Ferraresi Umberto (Berto for friends), age 74, inhabitant of Pian del Voglio.
Life during war was full of misery and the people used to eat the principal products given bythe earth: chestnuts, wheatand corn…
The most remarkable issue of this person is the continuous search for the values of the past, by this time almost in disuse, anyhow underlining the importanceof the faith as the onlymean to overpass the different problems of lifeand overall only anchor for safety in the period of war.
Between the people existed a very strong sens of brotherhood that lead everybody to help each other. The greatest amusements were the parish cinema (with mute films), long walks in the middle of evergreen woods, dances in the squares where it was cooked coal.
The principal feature of the dances in the square was the presence of a little old man who played the violin followed by a guitar and an harmonica.
Sunday was the main feast based on the respect for holiday precept (go to the S. Mess) and the food on thetable richer tha the rest of the week.
It existed square markets where there were exchanges of products, teaching of crafts by the elderly, or byinstitutions.
Anyhow, remembering the war period the Party, served by the Commons, gave a card (called “onoria”) that was usedto buy food.
Naturally in our Appennine food didn’tlackfor the presence of mushrooms in the underwood and fruit-trees in great quantity ( we are refering to the mountain zone).
A very important curiosity to understand the poverty during the time of war is the picking of wicker along the rivers,thatwas used to make baskets to sell in the town fairs.
The interview with Mr. Ferraresi has finished but the most important thing he told me was not to forget, never, the roots of the people present in our marvellous Appennine.