Buona Pasqua!

Buongiorno a tutti i miei amici!! I hope that you are all well and finally enjoying some Spring sunshine :-)

We are now in Easter week which is one of the most significant periods in the Sicilian calendar. Every year, the atmosphere in Sicilian towns changes considerably throughout the week according to the day and its religious implications. Even the weather usually changes accordingly, with the week prior to Easter being dark and miserable only to give way to glorious sunshine on Easter Sunday. My own personal experiences of the week's events have mostly been in the town of Adrano, which is situated at the foot of Mount Etna, in the province of Catania. The processions are so elaborate and moving in this town, and they attract thousands of devotees.

Today the procession of 'Cristo alla Colonna' takes place from 6pm until 3am tomorrow morning, when the statue of Christ on the cross is carried throughout the streets of Adrano, calling in at each of the town's churches in order for the men carrying the statue to kneel at each altar. This is so emotional to watch as the statue is carried very slowly, three steps forward then two steps back, and sways from side to side.

On Good Friday from 7am until 2pm the statue of the Virgin Mary, l'Addolorata, is carried through the streets visiting each church looking for her son Jesus, and at 8pm there is the procession of 'Cristo Morto'. In dialect, this is 'U Lizzanti' and is the statue of the body of Jesus which makes four stops around the town, each time accompanied by a marching band playing the funeral song 'Canzoncina a Gesù morto'.

On Easter Sunday the sun shines bright in the sky and hundreds of families head towards the town centre to see the procession of 'Cristo Risorto' (Christ Resurrected), the Angel and of 'Maria Annunziata' (Virgin Mary).

The happiest time of the day is when the statues of Jesus and Mary finally meet and this is known as 'A Paci'. The statues are made to dance and kiss and the atmosphere in the piazza is so happy and uplifting. Adrano is renowned for 'la Diavolata', which is a theatrical production held outside in the piazza on Easter Sunday and depicts the fight between good (symbolised by angels) and evil (the devils). In the evening the town holds an incredible fireworks display.

I wish each one of you a 'Buona Pasqua' and leave you with a video in Italian showing the highlights of Easter in Adrano -

Amici, if you enjoy reading my blog please become a follower by registering at the Google 'Join this site' icon at the top right of the page. Grazie mille for your support!!

A presto :-)

Debra
www.sicilianconnections.com

My Interview with Joe Zarba - Renowned Sicilian-American Photographer

Buongiorno a tutti! I recently interviewed a friend of mine, Joe Zarba, who is a very talented photographer based in Brooklyn, New York. Joe's parents were born and raised in Italy and 10 years ago he started to research his ancestral town of Leonforte in Sicily. I would like to share some of this interview with you as it gives a great insight into his photography and is an inspiration to those researching their own Sicilian ancestry -

Good Morning Joe. Please can you tell us a little about yourself and how you became interested in photography? First, may I thank you for the privilege of this interview. I was born in Jersey City, New Jersey and grew up a very happy child in Union City, NJ. As a child the saddest thing was that my father, who grew up in Sicily, died when I was 13. This event has coloured and shaped my entire life. I spent the major part of my adult life teaching photography in a middle school here in Brooklyn, NY. It was something I always wanted to do, but never thought I’d have a chance to do, so I never gave it a second thought and then it was dumped in my lap so to speak. There were two cameras and two enlargers at the school and I proudly say I developed (no pun intended) a very reputable program over the course of 20 years. Ironically, I didn’t pick up a camera until I was 26, which was quite a while ago! As far as instruction, I am completely self -taught, having gotten my first camera from my father-in-law of my first marriage. The camera had no light meter so I wrote down every exposure and under what conditions I shot until I really learned light.

I read everything I could get my hands on and I still have the major periodical that taught me everything. It was an issue of a magazine called Modern Photography and the article was entitled, “Everything you Need to Know about 35mm Photography” Even though we are in the digital age, I consider it still to be a classic of basic fundamental photography. While the technology changes, the science remains the same. A special thanks goes out to Jim Marsh, who needed a place for his enlarger and used my basement. It was Jim who taught me how to print. My photography now is really relegated to my images of Sicily, many of which can be found on my blog siciliabedda-beddasicilia.blogspot.com I have ideas for lots of projects but four grandchildren happily fill up a major part of my life. One project in particular, is finding, interviewing and photographing people who were born in Sicily, emigrated and then went back, a story in reverse so to speak. We’ll see what happens with this, but if anyone knows of people in this category, I would be forever grateful to speak to them. Can you please explain to us your connections to the island of Sicily? I grew up in an Italian culture. My mom was born here, also in New Jersey of parents from Campobasso on the mainland and my father was raised with his three brothers and two sisters in Sicily before he and two brothers separately emigrated to the U.S. I used to sit and look over my dads’ shoulder as he wrote letters home every week. Phone calls were out of the question. My mother who passed away in 2002 was as wonderful as any child could ask for but I was always a daddy’s boy. My mom was the disciplinarian and he always protected me! When he died, there was a hole in my heart which I carried with me, mostly unconsciously, until 1988 when I made my first trip to Sicily with my wife Susan whom I credit with being the driving force in my finding my father’s family, connecting, building a relationship and giving me the closure I never had. On that trip, we happened to drive to Nissoria (EN) where my two aunts and uncle lived. Fortunately, there was a guy from Queens NY staying with them who did all the translating as I knew only American-Italian which was just a combination of Italian words, real or imagined. I never got the story of why this guy was there or his connection but this was a beginning. It wasn’t until about 15 years later, when my wife Susan noticed that most of my photos, whether here or there, were of older men. She stated the obvious; “Joe, you are looking for your father”. After having been to Venice to photograph Carnevale three times, she said, it is time you went to Sicily to find your family. The obviousness of this statement changed my life. Fast forwarding, In October of 2003, I believe it was, I wrote an e mail to the ‘comune’ in Leonforte where I knew my cousin was (the aunts and uncle had all passed away by this time). I was almost glad they didn’t respond because of my language fears and the thought of having them believe I was a relative. Anyway, the following February I went to Carnevale in Acireale, Sicily “armed” with a photo book of our entire family including my cousin Angela when she was a child. One Friday it poured and all the events were cancelled for the day. I said, what the heck, and I decided to drive to Leonforte trying to time my drive so the ‘comune’ would be closed for ‘pranzo’ and maybe for the weekend! Well, they were open! I took a deep breath, walked in and introduced myself. All of a sudden I was mobbed and apologies were given for not having gotten back to me. They remembered the email as soon as I introduced myself! We chatted, they took all my information again and promised to do a search and get back to me. This being the town where my dad grew up, I did not want to leave so I just walked the town looking for the oldest people I could find to ask if they knew anyone with the last name Zarba not knowing that in Sicily it is pronounced differently as Zarba`. After a few hours of ‘No, mi (or ci) dispiace”, I decided to return to Acireale. As I was going down the hill, a little old fiat cinquecento pulled in front of me, motioned for me to get out of the car. The man inside was the same man, Gianmaria, I met in the ‘comune’. He handed me a post it with information and told me to, “Go back into town, go to a bar and ask for help. THIS IS YOUR RELATIVE”! I reluctantly did just that and a man in the first bar I went into KNEW my cousin so we walked to her apartment, (which is the same apartment my father and his siblings grew up in) rang the bell and this woman and her daughter came down. He told them, “This gentleman is from New York and SAYS he is a relative of yours”. I showed her the book and she knew it was true because there she was with her mother, aunt and uncle.as well as those who emigrated. The story goes on and on but I could feel the hole finally closing. How did it feel to finally visit Leonforte, the town that is so important to your family? It is one thing to visit the town but can you imagine going to the same home your father or mother grew up in? I still get goose pimples thinking of it! Of course it has been renovated but walking the three floors is a journey in my father’s mind and shoes. I imagine conversations he may have had with his parents, brothers or sisters. I imagine what it may have looked like one hundred years ago as he was born in 1902. It is something so personal that trying to describe it takes away from the actual experience. I hope you enjoyed this extract of the interview. To see the rest of the questions please go to - http://www.sicilianconnections.com/?c=15336. A selection of Joe Zarba’s Sicilian photography is available to buy at http://www.sicilianconnections.com/Art-Store_11457.html. A presto :-) Debra Santangelo www.sicilianconnections.com P.S. If you enjoy reading my blog please become a follower by registering at the Google 'join this site' icon at the top of the blog page. Grazie mille for your support!!

The Festival of San Corrado - Noto, Siracusa

Buongiorno amici! I hope that many of you, even if you are not in Italy, have had the chance to enjoy some 'Carnevale' celebrations, or at least had the pleasure of enjoying some of the delicious Carnival food sold around the world!

Next week, on the 19th February, the Siracusan city of Noto will celebrate its Patron Saint and protector, San Corrado. Corrado Confalonieri originated from 14th century Piacenza and chose to leave all of his possessions behind to become a Franciscan monk and undertake a pilgrimage across Italy. He eventually retreated to a grotto in Noto and lived his life as a reclusive hermit. He was known as a kind, generous man who performed many miracles and when he died on the 19th February 1351, legend has it that the church bells started to ring of their own accord.

Church of San Corrado - Valley of the Miracles

Corrado was made a Saint on the 28th August 1515 and his mortal remains are carried through the streets of Noto in both February and August to commemorate his life and good deeds. These celebrations are renowned as being among the most poignant on the island of Sicily and thousands of Sicilians come to the town each year in honour of the Saint; many of the devoted followers choose to follow the procession barefoot. A marching band leads the procession and in the evening there is a spectacular firework display which can be witnessed from miles around.

The city of Noto is famous for its 18th Century buildings including the beautiful cathedral and has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can read about Noto's annual flower festival which takes place in May in last year's blog post - http://sicilianconnections.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/baroque-noto-in-bloom.html.

Enjoy this Italian video documentary about last August's San Corrado festival in Noto, made by a local news team -

A presto!

Debra Santangelo
www.sicilianconnections.com

P.S. If you enjoy reading my blog please become a follower by registering at the Google 'join this site' icon at the top of the blog page. Grazie mille for your support!!

Almond Blossom Festival - Agrigento

Buongiorno a tutti! As the evenings start to turn lighter and we head into February, many of us start to look forward to the onset of Spring. The winter snow was fun and Christmas was enchanting as always, but I, for one, am certainly ready for the first rays of Spring sunshine to make their appearance.

On that note, I would like to talk about one of my favourite events in Sicily - La Sagra del Mandorlo in Fiore or 'the Almond Blossom Festival'. This annual event takes place in the majestic city of Agrigento and celebrates the first almond blossoms of the season - one of the earliest visible signs that Spring is coming.

The main city of Agrigento lies on a plateau overlooking the Mediterranean Sea on the southern coast of Sicily. It is the site of the ancient city of Akragas which dates back to around 580 BC and was described by the poet Pyndar as ''the most beautiful of mortal cities''. A great number of visitors come to the area to view some of the best-preserved Ancient Greek temples outside of Greece itself, which are situated in the 'Valle dei Templi' (Valley of the Temples) to the south of the city. This is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

From the 1st until the 10th February, the city comes alive with colourful folk dancers from across the world exhibiting their traditional costumes and dances for the gathered crowds. Local restaurants and bars in the area serve delicious almond dishes and vibrant processions take place throughout the town.

Enjoy this wonderful video which shows the festival's highlights from last year -

If you can't make it to the festival then why not enjoy some almond and honey cookies or 'Mastazzoli'. The recipe is at on my Christmas blog post - http://sicilianconnections.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/tis-season-of-sicilian-christmas.html.

A presto,

Debra Santangelo
www.sicilianconnections.com

P.S. If you enjoy reading my blog please become a follower by registering at the Google 'Join this site' icon on the right of the blog page. Grazie mille for your support!!

Buon Carnevale!

Buona sera a tutti! With memories of Christmas fading fast and the mountainous supply of panettone finally coming to an end, this can only mean one thing ....... it's Carnival time!! Carnevale in Italy is one of the year's biggest celebrations and towns throughout the peninsula come alive with music, parades and concerts. The word 'Carnevale' is thought to originate from the Latin words 'carnem levare' which literally mean 'to take away the meat', and this highlights the true reason for the festival which is to enjoy a final party before the restrictions of Lent.

Many towns, such as Venice, celebrate 'Carnevale' in February but, this year, the most famous carnival in Sicily will commence on Saturday 26th January in Acireale. On this day there will be a spectacular inaugural parade around the town at 5pm and then, until the 12th February, Acireale will be a flurry of amazing colours, embellished floats and, of course, mouth-watering Sicilian delicacies. The floats are enormous decorated platforms made by residents of the town and are judged throughout the competition for their design and originality. The winners will be announced at 11pm on the final day.

Other towns in Sicily which are renowned for their spectacular carnivals are Misterbianco, in the province of Catania, Sciacca in Agrigento and Termini Imerese in Palermo.

You can read more about the origins of 'Carnevale' on my carnival blog post from last year at http://sicilianconnections.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/la-vita-e-un-carnevale.html.

For a taste of what you can expect from the 'Carnevale di Acireale' enjoy this video of one of last year's finalists -

Buon Carnevale a tutti! I hope you get the chance to enjoy carnival time wherever you are in the world.  Be sure to share your photos and stories with us as always.

A presto,

Debra Santangelo
www.sicilianconnections.com

P.S. If you enjoy reading my blog please become a follower by registering at the Google 'Join this site' icon on the right of the blog page. Grazie mille for your support!!

My Interview with Francesca V. Mignosa

Buongiorno mondo! I hope that you are all well and that you had a wonderful Christmas and New Year. I also hope that you received some delicious candy from 'La Befana' rather than a piece of coal :-) Today I would like to share with you my recent interview with the author Francesca V. Mignosa. Francesca was recently awarded the Italian Literary Award 'Sicilia Mondo 2013' and her first book is called 'My Sicily: Living in the Cusp of the Mediterranean Sea'. I hope you enjoy it! -

Good Morning Francesca. Please can you start by telling us about your book ‘My Sicily’ and what inspired you to write it?

 

‘Though we left the island, the island never left us’….. I write in my book. “My Sicily” is a collection of personal memories, stories, emotions and favourite destinations as I associate them with each individual place in my native island. It is a personal and educational story (240 pages long) through the island of a thousand scents and colours. I cannot really explain how this project came about – I can just tell you that over the past sixteen years, I have always represented Sicily in the USA (whether I wanted to, or was asked to). This was never my primary intention, neither did it immediately relate to my academic studies, but the more I spoke about my native island, presented events, researched and wrote about it, the more I discovered fascinating aspects of my culture that I didn’t know existed and was so drawn to attempt to describe them in depth and from a different perspective. Sicily is not “mine,” it belongs to all Sicilians and, very affectionately, all Sicilians abroad. The title is such because it describes “my” favourite people, places and aspects of our culture.

 

You recently won the 2012 Italian Literary Award ‘Sicilia Mondo’ for your writing and your role as Ambassador of Sicily in the world. How did it feel to be so honoured by your home country?
 

Debra, I was absolutely stunned to receive this news! Also because I had already won the award in 2007 and so winning a second time around was almost unthinkable for me. Through the years, I have always remained close with President Avv. Azzia and Marco Belluardo – they have always followed my professional progress and completely surprised me this year again. I’m so humbled, honoured and delighted to have received such a prominent recognition. I hope to never let Sicilians abroad, and back home, down. I am and can’t be anything else but myself: a Sicilian-American with the best and highest intentions always at heart.

 

 

Do you feel that the media has had a negative influence on the perceptions of Sicily across the world?

 

Perhaps in the past but having now lived abroad for the past sixteen years, I can honestly say that there is a greater fascination towards our island and a more educated approach to the portrayal of Sicily and all aspects of our culture.

 

How do you think that your book will influence your readers’ understanding of the island and its culture?

 

My book is a very personal story, but I also conducted a year and half of research and writing. I divided the island into geographical areas: Eastern Sicily, South Eastern Sicily, Southern Sicily, The Heart of Sicily, Western Sicily, Northern Sicily, and the Sicilian Islands. For each individual place, I not only share personal stories, memories and emotions but also the highlights of history, art, cuisine, language, spirituality, the essence of Sicilians from various corners of the island and the values and flavours that make each destination so vibrant and unique. The book is written in a very simple, almost colloquial way, so that anyone, with any background could relate and understand the heart of Sicily and perhaps enjoy the journey so much that they would want to travel to our island! Mine was simply a labour of love – to have 12,000 followers on my blog is almost a miraculous happening for me. All I wanted to do was share a deep passion and love for the beautiful island where I was lucky enough to be born and share the beauty and sweetness of its people.

 

How easy was it for you to settle into the US after being born and raised in Sicily?

 

My mom is Sicilian-American so we were raised in a bicultural, multilingual home (speaking Italian, Sicilian, English and French at all times). We lived most of our lives between Sicily and the USA so geographically it wasn’t a difficult transition because we were accustomed to travelling between the two cultures. Obviously, emotionally it was so hard for two teenagers to leave best friends behind but I believe that our destinies are already written and clearly marked. I know it was meant for us to move to the USA, otherwise I might never have written my book if I still lived in Sicily. I believe that everything happens for a reason. I’m so thankful to my parents for having raised my sister and I to embrace the best of both cultures simultaneously at all times.

 

What similarities did you see between the Sicilian culture and that of second and third-generation Sicilian families living in America?

 

The values, the food, the spirituality, family, and the hard work ethics.

 

 

                                               

 

You have spent a lot of time touring recently to promote your book. Which aspects of Sicily do you miss the most while travelling?

 

You know, Debra, I feel I am in Sicily every time I talk about my island. I’ve been so touched by the love and support of my readers – they are so sweet and share personal stories of immigration, identity, belonging, cuisine, family anecdotes with me. They make me feel so special. Every time I talk about Sicily, I am in Sicily. As I meet the Sicilian communities of America, I am in Sicily – their warmth and affection is almost overwhelming, but we – Sicilians – know nothing but that abundant love. Even Americans are embracing the book profusely as they wish to learn more about the island from the perspective of a young/recent immigrant with an international background. I’m so touched by their love for Sicily – it is truly contagious.

 

Which destinations on the island would you recommend to our followers looking to travel to Sicily for a short stay and why?

 

Taormina – It was built by the Greeks merely for its strategic location and beauty. The two remain constants today. It is truly a Sicilian gem.

 

The Aeolian Islands – My favourite destination in Sicily. Raw, essential, authentic Sicilian. They have indescribable natural beauty and a general sense of wellness.

 

Which Sicilian traditions or events are closest to your heart?

 

La Sagra del Mandorlo in Fiore – Agrigento
La Sagra del Miele – Sortino
La Festa di Santa Lucia – Siracusa
La Festa di Sant’Agata – Catania
Le processioni della Santa Pasqua – Augusta
La vendemmia – October in Augusta
La raccolta delle olive/preparazione per l’olio – Augusta
La Festa di San Nicola – Brucoli
La Festa della Stella Maris – Augusta

 

Do you plan to write any more books?

 

I’m working on my second book ……….and already started research for my third!

 

Thank you Francesca and good luck with your work in both Sicily and the USA!

 

You can follow Francesca’s reflections on Sicily, her book tour, photos and also purchase ‘My Sicily’ on her blog at http://francescamignosa.wordpress.com
 

 

Debra Santangelo
www.sicilianconnections.com

P.S. If you enjoy reading my blog please become a follower by registering at the Google 'Join this site' icon on the right of the blog page. Grazie mille for your support!!

 

 

Buon Natale e Felice Anno Nuovo!

Buongiorno a tutti. I hope that you are all looking forward to Christmas and are almost finished your preparations! For this special Christmas blog I would love to share with you some interesting Sicilian Christmas images that I have come across recently.

This first photo was taken in the town of Viagrande, around 20 km from Catania. It features the balcony decorations of Giuseppe Sorbello, a local Fiat 500 enthusiast who loves his car collection so much that he has incorporated them into his Christmas! This is truly a 'Sicilian style' Christmas!

 

 

The second image is following on from last month's blog post about Christmas Nativities and is actually of an underwater Nativity Scene in the depths of the Tyrrhenian Sea close to Mondello.

 

 

This amazing spectacle by Giuseppe Benardo is the result of a collaboration with the local Sea Club, Rotary Club and Theatre 'del Sole' and will be underwater until the 6th January 2013. This Nativity Scene will also be visible at night thanks to a beautiful light installation which lights up the entire sea bed for all to see.

 

Sicilian cart made of chocolate - Cioccolart Sicily

For the chocolate lovers out there, you will be pleased to hear that there will also be a festival in Taormina dedicated to the art of chocolate! The second edition of the Cioccolato Sicily festival will take place at the 'Chiesa del Carmine' from the 20th December until the 6th January and features a beautiful exhibition of chocolate sculptures. There will even be tasting sessions, Christmas markets and a competition for the best chocolate cake!

 

Christmas in Palermo 2012





So, as you can see, there are many wonderful things to visit around the island of Sicily throughout the Christmas period. From the more traditional Nativity scenes of Caltagirone as mentioned in November's blog, to the 'not-so-traditional' aspects as shown here.

 

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas wherever you are in the world and a very healthy and happy new year. Thank you so much for your continued support thoughout 2012 - it has been a pleasure, as always, to receive your wonderful stories and photos and I hope that you will keep them coming throughout 2013.

 

Buon Natale!

 

Debra Santangelo

www.sicilianconnections.com

 

P.S. If you enjoy reading my blog please become a follower by registering at the Google 'Join this site' icon on the right of the blog page. Grazie mille!!