A raucous celebration of Italian-American culture
- Text by Sean Martin
- Photography by Sean Martin
Although I now spend my days baking in the hot sun in Southern California, surrounded by beachside bungalows and palm trees, my heart yearns for the raw jagged coastline of New England.
As a native of Gloucester Massachusetts, I felt it was time to travel east and photograph an annual event that is fundamental to the city’s cultural identity. Every summer for the past 91 years, Gloucester has honoured its Italian heritage with Saint Peter’s Fiesta – a weeklong celebration of drinking, carnival games and sports.
The premiere event of Fiesta is a competition called the Greasy Pole. An invited group of Italian-American men from the city’s prominent fishing families compete by running across a horizontal pole covered in grease, suspended over Gloucester Harbour. The objective is to grab an Italian flag hanging at the end without breaking bones or drowning. The runners are all fueled by drunken courage and the first man to grab the flag in each heat wins. The winners are carried ashore as the crowd cries out “Viva San Pietro!”
Gloucester is a historic maritime city on Cape Ann Massachusetts. The area was settled in the early 17th century by English farmers, quarrymen and outcasts living on the edge of civilisation. As the Industrial Revolution began to take hold, Italian immigrants migrated to Gloucester to man the growing commercial fishing industry that was now feeding people across the country.
To this day, many of those same Italian-American families control the Gloucester fishing industry and they are all fiercely proud of their cultural heritage. It is the sons of these families who compete in the Fiesta games.
See more of Sean Martin’s work on his official website, or follow him on Instagram.
Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
You might like
Confronting America’s history of violence against student protest
Through A Mirror, Darkly — In May 1970, two separate massacres at American college campuses saw deaths at the hands of the state. Naeem Mohaiemen’s new three-channel film memorialises the brutality.
Written by: Miss Rosen
Inside Bombay Beach, California’s ‘Rotting Riviera’
Man-made decay — The Salton Sea was created by accident after a failed attempt to divert the Colorado River in the early 20th century. Jack Burke reports from its post-apocalyptic shores, where DIY art and ecological collapse meet.
Written by: Jack Burke
25 years ago, Reflections in Black changed photography
A History of Black Photographers — Deborah Willis’s photobook anthologised pictures made by James Van Der Zee, Anthony Barboza and other groundbreaking Black photographers from when the medium was invented. A new edition updates it with 21st century contributions.
Written by: Miss Rosen
Seeing double at the Ohio Twins Days Festival
Unity in diversity — Each August, thousands of twins and multiples descend upon the city of Twinsburg to celebrate their siblings and the wider twin community. Harmony Ferreira was one of the few singletons at the weekender, capturing its quirky, but meaningful energy.
Written by: Isaac Muk
The concrete skatepark oasis in the Navajo Nation desert
Diné Skate Garden — Opening in 2023, the Two Grey Hills spot is getting people of all ages on the reservation onto boards. We spoke to those behind the project about its impact, its growing importance as a community gathering space, and their ambitious vision for expansion.
Written by: Tyrone Bulger
Races, revving and revelry: 20 years of US motorcycling in photos
American Motorcycling Culture — Photographer Jack Lueders-Booth has had a lifetime obsession with two wheelers, and the wider culture surrounding them. His new photobook explores his archive between 1980 and 2000, taken at road meets, track races and more.
Written by: Isaac Muk
