A Time to Celebrate

The native villages of Italian-Canadian immigrants were the site of many festivities. In addition to the major holidays - Christmas, Easter and Assumption Day - every village celebrated the feast days of its patron saint and a number of other saints. Then there were the celebrations associated with rites of passage - baptism, first communion, confirmation, marriage - as well as carnival, fairs and festivities associated with the agricultural cycle.

These special times when people got together interrupted economic activity and, in a light-hearted manner, asserted the importance of social interaction.

In Canada, the feast days of village patron saints and the celebrations associated with rites of passage are the ones most often observed and adapted to the new context. In fact, feast day celebrations seem to have become more popular since the 1980s, sometimes reappearing after a lapse of several years.

Traglia — wheat sled used during the Festival of St. Anne (Wheat Festival) Made by Joe Fratino and family, and Gennaro Ciaccia and family Canada 2002 Wheat, wood, metal, textile, leather, willow, plastic, paper, feathers Lent by Joe Fratino and family, and Gennaro Ciaccia and family Traglie were originally pulled by oxen and used to transport wheat at harvest time. Since the early nineteenth century, the inhabitants of the village of Jelsi, in the Molise region, have been decorating them with garlands and braided wheat for use as parade floats during the Festival of St. Anne, also known as the Wheat Festival, which is held on July 26. This festival is also held in various communities where immigrants from Jelsi now live. In Montreal, for example, it has been celebrated since the early 1980s. Several families prepare floats similar to this one, using wheat from fields outside the city. Floats with a more whimsical theme have also appeared over the years: a rock group, famous monuments (Tower of Pisa, Eiffel Tower), spaceships, etc.

(1) Cercemaggiore village banner Molise region, Italy c. 1990 Used in Canada Textile, thread Lent by Marco D'Amico and family (2) Banner of the Associazione Italo-Canadese San Martino in Pensilis Canada 1976 Textile, thread Lent by the Italian-Canadian Association of San Martino in Pensilis, Montreal (3) Rapolla village banner Basilicata region, Italy Date unknown Textile Lent by Donato Caivano (4) Banner of the Club Social Larino Frenter Made by Maria Malorni Canada 1980 Textile Lent by the Club Social Larino Frenter, Montreal

	Organetto — Italian diatonic accordion Made by Rita Livio The Marches region, Italy 1950s Used in Canada Leather, wood, metal, mother-of-pearl, paper Lent by Donato Caivano

(1) Two-head cylindrical drum Made by Angelo Quaciari Abruzzi region, Italy 1971 Used in Canada Leather, wood, stainless steel, sheepskin Lent by Bruno Di Gregorio (2) Bass drum and beater Abruzzi region, Italy 1890 Used in Canada Leather, wood, sheepskin Lent by Bruno Di Gregorio (3) Organetto - Italian diatonic accordion Made by Ruggieri Abruzzi region, Italy 1985 Used in Canada Leather, wood, stainless steel Lent by Bruno Di Gregorio These instruments are used by a group from Thunder Bay called Gran Sasso. The members of the group are pillars of their community, and participate in many local events, from birthday parties to fundraisers for education and health care. Their contribution to community spirit extends far beyond the Italian-Canadian community.

(1) Zampogna — Italian bagpipe Made by Michele Trozzolo Canada 1980s Cherry wood, goatskin, textile Canadian Museum of Civilization (2) Zuffolo — Italian whistle flute Made by Michele Trozzolo Canada 1980s Wood Canadian Museum of Civilization (3) Piffaro — Italian shawm Made by Michele Trozzolo Canada 1980s Wood Canadian Museum of Civilization The bagpipe known as a zampogna is played with the piffaro and the zuffolo at Christmas and on New Year's Day in central and southern Italy. Michele Trozzolo learned to make these instruments in Canada. Today, his bagpipes are played by some of his friends, not only in Toronto, but also in his native village in Italy, where they are no longer made.

(1) Carnival costume Clothing made by Maria Ciarma Cockade and sword made by Camillo D'Alesio, Angelo Di Michele, Giuseppe Scartozzi, Egidio Pedicelli Canada 2001 Textile, wood, wool, paper Lent by the Associazione Regionale dei Marchigiani A.L.M.A. Canada Inc., Montreal (2) Carnival cockade Made by Camillo D'Alesio, Angelo Di Michele, Giuseppe Scartozzi, Egidio Pedicelli Canada 2001 Paper Lent by the Associazione Regionale dei Marchigiani A.L.M.A. Canada Inc., Montreal This is the costume worn by the zanni, characters from the carnival held in a number of villages in the Marches region. On the day of the carnival, young men traditionally dressed up as zanni and went to the neighbouring villages, where they sang. They knocked on the doors of the houses and brandished their wooden swords if anyone refused to offer them wine and ravioli stuffed with chestnuts. Natives of the Marches who now live in Montreal have recently revived this tradition. Even if the carnival is now held in a hall, the zanni are still present, as is the ravioli stuffed with chestnuts.

	Carnival swords Made by Camillo D'Alesio, Angelo Di Michele, Giuseppe Scartozzi, Egidio Pedicelli Canada 2001 Wood, wool, textile Lent by the Associazione Regionale dei Marchigiani A.L.M.A. Canada Inc., Montreal