The International "Gathering" of Chimney Sweeps

SANTA MARIA MAGGIORE, ITALY -- Dino Reguzzoni of Italy’s Belle Viste Tours offers the history of the Festival of the Chimneysweeps. This exclusive story begins in 1983 when 13 sweeps gathered to chat and stroll through the town during the first week of September. By 1993, sweeps from throughout Europe were visiting Italy for, what had become by this time, the festival. As the first week in September began every year the “gathering” grew. In 1997 Anita Hofer, who is now the Vice President of the National Association of Chimneysweeps, organized the first sanctioned parade. In 1999 the National Association of Chimneysweeps became an official organization registered with, and certified by, the Italian government. During past years, more than700 sweeps from more than a dozen countries participated in the festival. In 2003 the first American sweep attended the festival. In 2004 the more numerous American contingent was joined by the first sweeps from England, Northern Ireland and Scotland. The 2005 "gathering" also included the first sweep from Wales and the 2006, 25th Jubilee will see the first Canadian sweeps to join in the festivities.

THE FASCINATING HISTORY OF THE FESTIVAL OF THE CHIMNEYSWEEPS
by Dino Reguzzoni
SANTA MARIA MAGGIORE, ITALY What follows is the history of the Fesitval of the Chimneysweeps. This festival is an example of the countless cultural traditions celebrated by Italians each year as a means of retaining ties to the precious heritage of past generations. The Villa Antonia: in the mid 1970s, in the village of Santa Maria Maggiore, in the northeastern corner of Italy approximately 15 kilometers from the Swiss border, Mayor Giacomo Mattei, Village Councilman Mario Zani and the other members of the Council purchased the Villa Antonia on behalf of the village. The complex included the main residence, a caretaker’s house and roughly 12,000 square meters of land. The beautiful main building designed and constructed in the Alpine architecture style, with windows and doors made in Zurich, was unkempt and falling into disrepair at the time of purchase. The price for the entire estate was approximately 103,000,000 Lire or roughly $515,000. The Villa had been owned by the rich, powerful Ponti family who made their fortune as diamond cutters. The Museum: as a young boy, Giacomo Mattei was put into servility as a chimney sweep. He later became a self-made person of exceptional means by becoming a carpenter and eventually opening a lumber yard. The first words he spoke after receiving the green, white and red sash of the Mayor’s office were, “I was a chimneysweep,” thereby publicly proclaiming his humble start in life. After purchasing the Villa the main house Giacomo placed some old tools of his old trade on public display in the former caretaker’s house inadvertently starting the Chimneysweep ’s museum. During the next few years, many of his cohorts also brought their old tools and old letters testifying that they indeed had been chimneysweeps during their youth. The original museum has now been expanded & completed. It now houses not only the tools and gizmos of the European sweeps, it contains mementos, artifacts, and tools from England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and the United States of America. It was inaugurated on April 5, 2005. The Gathering Unplanned, in 1983, 13 sweeps started to gather together during the first week of September. Word of this “gathering” spread throughout Italy and each year more and more active and former Italian sweeps attended. Then in 1993, unheralded and unbeknownst beforehand, during that first week in September, German, and Swiss sweeps appeared in Santa Maria Maggiore to “gather” with the Italian sweeps. The following year a group consisting of Italian, German, and Swiss chimneysweeps started to meander through town in an “unorganized parade.” Partly because they all practiced a humble but honorable common trade, despite the fact that they spoke different languages, and partly because there was an instant feeling of camaraderie, they felt a strong, inexorable bond begin to form.
An Italian Tradition Becomes a Multi-National Celebration
As the first week in September began, every year the “gathering”grew and grew when in 1997 Anita Hofer, who is now the Vice President of the National Association of Chimneysweeps, organized the first “sanctioned” parade. In 1999 the National Association of Chimneysweeps became an official organization registered with, and certified by, the Italian government. Today, 75-year-old Franco Milani, a chimneysweep his entire working life starting at nine-years-old, is the President of the Association and, in addition to Anita there are 11 board members. The “gathering,” or festival starts each year on Friday evening in the town theater in Santa Maria Maggiore where the welcoming ceremony is held. The delegations are welcomed in four languages, a variety of stage entertainment is presented, and refreshments are served in the lobby; music and dancing take place in the main square until the “wee hours of the morning.”
The Mountain Communities
There are seven communities in the Vigezzo Valley that form the “Mountain Communities of Valle Vigezzo.” Although Santa Maria Maggiore is the provincial capital of the Vigezzo Valley and the village where the main parade takes place every year, the “Mountain Communities” take turns as the “host town” for the festival and each presents a special dedication or an event unique to that village. In 1998 the hamlet of Villette was the “host town.” That year saw an unusual 36 piece marching band from Germany parade through Villette as a tribute to all the Chimneysweeps “gathered” together. The village of Re hosted the festival the following year. Re is famous for its huge, magnificent church known as the “Sanctuary of the Lady of the Blood.” The story is told that in 1494 one of the local townsmen who lost money in a game played by throwing a rounded stone and hitting a box with coins stacked on it became enraged at losing and threw the stone at a painting of the Madonna striking it on the forehead. The next morning it was discovered that the image was bleeding at the point where the stone struck. The painting bled for about twenty days stopping slowly a little each day. In the present Sanctuary, on September 5, 1999, a chorus of 36 German chimneysweeps sang at high Mass for the benediction of all chimneysweeps throughout the world. The village of Malesco was the first “host town” in the new millennium. To celebrate the year 2000 and to honor all the Chimneysweep guests, the town prepared about a half ton of risotto which was served to all. The main square was filled with people who enjoyed the famous Italian dish along with beverages of all varieties including those of escalating alcoholic content. In 2001 a group of children from Craveggia performed a play in Santa Maria Maggiore’s theater depicting the story of the treasure that was bequeath to the t own in honor of the Spazzacamini by the King of France in 1757. It was Craveggia’s turn to be the “host town,” therefore, the festival participants converged in the town where they were guided to the more than 50 frescoes that adorn the outer walls of houses then to the church where they saw the actual treasure. One of the most homespun receptions ever to host the chimneysweeps gathering occurred in the hamlet of Toceno in 2002. Enormous tents were set up in and around the main square and stands were erected all along a climbing, narrow, old cobble stone street that leads to an old town oven constructed in the 1400s. For this “gathering” the oven was opened and bread baked in it especially for the Chimneysweeps. They received freshly baked bread and all the food and drink they could consume. Families of the village literally pulled sweeps into their homes to offer them home cooked meals and some home made wine. In the square they listened and danced to live music all night long. No one was charged for anything. Druogno – 2003. On Saturday September 6, 2003 the Sweeps marched in a mini parade, they were welcomed by the Mayor, and took part in the remembrance ceremony of fourteen entire families that emigrated from Druogno to Holland starting in 1836. They left their country to find work and open businesses as chimneysweeps. On reaching Amsterdam each family settled close to the others, as is usual for people who remain in a foreign country, they set up house in one particular street. Today that street is well maintained, remaining as an “open” museum, and is named, “The Chimneysweep’s Lane.” In 2004, a truly exceptional festival took place. Santa Maria Maggiore, the provincial capital of the Vigezzo Valley, that had the distinction of being the “host town.” Santa Maria Maggiore was bursting with participants in, and observers of, the grand parade.
The Parade
In 2004, which was the 23rd “gathering,” representatives (all active chimneysweeps) from four countries that had never attended previously joined their fellow sweeps in making this an especially extraordinary “gathering." In addition to the almost 300 sweeps from Germany, the 50 from Sweden, the 48 from Denmark, the 100 from Switzerland, the 17 from Austria, the seven from France, the five from Holland, the 55 from Norway and the 105 from Italy, six came from England, six came from Northern Ireland, two came from Scotland, and fourteen came from the United States of America. They totaled more than 700. Standing in one spot along the parade route on Sunday, the last marcher to pass you was almost one hour behind the first. The parade that meandered through the village came to an end in the main square where it had begun. In the main square the bands played music from many countries, the Mayor and other dignitaries thanked the spectators for coming and everyone expressed their appreciation to all the sweeps from all the countries for their momentous participation.
The Commemoration
Although the town of Cannobio is in the Cannobina valley and not in the Vigezzo Valley, on Monday September 6, 2004 all the sweeps from all the countries paraded through this town of great significance in the history of the Spazzacamini. Almost the entire population of Cannobio turned out to see the Chimneysweeps on parade. Many of the sweeps tossed little favors, such as chimneysweep figurines, small cork disks the size of a 50 cent coin inscribed with their company names and addresses, and tiny hard candies to children from nine to 90 years of age. Some sweeps, with hands and faces covered with soot chased screaming and twisting women of all ages to kiss their cheeks or simply caress their faces; in either case smudging them with the black soot. Everyone, including the ladies, enjoyed the good natured smearing. The parade ended at the bank of Lake Maggiore where a more somber commemorative ceremony was held. Welcoming ceremonies included a speech by the Mayor, folklore music, and a song sung recalling the poignant story of the young chimneysweeps. The hostesses, once again in four languages, explained the significance of the reenactment that was about to take place. From this very same place along the shore of Lake Maggiore, in the town of Cannobio, in the famine stricken years of the last quarter of the eighteenth century to the first quarter of the twentieth century hundreds and hundreds of young boys were placed in servility as chimneysweeps by their parents. Every autumn mothers brought their young sons here to be taken away to faraway places where they were obliged to do chimneysweeps’ work until the following spring. Basilio Guerra of Olgia in the Vigezzo Valley tells his story: “I was eight and a half years old in 1919. At six in the morning my Mother dressed me. She stuffed my pockets with roasted chestnuts and stuck a sack of clothes under my arm. Together with one of my older brothers she dragged us onto the road to Cannobio. After about 10 kilometers my brother put me in a large basket affixed to his shoulders and carried me the rest of the way to Cannobio. It was the first time I ever saw the lake. At the side of a boat a man exchanged just a few words with my Mother. Suddenly he grabbed me and squeezed me hard enough to hurt me. I felt his cold, wet face; the boat started to move, many hands were raised, waving ‘goodbye,’ I caught sight of my Mother, then the fog rolled in and there was nothing more to see.” During the reenactment, young boys wearing reproductions of the working clothes of that bygone era, posing as chimneysweeps, are herded down to the slip, put into authentic boats and carried away to the far shore of the lake. From there the original youngsters were disbursed throughout the neighboring countries, especially France and Switzerland. Some, as mentioned, returned the following spring; some never returned.
The Statue
As you enter the town of Malesco on the state road coming from Santa Maria Maggiore, there is a sharp left turn of the road that eventually takes you to the Swiss border. However, if, after making the left turn, you turn left again immediately and stop in the small parking area you will be directly in front of a statue of a young chimneysweep in full working clothes. Each year on Saturday afternoon of the festival, all the chimneysweeps assemble in front of the statue. It was erected as a monument in remembrance of all the “sooty” child sweeps and Fausto Cappini of Re, who was electrocuted while working. The tragic accident occurred in 1931 when the little sweep, after sweeping a chimney, inadvertently touched a high tension electrical cable with his hand while gesturing to his boss that he had finished the chimney. His heart stopped beating in that instant; the young chimneysweep was barely 14 years old. The bronze statue is about one and a half meters high. It is the work of Luigi Terrugi, a sculptor from Milan. An enormous number of pictures are snapped, newspaper reporters interview spazzacamini from different countries, the local TV cameras are rolling, and the local band from Malesco that was established 150 years ago plays appropriate music. Following the speeches by the Mayor and other dignitaries, including the four hostesses who present the significance of the statue built in 1982, the official ceremony always ends with a minute of silence in homage to all the youngsters who lost their lives practicing the trade they were bound to. Here we see the statue, located in the town of Malesco, which stands in remembrance of all the “sooty” child sweeps...

Farewell
During both parades, while taking pictures at the statue, when entering the dance floor as couples or together as a group, and all throughout the “gathering” there were enthusiastic cheers, hearty handshakes and friendly hugs for the “new kids on the block,” the American, the English, the Irish and the Scottish contingents. Poignant emotions of spectators and participants alike were awakened.