Testimonies

 

We kept the Italian, we kept our religion, our Christian religion. We kept la cucina.

Adriano De Marco

 

I claim not that I am Italian when I go to Italy but I feel that genetically that’s who I am.

Mary Contini

 

And in actual fact, if you look at the receipts of money coming through the post office in Picinisco, there were thousands of families being sent back by people wherever they worked.

Stuart Capaldi

 

I always remember the first big, long holiday when I was six and we went for several weeks over the summer. I remember we stayed with my grandmother in her house, but we also visited with my grandfather, who lived nearby.

Anna Alonzi

 

We’re very tied by this invisible string. They were definitely Italian but we class ourselves as Italian Scots and our three beautiful children, and I say that because they are beautiful inside and out, identify as Scottish Italian.

Carina Contini

 

There’s no hostility or, I think we’re so involved in the community in Scotland here, we’re seen as a part of it as culturally acceptable or accepted.

Victor Contini

 

Now whenever Italy plays rugby, I go to the games, be that in Rome, be that in Edinburgh, be that in Cardiff. And I have a group of friends who I have met and made through rugby.

James McGachie

 

It’s just home and there is no difference since when I left because I’ve been living in Scotland for 30 years and so when I go back, it’s just like go back home.

Silvana Demarco

 

I’ve been brought up in this country and I’m very proud of this country at all, but I’m also proud to be Italian as well.

Raymond Demarco

 

We have that privilege of keeping in touch with the whole of Italy, which is for us is exciting.

Philip Contini

 

I think the more familiar term is Scot Italian, although logically, I suppose I’m more Italian than I'm Scottish, but I was born in Scotland.

Hilda De Felice

 

My children will be children of people born in Scotland, but they are still in Italian hospitality, restaurants; so, I think that it will be harder to blow over.

Tony Crolla

 

So, identifying myself is a difficult question to ask because I feel as if in some ways I’m very Italian and in some ways, I love the Scottish culture as well.

Serafina Crolla

 

There’s something that keeps on pulling people back to the commitments that we made here, for whatever reasons that we made them.

Cesidio Di Ciacca