Animated luncheon discussions in Gragnana: exchanging heartfelt memories over an elaborate Tuscan meal.
Chapter 2
Lineages of a multiethnic family: Italy
Spirited, often tense discussions of family relations and allegiances with relatives from both branches of the wider family living in Gragnana, Falcinello, and Barcelona. Conversations touch on Silvio’s life before he left for the colonies and the subsequent loss of contact between his Italian and Eritrean families. Marked differences emerge between memory and history as recollected by members of the two families.
Agnese Fruzzetti is Silvio’s Italian daughter, from his wife Rosina Zini.
The memorial panel of Silvio Fruzzetti in the Gragnana cemetery as placed by the family shows his baptismal name of Pietro, whereas in Eritrea he called himself Silvio. The caption translates as “He fell in Africa Orientale” however, he did not fall in the war, he worked as a civilian in the colonies. Paola and Nanda explain that the change was made to secure a pension for the Italian widow.
Paola and Nanda with Lina
Gragnana, 2005
A long conversation between Lina and her cousins, Paola and Nanda, children of Silvio’s brother (Andrea Fruzzetti) about war, abandonment, and the potentially absurd idea of bringing Silvio’s Eritrean children to live in Gragnana with his family, a painful and often difficult discussion.
Lucia travels to Carrara for a grand family reunion
Gragnana, 2006
Return to Carrara a year later with Lina’s mother Lucia, who comes from Asmara to meet her long-lost Italian relatives and the Fruzzetti-Östör family (including her grand and great grandchildren).
Lucia and Marina in Forlì
Forli, 2006
We take Lucia to Forli to visit her longtime friend from Eritrea days, Marina Ballardini. They talk about their lives in Eritrea, Silvio and his children, the position of the Italian- Eritrean community in Mussolini’s Eritrea, the role of the church, and the lost, happy days of friendship and family.
Concluding family discussion
Marina di Carrara, 2006
Lucia discusses her life with Silvio in Keren, telling Nanda and Paola, about his work and generosity, his love for others, and the last few hours with his children before he died. She talks about being young and left alone. Paola explains the silence about these matters imposed by her father Andrea. They keep away from more painful topics.
Meeting the Ferraris, Cousins to Lina through her father's sister Maria
Michele and his sister Antonella
Falcinello, 2008
After the initial visit to Gragnana, Lina had no idea that the children of her aunt Maria lived so close by. Pietro, the son of Agnese (Lina’s Italian half-sister) comes from Barcelona, where he lives with Gloria his Catalan wife, to meet his newly discovered aunt. Lina now hears of Silvio’s sisters, Lina and Maria, who lost contact with Silvio, and a moving story of two sisters lamenting the loss of their niece and nephew.
Pietro Piccioli, Agnese’s son
Barcelona, 2008
We travel to Spain to continue the conversation with Pietro Piccioli (Agnese’s son, Silvio’s daughter from his Italian wife). Pietro and his wife Gloria speak with nostalgia and sadness of family events. Knowing of her husband’s second family was painful to everyone. Tense moments recall the past without judgement, without blame, yet acknowledging the toll it took of everyone involved
Maria and Rina Zini, cousins of Agnese
Massa, 2008
Visiting her newfound relatives of Agnese in Massa, near Carrara, Lina talks about the need to understand why her uncle did not acknowledge his brother's children in Eritrea. Lina finds out that Agnese knew about her half-sister and brother and wished to meet them one day. A sad and inconclusive ending.
Themes:
Intertwining Families
Kinship terminology of the Italian family:
Father = padre
Father’s father = nonno
Father’s mother = nonna
Father’s father brother = prozio
Father’s father sister = prozia
Father’s wife = madre
Father’s sister = zia
Father’s sister husband = zio acquisito
Father’s sister son = cugino di primo grado
Father’s sister daughter = cugina di primo grado
Father’s sister son wife = procugina di primo grado acquisita
Father’s brother = zio
Father’s brother wife = zia acquisita
Mother = madre
Mother’s mother = nonna
Mother’s father = nonno
Mother’s sister = zia
Mother’s sister husband = zio acquisito
Mother’s brother wife = zia acquisita
Mother’s father brother = zio
Mother’s father sister = zia
Mother’s sister son = cugino di primo grado
Mother’s sister daughter = cugina di primo grado
The Meaning of Family
Family members discuss what family means to them (interviews held in 2020)Paola Fruzzetti on family history, marriage and in-laws, responsibility to relatives, quality of life and generational differences, conflicts and changing times.
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Cousin Nanda Fruzzetti, Lina’s first cousin on the father side of the family, talks about family history, children: bonds of blood and affection, friendship, family unity: sharing food, those who left before, immigrants.
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Michele Ferrari (Lina’s cousin on her father side) growing up, aunt Lina’s character, uncle Silvio (Lina’s father), Silvio’s attachment to his sister Antonella, conflict with the church, charity to the poor, and accepting foreigners.
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Rosanna Tonioni (wife of Michele) strong affinity with children, family connections, eating together, homosexuality, adoption, and racism.
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Antonella Ferrari on attachment to family, blood ties, love and marriage, affection, festivities, parental guidance, generational differences.
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Franco Chinchero on unity of humankind, marriage not necessary to have children, ancestry less important, religion, descendants and tradition, friendship
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Connections in a contemporary Italian family
Photographs of Lina Fruzzetti's cousins and cousins' children in Gragnana and Falcinello, nephew Pietro and his wife Gloria in Barcelona. Refer to the Fruzzetti family kinship chart for these connections.
