Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Dressed in green, white and red — the colors of the Italian flag — the 10-foot-tall carnival puppet known as “Miss. V.B.” watched over the hundreds who flocked to Stowe recently to celebrate the anniversary of a society formed by Italian immigrants there in 1916.
Known by a number of nicknames, including “Baby Doll,” “Honey,” “La poupée (the doll)” or even “Big Dummy,” the dancing mascot of the Villetta Barrea Society is known far beyond the membership of the private social club named after a town in Italy.
Miss V.B.’s dance card is quite full.
2 comments:
It's beautiful the kind of tradition that puppets hold in so many different cultures. This inanimate object has so much meaning and cultural ties that it is treated just like a living being. The puppet, Ms. V.B., looks like it is in really great condition considering the fact that many other company members say that it had been around even before they were born. I am also surprised to learn that Pittsburgh has a "Little Italy"-- I wasn't aware of that, but I sure do want to go explore it! I kneww the Little Italy in Manhattan always has a parade as well as the Giglio Italian Festival in Williamsburg. I remember first discovering the Giglio fest in Williamsburg and being astounded because I literally walked into it without knowing where I was. I was wandering the neighborhood looking for something to do on a weekend evening when I saw these brilliant lights from the block over-- I walked over and saw this massive carnival type festival going on! I figured out the week after that it was the Italian festival. It was magical either way! I also think it's pretty cool that the organization has opened its door to all nationalities though; I feel like that wouldn't have happened 15 years ago in order to "preserve tradition". But I can see it as a welcome into the community and culture, which is quite heart warming.
I live right on the edge of little Italy, and it's prime season for them to shut down the streets and have parades. One of the most magical things about this puppet is the meaning that it has been bestowed in it. I'd love to read more about the making of Ms. VB, or even the preservation, because she is said to be quite old. Who get's to keep her? Is she in a special closet or is she treated as a member of the family, hanging out in the living room? Also, I can see how these kinds of gatherings could be easily mistaking for mafia goings-on. It's a group of people, exclusive in nature, hanging out at lunchtime and raising money. However, and I'm going to trust my gut on this one, they're not. They're a bunch of people who love their culture and at one point, built a 10 foot tall dancing lady to commemorate it. And that's beautiful.
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