Monday, March 2, 2015

The Italians



I've had two very long conversations with my father recently when we've discussed, among other things, the new PBS four-part special The Italians. I've only seen the first part which chronicles the years in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries when millions of southern Italians immigrated to the United States. I confess to being ignorant about the incredible contributions Italian-Americans made to this country. I was even ignorant of Italy's history -- how it really wasn't a country until Garibaldi "united it" in the late nineteenth century. It's a fascinating documentary and confirms many of the stories that have been handed down to me from my father and his brothers and sisters, my aunts and uncles and cousins. I've posted the photo above of my grandmother Josephine when she was a young woman, and I'm struck again by her penetrating gaze, her eyebrows, the carefully-placed choker and long strand of beads or rosary (I can't tell) hanging down her dress. My nonna was illiterate and came to this country with two children. She'd have three more (my aunt, father and his twin brother), and she'd never learn to read or write or even become a United States citizen despite living here for more than fifty years. Yet, she so very much lives on in me, in my children, in the stories that we continue to tell and even see on specials like The Italians. It's amazing to me how much has changed in such a short time -- that only a couple of generations before mine, my family was tilling other people's fields, scrabbling by on literally nothing, making grueling sacrifices and setting out on journeys to places utterly foreign to them and then making new lives. I found myself scanning the photos and video footage of the documentary, looking for "people I know." My father joked that many of the people were his mother. We spoke about la famigilia, about secrecy and mistrust of authority that linger even today in parts of our extended family. We talked about the similarities of immigrant experience today -- how vilified certain immigrant groups continue to be. I look forward to watching the rest of the series and learning more about my family's immigrant experience and the history of Italian-Americans. Even if you're not Italian, I encourage you to watch them.

11 comments:

  1. Yep. I want to watch that show. Almost anything on PBS is well worth watching. And my goodness but your grandmother was a formidable woman! She looks like she had a backbone made of steel.
    She reminds me of someone...

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  2. I've heard the series is fabulous from my friend Dean, also Italian American. Your grandmother is gorgeous, truly gorgeous. As Ms Moon says, "... Reminds me of someone."

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  3. What a photo! I see you. I see your children.

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  4. Lovely picture! I can't wait to watch. We lived in Italy for a few years it was a beautiful experience.

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  5. What a woman, a portrait of strength. She has Sophie's eyes, her face.

    -invisigal

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  6. I am overcome sometimes at the courage it takes to move across the world and start fresh in a foreign place. You have your grandmother's eyes.

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  7. Those kinds of documentaries are right up my alley. Thanks for pointing them out.

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  8. how interesting! i hope i can get hold of it!

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  9. I am Italian only by marriage - he is 100%. I know he will be interested - hope it's airing here on the East coast!

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    1. Alicia D -- It's definitely airing on the east coast as it's a PBS special. I actually watched it online at PBS.org. I bet he'll love it!

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    2. Unless there are two progs called The Italians on PBS I have already seen this in the UK Is that possible? Was very good and had me in tears. Maggi

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