Italian
Culture
Celebrating Cultural Unity
by Daniela Palazzo
A celebration of unity is what the Italian Pavilion at Heritage Days is all about. Although Italians are proud of the food, culture and entertainment, Peter Bruno, the Chair of the event admits that the Italian Pavilion is representative of so much more. As a recent volunteer, I was overwhelmed by the community spirit that exists even after 41 years of participation at the festival.
Yet, the success of the Italian Pavilion is attributed to more than just the folk dancing and singing; it is more than just the artifacts; and although important it is more than just the delicious foods that many other cultures are familiar with and enjoy. The success of the Italian Pavilion is attributed to the attitudes, values and customs of the people. Although the festival serves a social purpose where people come to enjoy entertainment, food and fellowship it is an effective way of transmitting culture not only to the public but to all Italian generations.
In order to fully comprehend what Heritage Days means for the Italian community and the community at large I conducted an interview with Peter. After 21 years of volunteering at the festival Peter was able to provide the background and context that reinforces that it is through the efforts of Italians that they are recognized as part of Edmonton’s mainstream community.
Although I am aware of the sense of unity that exists in the Italian Pavilion, it is evident Peter Bruno is a strong presence to ensuring its success. As the Chief Operating officer for H and R block Peter is responsible for ensuring the smooth operation of a company with approximately 13 hundred offices that serve about 2.5 million Canadians coast to coast annually. So by day Peter is an accountant – but during Heritage Days, he takes time off from his extensive travel itinerary and dedicates himself to ensuring the Pavilion’s success. His desire to give back to the community provides him with the cultural connection that affirms his identity and heritage.
During the interview I learned that Peter was a first generation Italian Canadian whose parents immigrated to Canada in the early 1950s. Like many of the Italians in Edmonton, Peter’s parents came to Canada to overcome the economic challenges they faced in Italy and although the intent was to earn some money and return home, like many other families they began to see a life of opportunity and so they stayed. Although Italians were reported coming to Canada as early as 1897 it was not until after World War II in 1945 that Canada opened its doors to Italian immigrants. Despite that many Italian immigrants settled in Toronto and Montreal, many came to Edmonton, Alberta to work on the railway, oil refinery, construction and mine industry. As Italians began immigrating to Edmonton, they worked collaboratively to sustain their Italian heritage and establish an Italian-Canadian identity that is still prevalent today. During that time frame many Italians bought homes in the McCauley and Boyle Street neighborhoods, an area that is today known as ‘Little Italy.’
As Peter shared some narratives of growing up as a first generation Italian Canadian, I began to also reminisce. Growing up, I remember going to the Italian Centre Shop better known to Italians as ‘Spinelli’s’ with my grandfather and family to either shop or eat my favorite gelato. Although I was young at the time, I remember going to Santa Maria Goretti Church every Sunday and participating in Giovani Caboto Days and Santa Maria Goretti Festival. While I took the existence of many of these festivals for granted, I see now that without community members, such as Peter, that initiatives such as founding the Dante Alighieri Italian School, a school I attended on Saturdays since Kindergarten and the National Congress of Italian-Canadians that is responsible for organizing the Italian Pavilion at Heritage Days would never have been established.
Interviewing Peter and reflecting on my own observations at Heritage Days made me aware of the legacy Italians have created. Although many of the volunteers in the kitchen trailer, the food tent and the culture tent were from an older generation, it was these same people who established the Italian organizations of today.
Although Peter attributes the success of the festival to the efforts of the community we would be remiss if we did not recognize Peter’s selfless commitment. Peter has been involved in the festival since 1995 and despite all this time, he, like many others, continues to be proud to share his culture. The food, which is where true Italian pride comes from, is one of the highlights of the Pavilion. Italians take pleasure in their food and despite the limitations of cooking everything fresh and onsite; they manage to retain the authenticity of their sauce by using a local recipe that is prepared at the Italian Senior’s Centre a few days before the festival. The choice to serve both spaghetti and penne is intentional as they are two traditional pastas that are able to preserve their taste even if not eaten immediately. Spicy and mild Italian sausage that is supplied locally by one of the Italian meat shops is also served, as are the typical Italian beverages such as cappuccino, espresso, granita, and lattes. There are also delicious Italian cornetti, an Italian pastry that is filled with lemon as well as gelato supplied by one of the local Pinocchio suppliers is foods that also represent a taste of Italy.
The foods are selected based on the limitations of preparing them in a park environment and although the menu has to be selective because of the facility, the community has arranged to have a trailer on site so that the pasta can be cooked fresh. It is important for Italians that the food preparation does not lose its authenticity. As a result of the careful consideration that goes into the food selection and the preparation process explains why the profit generated by the food tent is a profitable endeavor that always flourishes.
Whether it is the food, the cultural component, or the entertainment, what is really important in pulling this three day event off in a park that is limited in space is that Italians present themselves with pride. Peter says “There’s a lot more to the Italian culture and to the tradition and to our foods…but I think…on a mini scale I think we’ve done a pretty nice job” of bringing tradition and celebrating our unity at Heritage Days.
Peter attributes the Pavilion’s success to the community that has worked hard at sustaining their heritage. Despite their intentions to return to their homeland, many Italian immigrants who stayed in Edmonton to pursue better opportunities experienced a sense of longing for a heritage they left behind. To preserve heritage, grandchildren and great grandchildren are encouraged to attend and participate at Heritage Days. Peter recognizes the community’s responsiveness in supporting the event as there are generally 100 to 125 volunteers who give their time in organizing, setting up and assisting on-site with the tents during the three day event. Peter is also proud of the well-balanced generational mix of the volunteers.
This past summer, like Peter, I wanted to give back to the community and so I committed to volunteering. Rather than work just the Saturday as planned, I ended up coming back all three days. I felt an intoxicating sense of camaraderie from the minute I set foot on Italian Pavilion soil. And despite Peter being pulled in a million directions, he made time for me. Not only did he insist that I eat before I started, a typical Italian expectation, but he personally took me on a tour of the tents including the full size commercial trailer that included freezers, stoves, and a full compliment of cooks who, tirelessly prepared countless trays for the public. I watched commercial trays of pasta and sausage being transported from the kitchen to the food tent with ease and I saw the hand gestures of people and the loud voices and animated gestures of all the volunteers. I knew I belonged.
Peter says that the organizing committee works in unity and the success of the festival all “boils down to manpower.” He is proud of his heritage and sees the community as “nothing but a spirit of cooperation, friendliness and togetherness.” Italian spirit permeates throughout the festival and is recognized by other cultural groups. There is a lot of work that goes into ensuring the event’s success. Prior to the festival, meetings are held to ensure organizational logistics. A set up and take down committee is also on site. Then, during the festival, volunteers take shifts to ensure all the tents have adequate coverage. While all the volunteers commit to shifts, Peter is there from start to finish. And although Peter’s reputation in the community speaks for itself, he has earned his respect as he modestly attributes the success of the festival to the Italian community. And he does this for the same reason as all the other volunteers: it is to preserve the narratives, the culture, and the ethnic identity that makes him proud to be Italian.
Peter confirms that, while Heritage Days exists for the purpose of sharing the Italian culture and celebrating community, it is also a celebration of unity. What is most evident and meaningful is that the efforts of promoting Italian heritage through food, entertainment and ethnic display reinforces the connection to heritage and authenticates the ethnic identity that is important to Italians of all ages. It is volunteers like Peter who have a desire to affirm their roots and who recognize that it is through the efforts of the community to ensure their heritage is not lost that gives meaning and merit to the Italian Pavilion.
