Thirty luminous years of "nobility"

New book on Canadian County of the Friulian Wines Duchy presented in Cividale

There is a Duchy of Friulian Wines, a prestigious institution established in Cividale on November 10, 1972; and there are the Counties of Rome and Toronto, affiliated by the Duchy: even though they have been granted ample autonomy, they pursue the same goals. The Duchy is led - of course - by a Duke, at present Emilio I, also known as Emilio Del Gobbo; the County of Rome is led by Fabrizio Tomada, and the County of Toronto by Primo Di Luca.
This is the structure. The goals of the Duchy, and therefore of the Counties: "Defending, spreading, proposing and valorizing Friulian food and wines, and through them Friulian culture," summarized Duke Emilio I. Not only wines and prosciutto, protagonists of Friulian cuisine, but also the spirit that propels Friulian products in every field.
This premise is required in order to say that a few days ago, in Cividale's City Council Hall, Primo Di Luca's and Loretta Antonacci's book La Contea di Toronto 1975-2004 was presented to the public. It was more than the usual book presentation, though; it was also an opportunity to get together for the "nobles," as association members are called, from both sides of the Atlantic and to evaluate the role the Duchy has played in promoting Friuli in Italy and in North America. It was not by chance, then, that the presentation included Enrico Bertossi, in charge of the key regional Ministry of Production Activities and himself a "noble" of the Duchy. The attendees were welcomed by Cividale mayor Attilio Vuga, who joined speakers Emilio Del Gobbo, Primo Di Luca and Bertossi at the presentation table.
During meetings of this sort, Friulians mince few words: they cut to the chase. So did Emilio Del Gobbo when he reminded the audience that through the years the Duchy has become an authoritative embassy of Friuli because it has managed to represent the values of concreteness and laboriosity so typical of the region's agricultural culture. Emilio Del Gobbo is well entitled to say so: when the disastrous earthquake of 1976 hit Friuli, he was that region's minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Mountain Communities, and he was among the politician-technicians that coped grittily and courageously with the catastrophe without wasting breath complaining and waiting for external help.
Likewise did Primo Di Luca, who explained that the book he co-authored celebrates the three decades of the County of Toronto, lived in symbiosis with Famee Furlane. He also mentioned the many initiatives promoted, ranging from over $6 million raised in Canada to help Friuli after the quake to the establishment of a chair of Friulian Language and Culture at the University of Toronto; from the big exhibition on Pasolini to the smashingly successful ROM exhibition with mosaics from Spilimbergo, visited by over half a million people in three months. Also, the week of Friulian food, the exhibition of chairs (another typical Friulian product), of Friulian cloth, of grappa.
Primo Di Luca was understandably proud to remark that the County of Toronto has 128 "nobles," and not just Friulian-Canadians. "The first 'noble' was Bill Davis, then Premier of Ontario," he said. This reveals a characteristic trait of this institution, namely its openness to the outside world, avoiding the cramped ways of parochialism. "Nobles" are chosen among Friulians who honoured Friuli with their work, but also anyone else who appreciates Friulian values. So, Duchy "nobles" include Paul Schwartzbaum (one of the top managers of the Guggenheim Museum); Juan Maria Torres (one of Spain's biggest vintners); Prince Albert of Monaco, following in the steps of his late father Rainier: just a few examples of the Duchy's international vocation.
The same policy is followed in Toronto: in addition to Bill Davis, whose non-Friulian roots are indisputable, the County "nobility" includes Roy McMurtry, chair of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice; Lorna Jackson; Larry Wilson; William Thorsell; as well as Italian-Canadians Maurizio Bevilacqua, Michael Di Biase, Ben Soave, Joyce Frustaglio, Maria Augimeri, and the late Al Palladini. Friulians wearing the red collar (symbol of their status within the County of Toronto) are famous personalities. Among them, for instance, there are Julian Fantino,Tina Molinari, Rudy Bratty, father John Borean, Gianni Cerchia, Sandra Pupatello, Sergio Marchi, Angelo Del Zotto, and the unforgettable late Senator Peter Bosa.
We mentioned the concreteness of such meetings. The book will be officially presented to Toronto on November 12 at the Famee Furlane. "The initiative," says Primo Di Luca, "also has a charitable purpose, namely raising funds for prostate cancer research at the Princess Margaret Hospital. As of today, 800 participants are expected. It won't be a minor event: we've invited Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty and Friuli Venezia Giulia President Riccardo Illy. RCMP Commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli, and ministers Sandra Pupatello and Greg Sorbara have ensured their attendance. Such things we do in Canada. I wish that Friulians at home knew more about us Friulians abroad."
Journalist Silvano Bertossi wrote a piece for Di Luca's and Antonacci's book. "Friulians who emigrated had strong arms, a willingness to work hard and the stubbornness needed to tackle this big adventure. They left believing strongly in those values, which were an integral part of the sparse baggage they brought with them."
Today, many of those people and their children have become "nobles" of Friulian wines: there's nothing folkloric about this. Even the name "Duchy" is not a Hollywood-style marketing ploy: it is a tip of the hat to the period of Friuli's highest splendour, the age of the Duchy of Cividale, first state entity established by the Lombards in Italy, home of Paul the Deacon, who authored the most complete history of that people. Paul was something else, as well: he taught Latin and Greek at Charlemagne's court.
"The Lombards gave a decisive contribution to our culture. They gave our region a specific identity," says Francesco Cantarutti, secretary of the Ducal Court (the Duchy's "government"). "Well, we want to keep that culture and that identity; despite the unavoidable evolution, they have ancient roots. The collar, symbol of belonging to the Duchy, the togas worn during official ceremonies, even the coat of arms with the eagle, all hint at the Lombard tradition. We did not invent anything. What we strive to invent, on the other hand, is a way to keep this culture and these ancient roots in the third millennium."

Publication Date: 2005-09-25
Story Location: http://www.tandemnews.com/viewstory.php?storyid=5587