Family, a blood line that gathers strangers into one feeling of belonging...
I don't know how to explain what happened here, in this tiny town, in the hills of La Spezia. So I guess I'll just tell you a story, the way I was able to collect the pieces of this puzzle.
La sangre tira
Once upon a time in 1899 there was a family that lived in Bolano. Pietro and Dina married and had two boys, life was good and wealthy for them, as they managed farm lands, until WWI and WWII hit Italy. Life was never the same for this family as their kids enrolled for the military.
As life took its course the elder son, Felice, became a war journalist, his passion for history and languages helped him move through this treacherous times until it was unbearable.
At a critical time he made the tough decision to flee to America and seek the hope of a better life in a new country. His younger brother decided to stay behind for reasons unknown to me.
Stories are complicated, and war stories are even more, because we only know the events but not the trauma that lays underneath the surface.
Once upon a time in 1899 there was a family that lived in Bolano. Pietro and Dina married and had two boys, life was good and wealthy for them, as they managed farm lands, until WWI and WWII hit Italy. Life was never the same for this family as their kids enrolled for the military.
As life took its course the elder son, Felice, became a war journalist, his passion for history and languages helped him move through this treacherous times until it was unbearable.
At a critical time he made the tough decision to flee to America and seek the hope of a better life in a new country. His younger brother decided to stay behind for reasons unknown to me.
Stories are complicated, and war stories are even more, because we only know the events but not the trauma that lays underneath the surface.
Felice left Italy and his only brother for good. He was 46 when he reached Argentina, and it was here where he met Lili, a Chilean woman that became his wife and mother of his two children Félix and Dina.
So, What happened next?
Felice died in 1967, and with him died the link to his Italian history, in other words his life in Chile was never linked to his life in Italy.
Until 2016, when Lili and Riggs decided to explore the old town of Bolano just as a quick stop to mark the place where Lili's grandfather was born.
Felice died in 1967, and with him died the link to his Italian history, in other words his life in Chile was never linked to his life in Italy.
Until 2016, when Lili and Riggs decided to explore the old town of Bolano just as a quick stop to mark the place where Lili's grandfather was born.
Life is magical and works in mysterious ways, I cannot tell you why we enter the Municipio of Bolano, I cannot tell you why the only woman that actually speaks English there, was still there despite the fact it was lunch time and was her last day of work before going for holidays to Sicilia. I cannot tell you why Piero, the head of Demographics, took my story so personal. But everything was combined in time and place.
While in Valencia, I got an email from Piero saying in perfect Italian, "I found your grandfather's brother, Giuseppe Emilio, he had family here in Bolano and they want to meet you, Can you come back?"
The Italian family experience
We were welcomed back in Bolano by Piero, he explained the discovery by showing me the Ricciardi family tree and really old books showing the records of birth, marriage, and death of all these people.
So, -he said- Giuseppe Emilio had 6 children here but only 2 survived long enough to have families of their own. You see -he continued- tuberculosis took the life of too many babies back in the date!
The 2 sons were Dante -that had 3 daughters in Bolano- and Renzo also had 3 kids but moved to Genova.
Both are dead, but Dante's widow and daughters want to meet you.
We were welcomed back in Bolano by Piero, he explained the discovery by showing me the Ricciardi family tree and really old books showing the records of birth, marriage, and death of all these people.
So, -he said- Giuseppe Emilio had 6 children here but only 2 survived long enough to have families of their own. You see -he continued- tuberculosis took the life of too many babies back in the date!
The 2 sons were Dante -that had 3 daughters in Bolano- and Renzo also had 3 kids but moved to Genova.
Both are dead, but Dante's widow and daughters want to meet you.
We were lead to Dante's family house and you cannot begin to comprehend the level of welcoming we got. Mirella -his widow- hurried to fill us with biscuits and coffee and made us wait for her daughters to come back from work. She talked only in Italian so we used basic communication skills including, Spanish, English, hands, drawings, mimics, etc to tell our side of the story.
Suddenly the house was full of women that were 2 of her daughters and granddaughters all talking quickly and loudly, like Italians do, we got better understanding through English and Spanish with them, and got invited to come back for dinner that night.
Suddenly the house was full of women that were 2 of her daughters and granddaughters all talking quickly and loudly, like Italians do, we got better understanding through English and Spanish with them, and got invited to come back for dinner that night.
It is sad that we will never have the complete story here, but I'm glad to say that for a brief moment Felice and Giuseppe were together again -through their blood line- sitting in the same table in the tiny hill town of Bolano.
Acknowledgements
Riggs, you are the love of my life, you were the one that insisted on going to check out Bolano in the first place. I am most grateful to have shared this unbelievable experience with you by my side. We drove all the way back from Spain just to see strangers become a family.
Riggs, you are the love of my life, you were the one that insisted on going to check out Bolano in the first place. I am most grateful to have shared this unbelievable experience with you by my side. We drove all the way back from Spain just to see strangers become a family.
Piero Ricciardi, the head of Demographics at the Bolano city hall. What an extraordinary man, he truly cares about his job and he gave my family the most amazing gift ever by reuniting us.
He doesn't speak a word of English or Spanish, and he still cannot understand why or how we decided to travel the world, but still took the time to research in dusty old books about my family with the little information provided.
He doesn't speak a word of English or Spanish, and he still cannot understand why or how we decided to travel the world, but still took the time to research in dusty old books about my family with the little information provided.
Mirella, Maria Rosa, Laura, Paola, Deborah, Noemi, Livio and Pietro my new found relatives! Thank you!!! you welcomed us into your house and lives as family immediately. Remember that you have family back in Chile and Mestre that are eager to meet you!
And once we settle down you'll be very welcome in our house too!
And once we settle down you'll be very welcome in our house too!
WoW! Que emocionante!!
ReplyDeleteLovely!
W0o0o
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