individual with the largest choice of
marketable trade skills and professions. The system, which is
under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Public Instruction
(Ministero della Pubblica Istruzione), consists of kindergarten,
elementary school, junior and senior high school.
High schools feature either linguistics and humanities or
science and medicine. Students continuing from high school
can choose:
Quick Links
Table of Contents
Preface
Regional Overview of
Italy
Italian Presence in
Manitoba
Social Profile
Cultural Profile
Education Profile
Economic Profile
Bibliography
z university for general arts and science
z magistero for language and education
z polytechnical institute for architecture, computers and engineering
z trade school for a variety of trades.
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EDUCATION OF MANITOBA ITALIANS
Manitoba Italians value education. From a social perspective, education is viewed as a
critical tool in removing barriers to mainstream society. It is also seen as playing an
important role in creating and defining leadership roles. From an economic perspective,
education is an important vehicle for enhancing socio-economic mobility. It has helped
Italians move from menial labour to well-paid, intellectually stimulating white-collar
professions. Italians also recognize that, with the growing impact of technology in the
workplace and society, a better education involves acquiring skills deemed essential in
meeting the challenges of the modern world.
While Italy now has one of the highest literacy rates in the industrialized world, this was
not always the case. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, in many areas of Italy
(particularly the south and north-east) as much as 90 per cent of the population was
illiterate. Many generations of Italians grew up with very little education.
Parents, often motivated by economic necessities, believed children contributed more to
the family by going to work and earning a wage, than by attending school. Even if parents
wanted their children to receive an education, the opportunities were few and far between.
Schools were almost non-existent in the villages and even the larger centres had few
schools. The few teachers that were available were poorly trained.
After World War II, the Italian government began to address the woeful state of the
education system. First it entrenched in the constitution the right of every citizen to an
education. Next, the government enforced compulsory attendance up to grade five and in
the early 1960s, up to grade eight. This legislation and the rise in living standards virtually
eliminated illiteracy by the early 1970s.
For many Italian Manitobans, lack of education was a major obstacle to upward mobility in
the workplace. Early post-World War II Italian immigrants who came to Manitoba had very
little formal education. The new education policies in Italy came too late to benefit them.
They were raised in a culture that valued learning a trade over classical schooling. As a
result, many Italian children were pulled out of school and trained to become barbers,
tailors, shoemakers, seamstresses, carpenters, bricklayers, etc. Individuals who arrived in
Manitoba knowing a trade were generally able to procure work in a short time. In fact,
they were often able to use their considerable skills in areas outside their training until
they found a job that suited them better.
Perhaps a greater obstacle confronted by Italians during this period was the language
barrier. Being unable to speak English meant they had to start at the lowest level in the
education system. Until they could overcome this barrier, their credentials meant very
little. Unlike today, few Italians enrolled in ESL (English as Second Language) classes, or
attended school regularly. Initially, there was little incentive to learn English, because they
tended to work mainly with other Italians, and in most cases, the rudimentary English they
did learn was enough for them to get by.
Students in their teens, who had completed elementary school in Italy, found it difficult to
adapt to the Manitoba school system. Frustrated by language difficulties and embarrassed
by being placed in classes with students much younger than themselves, these individuals
often left school as soon as they met the compulsory requirements. On the other hand,
pre-teens who started school when they arrived in Manitoba, usually finished high school
and many went to university.
Today, young Manitoba Italians consider education a critical element in moving up the
social ladder and a necessary means to higher-paying positions and greater job security. It
is common to find these individuals enrolled in universities and community colleges
encompassing a broad range of professional and technical fields. Within their community,
students recognize the sacrifices their immigrant parents made to keep them in school and
are indebted to them.
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Immigrate Manitoba
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Quick Links
ECONOMIC PROFILE
Table of Contents
Italians have contributed significantly to Manitoba's economic
development in the workplace and the home. They bring
considerable skills and expertise to the job market. As well,
their aspirations toward a higher standard of living result in
purchases of a broad range of material goods.
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Preface
Regional Overview of
Italy
Italian Presence in
Manitoba
Social Profile
Cultural Profile
Education Profile
EMPLOYMENT IN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR
Economic Profile
Bibliography
Historically Italians, like most immigrants, filled the jobs
located at the low end of the scale. For some, work was to be temporary -- just enough to
save sufficient money to return to Italy and purchase land. The type of work was irrelevant
as long as they could make enough money to go back to their homeland.
Others came with the intention to stay. Choosing the proper workplace was of greater
importance for this group. Some factors that played a role in their decision-making were:
wages; skill requirements; presence of other Italians in the workplace; proximity of
residence to workplace; opportunities for upward mobility; relationship with management;
and a non-discriminatory environment.
Most jobs filled by these early immigrants were with private firms and companies, with the
exception of the Canadian National Railway, a public corporation. In fact, prior to the 1
960s, few Manitoba Italians worked in government or public service. They found it difficult
to obtain employment in these areas due to lack of English and poor education.
Over the past quarter-century, this situation has changed significantly. The greater
demand for public services has led to the creation of a host of government agencies, nonprofit organizations and crown corporations. Also, the public service job market has
responded to changing population trends such as a diversified and expanding ethnic
population. Manitoba Italians -- particularly the
younger, more educated ones -- have benefited from this process and secured jobs in the
public service sector.
Though increasing numbers of Manitoba Italians are working in the public sector, the vast
majority holds private sector jobs. Historically, Italian immigrants worked as navvies for
Canadian railway companies; seamstresses for the garment industry; labourers,
carpenters, bricklayers and cement finishers for the construction industry; and cooks,
janitors and maids for the expanding service sector. At present, the number of Italian
Manitobans employed in these industries is dwindling. This is likely due to restructuring
and downsizing as well as the fact that many of these post World War II immigrants have
reached retirement age.
In the 1970s and 1980s, the sons and daughters of these post World War II immigrants
were graduating from universities, community colleges and vocational schools. The
booming economy of this period provided them with plenty of secure and well-paid jobs.
Today, many Manitoba Italians are lawyers, accountants, teachers, engineers and
managers. Those graduating from vocational schools and community colleges are
employed as industrial supervisors, building technicians, bookkeepers, etc.
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Immigrate Manitoba
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BUSINESSES
Since their arrival in Manitoba, Italians have been drawn to entrepreneurship. Being selfemployed was viewed as a means to greater financial stability for themselves and their
families. They also believed being a successful businessperson earned one status and
prestige, much the same as owning land in Italy did. As well, on a personal level, owning a
business meant being your own boss.
The early Italian settlers were fruit peddlers or they owned grocery stores, coffee shops,
restaurants, barber shops or tailor shops. Many of the businesses were located in the west
end, Transcona and Fort Rouge. Of these three areas, only Fort Rouge (especially Corydon
Avenue), still has a significant concentration of Italian businesses.
Following the Second World War and throughout the 1970s and 1980s, as the community
grew, more Italians began to set up their own businesses. These included restaurants,
construction firms, hair salons, grocery stores, real estate agencies and auto body shops.
Due to major restructuring in the construction industry, many Manitoba Italians who found
themselves out of work turned to setting up businesses that reflected their skills. Painting,
tile-setting, carpentry and bricklaying were just a few of the areas pursued. Others who
lost their jobs, especially those individuals in their fifties, have unfortunately swelled the
ranks of the unemployed.
A pronounced increase in the self-employed population is creating a new set of needs that
have to be addressed. The issues vary from the knowledge of employment standards
legislation to workplace health and safety regulations to access to small business grants.
The decisions to be made and the changes to come will have a significant impact on Italian
Manitoban entrepreneurs.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY OF MATERIALS ON ITALY AND
ITALIANS IN CANADA
Government Sources
Canada. Department of Labour. The Royal Commission
Appointed to Inquire into the Immigration of Italian Labourers
to Montreal and the Alleged Fraudulent Practice of Employment
Agencies. Report of Commissioner and Evidence. Ottawa: S.E.
Dawson, Printer to the King,1905.
Quick Links
Table of Contents
Preface
Regional Overview of
Italy
Italian Presence in
Manitoba
Social Profile
Cultural Profile
Education Profile
Economic Profile
Canada. Department of Secretary of State. Italians in Canada.
Ottawa: Canadian Citizenship Branch, Department of Secretary
of State, 1949.
Bibliography
Canada. Public Archives of Canada. Immigration Branch Records RG76.
Canada. Public Archives of Canada. Multiculturalism Records.
Canada. Public Archives of Canada. Records of Boarder Crossings at Emerson, Manitoba.
Immigrate Manitoba
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Canada. Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Annual reports, 1941-1944.
Canada. Public Archives of Canada. Ship Passenger Lists.
Canada. Statistics Canada. Census Data.
Italy. Ministero Degli Affari Esteri. Consiglio Nazionale Dell' Economia e Del Lavoro.
(Ministry of External Affairs. National Council on Economy and Labour). Pagine
D'Emigrazione (literary anthology edited by Sandro Gigliotti). Roma: Fratelli Palombi
Editori, 1988.
Italy. Ministero Degli Affari Esteri. Consiglio Nazionale Dell' Economia e Del Lavoro.
(Ministry of External Affairs. National Council on Economy and Labour). Profilo Statistico
Sull' Emigrazione Italiana Nell' Ultimo Quarantennio (Statistical Profile on Italian
Emigration in the last forty years). Roma: Fratelli Palombi Editori, 1988.
Italy. Ministero Degli Affari Esteri. Consiglio Nazionale Dell' Economia e Del Lavoro.
Rassegna Bibliografica Sull' Emigrazione Italiana All' Estero(1975 - 1988)(Bibliography of
sources on Italian Emigration abroad,1975-1 988). Roma: Fratelli Palmobi Editori, 1988.
City of Winnipeg. Tax Assessment Rolls.
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Church Sources
Holy Rosary Church. Parish Papers, Marriage, Death and Baptismal Registers.
Sacre-Coeur Paroisse FRANÇAISe. Parish Papers, Marriage, Death and Baptismal Registers.
St. Mary's. Parish Papers, Marriage, Death and Baptismal Registers.
United Church Archives (University of Winnipeg).
Newspapers and Newsletters
Bollettino Casa D'ltalia (Winnipeg: 1982-83)
Corriere della Sera (Milan)
Globe and Mail (Toronto)
Il Lavoratore (The Worker; Toronto 1936-1938)
Il Progresso (Progress; Winnipeg 1973)
La Voce degli Italo-Canadesi (The Voice of the Italian Canadians; Toronto 1938-1940)
Manitoba Free Press
Messaggero Italo-Canadese (The Italian Canadian Mesenger;
Winnipeg; 1968-1969)
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Per Conoscerci Meglio (To Get to Know us Better; Winnipeg 1983-1984)
Winnipeg Free Press
Winnipeg Tribune
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Other Archives and Repositories
Manitoba Museum of Man and Nature
University of Manitoba. Map Collections
University of Manitoba. Elizabeth Dafoe Library
University of Winnipeg Library.
Books
Artibise, Alan F. J. "Patterns of Population Growth and Ethnic Relationships in Canada 1874
– 1974." Histoire Sociale/Social History Vol. IX, 18
(Nov. 1976): 297-335.
Bagnell. Kenneth. Canadese. A Portrait of Italian Canadians. Toronto: Macmillan of
Canada, 1989.
Bartocci, Gianni (ed.). On ltaly and ltalians. Guelph: Office of Continuing Education,
Univeristy of Guelph, 1974.
Candeloro, Giorgio. Storia Moderna dell' Italia (Vols. 5 & 6). Milano: Feltrinelli Editore,
1972.
Carbone, Stanislao. Italians in Winnipeg: An Illustrated History. Winnipeg: University of
Manitoba Press, 1998.
Carbone, Stanislao. The Streets Were Not Paved With Gold: A Social History of Italians in
Winnipeg. Winnipeg: Manitoba Italian Heritage Committee, 1993.
Caroli, Betty Boyd, Robert F. Harney and Lydio F. Tomasi (eds.). The Italian Immigrant
Woman in North America. Toronto: Multicultural History Society of Ontario, 1978.
Ciccocelli, Joseph Anthony. "The Innocuous Enemy Alien: Italians in Canada during World
War II." M.A. diss., University of Western Ontario, 1977.
Ciufoletti, Zeffiro and Maurizio Degl'lnnocenti. L'Emigrazione nella Storia d' Italia 18681975 (2vol.). Firenze: Vallecchi Editore, 1978.
DiFranco, Anthony. ltaly: Balanced on the Edge of Time. Minneapolis: Dillon Press, 1983.
Foerster, Robert F. The Italian Emigration of Our Times. Cambridge: Harvard University
Press, 1924.
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Fratellanza Amatese. RicordiAmatesi 1946- 1986. Winnipeg: Mid -Canada Press, 1986.
Gosselin, Leslie A. (ed.). Celebration!: A Guide to Religious and National Holidays in a
Multicultural Milieu. Halifax: Multicultural Association of Nova Scotia, 1986.
Friesen, Gerald. The Canadian Prairies: A History. Toronto: University of Toronto Press,
1984.
Harney, Robert F. Dalla Frontiera alle Little Italies: Gli Italiani in Canada 1800 Ñ1945.
Roma: Bonacci Editore, 1984.
Harney, Robert and J. Vincenza Scarpaci (eds.). Little Italies in North America. Toronto:
Multicultural History Society of Ontario, 1981.
lacovetta, Franca. "From Contadina to Worker: Southern Italian Working Women in
Toronto, 1947 – 1962." Polyphony 7, No.2 (Fall/Winter 1985): 91 – 97.
Levi, Carlo. Christ Stopped at Ebolt New York: Farrar, Strauss and Co., 1947.
Penn, Roberto and Franc Sturino (eds.). Arrangiarsi: The Italian Immigrant Experience in
Canada. Montreal: Guernica,1988.
Porter, John. The Vertical Mosaic: An Analysis of Social Class and Power in Canada.
Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1965.
Potestio, John (ed.). The Memoirs of Giovanni Veltri. Toronto: Multicultural History Society
of Ontario and Ontario Heritage Foundation, 1987.
Potestio, John and Antonio Pucci (eds.). The Italian Immigrant Experience. Thunder Bay:
Canadian Italian Historical Association, 1988.
Pozzetta, George E. (ed.). Pane e Lavoro: The Italian American Working Class. Toronto:
Multicultural History Society of Ontario, 1980.
Procacci, Giuliano. History of the ltalian People. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books, 1968.
Smith, Denis Mack. The Making of ltaly 1796- 1870. London: Macmillan, 1968.
Spada, A.V. ltalians in Canada. Montreal: Riviera Printers and Publishers, 1969.
Villari, Rosario (ed.). Il Sud nella storia d'Italia. Ban: Editori laterza, 1981.
Zucchi, John E. Italians in Toronto: Development of a National Identity 1875 Ñ 1935.
Kingston and Montreal: McGill – Queen's University
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