Download (14Mb) - VUIR - Victoria University

'dottor dei pomi di terra' (doctor of potatoes).** When Pagnamenta shifted to
Bendigo in 1856, Pozzi's further comment that:
n dettor Pagnamenta e andato al Bendigo ma mi sembra ciela
ciola; credo che abbia leggere le scarsele e credo che nen fara lunga
vita in Australia*'
re-emphasised peasant doubt in the ability of the professionals to succeed. Severino
too was criticised for some early gold mining attempts, despite his apparent success.
Far from praising his results Alessandro Pozzi wrote:
D dettor Guscetti credo che se la passi discretamente, ma il grosso
pezze d'ero che si parla nel Canton Ticino che abbia, sarebbe
buone per lui se Io avesse.^"
As an ex-member of the govemment, one of the institutions most distmsted by
many of the ItaUan speakers who left their homeland, Severino attracted further
criticism. In the early years of settlement a number of Italian speakers foUowed closely
the events of their homelands and gathered for political discussions in the various wine
bars and hotels of their compatriots. During one heated debate at Pozzi's osteria in
Hepbum (see Pozzi section), Stefano Pozzi asked of Guscetti:
chi e quella testa di legno che viene da Melbourne? eh e il signor
Guscetti, e qui in Austraglia? ma sicuro; che abbia gia finite di
spegliare i peveri fratti e capuccini? era si crede forse di venire qui
in Austraglia a spegliare i miniereli?^*
Targetting Severino as a common enemy, immigrants like Pozzi were not only 'looking
backwards' in venting their anger against past injustices and the conditions which had
forced them to emigrate, but were also 'looking forwards' in the sense of creating a
degree of unity and power among their Italian-speaking compatriots.
265