Retracing Italian Family History from Torino to São Paulo and back

Italian Roots and Genealogy

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Embark on an intimate odyssey with our guest Regina Vighetto, as she unveils her family's vibrant migration tapestry from Italy to the coffee farms of São Paulo, Brazil. Her tale is one of resilience and discovery, and unearthing a narrative enriched by ancestral dreams and the quest for prosperity in a new world. As Regina shares her genealogical saga, I can't help but interweave my own pursuit of Italian citizenship, which sparked a genealogy fervor that mirrors her and her husband’s scholarly endeavors in the field at BYU-Idaho. Together, we journey through the poignant realizations that come with genealogical tourism and the heartfelt tug to physically connect with our past.
As we unravel the complex layers of our lineage, we stumble upon the shadowy figures of war deserters and the murky waters of family secrets concealed by time and societal pressures. Our discourse meanders through the revelations that emerge from documents like the Strato di Famiglia and the fascinating tales they tell. We delve into the emotional and cultural implications of an Italian way of life when discussing the seductive slow-pace, the rituals of food shopping, and the tantalizing health benefits of a traditional Italian diet. Whether you're drawn to the mysteries of your own heritage or simply curious about the allure of Italian living, this episode is an exploration of the profound connections between personal history, identity, and the enchanting Italian lifestyle.
In 2019, my husband Henrique Vighetto Neto and I embarked on an online course in Family History at BYU Idaho. We did not know that it could become a profession. In my opinion, this field is currently growing and evolving. As we connect with our ancestors, we gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and begin to feel like a part of something greater—a family. Soon, we developed a strong desire to come to Italy and pursue our citizenship processes. And so, we did. Let me share a bit of our journey in discovering the Vighetto’s family roots in Turin, Piedmont.

To reconstruct his family tree, we needed the marriage certificate of the Italian ancestor. A quick phone call to his cousin, Iris, led us to the church where Enrico (the Italian grandfather) married Rosa Ianni, and we obtained the document.

Certain aspects of his family history were always recounted: the family’s wealth, complete with a butler; their ownership of the Tobacco and Salt Monopoly; and their business on Via Appia. Additionally, his ancestor was described as war-worn and somewhat neurotic (after we discovered he was a war dissident).

After obtaining our Italian citizenship and settling in Italy, our primary goal was to find living relatives. We scoured documents, visited places (embracing genealogical tourism), and engaged in conversations. We did find family members, but unfortunately, they were all in the cemetery. This particular branch of the family did not flourish. Enrico, the sole son who had fled war memories, was the exception. He wasn’t part of the massive wave of Italian immigrants who left poverty behind between 1880 and 1930, he left for other reason. His family line, however, thrived and bore much fruit.

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