Pietro e Anna Massari

Anna and Pietro Massari arrived in Halifax at Pier 21 on December 13th, 1953 with their two children Antonio and Michele.

Anna was born in December of 1923 in a small town called Pietragalla, in the province of Potenza, and Pietro was born in February of 1922 in Gravina in Puglia. Pietro’s best friend, who later became his brother-in-law, was working in Pietragalla and made the match which lasted 58 years until the death of Pietro on January 16, 2012.

December 1^st, would have been a typically beautiful day as they departed the Port of Naples. The boat named Homeland set off in the blue waters of the Gulf of Sorrento, in view of the Amalfi Coast past the Isle of Capri. Waving goodbye to their homeland, and all they ever knew, they set off to the future, a land completely unknown. New language, new surroundings, new lands, with no security of the many friends and family left behind. The journey proved to be quite challenging as a rash, which had developed on the youngest son, being 2 years of age, forced mother and son to be quarantined for the duration of the voyage. Pietro, who experience extreme motion sickness for the whole voyage, was responsible to look after the oldest son of 4 years of age.

On December 13^th, 1953, sponsored by Anna’s brother, they entered Halifax and the land of plenty, before moving on by train to Oshawa. Now eight days after her 30^th birthday, together with Pietro and their two sons, they were received by brutally cold weather with piercing winds and vast amounts of snow, never seen before. “No need to bring anything, we have it all here in Canada”, and the lack of money to buy all that was needed turned out to be a rather large irony. Through tremendous work ethics and perseverance, second to none, they began to carve out an existence for their young family which welcomed one addition, being Frank, in 1955.

Pietro and Anna were always ready and willing to help others. A few years later, they sponsored Anna’s sister Antonietta and her four children. Together, in 1962, they all moved to Toronto. Here they, at times, lived together and all worked and the families grew and prospered.

There were trips back to friends and family in Italy, but it was different now. Hard work and perseverance meant steady work, ability to own a house, cottage property, proper medical care and an education for the three boys. Things they would never have prior to coming to Canada.

As more “paesani” came to Canada it seemed a renewed security of the family was enjoyed by all. Gathering of paesani friends and family meant picnics in Niagara Falls, Welland and Oakville. Then came the wave after wave of weddings ensuring there was always an opportunity to enjoy the family.

Weddings and any reason for a family get together then adds a sprinkling of Passings. Yet the family grows and prospers. Thinking of that very cold day in Halifax, and all that snow, and at the time looking back to Naples. Still, never is there any doubt that Canada is the best country in the world.