Hamilton's Racalmuto: Immigration, Cultural Identity and the Festa del Monte

Maria SS del Monte is the patron saint of Racalmuto, Sicily. Each year the people of Racalmuto celebrate a festa in honor of the Madonna del Monte. For many Racalmutesi of Hamilton, Ontario, Maria SS del Monte (and the festa celebrated in her honor) has become an important symbol of both their religious faith and their cultural identity. The celebration of the Festa del Monte has become a significant means of expressing and maintaining a sense of attachment to one's native or ancestral place of origin. This article is my attempt to unravel some of the details associated with the historical process of creating a new place for oneself and one's children, without losing sight, and memory, of the past. The research for this paper is based on periodic fieldwork I have conducted in Hamilton (and Racalmuto) over the course of more than 20 years.