L'Italo-Americano

www.italoamericano.org 18 L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, JULY 11, 2019 LA VITA ITALIANA TRADITIONS HISTORY CULTURE D ear Readers,  mark your calendars now because a very tal- ented group of Ital- ians known as Gruppo Sbandieratori and Musici di Faenza, Ravenna, are coming to San Jose, California on August 24-25, 2019 and their special per- formances are something you and your family won't want to miss. Best of all admission is Free. "Grazie" to my friend Ken Borrelli, author of "Flavors from a Calabrese Kitchen," California Style, long time South Bay sup- porter and chair of the Cultural Committee of the Italian Ameri- can Heritage Foundation's (IAHF) annual. I can share some of the fun an exciting news with you: The IAHF annual Italian Fam- ily Festa date is something I have been marking on my calendar for over 35 years. The IAHF is host- ing one of Italy's award winning Flag Throwers and Musicians, called Gruppo Sbandieratori e Musici di Faenza, Ravenna, at the festa this year. They will be per- forming at the festa, and a week long series of Bay Area activities are being planned for this dynamic 22 member team. Their perfor- mance is a not to be missed expe- rience as the group has rarely vis- ited the USA. You can get more information about them at: ital- ianfamilyfestasj.org or call 408 293 7122 and ask for Delia Schiz- zano. There will be a lot more going on. 1)The Villaggio Culturale ac- tivities will also include a ROOTS PROJECT, mini lectures on ge- nealogy and a video on Matera being the 2019 European Capital of Culture. 2)There will be a new display at the Festa's Villaggio, this year dedicated to MATERA, as the 2019 European Cultural CAPI- TAL. Matera is in the Basilicata region of Italy. 3)Italian Lace Makers demon- stration, A Trabia, Sicily History project, and meet the author of Leonardo's Knots, Caroline Coc- ciardi. 4)There will also be History in the making! With a special dis- cussion on the old San Jose Pro- duce Terminal (farmers market): an interactive seminar, and display highlighting the contribution pri- marily of Italian and Japanese American immigrant farmers to the pre Silicon Valley's "Valley of Heart's Delight." 5)A very special video by John Romano on the Province of Molise will also be shown and an opportunity to meet all the pre- senters, along with visiting the Galleria Caprese featuring many local artists will be given. My "marito" and I have at- tended the annual event for years and can attest to an enticing two day "Italianità experience;" cou- pled with the Sbandieratori from Faenza, your heritage will be proud! This is in addition to all the traditional music, food, crafts, wine tasting and even a cooking demonstration by Galbani Cheese. It all translates into two fun filled days, with an Italian twist. This is a labor of love, and my "compli- menti" go to all the hundreds of volunteers that help produce this Italian Family Festa! August 24 and 25, 2019 Saturday 11:00 - 8:00 - Sunday 11:00 - 6:00 History Park San Jose @Kelley Park *** Ken Borrelli, Cultural Chair- person of the IAHF is also trying to get a historical theme plaque in- stalled at the old San Jose Farmers Market so it will not be completely forgotten. It is not a matter of fi- nances as the IAHF will finance the plaques, but permission from the City Council. *** As you may recall, the statue of Columbus which was donated by the Italian Community to the City of San Jose back in the 1950s was kicked out of City Hall re- cently after certain ethnic groups found it offensive, and now resides at the IAHF Center located at 425 No. 4th Street in San Jose.  It was that , or being crated and put in storage never to be seen again. Now, Ken and his committee are busy contacting City Council persons trying to get a Historical plaque for the San Jose Growers Market located on North 7th and Taylor St., which was operated by some 30 Italian American Families and 10 Japanese American fami- lies from 1932 to 2001.  Here is bit of the background: San Jose Produce Terminal: going back to the depths of the great Association through the war years (1941-45) to its ultimate demise as an agricultural power- house, with the transition from the Valley of Heart's Delight into Sil- icon Valley in 2001. The market also highlighted the contributions of two major local ethnic groups, the Italian and Japanese American communities to the vitality of life in "The Valley of Heart's Delight." For 70 years, the Terminal Market provided jobs, and was an agricultural outlet for many local truck farms, or- chards, canneries and food proces- sors. It also offered seasonal work to many a youth during the sum- mer months. The market went through difficult times during the World War II years when both eth- nic groups were signaled out for serious consequences, with the tragic Japanese American intern- ments, war time restrictions and some internment of Italian Amer- icans, too. Somehow the market survived those times, and many of the Ital- ian and Japanese Americans were able to regroup and remain a part of the agricultural life of the mar- ket and of the community. The Terminal market eventually tran- sitioned for a short time to a re- gional prototype as the San Jose Farmers Market. The site itself was torn down to make way for new housing and support for the High tech economy in 2001. In many ways tragically, the site has disappeared from local memory.

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