Ester Zarrilli, who is a saleswoman at a cell phone store, sells sweets every Thursday morning at the street market. Her husband, Canio Zarrilli, is the town’s photographer.
Sisters, Giovanna and Antonietta Gallucci, who make the best cappuccinos on Via Corso Matteotti.
Kids taking a break from playing soccer on Via Tozzoli.
A relative of my grandpa’s, Vito Michele Gervasi, who is a retired carpenter and makes wine in his free time. Of all wine I have had, his is far superior.
Tania Di Luzio and her boyfriend, Antonio Margotta. Tania is a chef at La Locanda dell’Arco, a wonderful restaurant on Via Pasquale Berrilli, which is managed by her father, Tonino. I’ve spent many evenings there drinking wine and chatting with them all night long. My grandpa’s grandmother was a Margotta so I’m related to Antonio, as well as Tania (whose mother is a Margotta).
Concetta Tornillo, a 83-year-old widow of Antonio Forgione and a great-grandmother of four. Her lacework is exquisite.
Angelo Francesco Forgione, a deaf retired postman, used to haul water to his house from this very fountain when he was a child in the 1960s.
Maria Francesca Di Maio and Michele Arcangelo Di Maio, widowed siblings who live together in a beautiful house in the countryside of Calitri called Gagliano. Gardening, bee keeping and growing vegetables and chestnuts keep themselves busy. They gave me a bag of fresh chestnuts and tomatoes as a parting gift. Wonderful people.
Francesca Di Maio (no close relation to Maria Francesca Di Maio), an elderly widow of Vincenzo Tornillo and mother of three. She lives in Via Pittoli.
Angelo Schettino – a previous neighbor of mine who lives in Via Posterla. His favorite pasttime is standing in this very spot all day long and gaze at the mountains. When I approached him one morning, I asked him if I could take a picture of him; he nodded, smiling, and removed his beret for the picture.
People of San Canio church. Don Pasquale is the priest, Rosa Cala’ is the secretary and Gaetana Luongo, at the very right, cooks and cleans for the priest. Since the church records, of which I photographed over the last five months, are kept by Rosa, I’ve grown to know all three.
Katia Fierravanti is a CODA, student at a hairdressing academy in Naples and the wildest 18-year-old I know.
Antonio Zarrilli, his son Fabio and brother, Gianfranco, pressing grapes in preparation for wine.
Donato Tornillo and his wife, Nina Galgano. They own a lovely flower shop in Via Francesco De Sanctis.
Pietro Della Badia, a 83-year-old widower having lost his wife just last year. He spends most of his time in the ‘campagna’ (countryside). He grows chickens, grapes for wine, all sorts of vegetables and cachi, a type of fruit that I’ve never seen, or heard of, before.
Peppino Di Maio, a retired policeman-turned-winemaker. Policeman in Italian is “guardia” hence the name of his wine.
Leonilda Francesca Di Biasi, a 91-year-old widowed great-grandmother. A native of a neighboring town, Cairano, she moved to Calitri at the age of 20 after she married a calitrano, Vito Zarrilli.
Mario Antonio Zarrilli and his trusty companion, Stella, who never leaves his side. Mario Antonio is deaf and tends keeps to himself but will always nod and smile at you in passing.
Tonino Maffucci, known as “O’ Chivar’” in the local dialect, owns and runs Poldo’s, a panini/coffee shop. With him are his sons, Angelo and Maurizio.
I was often found sitting outside on their patio, while eating one of their delicious 2 euros panini and enjoying beer.
Luciana Senerchia and Rebeca Mele preparing fresh biscottis for Luciana and her husband, Franco Stanco’s bisotticceria on Via Corso.
Antonio Gautieri runs a successful waffle and cone-making business called “Coni e cialde”.
Luigia Lucrezia, Antonio’s sister-in-law…
…and Antonia Lucrezia, wife of Antonio.
A family of doctors: Luigi Galgano, his wife Giovanna Cestone, and their sons, Vito and Vincenzo.
The Di Cecca cheese factory sells their fresh cheese all over Southern Italy.
Franco Maffucci is a retired barber and a devoted musician. His guitar, which he strums while he belts out the local folk music, is his constant companion.
Peppino Gervasi, a relative of my grandpa’s, who sells fruit and vegetables.
Michele Tornillo and his son, Mario, are the town’s butchers. Missing from the photo is another son, Vito.
Joséphine Ragazzo, a lovely woman with a bubbly personality, is grocery-store-owner who left her native country of France after marrying a calitrano.
Vito Zabatta and his mother, Maddalena, who run a gelateria / pasticceria on Via Francesco Sanctis.
(Pictures above taken from Erin’s camera)
by Jason
4 comments
add a comment link to this post email a friend