Incredibly, it was thirty years ago this month that I first went to Italy and, in particular, Fossa. Little did I know then just how much that ‘returning’ for the first time to our family house in Abruzzo would come to change my life, and also my work.
This photo isn’t the best quality, taken back in the days of film cameras, but I cherish it. Nanna Francesca looks so happy. I’m a bit scruffy from backpacking around Europe for months but have ‘covered my legs’ after Nanna Francesca, scandalised that I’d arrived in the village wearing shorts, cried, ‘Madonna mia! Cover your legs. No one dresses like that here.’
As for Nonno Anni, seeing his face just catches my heart. Despite his appearing impassive, I can still see the emotion in his eyes that day and hear his words, ‘I’m so happy you’re finally here. The last of my grandchildren to come here. Now I can finally relax.’
How important it was for him that his descendants, while born on the other side of the world, would also know the indigenous land where they were from, where our ancestors could be traced back more than six centuries in that mountain valley in Abruzzo, and so have the blessing of both worlds.
I might’ve dragged my feet for lots of reasons the first time I returned, but by the next trip my heart was open, and I’ll be forever thankful for the love of these two people and for their keeping this connection. Who’d have thought when this photo was taken that this day would end up being in, Mezza Italiana many years later. I’m very grateful to all of you who’ve also ended up sharing this story with me over the years, thank you. ❤️🌠
