Week 1 The Reunion - Abruzzo Homecoming Weekend in Villa Santa Lucia, Carrufo and Ofena

The Reunion was held over three days in three neighbouring villages – Villa Santa Lucia, Carrufo and Ofena, with each location offering something different. Unfortunately we missed the first day’s event in Ofena because our bus arrived a half hour prior to the event starting. It had rained all day and when we arrived it was a torrential down-pore and we got soaked looking for someone to give us a ride to Ofena. Ofena has a wine industry and therefore visitors experienced a taste of their local wines and a history of the region.  Day 2 was in Villa and the official picnic day. Unfortunately it started to rain at noon and the event moved into the Municipal Hall where we were given a history of the region and a video presentation of Villa’s history. There were also tours of the cemetery for those looking for their ancestral graves. The day’s event was concluded with a hosted reception with a variety of pastries prepared by the local community. The last day was hosted by Carrufo, which started with a guided walk around the village, which included a visit to Michael Buble’s grandmother’s house. This was followed with an outdoor mass at La Croce. Carrufo hosted a fantastic party with local foods that included a roast pig and local wines, and sangria prepared by Gianni Mariani (our B&B host). The party concluded at approximately 9pm, but a few remaining people made their way to a local resident’s house where the party continued, with a spaghetti dinner and more wine. Overall, regardless of the rain, the Abruzzo Homecoming Weekend was a success and I’m sure most in attendance learned more about their heritage. 

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There were some new information I learned during this visit. A key reason for returning to Villa Santa Lucia was to connect with relatives and learn a little more about my heritage. Much to my regret I did not pursue this objective earlier in life – always too busy with work and family, and putting it off until I had more time. Unfortunately my mother passed away quickly in 2009 hence my key information source disappeared. Therefore the visit to Villa was essential to conclude my search for information and to put closure to my curiosity. I also wanted to learn more about those other Aburzzesi who left Villa and about those who returned.

I’d like to start by discussing our family house in Villa Santa Lucia. Julie and I had dinner with Saverio, the current owner of our family house and he was able to provide a description of the process and challenges he indured acquiring various properties.  He purchased a total of three properties; all attached, and joined them to create one larger home. Our home was the main building structure, with the remaining two attachments. One attached property was destroyed by neglect by the prior owner – with the roof and wall collapsed. Saverio began his project in 1992, and 20 years later he is close to completion, and it is an amazing transformation. He also bought land in Carrufo where he planted grape vines and began the renovation of the cellars in his Villa home to accommodate the equipment needed to process his own wine. Again, he has done an amazing job, which included the purchase of stainless steel wine press and tanks, and built a wine cellar to house the wine from various years. We got to taste his 2011 wine that was still in the barrel and ready for bottling. It was delicious!

Saverio described that in the early to mid 1900s there were approximately 3000 residents, with multiple families living in a single dwelling, and therefore the wave of immigrants that went to Canada and other parts of the world was beneficial to Villa because it thinned out the population, and when they returned they could afford their own home. There were two waves of immigrants – one around 1900, which was when Papa Luigi came to Canada to work and when he returned he was able to purchase his home.  It is unclear when the house was purchased, but Saverio did find carvings on wood beams with “LM 08/31/1928”) that probably belong to my grandfather Luigi Mazziotti. This is the house where my mother and dad lived after getting married and where we lived prior to immigrating to Canada in 1956. The second wave of immigration took place after WII. Except this time very few returned. Hence the population was devastated, and today there are between 100-200 residents. In the second wave there was very little to come back to, and many immigrants had established communities in their new country. This was the case in Vancouver and I’m sure in other communities.  However, those that immigrated to European countries had an advantage because of the proximity to Villa. My own cousins Victoria and Evenia, who live in Paris and Pescara are able to come back to Villa every year during July and August.

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