Martino

In 1954, Angiolino Martino left his family (including his pregnant wife and daughter) and his hometown of Sturno Avellino, to join his brother, Vito, in Toronto. He wanted to make a new life for himself and his family. He landed at Pier One in Halifax, making the rest of the journey by train. In Toronto he, his brother and other paesani, worked hard in construction or any other manual jobs they could find. Some rented houses together, and all determined to raise families in Toronto. Within 3 years, Angiolino had saved enough money to sponsor and pay for passage for his wife and now two daughters.
In March of 1957, Carmela Martino left Italy with her two daughters and made the trip to New York, where they were greeted by Angiolino’s oldest brother who then placed them on a train to Toronto. Shortly after, they moved into their own house, settling into their lives in this new country, as all immigrants had done before them.
Life was hard for both parents and children. Parents, who didn’t understand the language and culture in Canada, and the children who were sandwiched between two very different cultures.
With a father working with his aching back and frozen fingers, and a mother struggling to make ends meet, there was always the aroma of delicious meals filling the entire street. Canada became home.
Angiolino was proudly Canadian even when his heart longed for Italy. Carmela felt like she had come to paradise. Visiting Italy many times, she was always relieved to return to this new place- now called home.
Angiolino passed away in 2005 and Carmela in 2013.