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A suitcase full of Lego, and other things that came with new Canadians

When we move, the objects that come with us have stories of their own. We asked you for your stories, and you got back to us.
CBC Radio ·
Shortly after immigrating to Canada, a nine-year-old Stefan Banjevic practices his cello as his father looks on. When Stefan and his mother followed his father and sister to Canada, they were allowed two suitcases each. One of Stefan's was filled entirely with Lego. (Photo courtesy of Stefan Banjevic )

Now, more than ever before in history, people are moving, making long journeys to new homes. And the objects that come with us have stories of their own.

We asked you to tell us about objects that made the trip with your family, and you got back to us with all kinds of stories. 

Stefan Banjevic came to Canada from Belgrade, Serbia, when he was nine years old. He and his mother were following his father and sister, who had already arrived in Toronto.

Stefan recalls being allowed to pack two large suitcases, one of which was filled entirely... with Lego. 

You might imagine bringing the Lego was Stefan's idea, but it wasn't. "My parents just looked at what they had invested money in because, at the time, a lot of it came from either family members or my dad going on overseas trips and it was such a big deal when people went overseas [...] and bought things you couldn't buy in Yugoslavia," he recalls. 

"It was this valuable thing and clearly we were going to have to bring the Lego, so I don't think I even had to advocate for it." 

It was this valuable thing and clearly we were going to have to bring the Lego.- Stefan Banjevic
Stefan Banjevic holds the Lego his family brought with them from Serbia in the 1990s. (Julia Pagel)

Sara Germanotta's father, Vincenzo Germanotta, immigrated to Canada from Sicily in 1965. "Everyone in the village wanted him to bring something to whatever family they had here in Montreal," says Sara about her father's journey.

"My grandmother had baked — and I couldn't believe it when he told me this — 15 kilos of bread." Along with his over 30 pounds of bread, Vincenzo had salami, prosciutto and homemade cheese, packed into three large green trunks. He was expected to smuggle all of it into Canada upon his arrival at Pier 21 in Halifax. 

With the help of other immigrants, and a border guard who turned a blind eye, he pulled it off. 

Vincenzo Germanotta was 23 when he immigrated to Canada from Sicily in 1965. This green trunk was one of three he brought with him, packed with homemade bread, salami, prosciutto and cheese. (Photo courtesy of Sara Germanotta)
The passport Vincenzo Germanotta used when he immigrated to Canada from Sicily in 1965. He arrived at Pier 21 in Halifax, and made his way west to settle in Montreal, where his daughter, Sara, still lives today. (Photo courtesy of Sara Germanotta)

Susan Reynolds' grandmother immigrated to Canada from England after World War I, bringing with her a delicate little teapot. "You cannot use it as a teapot," says Susan. "It's a miniature teapot, but it went across the Atlantic twice from England."

Susan's grandmother brought the teapot to Canada once, then returned to England, taking it back with her. Decades later, Susan's father repeated his mother's journey. "When my grandparents passed away, my father brought his family, with me, back to Canada and we brought the little teapot with us." 

This little teapot made the journey to Canada twice. Susan Reynolds' grandmother brought the trinket with her when she came to Canada after WWI. Long after she returned to England, her son immigrated to Canada with his children, bringing the teapot once more.

To hear more stories about the objects that made the journey to Canada, click Listen above. 

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