|
 All of the community histories and the oral history
interviews indicate the close bond between miners Italian origin
and their families. Commentators note that Italians tended to
"stick together." While the bonds of kinship and also region
(for example, the notion of paesani [townsmen], that is, people
from the same hometown) were undeniably important to Italian
immigrants, they also were well aware that they were not among
the elites, which in mining communities were people of
Anglo-Canadian origin. This, in itself, forced
ethnocultural
groups to stick together.
 The men frequently emigrated alone thinking to make money and
return to their homeland. But those who liked the life in Canada
either returned to Italy to marry or had their families select a
wife. By 1910, there were a significant number of married miners
who were in Canada to stay. As a result of family reunification
immigration, members of extended families began to arrive
creating the first dynasties of Italian families in Western
Canada. The growth of these families can be discovered in local
history books.
 In spite of the hardships, the close-knit
families enjoyed life. They lived in small houses, quickly
erected from wide boards. They had coal stoves and outdoor
privies. There were few labour-saving devices and laundry was
done weekly by hand using a washboard. In winter, there were
only sponge baths. Summer made living easier and many kept
chickens for eggs and meat as well as growing vegetables. The
popular dandelion greens were cooked or used raw in salads. Some
families made their own wine from chokecherries and "moon-shine"
even though it was illegal. There were also ball games, Saturday
night dances with the "self-made orchestra," the weekly picture
shows group singing, outdoor bowling and card game—all of those
pleasures of any community in Alberta or British Columbia at
that time.
Listen:
Giovanni Paron talks about how he got a mail order bride (oral
history excerpt).
Listen: Silvio Tona talks about his wine making (oral
history excerpt).
|
Heritage Community Foundation Presents
![Luigi Pedrini was another adventurous teenager emigrating at the age of 14 in 1904 and making his way to the part of the Northwest Territories that became Alberta a year later. He settled in Diamond City first working on the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway High Level Bridge in Lethbridge. He then worked in the Diamond City, Commerce, Picture Butte, Shaughnessy, Royal View and Dupen Mines. In 1914, he returned to Italy for a visit and had to serve in the army and was wounded. He met his future wife Clementina ("Emma") Ceschini and they were married in 1918. He returned to Canada, leaving her behind with their first child, a son, Ezio. Their family is typical of the dislocation experienced by many immigrants. She came to Canada in 1925 leaving Ezio with relatives and he did not join his parents until 1930. Luigi then worked in the mines from fall to spring and farmed from spring to fall.](javascript:Dynapop(2,'images/diamond/243_unit04_det.jpg','Luigi Pedrini was another adventurous teenager emigrating at the age of 14 in 1904 and making his way to the part of the Northwest Territories that became Alberta a year later. He settled in Diamond City first working on the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway High Level Bridge in Lethbridge. He then worked in the Diamond City, Commerce, Picture Butte, Shaughnessy, Royal View and Dupen Mines. In 1914, he returned to Italy for a visit and had to serve in the army and was wounded. He met his future wife Clementina ("Emma") Ceschini and they were married in 1918. He returned to Canada, leaving her behind with their first child, a son, Ezio. Their family is typical of the dislocation experienced by many immigrants. She came to Canada in 1925 leaving Ezio with relatives and he did not join his parents until 1930. Luigi then worked in the mines from fall to spring and farmed from spring to fall.',22))
)
)