Day 18: Gli Americani in Calvello part 1

Lunedi, gennaio 18, 2010.

 After colazione all'albergo, (breakfast at the hotel...of café and rich filled cornuto (croisants)), we walked into the square and there was Vincenzo DiGrazia waiting for us.  First, we asked where to buy ceramiche but it was chiuso… so he invited us for café, while he called the proprietero of the negozio di ceramiche.  It will be open in the pommeriggio… at 5pm!  I can do real damage to my credit card here!.  Then Vincenzo took us to the municipo archivii.  The man that I had written to (who Herman Tak and Lucio Ferri told me to speak to), was on vacation.  But a woman there showed us the register where our great-grandfather was born.  No new information except that our great great grandparents were contadini (owned and farmed their own land).  I asked about the carbonari but the records don't go back that far.  (maybe I can find more at home in the LDS records). 

Birth registry for Gennaro: May 1872

Then Vincenzo took us up up up to the castello… but halfway up for we mercifully stopped at his mother's house, where we were welcomed in by a beautiful "nonna" who spoke only rapid Italian.  Her casa was large and very lovely inside.  She kept trying to tell Margaret and John about her relatives who emigrated to Chicago and Buenos Aires.. and showed us pictures of the brother of her cousin who lives in Oak Park, Illinois.  I understood about 1/10 of what she told me, but I heard about the three sisters (her aunts) who all moved away and married in either America or Argentina… She talked about her children and grandchildren who all moved to Potenza for work.  She asked us to stay and Mangiamo! (eat!) , but we had much to see… (Vincenzo also works in Potenza in the afternoon/evenings).  We also met Vincenzo's sister.

Margarita and Maria with Vincenzo's mother at her kitchen table.

 Then he showed us the castle and also the church, St. Nicola, where I think our bis-nonni were married.  We couldn't enter the church.  Then we came down down down the hill and on the way, we met a Gallicchio who stopped to say hello (I had written him also). Pronounced Gall-ee-key-cho.

Church of St Nicola, up near the castle.  I think this is where our bis-nonni were married

Vincezo and Maria outside the Norman Castle (a ruins after a big earthquake)

Vincezo DiGrazia explaining something to me

 A man here said that John and I resemble the Logiovine's who have all moved away.  He knows the family in Potenza.  Funny, the only Logiovine picture I have seen is bis-nonna Grazia and we look nothing like her!

 So we said goodbye to Vincenzo who wants to meet us in the morning, in the square for a little bit  before we leave Calvello… then we decided we were hungry.  As we were driving we saw signs for the Pietrapanna hotel & ristorante and I suggested we try to find it.  Because, Herman Tak told me it was very good and that he was friends with the owners.  So we drove a ways, meeting sheep on the way.. and taking pictures of the mountains and of Calvello from a distance…and found the ristorante.  I introduced myself and said that Herman had recommended we come to eat there.  We met the son and the father and the mother, who were very gracious and gave us many tourist pieces about Calvello and Basilicata and Matera (including a much needed map).  Also, we took many pictures of their artwork, especially their handpainted plates (of course).  The son asked if he could select our food and I said yes, but only the first and second course… which was plenty.  Absolutely delicious.  The antipasto plate of homemade prochiutto, pepperoni, eggplant stuffed with cheese, and French fried peppers (really good)… and other things.  Then the second course was two different pastas… one an egg noodle with butter and mushrooms… and also a ravioli with light ricotta cheese and a light mushroom and butter sauce (different kind of mushrooms).  We stuffed ourselves.  I spoke for some time to the father and explained about our ancestors, he recognized all the names… and we took a picture of them to send to Herman Tak (who had stayed with them while he did his research of Calvello for two years)..

Us eating a delicious lunch specially prepared by Herman Tak's friends (Herman is the anthropoligist from Amsterdam who studied Calvello's religious festas)

Herman Tak's friends from the Pietrapanna Restaurant (The father came to see us in the am to say goodbye!)

 On the way back we circled the old convent that was one of the original structures in Calvello.  It was closed but we have pictures of the cloisters.  (We'll go see it tomorrow) We weren't able to find either via castelone (where our bis-nonni lived)… the post officio says non-existo… or via DeGrazia (which we know is here somewhere).  But we did find, near the castle a via Postelone… maybe we have the wrong name?  However, I think I have seen via castelone on an old map somewhere.

 So, we're taking our siesta and then  for dinner we're meeting Rafaella (the local tourist/folklore hostess).  And then we'll facciamo una passaggiata con tutti i calvellesi.  (we'll take a walk with the rest of Calvello's citizens) in the main square.

 Mary

 PS: Margarita who is 5'9" keeps commenting on how tiny everyone is.  She and John feel like Amazon people, so much taller than everyone else.  There is one man here who seems very interested in Margaret… he keeps showing up wherever she goes.  He asked if she was married to John.  We keep teasing her, but no worries, Doug!  She's not encouraging him.

I have no idea what I'm doing in this picture :)  Maybe using my upper body strength to drag myself up more stairs? :)  Margarita tells me I'm talking to a kitty (I think I used it as an excuse to catch my breath)