Category: 2020

Irene Zampin, guest blogger, reflects on her family history and migration. Irene was born in Adelaide and  when she was 15 years old her parents returned to live in Italy.

Reason for researching the Zampin family
The idea came to my mind two years ago when I was putting some photos of my family into frames to put on the wall. I saw that I didn’t have any photos of my father’s parents and I did not know their names. I was surprised and started to research through my cousin, Roberto Zampin.

My cousin had started researching because he was curious to know the origins of the Zampin family and he came to the conclusion that all the Zampin’s came from Pagnano (Asolo). Through the town hall he was able to find a document about the Zampinus family written in Latin dated 1545.

Another incident made me think about my family history. Not long ago my son brought his first photo album and showed me the family tree which had all the names of our family except my father’s parents since at that time I didn’t know them. My son was surprised that I did not know and because I have worked with my cousin on the family history, I am happy that I have the names.

 

I hope that my research into the family history will be useful to my children and grandchildren besides having helped me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Importance of knowing the history of migration in a family
It’s important to understand why people have to emigrate. Their stories give us an idea of how lucky we are if we have not had to go abroad for work or to find enough food to satisfy hunger. Migrants leave their country, traditions and families because they have the need. If we know the reasons why people leave it should help us not to find fault with them or criticise them.

Family photos
I think family photos are very important because if we had not had them, I probably would not have started researching my family. When I look at photos on the website, I am reminded of lots of people I knew when I was growing up in Adelaide and the times we spent together.

Why my father emigrated
I always knew why my parents migrated but when they returned to Italy, I was rather young and couldn’t understand why they wanted to come back when life for me, was better there. Certainly, it was not better for my father.

My father emigrated because he was poor and he was sponsored by his brother in Australia. Here in Italy there was no work and he had a family to maintain. They used to laugh about their experience in Australia; rain coming into their tin houses, their use of English and why the Australians could not understand them.

Involvement in the oral history interviews
In 2018 when I asked my Auntie Gilda and Gabriella Antonini if they would like to record an interview for the website, I wasn’t quite sure they would agree. But to my surprise, both of them said yes immediately. I was enthusiastic about the idea and I wanted to hear their stories and I knew I could help with translating in the interview.

Role of the website
The website is a great help. It was been most interesting to listen to some interviews and read transcripts and see photos of people I have forgotten. Their adventures reminded me how hard it was even for my parents. When my cousin was researching the Internet, he wrote the Zampin surname and he immediately found a link to the Veneto market gardeners website and he was happy to see all his relatives in Australia.

 

Irene Zampin
9 August 2020

 

Irene Zampin riflette sulla storia della sua famiglia e sull’immigrazione

Motivo della ricerca sulla famiglia Zampin
L’idea mi venne due anni fa quando incorniciando alcune foto della mia famiglia da appendere al muro, mi accorsi che non avevo alcuna foto dei miei nonni paterni e che non conoscevo neppure i loro nomi. Rimasi sorpresa e così ho iniziato una ricerca tramite mio cugino, Roberto Zampin.

Roberto iniziò la ricerca curioso di conoscere le origini della famiglia Zampin e venne alla conclusione che tutti gli “Zampin” provenivano da Pagnano di Asolo. Tramite il municipio è stato in grado di trovare un documento riguardante la famiglia”Zampinus” scritta in latino e datato 1545.

Un altro episodio mi ha fatto pensare sulla storia della mia famiglia: non molto tempo fa mio figlio, Luca, mi portò il suo primo album fotografico dove c’era il disegno di un albero genealogico con tutti i nomi della nostra famiglia eccetto quelli dei bisnonni materni Zampin. Non erano stati inseriti poiché allora non  conoscevo i nomi. Mio figlio era sorpreso da questo fatto e fu così che contattai mio cugino.

 

 

Oltre ad aver aiutato me, spero che la ricerca sulla storia della mia famiglia sia utile ai miei figli, Luca e Claudia,  e ai miei nipoti, Tommaso e Mario.

 

 

 

 

 

 

L’importanza di conoscere la storia dell’emigrazione in una famiglia
E’ importante conoscere per quale motivo la gente emigra: le loro storie ci danno un’idea di quanto siamo stati fortunati a non farlo per lavoro o trovare cibo per saziare la fame. Gli emigranti lasciano il loro paese, le loro tradizioni e le loro famiglie per bisogno. Se solo conoscessimo il motivo per il quale la  gente emigra, ciò ci aiuterebbe a non pensare a colpe o a criticare.

Foto di famiglia
Le foto di famiglia per me sono state molto importanti, perché non avendole non avrei fatto probabilmente la ricerca. Quando scorro le foto sul sito, mi ritorna in mente molta gente che conoscevo nella mia crescita ed il tempo trascorso insieme in Adelaide.

I motivi per i quali mio padre emigrò
Ho sempre saputo il motivo per il quale i miei genitori emigrarono ma ritornati in Italia, – ed ero abbastanza giovane – non capivo la volontà di tornare, quando la vita era lì, per me, ed era migliore. Certamente non era migliore per mio padre.

Mio papà emigrò per povertà, aiutato con la sponsorizzazione di suo fratello già in Australia. In quel tempo, in Italia non c’era lavoro e lui aveva una famiglia da mantenere e qui ridevano quando pensavano alla loro esperienza in Australia: la pioggia che entrava dal tetto di lamiera della loro casa, il loro modo di parlare l’inglese ed il motivo per il quale gli australiani non capivano la loro parlata…

Coinvolgimento nelle interviste orali
Nel 2018, quando chiesi a mia Zia Gilda (Simeoni) e alla mia amica Gabriella Antonini, se fossero d’accordo nel registrare un’intervista per il sito, non ero abbastanza sicura che avrebbero aderito. Ma, a mia sorpresa, entrambe risposero immediatamente di sì. Ero entusiasta dell’idea e volevo sentire le loro storie, sapendo di aiutarle con la traduzione delI’intervista.

Il ruolo del sito
Il sito è di grande aiuto. E’ stato molto interessante ascoltare alcune interviste e leggere le trascrizioni, vedere le foto di gente che avevo quasi dimenticato. Le loro avventure mi ricordavano quanto fossero difficili anche per i miei genitori.

Quando mio cugino fece la ricerca in internet e scrisse il cognome “Zampin”, immediatamente trovò un riferimento e un aggancio al sito del Veneto market gardeners, e felice di vedere i suoi parenti in Australia.

Irene Zampin
il 8 agosto 2020

This is the second part of guest, Silvano Ballestrin’s blog. He recalls the festivals that were part of the life of the Veneto market gardener community and the memorable Cucagna held at Saint Joseph’s Church at Flinders Park in 1952.

There were many feste (parties or festivals) held at the Catholic Church on Captain Cook Ave. One particular festa was La Cucagna, where men, dressed in old clothes, organised themselves in teams and mounted a horse-drawn dray decorated with streamers, balloons and other colourful ornaments. There were 3 teams. (1) River Road team. (2) Frogmore Road team. (3) Campbelltown team, also veneti. The carts were a sight to behold. The River Road men gathered at Doro’s old house, hopped on the dray and picked up others as they drove to church. Frankie played the accordion and everyone was singing. Bruno Piovesan played the accordion for Frogmore Road. The Campbelltown team came in clean clothes but changed into work clothes at the venue.

Three tall, round, wooden poles, approximately 8-10 metres high were planted on the church grounds; on top of them were various prizes such as bottles of wine, a plucked chicken or some other edible delicacies. To get the prizes the men had to climb their pole and retrieve the reward. The problem: the poles were smooth and completely coated with clear industrial grease, making them virtually impossible to climb. Howls of laughter were heard as men tried to climb and then slid back down the poles. Ultimately the solution was for the strongest man to stand at the foot of the pole hugging it while the next one climbed onto his shoulders and so on until the lightest one reached the top. It was tough going.

Women and children were totally absorbed in watching the event. Once the climb was complete, everyone socialised and mingled over shared food and beverages provided by themselves, with the children running around the yard playing simple games.

The church-going veneti interacted well with the Anglo Australian clergy who were happy for this unique event to take place. The veneti formed a significant part of the congregation they were industrious and eager to become citizens of this great country. Some of those priests even learnt Italian.

The Cucagna with the decorated floats in procession was a never to be forgotten, one-off event held at Captain Cook Avenue, Flinders Park. In later years, the Cucagna was held at Mater Christi, Seaton.

While having painted a picture of continual get togethers, Fiò and lots of fun times, we all worked very hard, as did all the Italian families living in the Findon, Flinders Park, Kidman Park and Lockleys areas. Every man, woman and child laboured to help their families.

 

When writing to Madeleine some time ago it was mentioned the Italians did not have a great need to learn English as they mixed and socialised among themselves helping each other out, as in a community. She expressed it best by saying it was like living in a  paese (village).

This paese in the western suburbs was, and is, alive and well and the Fiòs promulgated these events.  In a way the various feste showed how much the Australian version of the Fiò informally helped them to bond and form a new paese, comfortably surrounded by friends and relatives. Only a few returned permanently to Italy.

Silvano Ballestrin
12 July 2020

 

 

 

 

With help from Egidio Ballestrin (brother), Frank Ballestrin (cousin), Lina Campagnaro nee Ballestrin (sister), Norina Savio nee Ballestrin (sister), Isabella Ballestrin (granddaughter) , Kelli Ballestrin (daughter), Dolfina Leonardi nee Ballestrin (cousin), Noemi Campagnolo nee Zalunardo (cousin), Severino Dotto (cousin in Italy), Madeleine Regan, Christine Rebellato (nee Mattiazzo), Angelo Ballestrin (cousin), Angelo Piovesan (friend), Aurora Ballestrin (my wife for being so patient).

*Thanks to Angelo Piovesan and his contacts, we can now confirm the identity of Gino Piovesan who is in the photo with Bruno Piovesan.

Non è stato possibile tradurre il blog in italiano.

 

This guest blog, written by Silvano Ballestrin, provides an overview of the Ballestrin family and their settlement in Adelaide from 1927 when brothers, Antonio and Isidoro, arrived with their cousin, Giuseppe. Silvano also recalls the custom of filò. The next blog will be part 2 of the Ballestrin family story.

Our father, Narcisio Vittorio Ballestrin, was born on 30 July 1913 in Vallà, Provincia Treviso, Italy. Our mother, Maria Maddalena Dotto, on 10 Jun 1914 in Salvarosa, Provincia Treviso. Both Narcisio, (pronounced as Narciso) and Maria spent only 3 and 5 years respectively at primary school. Neither had any formal schooling beyond that.

In Italy, Dad worked mainly on the family farm until he went to work in France for 4-5 weeks at age 18. He came back to the farm until he was 21, before he served in the military for about 33 months. Towards the end of his tenure he got sick and had to convalesce for 4 months in hospital. After being discharged from the army he went back to work at home for about 18 months. During this time he said “Andavo a fiò” which means “I would go visiting” and this is how he met and courted Maria Dotto, our mother.

Fiò is the Veneto pronunciation of the word filò. The word filò originally meant to go visiting a family either as an individual or as a family after dinner and gather around animals for warmth in the stables of farmhouses. This helped to save wood for cooking and heating water for washing clothes. The word probably derives from the Latin, filatum, which is the activity of spinning of wool that the women undertook to pass the time. The men often repaired farming implements, furniture or made wooden toys for the children. Filò is the library or talking books of the illiterate peasants who handed down their culture through the spoken word. A tradition that’s gradually diminished over time.

Mum and Dad were married in 1938 and he left for Australia soon after the wedding. His older brother Isidoro (Doro) sponsored him. From time to time Narciso mentioned that when his brothers Doro and Antonio (Toni) and cousin Giuseppe (Bepi) decided to leave Italy, they originally sought to migrate to America but there was something not quite right with one of Doro’s eyes, which was true. His migration visa was subsequently rejected and so they sailed for Australia instead.  A blessing in disguise for the Ballestrins.

Of the Ballestrin clan from Vallà, Doro, a friendly and generous man, was a major influence in the Lockleys Findon area. He spoke English fluently and often translated for his brothers or their families. According to his son Frank, he spent some time in the bush among Australians and so he learnt English relatively quickly. Toni was very generous but seemed to be a bit grumpy. Gildo (Ermenegildo) was a gentle kind man. Yiyetta (Luigia) was lovely. Tohn (Giuseppe or Bepi) was a fairly quiet man. Our father Narcisio can best be described as cheeky and irreverent which is how he described his own father Checco (Francesco). All of the Ballestrins had a strong work ethic which they passed on to their children. Most of us can still remember how to tie that double knot one handed on the glasshouse wires.

We would often go to Fiò and visit all of our relatives and friends and they visited us as well. Once or twice a week, usually after dinner, we heard our parents talking to each other, saying something like: “Andemmo a fiò? (Shall we go visiting?) Va ben, andove demo? (All right. Where shall we go?) A ben, andemmo da Yiyo Toneato. (Oh well, let’s go to Luigi Tonellato).” We wouldn’t take cakes, biscuits or wine but always dressed in neat clean clothes. The hosts always provided coffee and biscuits, sometimes wine as well. The unwritten rule for we children was never to ask or take a biscuit or pieces of cake off the table unless it was first offered to us. While the parents chatted away, we children played. We visited all of our relatives regularly as they all conveniently lived within a 3-4 km radius. If the intended family wasn’t home then we went to another family nearby.

Jim recalled the family walked from our Valetta Rd home to friends and relatives’ places after dinner during the evening fiò. For example, from Valetta Road our family walked 2.5kms to the Marchioro’s at the end of White Ave, stay for 2-3 hours and walk back again later that night. A 5km all round walk. Having spoken to a few of our cousins, they all knew what the word fiò meant. We remembered visiting all of our uncles, aunties, and other relatives on a regular basis. Plus families Dotto, Piovesan, Tonellato, Santin, Candiotto, Innocente, De Marchi, Compostella, Pietrobon, Possamai, Martini, Berno, Lamberti, Recchi, and many others. There were friends from the Veneto, Trieste, Napoli, and other regions of Italy. Our parents were very sociable.

 

 

 

 

Silvano Ballestrin
28 June 2020

With help from Egidio Ballestrin (brother), Frank Ballestrin (cousin), Lina Campagnaro nee Ballestrin (sister), Norina Savio nee Ballestrin (sister), Isabella Ballestrin (granddaughter) , Kelli Ballestrin (daughter), Dolfina Leonardi nee Ballestrin (cousin), Severino Dotto (cousin in Italy), Madeleine Regan, Christine Rebellato nee Mattiazzo,  Angelo Ballestrin (cousin), Angelo Piovesan (friend), Aurora Ballestrin nee Stella (my wife for being so patient).