FALL 2020 Italian American Digest PAGE 8
Oh, Che
Anno!
By Rose Brocato
CLUB NEWS
As the ominus clouds move closer
and closer towards New Orleans from
Marco today, we shake our heads in
wonder about this year of 2020. There
has not been two named hurricanes in
the Gulf of Mexico since 1959. It's hard
to think back to January of this year
when we first started hearing about this
Covid-19 virus that has swept through
the world. The 2020 Cefalutana Festa
here in New Orleans was cancelled due
to the pandemic. This annual event is
the highlight of the year for our society's
members and special guests. Many
members shared their disappointment.
The Cefalutana Society experienced
another disappointment during this
pandemic of 2020. The Cefalutana
Society was not able to award a
scholarship this past May to a student at
Cabrini High School. Our Cefalutana
Society was organized in New Orleans
in 1887 to help Italians in need. The
last several years a scholarship has been
awarded to a deserving student.
The Festa de Jesu Salvatore in Cefalu
was held this year but on a much smaller
scale due to this pandemic. This Festa in
Cefalu usually lasts five days with times
of reverence in the streets and times of
merriment. Some bars and restaurants in
Cefalu are now opened after being closed
for many months. This pandemic
devastated all of Italy and Sicily. There
was a small celebration August 2,
2020. On that day the competition
called, Antinna a marI, took place.
This competition, which is organized
by the fisherman of the town of Cefalu
usually takes place on the last day of
the Festa. In the competition, they
try to conquer a white flag attached
to the tip of a very long pole placed
horizontally at the sea and made very
slippery with soap and grease. There
is usually a procession to the square
in front of the Duomo di Cefalu and
the last evening of the festival ends
with fireworks. The Festa of 2020 was
greatly affected both in Cefalu and
New Orleans.
As Marco
passes in the Gulf
of Mexico and we
await the second storm Laura, we shake
our heads in amazement. We know we
still have several months to go in this year
of uncertainty and we are looking forward
to 2021. "Felice Anno Nuovo!"
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