The Fortaleza Yacht Club, in Ceaaá, was the setting for the launch of the book “Memory of 150 years of Italian immigration to Brazil”, last Friday (28).
The work, organized by Maria Carolina Russo, Gabriela Weber Buonocore – both from Northeast Committees – and Márcio Martelli, brings moving stories from 42 Italian descendants and celebrates the influence of the Italian community in Brazil.
The event was attended by important names in local culture, including Totonho Laprovitera, who also contributed a text about his family.
The history and legacy of Italian immigration as told by its descendants
With the aim of preserving and honoring the history of Italian immigrants in Brazil, the book brings together texts from several Italian families who arrived in the country 150 years ago. Totonho Laprovitera, artist and architect, shared the story of his family, the Laproviteras, highlighting the honor he felt in telling the story of his grandparents, Marianna and Miguel Laprovitera. “Writing about my family, from their origins in Italy to their arrival in Fortaleza, was an intense and exciting challenge,” commented Totonho.
Another contributor, Gerardo Jereissati Son, described the saga of his great-aunt Pierina Rossi and his grandfather Natale Rossi, whose stories are connected to the historic architecture of Fortaleza.
“It was certainly very rewarding. Although many older people know a little about the history of the Excelsior Hotel, the Majestic and Modern Cinemas and the Palacete do Plácido, as it was known, the younger generations know little about these stories. These buildings were icons in our city. The Excelsior Hotel is the only one left standing,” said Jereissatie.
The book, with 274 pages, is produced by In House Publisher (buy here) and has the institutional support of Comites (Comitato degli Italiani all'Estero) from the Northeast.
Os 42 participants from all over Brazil who told their stories and memories of Italian immigration in the book:
- Vera Margaret Priori of Pontes
- Alessandro Aparecido Rosa Pereira
- Ana Celeste Pereira Ferreira
- Ana Paula Pagotti
- Aristides Almeida Rocha
- Augusto Valentine
- Nina
- Christiana Maria Monteiro Chiappetta
- Claudevalda Souza-Claudia
- Cleoneide Ricardo da Costa
- Dalton Luiz Sibinel
- Deborah Pio
- Dinah Thomazetto Zanatta
- Fabio Spina
- Fernanda Sampaio Vitale
- Gabriel Buonocore
- Gabriela Weber Thank you
- Gerardo Jereissati Jr.
- Herminia Aparecida Balbuena
- Jose Felicio Ribeiro De Cezare
- Katia Moratore
- Luciana Maria Recchia
- Luiz Alberto de Lima Boscato
- Marcelo Cristiano Mantovani
- Marcia Lucindo Lages
- Marcio Martelli
- Maria Angela Monteiro Chiappeta
- Maria Carolina Lemos Russo Cartaxo
- Martha Cimiterra
- Monica Camargo Cruvinel Cavalari
- Octavio Pessoa
- Osvaldo Fabbrini
- Persio Luis Marconi
- Ronaldo Alberto Martelli
- Salvador Lorenzato
- Sergio Henrique Lopes Rendeiro
- Silvia Carolina Pagotti
- Silvia Rocha
- Tereza Cristina Chiappetta Lagioia
- Totonho Laprovitera
- Valderez de Mello
- Black Vanderlei
