A surprising and intriguing stroll through the centro storico (historic centre) of a small town called Verbicaro, led me to stumble across a sort of treasure trove wherein lies an artisan and his workshop of wonders.
Ciao! My name is Chiara and it is my pleasure to share with you the dreams and stories of the people who I like to call, Culture Creators: colourful Italian locals carrying on traditions and keeping culture alive.
Today, I’d like to share with you the story of a humble basket weaver which led to a Vera Italia phenomenon...a basket as a handbag!
Along this journey, I am so blessed to meet the most wonderful of people who are so incredibly generous and excited to share their town and passion for their culture with me.
Maria Grazia is a beautiful soul who decided to invest in her little town by creating a delightful B&B with a mini museum inside! When we first met, she was so generous in offering to take me for a tour to explore her town, Verbicaro.
We traversed stone cobbled descents, weaved through little alleyways and stumbled across piazzas full of impressionable history and others with breathtaking outlooks. As we were wandering our way through the town, all of a sudden, a big metal door flings open and out pops Antonio.
My eyes were immediately drawn to the inside of the workshop where, hanging from the ceiling were creations of all different sorts from baskets to rigagnocchi (gnocchi boards) and wooden cutting boards made from olive trees.
"Chiara! This is Antonio, the man I wanted to introduce you to wjp makes baskets!” Maria Grazia, exclaimed. "Oh! Piacere (pleasure),” I eagerly responded back. The rest as they say is history! We immediately clicked and delighted by my enthusiasm; Antonio was incredibly hospitable in sharing his world and all of his marvellous creations with me.
To the naked eye, at first glance you may see a typical ‘man’s den’ full of tools, works and equipment but I saw magic! Generations of stories intricately woven throughout each basket and each piece of work entangled together to cover the ceiling and paint a picture of a trade that may no longer continue.
So, we’ll skip to the part where I went to make a basket! It was awesome! Antonio has been making baskets since he was eight years old. He learnt this trade from his father and he is the first to admit that it took some time and practice to get it right. Now he makes all sorts of unique and classic creations.
When you go to visit Antonio, he is full of surprises. He welcomes you as family and he takes such delight in sharing his art. We were a nice little group when we went to make baskets the first time and it was a blast!
There’s something therapeutic about concentrating on the weaving and the intertwining of these beautiful natural materials, harvested from the surrounding land to create a handy tool that’s been used for centuries!
The thing that captured me the most about Antonio was the significance of sharing his story. One of the aspects of this mission that truly captured my heart in creating this project was to shine a light on the people who humbly work away but have an extraordinary impact on simple connections, keeping alive the culture, customs and practices that have led us here. Antonio is truly an embodiment of this idea and he sure showed us when we went to interview him!
With the Culture Creators we have a series of questions we run through from their specific story to the greater concept of what we’re trying to achieve with Vera Italia: why are traditions important and why we should continue them.
When we asked Antonio why he chose to participate in Vera Italia, after explaining that this is a trade he was fortunate to learn from his father and that he hopes the youth will be interested to learn and continue this craft, he paused and said:
"I hope this brings me more space.” In the sense that his message could expand further and he could pass on his knowledge to even more people.
It was in this moment that I saw the heart and soul of Antonio shared through a tear. It was in this moment when I realised the beauty of shining a light on these people, of sharing their stories, of reminding them that they are important, that they are valued and that when they think that no one else is looking or appreciating what they’re doing.
I hope to make a difference. A way to connect these people and their humble workings with an inflow of people who will take the time to learn about the culture they have to share and, in the process, encourage them to keep going.
This is why it’s important when we travel, we’re intentional about who we’re meeting and where we’re spending our money because our actions can inspire implications that are beyond a simple exchange of currency but a currency that will have a lasting impact to the locals and the culture.
Antonio’s interview: https://youtu.be/u16uheYSc1k?si=epMlXV0C5g5GVyha
Antonio’s page: https://www.veraitalia.it/culture-creators/antonio-cesti/
