Bonaria Italiana

Speranza

Speranza is trying to retrieve posts to his "Italians in Argentina" to "Bonaria". This is an index -- ordered by date -- in "Italians in Argentina" which will relate. The emphasis on "Bonaria" will be interactive, though. The idea is to catch a glimpse of a cultural site in Buenos Ayres (as Speranza prefers to spell it -- cfr. Sardinian rough dialectal version, "Bonaria") as we cross it.

Italian first names in Argentina -- "Speranza" -- but actually, this should be "Dall'A alla Z" -- Check your cognome and report!

BUSCHIAZZO, da Savona alla Plata

Italianate style, Buenos Ayres -- What do we mean, when we say "Italianate style". Anyone familiar with this type of cultural architecture that Speranza promotes knows how tricky that label can be! Just check Newport, Rhode Island! -- where the old genuine Italian villas were replaced by more magnificient yet glorious monstrosities! The point is to survey and provide definitional features for "Italianate style, Buenos Ayres", which will be the focus of the blog.

Italian facades in Buenos Ayres -- We really don't go INTO other people's houses! Now, it is quite different to enjoy the view of a facade of a "Liberty" (art nouveau) style, in say, Savona (the province in my heart), Liguria -- (there are a fews!) and quite another to check if "Villa Ocampo", overlooking the River Plate, has an Italianate trace to it! So stay tunned for revelatory details!

Italian architects in Buenos Ayres: Dall'A all Z. By "Italian" we should mean "Italian", but sometimes we mean "Italian". So keep tuned. One important architect is Speranza's ancestor, Luigi Speranza (Senior), 'architetto italiano', as the register reads.

Arquitectura italiana en Buenos Aires -- This should read, "Architettura italiana a Buenos Aires". Italians (some of them) don't really know how to spell "Buenos Aires". The fact that there are two "S"s involved is QUITE confusing: "BuenoS AireS", given the fact that it's just horrific to an Italian ear to end a word with an "S" -- quite a different from starting one with one! "Sp-eranza" (-- just teasing). Some Italians spelt the thing "Buenos Ayres". The fact that the etymon is "Bonaria" should help. In any case, "architettura italiana" and "Bonaria", then, bring in an intersection which is as old as the hills -- of which they don't have one, in the plains of the River Plate, but never mind.

Tamburini: The Buenos Ayres opera house (1908) -- This is of course, a hobby with Speranza, so you should doublecheck his myriad of other blog posts in various blogs and fora relating to "Opera Italiana". Tamburini was of course the man behind the "Teatro Colon", even if the story of this building is one of the most mysterious ones that you can conceive -- or not!

Italian architecture in Buenos Ayres -- Again: were the PATRONS the ones who had the last word? We don't think. The millionaires in Buenos Ayres couldn't compare, say, to the millionaires in Genoa (or Genova, as Speranza prefers) know KNEW things! Witness Andrea D'Oria. Italians patrons can engage the best Italian architects and TELL them to do as they please. Argentine patrons would rather let the architect desire -- as Luigi Speranza well knows. So, unlike Italy, we do get a taste of the PERSONALITY of the Italian architect, as we survey his traces!

Rosselli, "The opera business: Italian. The exampl... -- This is a quote from Rosselli, who has explored related areas, and who loves Bonaria!

The Italo-Argentine Collectivity, an essay by Newt... -- This is an interesting link. Of course Mussolini said that he didn't want to have ONE say in common with the so-called "Italo-Argentines" -- after all, they had all deserted their mother land! So one has to be careful! Most Italo-Argentines (their ancestors) reached Argentina (a republic) when Italy was a monarchy, so that's another fascinating area. Hence the profussion of coat-of-arms of Italian families and their architectural heritage in this monarchic bastion in republic River Plate!

Italianita en Argentina, essay by Gentile, cited b... -- This should have the proper accent on the "a" of Italianita. But of course, there's Liguisticita, too. So one has to be careful! "Italianita" possibly does not exist! When it comes to Liguisticita, one has to be even MORE careful. Check the only Ligurian restaurant in Buenos Ayres, owned by a Frenchman! -- Genova used to lead, as it should. But at one point, provinces were created. Nothing wrong with the "Provincia di Genova". "Provincia d'Imperia" is quite a neologism, and "Spezia" and "Savona" have their own complexities. So when you are thinking of the "Italian identity" in "Bonaria" double-check!

Gli Italiani al Nuovo Mondo, a book by Franzina, c... --- Yes. One good thing about this is "Nuovo Mondo". Of course, back in the mother country, they don't give a damn (hyperbolically speaking) for Christopher Colombo (Cristoforo Colombo, if you mustn't), and it's all praise to D'Oria, padre della patria. BUT, D'Oria also travelled, and was adventurous at heart. Yet, he stayed in the OLD world. So, the idea of the NEW world is an interesting one, because only a few ITALIANS -- as Edmondo De Amicis well knew -- made it from the Appenines to the Andes, say! -- crossing Bonaria on the way, sure!

Italians of Mendoza, essay by Fernandez, cited by ... --- Speranza---Magrini. Elettra Magrini is one GREAT Italian in Mendoza. Learn more about this, because, while one is obsessed with the coastline, there are bits of "Bonaria" which extend beyond the River Plate.

La communita italiana in Argentina, an essay by Fa... --- Again, the tag, 'communita' is a subtle one. Anyone familar with immigration trends knows that it's Liguria that led the way -- and it's Savona and Genova which populated, say, the "Mouth" (Bocca), not of the River Plate (misnomer for an estuary) but the boccalina of the "Riachuelo del los Navios". People with other affiliations soon followed. But for YEARS, the loyalty was to the comune: Savona, Celle Ligure, Genova, and so on.

L'altra Italia: esilio fascista in Argentina, a bo... --- Mussolini was PRETTY ambivalent about Argentina. He HATED them, especially the Italo-Argentines, whom he classified as 'deserters', almost! But the hatred was NOT two-way, and some Argentines of Italian descent (heard of Peron?) did NOT reciprocate! A fascinating chapter in the history of Bonaria, when you want some relief from Tuscan renaissance revival in Avenida di Maggio!

Devoto/Rusoli, Biblos -- Inmigracion Italiana. Bib... --- Devoto, of Villa Devoto fame, is Speranza's favourite author when it comes to these topics. He is what Speranza calls 'an aristocrat of the things that matter' (whatever those are).

Inmigacion italiana en la Argentina, a cura Rosoli... --- Rosoli does not distinguish between those who came to WORK, and those who came as in a sort of "Grand Tour", to explore love and life!

La communita italiana d'Argentina, article by Devo... --- Again, Devoto, a sociologist at heart, gives proper credit to the micro-distinctions: Savona? Genova? Liguria at large? There were so many distinctions back in the day, and within one single 'city' that you miss the vast distances of the mother land!

CUNEO, Emigrazione italiana in Argentina, a book c... -- Cuneo knows what he is talking about, and he shows it. -- Of course 'emigrazione' has the WRONG implicature about it, even if it's difficult to find a replacement!

Club Italiano, a book by Cortese (Lulimar, 1999) c... --- A BEAUTIFUL book of one of Speranza's favourite institutions in Bonaria.

Il Circolo Italiano: storia, a book by Chiaramonte... -- Chiaramonte is a genius in having spent so much time in revising old files to share with us some great photographs and other archival material.

Capuzzi, La frontiera immaginata: emigrazione ital... --- The "imagined frontier" is a good metaphor, but has to be explored (cfr. Graham-Yooll, "The forgotten colony"). The Italians (unlike the Ancient Romans) were NOT good 'conquistadores' -- compared to those savage Spaniards. They, the Italians, were ALWAYS dreaming and thinking of the return -- witness all those cavatine in the over-romantic opere of the period. But there were exceptions!

Cambiagi, L'Argentina. Immigrazione italiana italo... --- Again, "immigrazione" has the wrong ring to it, but at least it IS a ring!

Inmigrantes italianos en la Argentina, book by Ble... --- This reads like the telephone book: a book that everybody consults but nobody reads!

L'emigrato italiano -- essay cited by Devoto -- One has to distinguish. It is ONE thing to emigrate to Mars (as no Italian did). Another to emigrate to la Bella Bonaria, Fiume della Piata! So beware!

Identita degli Italiani in Argentina, a cura di Ro... -- "Identita" is another way to avoid, hatefully, "Italianita", which is already a hateful, too abstract, noun. Liguistica, or Savonita, or ... should be preferred.

Los Berisso en la Argentina -- a book by J. Beriss... -- Berisso is now a landmark in Speranza's focus on the coastline -- Regata Bonaria --, so keep an eye. This was some prolific family, and chose to settle on perhaps one of the quietest wildlife refuges on the River Plate.

D. Benavides, mimeo La Plata 1980 -- worth checking.

Italians in Metropolitan Buenos Aires -- "Metropolitan" Buenos Aires is, of course, a misnomer. Cfr. "Grande Genova". Bonaria, qua blog, aims at distinguishing districts and such in ways that 'metro-politan' starts to MAKE SENSE...

Immigrants in the land of promise: Italians in Bue... --- "The land of promise" is a Biblical consideration. Promised by who? In general, the Italian 'immigrant' did not quite believe in promises, even if he was led by an unrelenting adventurous spirit. Learn more about that here.

Table of Contents to Devoto, "History of Italians ... --- Worth having a look. His "History" is NOT a systematic one. Don't expect BATTLES! Rather, he explores neighbourhoods, social clubs (like the Circolo -- upper-crust ones his specialty) and stuff. Stuff is especially notable.

Table of Contents to "Our Italian forefathers" (Nu... --- Worth having a look. "Forefathers" is of course a misnomer. Some say their only forefather is ADAMO.

Why Liguria is the place to be --- Liguisticita revisited. The Ligurian element in Bonaria being emphasised.

Why the Riviera IS the _place_ to be -- How 'riviera' (even in the ligurian dialect) attained a different meaning when applied to the River Plate -- Regata Club, il Tigre, etc. Check it out!

This is Sonia Speranza, before breakfast -- she says.

This is Sonia Speranza, before breakfast -- she adds.

The Speranza Coat of Arms: Founder: Riccardo Speranza. Della Speranza, to be more precise.

Ligurians in Buenos Aires and Argentina -- Bonaria has special Ligurian associations. The Ligurians (typically) started the migratory movement. Other regions followed suit!

Savona of my love -- In the study of Regions, the provinces (and capital cities) have a special consideration. Savona is one such.

Savona, My Love --- Savona and her not always peaceful associations with Genova had an impact, if you believe it, with Argentina. Genoans are NOT the only Ligurians, you know! A subtle analysis of this requires, and we will attempt this in this blog, a close consideration of the story of the 'repubblica di Genova', 'repubblica ligure', and -- last but not least, 'Ducato di Genova', which is from which most Italo-Argentines were emigrating from!

Savona Of My Love -- Again. A reference to the specific histories of the local areas at the time of the emigration. Cfr. Edmondo De Amicis, and HIS "Imperia", neighbouring province.

From Liguria to the Pampas -- a tribute to Edmondo De Amicis.

Welcome to "Italians in Argentina" -- and keep an eye on Bonaria!

Cheers

Speranza
Buenos Aires.