Grandmother and the importance of family
Do not forget the traditional family reunion Sunday at Grandma house in the old neighborhood. Hmmm ... delicious. The inviting aroma of fresh pasta and homemade meatballs and sausage will welcome you just walked into their kitchen. While she cooked, her grandmother would have made great homemade sauce to simmer in a saucepan, add basil and garlic. La Nonna (Italian grandmother) is a very special person in their family life. Boy couldthey cook. Everything that they put on the table was made from scratch on a new, no matter how long it took, he loved every minute. You could tell when the spices were just the sight and taste like pasta, when it was ready for the ravioli, pasta and lasagna, to create a variety of delicious Italian dishes from the old country, had a good bottle the house has seen wine.
"Mangia, Mangia" (eat, eat), it seems, standing at the table with a smile on his face and watching her childreneat everything. It 'was a wonderful moment for them. Nothing was ever left in the pot, especially after the crust of bread wiped clean. The look on the face of his happy family was the reward they need for a day of hard work.
My grandmother was always dedicated his life to her husband and children. He brought his Italian heritage proud. He tried in his children and grandchildren of the same family values and traditions that have been held sacred in the ancient world to convey. TheirI could not understand why their children were so different from you, if this is not the way she raised. Their way of thinking, their lack of respect, their clothes, their practices of life, their choice of recreational activities and entertainment, and especially the failure to preserve the Italian language that terribly insecure. They had become so Americanized, which sometimes conflict with each other. In his broken English, he expressed his displeasure. They roll their eyes, respondedangrily: "But ', you're in America now, not in Italy Give it a rest." However, he passionately loved his family and cared deeply neighbor. Grandma was an instrument of the Italian tradition and culture.
At the end of the day, in the silence of his room, he sat with his grandmother, soft lights, eyes closed, an image of sweet silence, praying with rosary in hand. Bring the beads to the lips to kiss her, she would wipe away the tears and bow their headsOnce again, his lips moving in silent prayer to the Virgin Mary, asking for his blessing for her family well-being.
Tear the fabric
The advent of public housing after World War II interrupted the peaceful life and relationships of thousands of Italians living in Harlem, the demolition of buildings that houses it. The demolition of the block by block began tearing apart the fabric of Italian Harlem. Not only the houses demolished in 1500, but in the retail, asOwned by Italians, had run out of business, so that 4,500 people out of work. Only three major Italian-owned companies in that period, Patsy Pizzeria (where celebrities eat again) Restaurant Rao and Il Barbiere di Claudio is still in operation today. Thus began a migration constant of Italian-American from East Harlem. The split has become unbearably tight for many families and friends apart, ripped to make room for new things. Others, to improvethe U.S. economy, he moved from East Harlem to the suburbs of New York City.
So now I ask: "How was the district of East Harlem, known as Italian Harlem, and because the Italian religious feasts as Our Lady of Mount Caramel and the Feast of the Giglio dance became so important to the area in question, we will try to answer how to move forward.
Italian immigration to America
The industrialization and the construction of the factory systemacross America offered the promise of jobs, poor masses in Europe. The majority of entrepreneurs in America depends on cheap European labor for the factories to the people. Meanwhile, during the 1800 Harlem was the development of all types of transportation projects in an effort to promote the expansion of the North. America was growing, growing, and the integration of a municipality to another. Harlem, many immigrants moved to these transport projects to pay workers from many different ethnic groupsCultures, especially during 1880 and 1890.
Between the years 1876-1924 more than 4.5 million Italians arrived in the U.S.. Many settled in the neighborhood of Mulberry Bend in Manhattan, while others fan out across the country. The vast majority of Italian immigrants who remained in Mulberry Bend were very poor and lived in appalling conditions.
Worship and conflicts for the early Italian immigrants
The cult was extremely important for ItalianCommunity. Were predominantly Catholic. Have the right to worship in their neighborhood was not easy. Most of the established Catholic Church in East Harlem were already receiving the spiritual needs of the Irish population that dominates the area at the time. In the United States, the Church has always taken care of themselves at the Irish Institute as if it were used in other European nationalities immigrants as well. Early Italian immigrants were a minority andtreated as second class citizens. Since we do not have or do not speak Americanized English as the Irish were neglected and their spiritual needs, because they were considered foreigners.
When the Italians began to arrive by the thousands, flooding East Harlem usually between 1880 and 1920, many Catholic churches are pouring into the area. "When Italian families came to attend religious services in the predominantly Irish community were in a flood of insults and exposedeven strokes. "These immigrant families soon, very poor live in appalling conditions in overcrowded slum neighborhood, the lower wages earned by low-skilled jobs, have had the opportunity to celebrate Mass or refused to take the holy sacraments in the sanctuary. The service is was the church services or a basement apartment on the first floor is limited, if they were able to get a priest who spoke their language.
Meanwhile, in 1882 the natives of Polla, a town in the provinceSalerno in Italy began gathering to celebrate the patron saint of their city of origin, Our Lady of Mt. Caramel in East Harlem. The festival is July 16. This religious event was started humbly in the yard of a residence at East 110th Street and First Avenue.
As a result of the festival, which grew every year, a sense of community began to grow. A local political figure emerging with the name of Anthony Petrucci was instrumental in fanning the flames of passion. He organized an association called"Congregation of Mount Caramel." He also claimed the Italian immigrants in search of a place to worship. The hiring of a first floor apartment on East 111 th Street, west of First Avenue, was the chapel of Our Lady of Mount Caramel. It is said that Petrucci has bought her a statue, a replica of that revered in Polla, which has been imported from 'Italy. The figure was dressed in very brocade. The statue is light structure has allowed them to becarried in a procession of the feast.
Rev. Emiliano Kirner, a father Pallottino was the first priest, who was sent in May 1884 to cater specifically to the spiritual needs of the Italian community in East Harlem. The Mass was celebrated in the chapel for the first time in 1884 on Easter Sunday.
Father Emiliano Kirner to play a crucial role in the promotion of Italian immigrants, the Madonna with a decent home, a church. The Italians were fired from the proposed project.Land was purchased at 115 Street, the first stone was laid in September and early December, the lower church in the basement was finished and ready for service. However, the Italian communities were excited because it is "their community." The upper church was completed in 1887 this church was literally built by Italian craftsmen returning home from her demanding job with the help of Father Kirner who entered the workforce.
In part 3 of this series we haveThe whole history of the celebration of important religious festivals, to investigate the Italian community in East Harlem.
