The post-World War II need to populate (populate or perish), mainly due to labour shortages and an insufficient birth rate, led Australia to establish a series of arrangements seeking large-scale one-way migration from several European countries, including Italy. Although most Italian emigrants would not benefit from government-subsidised passage (Cresciani, 1988), between 1947 and1976 over 270,000 people left Italy to become the largest non-English-speaking migrant group in Australia (Castles, 1994; Cavaleri, 1997). The Italian areas most affected by this emigration to Australia were also those with a more difficult social and economic context (lack of jobs and services) in the north (Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Veneto) and the center-south (Calabria, Sicily, Abruzzo and Campania). In some cases there was an emptying out of entire Italian villages, which then reconstituted themselvesin Australia’s major cities (mainly Sydney, Adelaide and particularly Melbourne). Thus the first locally established Italian community groups were also born, through social and residential congregation, seeking work by word of mouth, and sustained by the shared desire to maintain their traditions and customs. Within this context food certainly played,and continues to play,an important role: the need to prepare Italian dishes led to demand for typically Italian ingredients such as Italian-style bread, pasta, coffee, tomato sauce, and olive oil, which entered and then became more generally available in markets and grocery stores (cfr. Helstosky, 2004). At the same time, the increasing availability of Italian food items was also linked to the opening and presence of Italian restaurants and bars, especially in areas with high Italian populations
Lexical choices and changes in Italian dining menus in Melbourne
De Iacovo, Valentina;
2025-01-01
Abstract
The post-World War II need to populate (populate or perish), mainly due to labour shortages and an insufficient birth rate, led Australia to establish a series of arrangements seeking large-scale one-way migration from several European countries, including Italy. Although most Italian emigrants would not benefit from government-subsidised passage (Cresciani, 1988), between 1947 and1976 over 270,000 people left Italy to become the largest non-English-speaking migrant group in Australia (Castles, 1994; Cavaleri, 1997). The Italian areas most affected by this emigration to Australia were also those with a more difficult social and economic context (lack of jobs and services) in the north (Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Veneto) and the center-south (Calabria, Sicily, Abruzzo and Campania). In some cases there was an emptying out of entire Italian villages, which then reconstituted themselvesin Australia’s major cities (mainly Sydney, Adelaide and particularly Melbourne). Thus the first locally established Italian community groups were also born, through social and residential congregation, seeking work by word of mouth, and sustained by the shared desire to maintain their traditions and customs. Within this context food certainly played,and continues to play,an important role: the need to prepare Italian dishes led to demand for typically Italian ingredients such as Italian-style bread, pasta, coffee, tomato sauce, and olive oil, which entered and then became more generally available in markets and grocery stores (cfr. Helstosky, 2004). At the same time, the increasing availability of Italian food items was also linked to the opening and presence of Italian restaurants and bars, especially in areas with high Italian populations
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