D’Urville's forgotten Island
D’Urville's forgotten Island
Category: Article
| Title | D’Urville's forgotten Island |
|---|---|
| Author | Andrew Macalister, Gerard Hindmarsh, photos byr Arno Gasteiger |
| Year | 1992 |
| Publication | New Zealand Geographic |
| Language | English |
| Geographic reference | D’Urville Island |
| Time reference | 1897-1992 |
| Online resource | Yes |
| Topic | Italian immigrants in New Zealand, Moleta family, Stromboli, D’Urville Island |
This New Zealand Geographic article about d’Urville Island, between Nelson’S Tasman Bay and the Marlborough Sounds, dedicates several paragraphs to the Italian settlers who shaped the landscape and history of the island. In 1897, Antonino Moleta, his brother Salvatore and a friend were landed at Old Man Head (now Moleta Point) with 150 sheep, and began carving a farm out of the forested hillsides, leasing and later purchasing the land from the local Maori owners. They had emigrated from Stromboli, a waterless active island volcano north of Sicily, six years earlier. In 1899, Salvatore died of pneumonia on his way back to Italy and another brother, Vincenzo, sailed out to take his place. Six year later they were joined by wives. Antonino married Rosa Criscillo (click here for an article describing her wedding dress on Te Papa Blog) and Vincenzo married Angelina Criscillo, whose story has been dramatised in the novel Angelina From Stromboli to D'Urville Island a Family's Story. The article also introduces the youngest of Antonino’s sons, Bartolomeo (Bob) who, at the time of publication (1992) was aged 63 and owned and run the farm with the help of his two sons, Matthew and BJ.
