Community Identity   Community, National and International Outreach

by Adriana Albi Davies, Ph.D.

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With respect to other societies, we now see a marked difference in the development of Edmonton and Calgary. In Calgary, the Italian Club was formed when the Associazione Italo-Canadese merged with the Giovanni Caboto Lodge in 1955. This Society has dominated Calgary’s Italian community ever since. Antonella Fanella’s book With Heart and Soul: Calgary’s Italian Community created some hard feelings in the community. Her book is a part of the community studies approach that focused on sociological phenomena and, therefore, was judgmental. This contrasts with the community history approach that focuses on the essential humanity and struggle of individuals and groups to gain a foothold in a new land. She writes:

As the Italian community has grown, it has become more diverse and less cohesive. Economic competition has fuelled class antagonisms. But the greatest obstacle to the organizational unity of Italians in Calgary has been regionalism. Immigration did not serve as a basis for long-term community cohesion. Pride, arrogance, traditional enmities and jealousy cause immigrants to regard those from outside their own region as distinct, inferior types. This division is most prevalent between northern and southern Italian immigrants. Northerners refer to southern Italians as ignorant cafoni (boors), while southerners call northern Italians by the derogatory term polentoni (polenta eaters). Regional hostility is so strong that any project requiring cooperation from the Italian community is certain to create controversy and has a high probability of failure. ¹

This approach is problematical not only for the communities studied, through oral and family histories, but also for the community historian. It implies that there are perfect immigrant groups where everyone gets along all the time and that everything contributes to community building. As has been noted, regional differences in Italy are entrenched and are based on centuries-old loyalties to what were essentially fiefdoms. These differences are "bred in the bone." Italian groups are no more combatitive than any other ethnocultural groups. At least, the regional differences brought from the homeland have not resulted in violence as in other immigrants communities.  The right cause will unite Italians, no matter their region of origin, but, for the rest of the time, each society serves its own needs and narrow mandates. To expect otherwise is unrealistic. The Calgary Italian Club, criticized by Fanella for being irrelevant to many members of Calgary's Italian community, has taken on many pioneering activities including the preservation of the Italian language and retention of some cultural traditions. 

She also mentions a decline in the membership of the Calgary Italian Club and, rightly, attributes it to acculturation:

In the 1950s and 1960s, the role of the Italian Club was to help settle the new immigrants. As Italians became established in the Canadian mainstream, they no longer needed the services of the club. Once the club had fulfilled its aim, its decline was inevitable. In its present state, the Italian Club seems to serve no purpose within the community. ²

As an ethnocultural community that is not a visible minority becomes entrenched and part of the mainstream, those activities that brought its members together for mutual aid, protection and self-identification and affirmation are no longer necessary. New ways of operating need to be found. It is never advisable to write off an organization simply because, at one point in its history, it suffers from "mission fatigue." In May, 2002, the Club celebrated its 50th anniversary with various events and celebrations. A significant number of its presidents were there to take part. Calgary civic leaders, business representatives and others took part. It was a celebration of Calgary’s Italian community and its achievements. Perhaps, the Calgary Italian Club just needed time to re-invent itself or change its skin periodically, as do snakes in order to grow.

On the other hand, in Edmonton, from the 1960s, there was a flowering of Italian organizations including a number based on regional lines. As well, several Italian newspapers developed and radio programs as well as TV programs. The Dante Alighieri Society has been a significant force in the promotion of the Italian language and culture. Founded in 1961 by Sab Roncucci and other community visionaries, it initiated the first Italian language classes in the original Santa Maria Goretti Hall. Myra Butti was the first Director and Tony Falcone, the first teacher. Mr. Falcone noted that he met Sab Roncucci in 1960-61and became a member of the Society. In 1962, it was decided to establish the Italian school. Classes were taught in the old Santa Maria Goretti Parish Hall and a sheet of plywood painted black was the blackboard. In the first year, there were 11/12 students; next year they moved to Sacred Heart School, which provided free space and had two classes. The teachers, Tony Caria and Tony Falcone, were paid an honorarium of $2.50 per lesson. They were later joined by Liana Meller and Tony Petrone. Principals have included Antonella Ciancibello, Reny Clericuzzio and Aristide Melchionna. The School has grown to become a significant force in the community offering language instruction to both teachers and adults. Mr. Roncucci has also been a founder of the Northern Alberta Heritage Languages Association and shared curriculum development expertise with other groups. 

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