Italian Horn Cornetto

In Attire
Group:
Golden necklace with pendant
Golden necklace with pendant

My Cornetto originates from San Antonio, Campania, Italy. My great-grandmother, who was born in 1934, suffered from famine, poverty, the aftermath of WW1 and the rise of WW2. Despite her severe upbringing, she worked hard to make sure her family's needs were taken care of. Great-grandmother Maria wore a special golden necklace with a bull's horn. This pendant represents fertility, prosperity, protection, good luck and strength. This belief dates back to Ancient Rome and it is a very popular symbol in the south of Italy, especially in Naples, the capital of where my family is from. Before her passing, great-grandmother Maria gave her necklace to her daughter, my grandmother, Concetta, which she cared for dearly her whole life. Grandmother Concetta moved to the north of Italy with my grandfather Vitto, looking for work, as the south was becoming more corrupted and dangerous to live in with organized crime Mafia groups taking over. My grandparents settled in Piedmont, an area bordered by France and Switzerland. In 2019, I went back to Italy to see my grandmother who was suffering from cancer. She had saved this necklace for me and I wear it every day. I am not a materialistic person, but losing this necklace would devastate me because it connects me to my family's roots.  Not only is it important to me because it has been passed down three generations, but it reminds me of the strong women in my family that I look up to who persevered through the toughest situations. 

Place(s): San Antonio, Campania, Italy and Piedmont

– MVPC

Relationship:  Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more