Tudor Vintiloiu | Blog

The story of my great-grandfather (on my father’s side) was always a bit hazy even in the days of my childhood, when the elders of my family, people who knew him first hand, were still alive to tell the tale. But somehow all that I ever learned about him was how he left Romania at the turn of the century and made his way onto one of the immigrant boats that were taking people and dreams across the ocean, to America.

He made it there. I have no information whether by this time he was already father to my grandfather, or if he was even married. The only other (completely irrelevant) piece of information that I have is that he apparently called himself Vintilescu rather than Vintiloiu. I have no idea why. Maybe it was easier to pronounce.

Anyway.. As the story goes, he came back to Romania. Now, I have no way to confirm that. I don’t know if that was even possible in those days. Also I have no information on what his financial status was.

Last week, my mom came across this picture:

It seems that my great-grandfather made his way into the little town of Alliance, Ohio, where he walked in to the studio of William R. Nesbitt, photographer, to have his picture taken.

Now I found this intriguing. So I followed this new lead to see where it takes me. Luckily, the people of Alliance are pretty proud of their town’s history and have everything archived and available online.

Here is what a book called “Artists in Ohio, 1787-1900: a biographical dictionary” had to say about William Nesbitt:

So the picture was taken sometime in the first years of the 1900s. Digging a little deeper into the archives I came across some pictures of Alliance from that period. In two of them you can see William Nesbitt’s studio, with a large billboard that says: NESBITT – The LEADING PHOTOGRAPHER.

This image was taken during the great snowfall of 1901

A closer look

A different view

Now there is no point to this story. And no ending. I still have no idea of how things went for my forefather, or what he was doing in Alliance, OH, or why/if he ever came back. But looking at these images, and retracing his steps 100+ years later, I can’t help but wonder what it was like to walk down Main Street East, between Freedom Ave. and Seneca Ave.  and walk into Mr. Nesbitt’s studio.

Am ajuns si in Konso, unde deja atmosfera de trib s-a pierdut, dar am dat de alte lucruri interesante. Femeile de aici poarta niste fuste foarte interesante: de bumbac/lana, destul de groase si foarte colorate. Sunt bufante si lungi. Tot femeile am inteles ca sunt cele care duc tot greul: fac mai toata munca, iar barbatii… ei bine, pe ei ii vezi de la 10 dimineata, adunati la baut alcool local.

Satele sunt foarte interesante – seamana cu niste mici cetati antice. Au “strazi” inguste cat sa treaca un om si totul e proptit cu bolovani asezati unii peste altii.

Satul e construit in spirala pe un deal. Asa ca daca ai un vecin care sta mai sus, ai de facut o adevarata drumetie montana.

Oamenii Konso au in mijlocul satului, intr-un fel de luminis (piata ar fi prea mult spus), ceva ce se numeste “Generation Tree”. Este un manunchi mare de copaci legati intre ei cu sfoara, foarte inalti, iar o data la 18 ani se mai adauga un copac, o data cu schimbarea generatiei de “batrani” ai satului.

In functie de cati copaci are fiecare sat, se calculeaza vechimea lui. Noi am fost intr-un sat care avea 4 copaci. Deci destul de vechi. Satele mai au si un Community House – o casa mare cu un acoperis imens, unde dorm la un loc baietii tineri care au trecut pragul adolescentei, dar care nu au inca o sotie. Aici, cei cu experienta (inclusiv sexuala) ii invata pe cei mai tineri ce si cum.

Un alt sat absolut incredibil l-am gasit la aproape 2.800 de metri altitudine, la Dorze – la 25 de km de Arba Minch. Casele lor sunt uimitoare. Seamana cu capul unui elefant, sunt facute din bambus si acoperite cu frunze de banan fals (Enset). Pana sa ajungem am trecut pe langa o plantatie mare de banani – o imagine tropicala ca de poveste – iar 800 de metri mai incolo (si mai sus) era o padure de conifere tipic montana, aproape romaneasca. :) De neimaginat. Revenind la casele din Dorze – sunt foarte inalte si unele au chiar si 100 de ani. Problema e ca termitele rod bambusul de la baza, motiv pentru care casa se micsoreaza de-a lungul anilor.

La fiecare 20 de ani, caselor li se schimba acoperisul din frunze.. tot cu frunze.