New book explores Nelson's Italian history
New book explores Nelson's Italian history
Category: Article
| Title | New book explores Nelson's Italian history |
|---|---|
| Year | 2015 |
| Publisher | Stuff NZ |
| Language | English |
| Geographic reference | Nelson, The Wood |
| Time reference | 1860-2014 |
| Online resource | YES |
| Topic | Nelson, Italian immigrants in New Zealand, gold rush, Italian fishermen in New Zealand, Italian tomato growers, pomodori, Italian horticulturists, books, Paolo Casa, prisoners of war, enemy aliens, |
Article about the incoming launch (may 2015) of the book Pasta, Prayer & Promise, the story of Nelson's Italian Community 1860-2014. The book is the result of five years of research by authors Karen Stade and Karen Price and this article on Stuff NZ gives a good summary of what can be found in the pages, starting from 1860s when Italian men, like Stefano De Filippi and the Porcelli brothers found themselves in New Zealand chasing gold or opening saloons. They were followed by fishermen and eventually the community grew, many dedicating themselves to growing tomatoes, especially in the sunny The Wood. The authors say that one of the most interesting research aspects of the project was going through he official files outlining the Government's case against Paolo Casa as there were a mountain of reports, letters and interviews in his enemy alien files to wade through. "His internment still vexes the Italian community but we've left it up to readers to decide which version of the story to accept. It's the first time the official side of the story has been told", say Stade and Price. (You can find more about Paolo Casa here).
