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entered through an extemal arched opening at the side of the house (ref figure 14),
were stored all the family's food-stuffs including its meats, cheeses and wines'**
The Morgantis' Uves did not revolve solely around work, however, and social
activities with the Itahan-speaking community were a welcome form of relaxation.
They were generous hosts and often visited by their friends from Eganstown.
Together they would sing songs and speak in their native dialect. They remained good
friends of Noe Tognazzini until he and his wife, Maria Zanoli (who had arrived in
Australia from Gordevio in Ticino in 1873), moved to California in 1888 with eight of
their thirteen children.'*^ Maurizio was also a member of the Swiss and Italian
Association in Daylesford.'*' The Italian-speaking community was closely knit with
warm welcomes given to all new arrivals. Space was made available in the home until
the settler could arrange more permanent accommodation, and (despite the risk it
brought to many commercial enterprises) businesses extended credit.
Though there was a large community of Italian speakers living at Eganstown,
some people claimed that it was the Irish who dominated the population, the Swiss and
Italians being more prominent at Blampied (ref figure 13). Others, however, believed
that the two ethnic groups mixed along five kilometres of road: around Blampied lived
the Irish famiUes ~ Clohesy, Ryrie, Ryan, Cleary and Boyd ~ as weU as several Italian
speakers; at Eganstovm resided the Sullivans, Tomasettis, Togninis, Morgantis, Cerinis
and Pescias; and, on the overlap between the two towns, lived the Giorgis, Caligaris,
Dwyers and Burkes.'** It was the rituals surrounding a shared Roman Catholic
background ~ the weekly Mass, weddings and funerals ~ which brought the two
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