During
the last Christmas holidays (1986
) Nick Fazzalari came to Caulonia; we would like to confess
that he gained our admiration immediately for what he
did for our community resident abroad, along with a group
of other Caulonians, now Australian citizens.
We talked with Nick Fazzalari for a long
time and other than the quite interesting information which he
gave us regarding work and life in general for our emigrates in Australia,
the conversation revealed itself interesting because of
the love and moving tenderness for our land that transpired from his
every word.
Nostalgia
for the faraway land
We
seemed to discover within his soul a much more solid attachment to
our roots than we ourselves have. The nostalgia for a
distant land, that disconsolate feeling for lost loves are not rhetorical
images but honest sentiments strongly felt by our emigrated
peasants torn from their world closed between four mountains
and the sea, which they used to dominate with complete security and
which has now turned into a new open reality which is
both known yet almost hostile.
We asked Nick Fazzalari a few
questions which he answered with great interest, offering us a lot
of news about Australia and our old fellow villagers.
Are there any relationships
between the Caulonians who live in Australia?
Absolutely,
and frequent ones; we have even set up a committee for the celebration
of Saint Ilarione whose members are: Nick Fazzalari (President),
Nicola Fameli (Vice-president), Richard Goldych (Secretary),
Joe Fantò (Treasurer), Tony Bombardieri (Public Officer), Pietro Dichiera,
Frank Alvaro, Ilario Nesci, Mario Cavallo, Vince Franze,
Lorenzo Bonifacio. The attorneys are: Roy Fazzalari, John
A. F. Costa and Anthony Costa. As you can see, it isn’t really a simple
committee but an actual company which goes by the name
of : “Society St. Hilarion”.
Since when
has the festivity of Saint Ilarione been celebrated?
The
first celebration took place in 1955 following the initiative of Ilario
Lamberto, Giovanni Costa, Ilario Fazzalari, my father,
and of a cappuccino friar of Italian origin.
The idea of bringing the statue
of Saint Ilario to Australia was professor Lamberto’s and my father’s.
The first celebration took place using a
small statue which Giuseppe Ciccarello had brought with him when
he emigrated. The following year the bigger statue we use today was
brought from Italy. This was the way of things for a few
years until, following the death of my father, the festivity dwindled
to a mere religious occurrence. Around then, G. Costa
gathered us, the younger generation, and invited us to
take in hand the organisation of the festivities. That is when we
set up the company which has handled the festivities for
the past twenty years.
The celebration of the festivity
has gradually increased over the last twenty years. Today it is a
very serious occurrence, more so if one takes into account
the number of people who come from all parts of Australia
to take part in it. Up to 6000-7000 people take part in the festivity
every year.
After us, even the Neapolitan
community organised their festivity in Australia. Today, in Australia,
around 26 festivities are organised by Italian communities,
among them is also the festivity of the Madonna di Crochi.
How is the festivity celebrated?
There
is the religious part and the civil part. The religious part begins
with the novena; then, on the Sunday morning there is
a procession along the main streets of Adelaide; the procession, in
which 2/3000 people take part, is usually 1- 1 ½ Km long.
Once the religious festivity is over, the civil one begins.
How
is the civil festivity celebrated?
Once
the religious festivity is over, those who wish to,
can stay at the Campo di S. Michele to eat. We organise
a series of stands which we run. At these stands,
our traditional foods can be found: from pork skewers
to zeppole (a kind of doughnut), from lupines to
local wine. All members of the company, but not only,
are involved in working the stands and giving everyone
the opportunity to eat in the open.
For those who do not wish to eat outside with us, can
leave and come back later in the afternoon. It is, after
all, in the afternoon that the recreational activities
begin and carry on until nine or ten in the evening. |
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How
much does it cost you to organise the festivities?
Not
a lot, because we ourselves work a lot and we try to limit the costs
to a few items: chair rental, table rental, orchestra
and singers costs (we must underline that we do not engage famous
singers because they would cost too much).
How
much money are you able to gather through subscriptions?
None
because we don’t do subscriptions. They are not well seen, that is
why we did them once and then never again. Even without
subscriptions however, when things go well the event leaves us with
up to 5-6000$ to use for the next festivity.
Other
than during the festivities of Saint Ilarione, do you meet up in other
circumstances with other expatriates?
Of
course; in the meanwhile we organise other celebrations as well: in
April we have the chestnut night, in June a fancy costume
ball, in September the Calabrian evening and in November, the new
ball. We also meet up in occasion of the “Melbourne cup”.
The Women’s committee organise a costume show which is
held in a very elegant hotel in Adlaide.
From
what you have told me, I can see that occasions for meetings among
Caulonians (and not only) in Australia are frequent. But
are the initiatives you take only in occasion of these festivities?
No.
We are working on another important initiative which is only just
beginning: that of setting up for our community, and more
generally, the Italian emigrates, a hospice.
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Could
you expand on that?
Yes.
We obtained from the Australian government a consistent
financial contribution, around a million dollars
to which we added around 400 thousand dollars which
we managed to save over the years, raised by the
festivities. With this sum we bought a Hospice in
which to provide shelter for old Italians, above
all Calabrians who don’t have any assistance.
The actual structure has a capacity
for 50 bed places; until now the Italians admitted
are 8 but gradually we shall fill it with our compatriots.
We called the house “S. Ilario Nursing Home” and
it is administered by the following fellow townsmen
and compatriots: John Costa (Administrator), Dr.
Frank Chitti (Chairman), Dr. Ben Barbera (Vice chairman),
Nick Fazzalari (Chief executive officer), Roy Fazzalari
(Secretary), Joe Fantò (Finance), Anthony Costa
(Public officer) and John A. F. Costa (Supplies
officer).
Who
is the owner of the Hospice?
The
Society of Saint Hilarion, but it is administered by
the committee above mentioned headed by Giovanni
Costa.
Where
do you find the necessary financing?
Part
is paid by the guests, around 87%, the rest is given
to us by the government which is very sensitive
to old people’s assistance. The government closely
controls the management of the hospice and every
week it sends its inspectors to control things.
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Have
you taken any other initiatives?
Years
ago we bought a house to use as office for the Saint Ilario committee.
Eight years later we sold it for double the money it was
bought with. With those earnings we bought some land on which to
build a meeting place for all the Caulonians of Adelaide, now the
same land is worth more than we paid for it, also because
we consistently invested in it. We have many other ideas which we
could bring to life much better with help from you. Therefor,
we invite you to come and visit us in Australia and we
will promise to come and visit you in Italy.
Nick,
I have always thought about an association which could bring meetings
and cultural exchanges between you and us. What do you
think about this idea?
It
would be wonderful. Regarding this topic, I must tell you that we
would like to create a museum in Adelaide in order to
valorise our traditions.
This
ends the interview with Nick Fazzalari.
If through any kind of publication
we could be able to create a stronger bond between Caulonians who
live in Adelaide and, more generally, in Australia, it would mean
that our meeting has not been fruitless.
If we are capable enough to
create an effective connection (possible to do if all Caulonians participate)
with those who live in Caulonia and those who have emigrated to Australia
or elsewhere, this paper of ours would greatly gain in
quality.
Many thanks to Nick and take
our most affectionate love to our fellow townspeople. Arrivederci
From
Caulonia to Adelaide: interview with Nick Fazzalari
by
Nicola Frammartino
- Il Giornale di Caulonia -
1986
Translated by Alexia
Mazza
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