New look! New website!
Welcome to the long overdue new look and website of carovilli.ca!
As Internet use has grown to become social and collaborative, I’ve redesigned carovilli.ca to include your contributions! In other words, a blog.
Those writing the blog are my parents, Pierino and Angelina.
Pierino, my father, was born and raised in Castiglione di Carovilli (’Castiglione’). My mother, Angelina, was born and raised in Carovilli. Even though they’ve been living in Canada since the late 1960s, Pierino and Angelina have kept their traditions (and delicious food) and passed them down to their children (and now grandchildren). They are happy to share with you their stories, recipes, photos, and anything else about all things Carovilli and Castiglione.
Every time you see the word “Admin” throughout this site, that’s me, Daniele, their son. I launched carovilli.ca way back in the 1990s, when the Internet was not very collaborative or social. It was a fun little project on my most favourite place on Earth. To my surprise, and also of my parents and sister, e-mails from all over the world soon arrived. We weren’t even aware that there were descendants of Carovilli and Castiglione in some of those places!
Next thing we knew, we were helping third and fourth generation descendants trace their family trees all the way back to Carovilli and/or Castiglione. We’ve made so many new friends and helped so many people, how could I not redesign carovilli.ca with the times?
So don’t be shy, share with us your comments, questions, recipes, and all things Carovilli and Castiglione in Italy and around the world.
If you are a descendant and have a Facebook account, do asearch for ‘Carovilli’ and you will find the group I created.
Congratulations on the launch – looks great and holds a wealth of information that will be shared with generations to come!
Comment by Ernesta Rossi — June 28, 2007 @ 11:00 pm
Congratulations Daniele ! I came by this site actually quite by accident but found it most interesting.Keep up the good work!
Castiglione, my birthplace has always been so very special for me and I have always been very eager to know as much as possible about my heritage. Although I was born there, I came to Canada in 1953, at the age of 6 with my mother, Maddalena Diana Ricci.I have been back many times, and as with any of us with ties to our “beloved Castiglione ” it will always remain a part of who we are. My first teacher was my father, Silvio Ricci. He was the first to come to Toronto from Castiglione, in 1951 .In 1953,his younger brother, Davide Ricci(age 19 ), my mother and I, my father’s sister Maria, her husband Antonio Ricci and their 8 month old daughter, Jenny ,and my father’s other sister,Francesca Ricci ( age 17 ) all came to Canada. The 50’s saw the arrival of many family members. Zio Antonio proceeded to sponsor his two brothers( Palmerino and Giuseppe) and later a sister (Giuseppina Ricci Sferra). My mother, Maddalena,sponsored her sister Emilia, with her husband Antonio and their 3 chidren Giacinto (George), Anna and Aldo and her brother, Adelio Diana.As each family member and their families arrived they would proceed to sponsor their own brothers, sisters,fathers, mothers.That was how our community here in Toronto from Castiglione was formed in the 50’s and early 60’s. The 70’s saw a very different wave of immigrants from Castiglione and of course neighbouring towns.Canada, in desperate need for skilled workers, opened the doors to mainly young men who had a trade.This time,it was not necessary to be sponsored by a family member.Although in many cases these young men had no family members here, they were quickly welcomed by the very close-knit community of Castiglionesi that had arrived in the 50’s and 60’s. Today, 56 years have gone by since the arrival of my father,Silvio Ricci to this country. Many can trace their arrival here in this country back to him.If he were here today,he would be so very proud of his countrymen, from Castiglione.The second and third generation who are so very attached to their roots (like yoursef,Daniele )would make my father so very, very ” orgoglioso” of what our small commnunity has accomplished in the last 56 years.
I will be 60 this year.Castiglione has always been a cherished part of who I am. I thank you for continuing to keep this sentiment alive in me. Future generations will be indebted to you for they will be able to learn about their ancestry,their culture, their roots.
Tanti auguri and keep up the good work. Thank you for following in your father’s footsteps.I have learned many things about our ” beloved paesetto” from your father’s book “Il mio bel paese”. He too is to be commended for recording in written form our culture and identity.
Lucy Ricci Cerase
Comment by Lucy Ricci Cerase — July 15, 2007 @ 6:14 pm
My name is Tony ito was born in CAROVILLI came to America in 1953 was 14 years old now live in ohio I was born in Fontecurelli carovilli.
Comment by tony — January 6, 2009 @ 5:18 pm
I love this!
Comment by Bob — September 28, 2009 @ 4:39 am
I was in Carovilli this summer with my sister and my daughter. We just missed market day – the fresh peaches were incredibly large and wonderfully sweet, juicy, and delicious. My grandmother Lucia Concetta Falasca was born there in 1900. Her father first left for America in the 1880’s. He spent nearly 15 yrs in America. His wife joined him with their first son and then had several more children while they lived in Buffalo, NY. Grandpa Stefano even became a naturalized citizen while living there. Then the entire family returned to Carovilli, which is how my grandmother & her sister were born in Italy. At the age of 3 1/2 she moved with her family back to America. This time to Pittsburg, PA. where two more sons were born. Eventually, they moved to Warren, Oh. to live closer to her older sister who had married and moved there. Now, there is only one daughter left, living in Florida, of her five children. Her grandchildren are spread all over the US and her great grandchildren now have children.
We were so impressed by the beauty of this little village in the mountains. We walked the narrow streets, took pictures of the town square, the church, the town hall, the bell tower, and the cemetery. I look forward to returning soon.
I would love to hear from other Falasca and Conti relatives.
Paula Shepherd, Burton, OH
Comment by Paula Shepherd — November 11, 2009 @ 12:46 pm