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SoNo parade honors Christopher Columbus and Norwalk Italian Americans

October 8, 2018
–
Nancy Guenther Chapman

Updated, 10:02 a.m.: Copy edit

NORWALK, Conn. – Norwalk marked Columbus Day with a parade Sunday through South Norwalk.

“Columbus Day is a U.S. holiday that commemorates the landing of Christopher Columbus in the Americas in 1492, and Columbus Day 2018 occurs on Monday, October 8,” according to History.com.  “It was unofficially celebrated in a number of cities and states as early as the 18th century, but did not become a federal holiday until 1937. For many, the holiday is a way of both honoring Columbus’ achievements and celebrating Italian-American heritage.”

Please enjoy this video by NancyOnNorwalk contributor Harold Cobin, which includes scenes from the Norwalk parade plus former Republican State Rep. Larry Cafero speaking to honor Columbus and his own Italian American heritage.  Cafero is running for Norwalk/Wilton Judge of Probate against Democratic Common Council member Doug Stern.

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10 responses to “SoNo parade honors Christopher Columbus and Norwalk Italian Americans”

  1. V

    We wanted to go to this but couldn’t find a start time anyplace. Can the organizers, if you’re reading this, kindly advertise the time next year?

  2. Piberman

    Columbus is a ‘great hero” in America. Quite the reverse in the Caribbean and South America. Famously the Great General Dessalines of the Haitian Revolt against France in the early 1800’s ordered the huge statute of Columbus previously erected on Haiti’s tallest mountain pushed down where it rolled into the Sea to the cheers of thousands. Even in Miami’s Miamarina there’s but a modest statute of Columbus off the beaten path. And reportedly none of any size in the entire Caribbean. Demonstrating that one nation’s “hero” can easily be another’s ‘villain”.

    The “good news” about Columbus is that reportedly he died surrounded by his large extended family. And his family is still entitled to the title “Admiral of the Oceans” bestowed by the Crown. Some years ago it was reported that one of his descendents, a Lieutenant in the Spanish Navy, had that title embossed on his carrying cards.

    Anyway America owes much to Italians. But they could use a better hero than Columbus who sowed devastation amongst the Caribs on his several journeys to the Islands. Americacus Vespucci who actually “discovered” (for the Europeans) the North Amerian mainland is a good candidate.

    Many historians consider the “discovery” of the New World the greatest event in human history. No other nation has ever bestrided the globe as has America. By some estimates as many as 2 million European sailors perished during the “age of sail” voyaging to the Americas. Maybe they’re our real “heroes”.

  3. Fran Di Meglio

    It seems that no matter what it is, it must be criticized, denigraded, and fulfill a need to show superior knowledge of the subject matter. Let us celebrate the courage and tenacity to embark on a quest and prove one’s convictions…”Welcome to the New World”.
    Happy Columbus Day everyone.

  4. Paul Lanning

    Employed by European royalty, Columbus and his band of plundering marauders “discovered” territory already inhabited by other people who they forced off the land.

    If upon “discovering” my neighbor’s lawn I decide to appropriate it as my own, the police will come and take me to jail.

  5. Mitch Adis

    @Paul. Feel free to return the land you currently own to its original owner.

  6. Paul Lanning

    Unlike the European invaders, I paid for my property.

  7. V

    Paul – by your logic you paid for something that was stolen. Maybe you should return it to the rightful owners

  8. Tysen Canevari

    Its a day to celebrate Our culture now seems to be how can we find fault with something. Very sad

  9. Mitch Adis

    @Paul. Buying stolen property is a crime too.

  10. Piberman

    Whatever joys are associated with Columbus’ “discoveries” ought be tempered with the horrific destruction of the native peoples from European diseases. By some estimates some 80 to 120 million peoples in South America and the Caribbean perished in the decades following. Similarly the native peoples along the New England sea coast were devastated by diseases brought by the Portuguese fishermen. So when the Pilgrims landed in Plymouth there was no native resistance to the “invaders” aka “discovers”.

    Columbus is infamous for atrocities foisted on the Carib natives wherever he landed. That he should be treated as a “hero” in America speaks poorly. No where else in the world is he celebrated as a major hero.

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