Casgliadau Arlein
Amgueddfa Cymru
Chwilio Uwch
Recordiad sain / Audio recording: Enzo Calzaghe
Oral history recording with Enzo Calzaghe, father of British boxer, Joe Calzaghe. He was born in Sassari, Sardinia, Italy and moved to Bedford when he was two but finally settled in Wales after meeting his wife in Cardiff. Part 4 of 5 (AV 11352 - 11356). Recorded as part of the Italian Memories in Wales project (2008-10), delivered by ACLI-ENAIP and funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
00.01 His parents moved over with work contracts secured. His father had experience in the building trade so went to Bedford to work in the brickyards. He talks of their difficulties settling in, Enzo was called names at school but explains that life was hard for everybody. He describes his upbringing as very Italian; very strict and he would be smacked often. The family celebrated Saint days; Italians would get together and go from house to house with friends and family. He went to church and had first communion, this was very much part of the Italian culture and he talks about his faith. 07.50 Enzo describes his first communion and christening. He went back to Sardinia at thirteen and would play soccer in football yards outside cathedrals. His mother was very religious and would often carry a rosary. He sees himself as very religious though he doesn’t go to church. 10.51 At thirteen his father decided to return home with his mother. Enzo stayed in Italy until he was twenty, he carried out National Service which was obligatory. Enzo and his brothers were in the Air Force yet he mostly played soccer for Milan Air Force. He returned and worked on his music for a year. He is reluctant to talk about when he moved back to Britain. 13.55 Enzo spoke English at home growing up and has a London accent. He was at school in Bedford with the boxer Joe Bugner. His parents spoke dialect- which he picked up and mixed it with Italian and English. He talks of how his family would mix up those languages; in Sardinia they spoke Sardinian, Sassarese and also Catalan in some parts, so he grew up surrounded by different languages. This made things difficult for him as he would combine them all into his own unique language. He considers himself Sardinian.