‘Flying the banner of multiculturalism’: The enduring heart of little villages

Susanna Montrone said Leichhardt locals want to see Italian culture celebrated and are “really supportive” of the not-for-profit. Photo: Sarah Goff-Tunks.

When Viva Leichhardt launched two years ago, they hoped to bring spirit back to Leichhardt’s Little Italy, following the COVID-19 pandemic.

The not-for-profit alliance unites local businesses to revitalise Little Italy as a thriving cultural precinct.

Susanna Montrone, Viva Leichhardt’s district coordinator, said Leichhardt is one of many changing communities that isn’t “necessarily what they were” 20 or 30 years ago.

“I think Leichhardt gets held to a kind of a higher standard sometimes because people do have such fond memories of it being this place to go out, and now it's Enmore and Newtown, but maybe Leichhardt is something a little bit different,” Montrone said.

Coined ‘Little Italy’ by the Geographical Names Board in 2020, Leichhardt is a historically significant place for generations of Italian immigrants. 

The suburb is home to iconic Italian cuisine and many “amazing” Italian businesses that Montrone said “just need a little bit of support”.

“There's such an amazing kind of culture and heritage to celebrate, and it's not necessarily being done,” Montrone said. 

“We think we can do a lot more in terms of storytelling and tapping into that nostalgia that people feel about the area, but also the love of everything Italian.”

The “love for everything Italian” is celebrated by hundreds of thousands each year at the Norton Street Italian Festa, held on the last weekend of October. While many Italian stalls and exhibitions of culture are on display, the festival also includes stalls from a variety of different cultures. 

Approximately 180,000 people attended this year’s Norton Street Italian Festa last month. Photo: Sarah Goff-Tunks.

“What we love about the Norton Street Italian Festa is its community celebration, and it's reflective of the changing face of its community… and that actually ties into the ethos of Italian culture of everyone being welcome at the table,” Montrone said.

“The festival is actually in its 39th year, and we're so proud of flying the banner of multiculturalism here in Sydney.”

Although several anti-immigration protests have recently been held across the country, Montrone said none of that “animosity” is felt at the festa.

Jackie Tomkin shared a similar perspective to Montrone on the festa’s ability to unite Inner West locals. 

“Food usually brings everyone together, so it doesn't matter which race or what country you're from,” she said.

Tomkin, who has been working for the ‘Mr Puff Loukoumades’ food truck selling Greek Style Doughnut Balls for a year, said food plays an important role in breaking down cultural barriers.

“It just promotes togetherness,” she said.

Jackie Tomkin enjoyed meeting festivalgoers and being part of the multicultural celebration. Photo: Sarah Goff-Tunks.

Little Italy is just one of four ‘little village’ cultural precincts in the Inner West, alongside Little Greece and Little Vietnam in Marrickville, and Little Portugal in Petersham, which all recognise the contribution of immigrants to their respective areas.

The stories of Greek migrants in Little Greece are represented in a large mural called Hestia’s Migration, on the corner of Marrickville Lane, which was painted by the artist Ox King in 2021.

Ox King, whose real name is Steve Nuttall, worked closely with Marrickville’s Greek community to discuss “what it means to grow up in Marrickville”, describing the process as “really special”.

“There's a lot of stories and more than anything, there was a lot of positivity and a lot of fondness for the area,” Nuttall said.

Hestia’s Migration stands three storeys high in the heart of Marrickville. Photo: Caitlin Maloney.

The artist added: “I think the spirit and the identification with the area is already there and has been there for a long time, but just making a visual reference to it sort of cements it a little bit.”

Nuttall said lots of community members, especially older Greek immigrants, have been personally touched by the mural he painted, which depicts Hestia, a Greek goddess, reimagined as an Australian-Greek immigrant. 

“When they came over [to Australia], they weren't recognised and they weren't wanted and they faced hardship … they never would have thought to have their heritage so strongly cemented in Australia,” he said.

Like Little Italy, food has also played an important role in uniting the community of Little Greece, where many immigrants opened delicatessens and Greek restaurants.

“A lot of Greek immigrants would come to Marrickville so they could get certain ingredients and certain foods that reminded them of home,” Nuttall said. 

“It became not only a place where Greek immigrants live, but a lot of Greek immigrants sought out and went to.”