Piera, a resident in Poggio alla Croce
In these last few years a lot has changed
Things were different before, people were simpler
They often came into the centre.
Now they stay at home,
the village is less lived in.
Before we were all concentrated on my shop.
Most of the world,
most of life took place around it.
A place to meet, to understand each other,
maybe argue with different opinions
but still have a dialogue. That was life,
in my view that really was.
Andrea, who conceived the welcoming project
Poggio alla Croce could be defined
as “a small Switzerland”
Located in a beautiful spot
between Chianti and Valdarno
Residents are busy at work
and like to collaborate.
In summer a nice festival is organized
attracting people from both valleys
When problems arise, like with ice in winter,
informations flow over the internet.
Looked like and ideal place
Then in April 2017 the “bomb” went off:
thirty migrants to be hosted in the “palace”,
a former hotel middle of village
It sounded as if a spaceship full
of little black men was about to land
Piera
Black men are coming. Black men are coming.
We are all with our hairs raised,
very worried, me too to be honest because
you hear a lot of good
but also bad about these youngsters
Andrea
The strongest reaction, intense and wide,
was an immediate refusal,
a “belly” reaction that caused
an immediate decision
to collect signatures against,
in less than three days
230 signatures were collected
Even though the Poggio’s residents
are around 190.
Attilia, a teacher in the the school for migrants
A first meeting was held
one and half year ago in summer
before the migrants arrived,
so we did not know them
They had no face for us, they had no name
I don’t live in Poggio alla Croce,
I come from a nearby village
During the meeting there were
some very aggressive people,
I guess they were sincerely scared
Martin, parson of Poggio alla Croce
Their reaction was not due to being bad.
Behind there was also a reality
that must be told. It must be told that
none was pepared because none
had been alerted that these foreigner,
these migrants were coming
Paolo, a resident in Poggio alla Croce
Someone started collecting signatures,
and I agreed only because I wanted to know
where would these kids be hosted,
what did they come for then it became
clear that this was not the reason
they did not want to welcome them
So I said my signature was extorted
and was not in agreement any more
Luana, a resident in Poggio alla Croce
They told us
“in a year time we’ll remind you of this..
we are scared..
I have an 18months old little girl
who won’t be able to walk the streets anymore”
But I refused to sign in
and became the black sheep
Paolo
They are black, and that may be difficult to fathom
Integration is not easy, not easy.
Also on their side
Attilia
There was a bad feeling around,
a terrible atmosphere
My legs trembled, truly.
I recognized kids that I knew
when they were little children.
And now as grown ups they were scared
and said they did not want the migrants
because their life would change,
it would not be possible
anymore to go quietly around in Poggio.
No more walkabouts but they shouted
all this in a really aggressive way..
and I started to tremble and was unable
to tell what I meant,
that I felt very sorry to see children
who had grown up together
accustomed to sharing…and I remember
there were also coloured children
in our classes and they all played together
And now I was frightened
by what they had become
Was more scared of them than
of the coming migrants because
I could sense a rage and violence
that really frightened me