
The Neapolitan character reaches New York City to lead the Columbus Day parade – By N. Yakova
A new project behind the event
The promotional tour of Italea, a project of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation to attract Italians living abroad and allow Italian descendants to discover the places and traditions of their origins, had, as its last stop, the celebration of Columbus Day, in New York City, last October 14th, featuring a group of masks representing 16 Italian regions and a musical formation of 4 Italian folk music groups. The initiative, explains the person in charge of the Italea project, Giovanni Maria De Vita, “was born to show first of all the closeness to our compatriots abroad, but above all to publicize the Italea project and to stimulate trips of the roots for which we are preparing as a country system.” The definition “country system” is rather disturbing, however we must realize that a country that becomes a “business” can also be defined as such. And then the project is interesting, but they could have called it Italietta, for consistency. Who knows if they offered tarallucci and wine!?
Just kidding! Italians like to joke and being from southern Italy we like joking even more. If you know the mask that best represents us you will understand our spirit.
Navigating between tradition and modernity of our culture in the heart of New York
On the occasion of the conclusion of Columbus Week, Pulcinella, the soul of Napoli, was invited to New York and was welcomed with great enthusiasm. We will tell you how it went. The Centro Coordinamento delle Maschere Italiane (Coordination Center of Italian Masks) contacted the Museum of Acerra, to have Pulcinella leading the parade. The Museum of Acerra, directed by Tommaso Esposito, is a treasure that keeps the value of our tradition alive, and not only that, it is also a valuable point of reference for folklore and peasant civilization. Until now, the person who played the Neapolitan mask during this event was simply a man dressed up as Pulcinella. Although he was nice he didn’t have a soul. Thanks to Tommaso Esposito, director of the museum, and his staff, this time Michele De Chiara was called. He gave the mask back its nature, its identity.
A gift by the Acerra Museum
Thanks to the Acerra Museum, the authentic spirit of Pulcinella landed in New York City. A charismatic, dynamic Pulcinella who dances with people, hugs them and jokes with them, managing to steal a smile even from the impassive. De Chiara’s interpretation, which led a parade of 35,000 participants, including flag-wavers, military corps, firefighters… was sensational and involved the entire audience, from Times Square to the 5th Avenue! In the parade, only one other mask, that of Arlecchino, together with Pulcinella, had carte blanche on the involvement of the audience. Although they were not masks, being more popular of the mask of Verona the characters of Romeo and Juliet were also included. The trip to New York City was stressful but once De Chiaralanded he was filled with emotions. It was a real surprise for him to realize how much Columbus Day is felt in the Big Apple. As Pulcinella mask Michele De Chiara brought good humor, joy, and games and fun.
M.D.C.: “It was a beautiful experience and I regret not having been able to bring my family, because no companions were expected. I saw so much joy in the eyes of the people but also as much emotion. They shared with me stories learned from their grandparents. Second and third generation Italians in America know Italy through stories of an Italy that, in fact, no longer exists and they made me feel a certain nostalgia. If only they knew how it has become today!”
After the event there was the Gala night. De Chiara, who, before being a theater actor, we know as a famous master ceramist, was excited and anxious to donate two of his precious works to the Consuls, who had been present during the celebration, or at least to their delegates. But, perhaps to make him feel at home, the Consuls didn’t show up at theGala and, on October 15th, the works made the return trip together with the master and the delegation from the Museum of Acerra.
M.D.C.: “I was very struck by the city and its frenetic pace but most of all, by the sense of belonging that emigrants and their descendants feel towards Italy, even those who have never been to Italy. I think it would be right not to forget them and perhaps organize more events, beyond Columbus Day, because they probably feel more Italian than we who live on the peninsula.”