Life in Taponecco

Some of nonna’s recounts of her life in Taponecco.

Taponecco is a mountain village nestled in the commune of Licciana Nardi, in the north west province of Massa-Carrara, in the picturesque region of Toscana (Tuscany).

Life in the country was very hard and there were little or no comforts. Not much is known about the history of this village, the houses were made of stone and had been around for centuries, dating back to the medieval period. It was a peasant lifestyle.

Nonna recalls many stories such as carrying buckets of wood on their heads in order to make a fire to cook their meals. The family worked the land for vegetables and looked after their farm animals. They had a cow, a pig, six sheep, rabbits and chickens. These animals were enough to feed the family. Their family consisted of eight people. Her father Ettore, mother Ines and siblings Guerino, Remo, Eugenio and her grandparents Silvia and Antonio. Each family member had different chores to do. Nonna’s grandmother looked after her grandfather because he was ill and bed-ridden. Her father had various jobs in the village and was able to support the family. Her mother worked in the countryside with her children’s help.

The daily routine consisted of grazing the animals before they had breakfast and then they went up to school. Once returning home, they ate and started again with chores.  At the end of the day, they came to the dinner that their grandmother had prepared. This was six days a week and on Sunday instead of going to school, they went to mass at the village church.

Featured image: Nonna’s childhood home in Taponecco, 2011.

Credit: Elisa Bastiani

More stories to come.