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News and Events ~ March 2010

News from the Society:

Craco - A Rich History

When the Society was founded one of the primary objectives was to preserve the history of Craco. Since then, efforts have produced many articles including the English translation of the history of the town, "Note Storiche sul Comune di Craco"; a film documentary, "Craco: Visits through Time", with scenes from the town going back over 80 years; and a history of the patron saint and early Crachesi immigrants to New York. This last work, "San Vincenzo Martire and the Crachesi in Two Worlds" is in a second printing after selling out at the Reunion.
Together, these three items represent the most complete history of the town and its people. To make sure members have them, these three items are being offered as a limited edition packaged set. This "Craco Collection" will be available directly from the Society and can be ordered by contacting us at: memberservices@thecracosociety.org with your request. The price for the Craco Collection is $60, which includes shipping.
For those taking the trip to Craco this June, getting this set before leaving is a great opportunity to learn the rich history of the town and actually see images as it was of it before the frana. For the rest of us staying at home, it allows us to gain an understanding of the town and see the beauty of Craco.
These items are also available individually and can be ordered exclusively through the Society.
In keeping with our mission, later this year a publication about the Madonna della Stella, and her unique story will be offered. Plans also call for another video with scenes taken by residents of Craco during the 1960’s in a period just before and after the frana.

Young Cracotans in the News

Sarah Veeder, a Society member, was kind enough to submit an article with reflections on her trip to Craco in 2008. For anyone still considering whether to join the 2010 trip Sarah’s observations should help you decide.

Reunited—And It Feels So Good

Aside from walking behind the security guard, who was dressed to the nine’s and beating his walking stick on the ground—“to scare up the snakes”—the best part of going to Craco was watching my mother. Her face lit up at every doorway, her neck was permanently cocked back to see every remaining fresco, hugging any Cracotan that came her way at dinner in the new town. Her enthusiasm was my reason for going to Craco, and I was richly rewarded in experiences.
I wouldn’t trade the tilting, slipping slopes of Craco for any modern city, or even for the romantic beauty of places like Rome or Paris. There is a haunting beauty laced through the crumbling brick and overgrown walks of Craco that speaks of hardship and burden. But at the same time the frescos on the ceilings, still bright and vibrant, speak of celebrations and love between families and neighbors, of open doors and laughing children. The spirit lives on in the new town, down the hill, where the inhabitants, the descendants of old Craco, live on as hard workers ready to embrace you as though you were one of their own. Even though my mother’s grandfather left Italy before his last four siblings were born, the people of new Craco held us in their arms and cried over us like we were their own children and sisters returned, as though they knew our faces and had waited for us for years. The entire town came together, bringing tables full of food and barbeques full of fresh lamb, bowls of fruit and vegetables, more wine than we could drink, all in honor of what is sure to be known as The Great Return. The Italians searched out from among us the people with the same surnames and introduced them to their friends as their cousins from America, pouring more drinks and pushing more food upon us than we could eat in a lifetime. They smiled wide and were proud to know that they were being remembered, that they had not been forgotten when their brothers and fathers, sisters and aunts, left Craco all those years ago.
Everyone wants to be remembered. No one wants to be forgotten. Genealogy is the search for the ones we once knew, and the culmination of that search is the return to the beginning. Even when the names can’t be found, the records are lost, and the archives unreadable, there is still the knowledge that someone is looking, someone is remembering. Craco haunts so many with its beauty, with its sadness, with its loss. It slid down the mountainside and many were forced to leave it behind. But despite all that, we still return. We cannot, and will not, let it die.

Sarah Marshall Veeder, (related to the Porcellini and Viggiano families) is 22 years old and graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of South Carolina with a BA in English Literature. She plans to go on to an MFA in Creative Writing at Kingston University outside of London in September. She and her mother, Anna Veeder have traveled extensively throughout Europe, and Sarah plans to continue, hoping to see the rest of the world.
With such a keen and perceptive eye combined with the ability to express it so well we’re sure Sarah will travel far with great success.

Planning for the Future

In 2007, when the Society was founded, a Strategic Plan was developed to guide the organization. Having accomplished nearly all of our primary goals, the Board of Directors is evaluating an update for the Society as we approach our third year anniversary. As part of the process we anticipate surveying the membership which grew over 400% since our founding. With over 370 members, we think it important to understand member needs and develop events and programs that meet them. You’ll be hearing more about this in upcoming newsletters, but feel free to pass along any ideas you have by email to: memberservices@thecracosociety.org

Our Fourth Annual Reunion Update

We are evaluating several facilities that offer the resort environment we are seeking for this year’s Reunion weekend in Upstate New York's Catskill Mountain area, sometimes referred to as, "The Italian Alps". A critical element will be the availability during August, which is peak season for these resorts. We’ll keep you informed of developments.

March in Craco Vecchio

March in Craco was a a time of reawakening. In keeping with the seasonal cycle followed by the inhabitants of Craco Vecchio, they tended to the fields and to their spiritual needs.
The Earth: As the earth reawakens, life is renewed in the fields. The warm March sun begins to caress the grain. In the fields, grain was tended and fertilized, and people began preparing the soil for vegetables and fruit to be planted.
The Church: March 19th—San Giuseppe, was celebrated on this Saint Day by having large bonfires, the largest one in the piazza. It was also customary to make fecazzolë, flat fried dough pieces, and bring these to the church to be offered to the poor people.
Interestingly, this feast day is also celebrated as Father’s Day in Italy (as it is in Spain and Portugal). But the day also has other far reaching connections to customs and celebrations throughout the world.
In Sicily, where St. Joseph is regarded by many as their Patron Saint, and in many other Italian-American communities, thanks are given to St. Joseph for preventing a famine during the Middle Ages. According to legend, there was a severe drought and the people prayed for rain. to show their thanks, they promised they would prepare a large banquet in his honor. The fava bean was the crop which saved the population from starvation, and is a traditional part of St. Joseph's Day altars and traditions.
In the United States, New Orleans, Louisiana, which was a major port of entry for Sicilian immigrants during the late 19th century, the Feast of St. Joseph is a citywide event. Both public and private St. Joseph altars are traditionally built. There are also parades in honor of St. Joseph and the Italian population of New Orleans, which are similar to the many marching clubs and truck parades of Mardi Gras. In the Mid-Atlantic Region, St Joseph's Day is traditionally associated with the return of anadromous fish, such as eels and striped bass, to their natal rivers, like the Delaware. St Joseph's Day is also celebrated in other American communities with high proportions of Italians such as New York City; Buffalo, NY; Chicago, IL; Kansas City, MO; Gloucester, MA; and Rhode Island. St. Joseph's Day is also the day when the swallows are traditionally believed to return to Mission San Juan Capistrano after having flown south for the winter.
A common element to these events is St. Joseph’s Bread (Pane di San Giuseppe). But it takes many forms, from the fried fecazzolë of Craco to the zeppole of Sicily, to baked breads that are elaborately shaped and sculpted to represent crosses, staffs, wheat sheaves, braids or images of St. Joseph.

Click here to view A Year in Craco. Events in Craco for every month are listed. Thank you to Joe Rinaldi in Canada for his contribution to this page.

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