As I sat in the small Fiat, next to a distant cousin from my paternal grandmother’s family line, there were about 10 different feelings running through me. Among them were excitement, nervousness, anxiety, and disbelief.
I am currently in the midst of an extended trip through Italy with my family of five to discover the land where my family came from, and more importantly to find out exactly the places from which each one left to come to the United States. This day, though, stood out from the other days. This was the day that I was visiting the small village of Controne where my great-grandfather, who shares my name, was born.
The car ride consisted of some small talk in my conversational-at-best Italian with my cousin Aldisio, whom I had met earlier that week. Even though our communication wasn’t perfect, we both knew the importance of this trip, and Aldisio seemed to be as determined as me to find out about my namesake, Antonio Fasano.
It was a half hour ride through the rolling hills of Salerno in the region of Campania in Southern Italy. Beautiful doesn’t begin to describe it. Up and down, orchard after orchard, and then finally we arrived….
The Village of Controne
Controne is a small town and comune in the province of Salerno in the Campania region of South-Western Italy. In 2010 its population was 873.
Aldisio pulled into the driveway of the first house we saw, which sat next to a small yellow church. He left the car and went up to the door and knocked. A woman came out, and they engaged in a short conversation during which he pointed at me several times. The woman went back inside to get her car keys, and we followed her to a house about 2 minutes down the street.
As we pulled up to the house, I saw the name FASANO on the driveway sign post. Immediately, I got goose bumps. We got out of our cars, and the woman called up to a balcony and explained to the woman upstairs who we were. Without hesitation, the woman, named Lelianna, invited us into her house. It was only her and an older woman there at the time, but she invited us to sit down in her kitchen and immediately offered us food and drink.
Her husband Antonio Fasano showed up a few minutes later. I am still not sure how he knew we were there, as she didn’t make a phone call, but apparently news in small towns travels quickly. This man, who was a very welcoming, kind man, came up to me, put out his hand and said, “Sono Antonio Fasano,” I am Anthony Fasano. I shook his hand, and repeated, “Sono Antonio Fasano.” We both smiled and laughed. He went into the formal dining room and took a letter off the table and held it up as if to say, “I knew you were coming.” It was a letter I had written him about 6 months earlier explaining who I was and that I was coming to find out about my great-grandfather who shared my name. We talked for a short time, with the help of Aldisio, and found out that we are distant cousins. But then it got interesting….
The Comune di Controne
Aldisio, Antonio, and I got into the Fiat. I had no idea where we were going, but we ended up in the Comune, which is the town hall. We went to the records department, and Antonio told me to give them the information about my great-grandfather. I had a birth date for him of 1892. I also had information that he arrived in the United States in 1912 at the age of 23.
After looking through a few different books based on birth year 1892, they found nothing, and my excitement started to turn to fear. Did I come all this way for nothing? Would I not be able to confirm my name came from this small village in the mountains? Then, all of a sudden, I see Aldisio and Antonio pointing to my notes and saying to the man behind the counter “mille-ottocento-ottanta-nove” (1889). They said it repeatedly and with excitement. They had realized that if my great-grandfather was 23 in 1912, he would have been born in 1889.
They opened the book, flipped through the pages slowly. With all of us waiting, Antonio soon began pointing and said, “Ecco qua.” I know enough Italian to realize – this was it. They found it: Antonio Giorgio Fasano, born on November 12, 1889 in Controne, Italy. They wouldn’t give me a copy of the certificate, but they did allow me to take a photo. The three of us went to the bar next store for a celebratory drink. And then I really hit the jackpot….
The street where it all began for the Fasanos
We got back in the car, and the two men were so excited at this point that their already heavy dialects became even more difficult to understand. I assumed we were going to take Antonio home, but then we made a turn up a mountainous road. After about 2 minutes, the car stopped, and they both got out. They looked at me, and it took a few minutes for me to figure out what they were saying. “This is the street where your great-grandfather was born,” they told me.
We walked up and down the street and, although the specific house number indicated on the birth certificate no longer seemed to be there, it was an amazing feeling, nonetheless.
I found what I believe every Italian-American dreams of – the exact location where their name comes from.
We dropped Antonio off at his home, where he said to me repeatedly, “Cena Venerdi. Cena Venerdi.” Inviting me to dinner at his home on Friday, of course.
Dinner with the Fasanos
The following Friday night I found myself in that same passenger seat of the same Fiat with Aldisio once again behind the wheel, but this time, my wife and three kids were in the back seat. It would be a full Fasano feast in the hills of Controne.
When we arrived, Antonio and his wife gave us a tour of the house. Then Antonio presented me with my great-grandfather’s birth certificate. That’s right. He went back to the Comune di Controne and convinced them to give him a stamped copy. Amazing.
He then asked Aldisio to drive us around the town so that my family could see the street where my great-grandfather was born. That incredible experience was followed by a wonderful, fun dinner together; the Fasanos di Controne and the Fasanos from New Jersey around the same dinner table. A true family reunion.
As we climbed into the Fiat at 11 pm for the trip back to our hotel, the kids were already nodding off. Not me though. I looked at Aldisio, and he looked at me, and we both knew that something special happened tonight, a reunion that all parties will remember forever.
Grazie Aldisio. Grazie Antonio. Grazie Antonio Georgio Fasano. Grazie per tutti.
– Anthony Fasano
I got goose bumps just reading it. How I wish I could find some kind of connection but mamma and papà are gone and so are most of the relatives in Italy. We came to the States in 1951 – like other Italians we had to leave everything in the motherland. What makes things worse is that our little town Isola D’stria is no longer under Italian rule. It is now called Izola and it is under Slovenian rule. Aunts and uncles are gone and what is a mystery is that my maiden name is Pugliese which would mean that somewhere in the past my relatives must have come from the Puglia region. Antonio, I am so happy for you. It was meant to be 🙂
Thanks Marisa, for all the reasons you stated it is important for people to connect to their past while it is possible. Thank you for sharing, and glad you enjoyed it!
Great story, Anthony. Thanks for sharing it.
I’ve been working on my ancestral history for the past 3 years, since I decided to pursue Italian citizenship. It’s been a labor of love, and I’ve run into a few road blocks along the way. I’m making progress, but at a snail’s pace.
I hope to soon find myself in my grandparents respective birth places.
Michael keep moving forward, when you visit those villages and they find your relatives birth certificates in those old books, it will be some of the most rewarding moments of your life. Email me anytime with questions…
How can I get in touch with you about my own visit to Controne?
I’ve actually had some success tracking down records of deceased relatives.
On my mother’s side, her parents are from the island of Ischia. I have birth certificates from the commune and have been able to go back 4 generations! I want to start moving laterally now, unearthing brothers and sisters they had who I never knew existed.
Two years ago I visited Casamicciola and Forio on the island, but had no luck finding any relations.
My father’s dad was from Muro Lucano, a small village east of Naples. His mom was from Bisaquino, south of Palermo. Haven’t been to either locale yet, but they are on my bucket list.
Wow you have done a lot, congratulations. I didn’t make it to Ischia this trip, but would love to visit. I opted for Kapri instead which had one of the nicest beaches I’ve ever visited…but I really want to go to Ischia.
Loved Ischia. Less touristy and commercialized than Capri. Well worth a visit, Anthony.
Hi Anthony, great story! I’m actually in contact with a lot of cousins in Italy but I’ve been wanting to go back even further and after listening to your podcast with Mary Tedesco, and the help of some cousins and A LOT of scouring through the database of the Comune di Boiano and Conca Della Campania, I have been able to get as far as my 4th great-grandparents! I did record my grandmother recently talking about her life in Italy and maybe I’ll share her story one day on your podcast! Thanks for the push!! Now my goal is to go back to find maybe I’m related to Dante Alighieri, which would explain even more my passion for teaching the language! I’ve only got 500 years to go!
Sig, thanks for sharing. It’s so exciting..isn’t it. I just returned from Italy with more documents, so I too will now attempt to dig deeper. It is never ending!
Hi Anthony,
I really enjoyed your story as I have done exactly the same thing, but in Salemi, Sicily……
The difference is my great grandfather’s house remains in the family and although it was severely damaged in a 1969 earthquake, the family has restored it……
I remain in close contact with my Sicilian family and have been back 4-5 times in the past 30 years……
Have you checked to see if you qualify for dual citizenship? I got mine several years ago……
BR,
Dr. PDG, Jakarta, Indonesia
Dr. Jakarta – great story – dual citizenship is next up, in fact we will be doing a segment on the podcast soon with an expert on the topic!
Great….. Looking forward to seeing it…….. FWIW, I am now in the process of getting my wife her Italian citizenship……. Will keep you posted on that process……
Best of luck to you………
BR,
Dr. PDG, Jakarta, Indonesia
Hi Anthony,
Right there with you. Not only did I find several cousins, but one of them worked for the comune, so when I visited, I was able to get access to a lot of records… enough so, that a few years ago, I was able to gain dual citizenship. Needless to say, it’s been a wonderful journey, and we continue to keep in contact via social media and email.
Isn’t amazing Kevin, they’ll do anything for you won’t they! Congrats on the dual citizenship…
Ciao Antonio, great story. In my case after arriving to the states I searched to find the relatives who migrated from Italy in the 30s. Found quite a few, in Rhode Island.
That’s interesting Maria, where in Italy? i know there are a lot of Sicilians in Rhode Island.
I’m from Vicenza (Veneto region) and the 3 brothers left home after the first world war. I actually met one of them, the youngest when he flew to see the family with his bride. I was a little child, but they were the first people we met who actually flew in a plane…I connected with their grand daughter through Facebook. Sent them some old family pics. I’m lucky, have dual citizenship and keep in touch with as many relatives and friends as possible.
That’s wonderful…
My great great grandparents on my fathers side were all from Controne! I have the surname Falce and have always wanted to go and visit and have this same experience you did, or at least see the records. And now I just graduated college and am on a solo adventure through Italy with a stop in Controne next month! I will definitely go to the church If you have any other tips I would love to hear them!
Miriah — that is awesome! You should go an visit the Fasano’s. Just ask anyone. I hope you can speak some Italian 🙂
I wish it were as easy to get a copy of my dad’s birth certificate from Lenola…
It is different everywhere!
Ciao Anthony! My maternal grandparents are from Controne as well. Name is Angelo Odato
Ciao Teri! There are only 700 people in Controne, so we’re probably cousins lol 🙂