When an immigrant comes to Canada and calls it home, both the immigrant and Canada are changed. In the case of the Italians in Canada, it is no different. The interviews in this collection show how Italian women and their families who settled in Canada in the 20th century responded to the harsh demands of a new language, culture and landscape with great resilience. Almost without question, these women's roles as daughters, spouses and mothers were central to their lives. They sought out employment, either within the home or outside, which allowed them to remain in their role at the centre of their families and maintain their cultural traditions.
The following provides a detailed overview of themes that are explored through the collection. Select from the links provided in the text to hear the interviews highlighted, or conduct your own search to explore a different topic.
Italian women in Canada often worked within the home, tending to their children, spouse, other family members and the boarders who resided with them. For several dollars a month, the boarders would receive meals, a bed, and clothes that were washed and ironed. The cycle of housekeeping chores was endless for these women. Brigida Ely, for example, describes how she never worked a day outside of the home. As their husbands worked in construction and as labourers, women kept the household running and generated income by keeping boarders and sewing for others.
Many Italian women in Canada also held employment positions outside of the home. Julia Marchiori and Jean Pizzoferrato provide insight into the opportunities open to women in a range of factory settings, while Domenica Ghetti and Pierina Vidotto note that they worked as seamstresses.
Several interviews provide details on the role of women in small family businesses, including Elena Turroni who owned a bakery, and Georgina Biondi and Anna Casella who ran restaurants. Still others provide vivid descriptions of the fruit and vegetable stores they ran with their husbands, including Vincenza Fusco, Lucy Giovannielli, and Lillian Scagnetti. Working to help support the family, Italian women obtained employment that enabled them to bring a second income into the home, while not hampering their responsibilities as principal caregivers for their children.
Developing language skills was always a challenge, however, working outside of the home provided women with an opportunity to do just that and communicate with people other than Italians. For Audrey Geniole and Grazia Ubriaco who remained primarily at home, the alienation was almost unbearable. They note how they needed to find ways to connect with other people and make life more meaningful. Several of the women interviewed describe their efforts to learn English. Assunta Giancarlu and Mrs. Marando recall the evening language classes they took whenever possible, while others spent hours listening to the radio to learn English. By contrast, some spent time getting to know their Canadian neighbours to improve their language ability, and further their understanding of life in Canada.
Numerous Italian family businesses experienced a great deal of success. Several interviews suggest how Italian women actively supported their families as they developed and grew their businesses. These include Frances Borg, whose father built a successful wholesale banana business, Irene Pantaleo whose family members were employed in the music and entertainment businesses in Toronto, Donna Pasquale who developed the successful Unico wholesale brand with her husband in the 1930s, and Maria Pennachietti whose husband established General Concrete of Canada. These women and others made an immeasurable contribution to their family businesses as well as to the broader Canadian economy.
The Roman Catholic Church and the Italian-Canadian cultural community played a significant role in the lives of women. Many of the interviews contained in the collection explore how individual women strove in their own way to make a difference, either as active members, event organizers or board members. Helen Lettieri discusses her involvement with the Italian-Canadian Benevolent Corporation and the establishment of the well-known Villa Colombo seniors' home, while Maria Pennachietti discusses her thirty-six year commitment to the Catholic Women's League. Mary D'Alosio and her husband were actively involved in the establishment and ongoing activities of Sudbury's Caruso Club, while Velda Billoki describes Italian markets and United Nations teas she organized in her role as the first President of the community's first Ladies' Auxiliary.
The Second World War was a dark time in Canadian history and for many Italians in Canada. In several of the interviews, women recollect their memories of the period, including the circumstances surrounding the internment of some of their family members. Lucy Pacecca saw her father interned and describes the efforts she made to ensure his release, while Antonietta Demarco speculates about her husband's internment and the effects this had on their family business. Several other women describe increased incidences of overt racism during the same period. For example, Mariana Di Valentin indicates that she was let go at work because she was Italian-Canadian and Mrs. Viola sadly recalls the mistreatment she witnessed due to perceived affiliations of Italian community members with fascism. Still other women raise examples of discrimination, including at school (Mrs. Fournier and Julia Marchiori), while looking for lodging (Mr. and Mrs. Astoli), and more public displays of prejudice (Lucy Parissi). Each of these examples is a vivid reminder that discrimination existed in Canadian society towards certain immigrants, and the Italians were no exception. Regardless of the discrimination Italian women and their families faced in Canada, overall, the collection suggests that they nevertheless had a great sense of loyalty towards their new homeland. They felt that they had made the right decision to make a life for themselves and their families in this country.
Italian women sought to retain their cultural traditions while adapting to their new homes in Canada. Although the forces of assimilation were present, they did not succumb passively to the pressures to conform. They adapted their Italian ways in order to meet the changing Canadian circumstances. For example, Julia Marchiori describes how she and her mother made and delivered bread to their Canadian neighbours, while Elena Turroni notes how she carried on the Italian tradition of making tomato sauce and wine at home. Lidia Venditti disciplined her children and followed a strong work ethic according to Italian proverbs, while several women note their efforts to retain the Italian language by speaking it at home (Georgina Biondi, Antonia Del Bianco and Palmira Perusini). Still others found ways to retain their culture through community activities, including Chiara Iannarelli who participated in Italian choral groups, and those women who helped others through acting as interpreters.
Italian women's relentless strength made them the backbone of their family. They raised children who were proud to be Canadian, and who contributed to multicultural Canada in favourable ways through education, business and the arts. When they landed in this country, few would know how strong they actually were, and the undeniable legacy they would eventually leave behind in their new homeland.
Note: Rights for all photographs used in this section are listed in the photo collection.
