The Greasy Pole: Italian Fisherman at their finest.

The Greasy Pole.

Take a minute. Read the title.
Those are the best three words I heard in a long time....and I HAD to know what it was all about.....

In Gloucester....There's all sorts of hoopla and shenanigans.

Each year. Since the mid 1920's there has been a competition of sorts brought over from Sicily.
Of-course...my Italian friends and those I know with Italian heritage will argue...
Nonetheless I have a never-ending fascination with the Sea, and all things historically Nautical and Italian so Naturally I would know....
Sicilians are the best...and when combined with the ocean and a long greasy wooden pole.....
It's time for a show.

Grab your canolli' and cappuccino.
(Get you're mind out of the gutter I wasn't talking about your pants!)

You're in for an interesting treat..............

St. Peter.

Better known from Mama's house as "Saint-a-Pedro''......that's it now....roll your R's.

The Saint of Fisherman. Bless this house in the New World of America, Us Sicilian's so that we may bring our son's our brother's our husbands home from Sea.
Let us put fish on our plate from your bountiful sea, and bread in my basket oh lord.

Naturally,...in good ole' Glosta...there's a Fiesta!

Say it with me....it's fun....and shake your hips a little bit too.
Ready
1.
2.
3.
Go!:

F-I-E-S-T-AAAAAAAAA!

Every year there's a fiesta in tribute to New Englands Sicilian Fisherman heritage here.
Be it so there's a competition to find out which man can handle a large greasy wooden pole the best.

Yup. That's right.
They walk it. All. The. Way. Down.
And the best part of it is.... it's in the middle of the ocean...well....not the middle.
But you get the idea.
It started as a namesake thing....you would know it for New England and our generation to turn it into a family fun filled event. Worth every second.

This year I was fortunate enough to see it for the first time..on top of the fact that
there was a Musical tribute to it as well.

I got front row, right next to the stage.
Sitting down i thought to myself the enriched heritage here is something to be so valued...little did I know what I was in for.

The musical is a story about one boy.
His father died at sea along with his brother....and having an Italian mama who raised a family from the heart of the kitchen....you know that's no joke.

And so, he wanted desperately to fit in and walk the greasy pole.
He was after all....a greaser.
His mama protested...his cousins asked why not...
Yet this young man could only pray to Saint Peter for help to understand.
Many years had passed and then in his mid age.
This man finally walked the greasy pole.
He walked.
He won.
He sang.

He sang it as a tribute, to his family, to all the men at sea, who died and spared this life.

This musical was put together in the span of 3 months.
It turned out to what will be a classic for generations to come will see.
Holding all ingredients for some of the best American New England Chowder.
Enriched and spiced with history.
The lyrics and dialogue was humorous and meaningful.
The actors had good timing and heart.
The musicians played so that you were lost in the sound of a memory thought to be
New England's Italia...

Everything was well timed on top of the fact that there were so many tidbit's of fun and surprises....it made 15 dollars for a ticket seem like a steal.

I even got pulled up on stage to dance!
Good thing I strapped on my heels that evening!

Brava Glosta.
Brava.