For the Molfettesi in America this can mean an assortment of amusements. Since many of us are descended from sailors, longshoreman and construction workers it should come to no surprise that poker games break out in-between the servings of fish, panettone, fruit and coffee. However, the true game of “Molfie” Christmas is the one brought over from the old country, a distant ethnic cousin of BINGO, known to us as Tombola. Essentially, the rules of Tombola are similar to other Lotto-based pastimes. A “caller” picks a number and players mark off that number on their scorecards. If a player gets two in a row, they shout out AMBO and are then awarded a small percentage of the pot. Three numbers in the row is known as TERNO, four in a row, QUATERNA, while five in a row is QUINDINA (or Cinquina if you want to speak proper Italian). Finally, the whole card must be filled in order to win the grand prize. Often, players fill their scorecards with little bits of Clementine skin that they have cleverly pieced off to better mark their numbers when actual chips are scarce. The bits of Clementine are symbolic of the ethos practiced by many in the Molfettesi community, waste nothing and improvise when necessary.

On Dec. 17th 2011, members of the Molfetta Heritage Club enjoyed a festive game of Tombola

Winning the game is fun, but the real amusement of Tombola stems from the silly names traditionally given to each of the 90 numbers on the scoreboard. For example, the number 35 is in jail for some reason and whenever that number pops out of the bag, someone dutifully announces that “tréndacìnghë: stè ngalé” (35 is in Jail!). The number 77 represents the legs of some long-legged female member of the family or simply “rë gghêmmë dë Sophia Loren!” Many of the number associations are not very appealing; with the number 11 representing “lë purcë,” or fleas, and 16 designated for “Pezzidde du caulë,” (no translation necessary).

The origins of this number-name system stem from the early lotto games conducted in Italy during the late middle ages. Lotto in Italy began in Florence and Venice during the early 1500s and eventually made its way down to the superstitious cities of the south, particularly Naples. There the game initiated the sale of books known as la Smorfia, which contain secrets of numerology, some say originating from the ancient practice of Kabala. The idea was that whenever someone dreamt of a certain person or occurrence, they were to associate it with the appropriate number and then play that number in the lotto. For example, if you were to dream of a crazy person it would be prudent to play the number 22, as it is the number for il pazzo according to the Smorfio.

However, each region of Italy has its own Smorfio tradition, with Molfetta’s version differing greatly from the Neapolitan edition. To view an example of a classic tombola board from 1800s Molfetta, visit the following site: http://www.tombolamolfettese.it/

Buon Natale from the Molfetta Heritage Club!

The Madonna in front of the Federazione Molfettesi d'America

According to lore, the feast of the Madonna of the Martyrs (La Madonna dei Martiri) commemorates the finding of a floating Glykophilousa icon in Molfettan waters by Crusaders returning from the Holy Land.   A couple centuries later (in 1399 to be exact), Ladislaus the Magnanimous, the king of Naples, proclaimed that the miracle of the icon should be celebrated with feasts and merriment.  526 years after Ladislaus’ declaration, a group of Molfettesi immigrants reintroduced the ancient ritual to their new soil, the dock city of Hoboken.   Jump ahead yet another 86 years and you have a scenario where some intense Mediterranean Catholicism confronts someone in front of a dry cleaner.

Members of the MHC in front of a miniature replica of the Madonna Flotilla

In short, this is a religious festival, but upon further examination, this practice is much more complex than just a simple feast day.  The real story of “la festa” is really about the Molfettese people.  “La Medonne” is almost as synonymous to Molfetta as the dialect spoken by its native sons and daughters.   A unique combination of legend, tragedy, faith and language, blended together by a mix of characters that are as much affable as they are stubborn.  Steadfast Molfettese immigrants brought the statue to Hoboken not only to symbolize old country beliefs but also as a representation of themselves in the new world.  For the temporary birds of passage, or those who went back and forth to Italy, the feast was a sampling of home until they were able to get back.  For many others who stayed in the States permanently, it was a fixture, an actual anchor for a group of wandering seafarers successful in finding a new home.  That’s what it means to “understand” this tradition.   That’s why we applaud when La Medonne exits the church.

 All images are the sole property of Andrew de Gennaro (2011)

Master Stone Carver, Franco Minervini

Carving is a progression of trades. In the Molfetta of the past, it started at the quarry.  Where cazzapéiete (stonebreakers) and petraràule (quarrymen) tore and split the rock from the earth.  Then muratori or frabecatòere (stonemasons) used the stone to build walls, while scarpellìne (stonecutters) and ornatisti (stone carvers) added the details.  The grand master of them all was Giulio Cozzoli, whose major work, the Diposizione, or “Disposition of Christ” depicts a crucified Jesus being lowered from the cross by the Madonna, St. John, Joseph of Arimathea and Mary Magdalene.  Several of Cozzoli’s works are on display at the Fabrica di San Domenico in Molfetta.

The MHC with master stone carvers, Franco Minervini & Michele Colonna

The art of stone carving came to the U.S. with skilled Italian immigrants that literally left their mark on American architecture.  One of the most notable was Vincent Palumbo, a fifth generation stone carver who worked alongside his father, Paolo, at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C.   Master Palumbo was featured in The Stone Carvers, an academy-award winning short film from 1984 that highlighted some of the last remaining stone carvers still working in Washington, DC. In the film, the camaraderie amongst the carvers is clearly evident, as is the distinctive sound of limestone as it is struck with precision.

The Studio

On May 14, 2011, members of the Molfetta Heritage Club were lucky enough to visit with two contemporary links to the Molfettesi tradition of stone carving.  Franco Minervini, who worked with Vincent Palumbo at the National Cathedral and Michele Colonna, a 90 year-old master granite carver, who only recently stopped working in his mid-80s.  The meeting took place at Master Minervini’s studio where the group discussed stone carving, the importance of art, our shared bond of Molfetta, and many other facets of life and learning.   Franco’s studio appears exactly as one would imagine a stone carver’s domain to look.  Ivy covered walls on the outside with various kinds of tools and machinery within the workspace. In each corner, stone inhabitants in the shapes of cherubs, grotesques, gargoyles, maidens, and various other creatures gaze upon those who enter.  A snapshot of a medieval world in the middle of central Jersey.

The day ended with a visit to Master Minervini’s current capolavoro, a giant Bald Eagle created to commemorate the 147 residents of Monmouth County that perished on Sept. 11, 2001.  Located on the Mount Mitchell Scenic Overlook in the Atlantic Highlands, NJ, the entire park chronicles the tragic events of the day. The memorial culminates at Master’s Minervini’s limestone Eagle, which grasps in its talons an actual piece of mangled steel retrieved from the fallen twin towers.  This eagle, a quintessential symbol of America, ascends to the heavens with the memory of the fallen.  Carved in stone, their memory will be preserved for perpetuity.

All Photos: Lou La Forgia & Robert Gigante

Food is probably the thing we miss the most.  Especially the items taken for granted when we were younger.  Every Easter my grandmother would make her traditional glazed jelly cake and every year I would pass them up for a store-bought giant Easter bunny made of chocolate.  These jelly cakes, better known as scarcédde, are an Easter staple for Molfettesi all around the world.

Goehrigs Bakery

In order to recapture the flavors of Easter’s past; members of the Molfetta Heritage Club celebrated Pastry Appreciation Night on March 26, 2011 as a way to share the delights of the Lenten Season.  Not only was there an abundance of scarcédde but also a grand offering of zeppoles in honor of Saint Joseph’s Day, which is a feast day celebrated on March 19^th by all Italian Americans.

Pastry Appreciation Night featured discussions about old 8-track recordings of Le Marce Funebri, solemn music greatly missed by Molfettesi immigrants when away from the homeland during Easter, and whether or not those silvery orbs on top of the scarcédde were edible or not.

Goehrigs Bakery - Jersey City Heights, NJ

A special thanks goes out to Goehrig’s Bakery of Jersey City Heights, which supplied delicious zeppoles and an amazing assortment of cupcakes for the members of the Molfetta Heritage Club to enjoy.  Goehrigs Bakery owned and operated by Joseph Gigante, a certified master baker of Molfettesi heritage and a graduate of Johnson & Wales University.  Goehrig’s Bakery specializes in wedding cakes, traditional Italian pastries, breads, and cookies.  Thank You Goehrigs Bakery!

Born in Molfetta in 1703, Giaquinto was apprenticed to Molfettese artist, Saverio Porta, for a number of years before leaving his home city in 1724.   Giaquinto continued his career in Naples, Rome, Turin, Mafra and Madrid, where he became a patron of King Ferdinand IV of Spain.

For the people of Molfetta, his most recognizable work can be found within La Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta, where Giaquinto painted a magnificent recreation of the Assumption of Mary above one of the side altars.   Although a majority of his art can be seen only in Italy and Spain, the Molfettesi community in America need not be discouraged since a few of his canvases also adorn the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. and of course the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

Members of the Molfetta Heritage Club in front of two Giaquinto paintings at the MET Museum, NYC

Two Giaquinto works in particular are currently on view at the MET, the Penitent Magdalen and the Lamentation.  Displayed side by side, both works are viewable within the museum’s European collection located on the second floor. 

The Penitent Magdalen is a large oil painting displaying the image of Mary Magdalen, unjustly labeled for centuries as a prostitute and according to the New Testament, one of the few witnesses of the crucifixion.  In his painting, Giaquinto pays homage to the traditional story of Mary Magdalen retiring in a French cave for thirty years in order to gain penance for her sins.  In the image we see that she is bare shouldered, which emphasizes the notion of sexual impropriety.  She also wears a cilice, or uncomfortable undergarment used to induce pain as atonement for a sinful life.  On the side of the saint, we see three examples of still-life symbolism. The crucifix denotes faith, the skull symbolizes mortality, and the book represents Magdalen’s reflective life as a cave hermit.   The Penitent Magdalen was purchased for the MET museum in 2006 for the sum of $1.3 million.

Lou LaForgia & Barbara Magarelli view the Penitent Magdalen by Corrado Giaquinto

The second Giaquinto painting on view at the MET is the Lamentation. In this image, we see the Virgin Mary mourn the crucified Christ.  Even though this painting portrays a classical image of sorrow, it still flaunts a rococo flair with playful cherubs and bright blue hues.  This added elegance is perhaps why this painting is considered more of a mystical interpretation of Christ’s death rather than a historical one.

All images © Robert Gigante (2011)

Adoration of the Magi - Corrado Giaquinto

Since Molfetta is only a few kilometers from Bari, the final resting place of the real Santa Claus, Molfettesi have always had an affection for this holiday. They celebrate with games, food, and sometimes-giant nativity scenes known as “u presépeie.”

In keeping with the Christmas theme, I present the “Adoration of the Magi” by Corrado Giaquinto, one of the greatest artists ever to come out of Molfetta. Born in Molfetta in 1703, Giaquinto went on to paint in Rome, Naples, and Madrid, becoming one of the most important Rococo painters of the early 18^th century.

This “Adoration of the Magi” actually has a connection to the Molfettesi community in the United States because it is part of the permanent collection found at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Massachusetts.

Cozze Reunion Night

Our original members initially came together under the auspices of La Regione Puglia for a program that enlisted five professionals of Pugliesi descent to visit Puglia and interact with our Italian contemporaries.

We were all sons of Molfettesi immigrants, all college-educated; all still with connections to Molfetta yet complete strangers to one another. The trip to Puglia was a once in a lifetime experience that not only solidified our links with Italy but also expanded our Molfettesi network here in the US.

Halloween at the Magarelli House 10/2010

Since we returned from Italy, our group has held several reunions. Once in September for a Cozze dinner, again in October to celebrate Halloween and recently in November just for the fun of it.  In order to continue the camaraderie felt during our trip to Puglia, our original group of five has decided to expand and create a club for all like-minded individuals. This is the birth of the Molfetta Heritage Club.

All images © Robert Gigante (2010)