The archived pages below are like a time machine with a touch of whimsy, capturing snippets of Berwick Louisiana’s lost history while sprinkling in the colorful personalities of its surrounding tri-city area. My Uncle Nina Guzzetta, a character as vibrant as Mardi Gras beads, brings old Berwick to life with his dry wit in sharing his delightful "Recollections" in The Daily Review.
Many Berwick residents of the early 1900s practically leap off the page as Uncle Nina Guzzetta spins his tales. As one of the town’s most legendary patriarchs, he vividly recounts the early days — hard, sometimes heartbreaking, but mostly hilarious. His knack for 'stretching' the truth and playing fast and loose with poetic license earned him a reputation as the town’s unofficial storyteller. Whether it was a whimsical tale, an anecdote about someone long gone, or a sharp jab at the present, Uncle Nina always had something up his sleeve.
Berwick, affectionately known as "the west-bank" (of the Atchafalaya River), sits about 90 miles southwest of New Orleans and 90 miles south of Baton Rouge. Nestled on the Gulf Coast in the heart of Cajun country, this small town also boasts a tiny but lively population of first-generation Sicilians. It’s like mixing gumbo and spaghetti—somehow, it just works! Nina’s family hailed from Sicily, Italy, arriving in the early 1900s. Why Berwick? Well, the climate reminded them of home, where olive orchards and an olive oil business kept the family busy. Plus, Uncle Charlie (whoever he was) scouted the place beforehand, proving that even back then, Sicilians were experts in reconnaissance.
My Uncle Nina’s parents (my grandparents), Guiseppi & Salvina, ran two businesses in Berwick—a dairy farm and a shoe shop. Talk about covering all the bases: milk for your cereal and shoes for the walk to get it! The humorous narratives he penned capture the essence of French culture, its history, and its quirky cast of characters, all with a generous splash of "Italian seasoning." You can dive into these tales by clicking the archived dates on the left sidebar.
With permission from the author and his family, excerpts of these stories were lovingly taken from "The Daily Review," where Nina blended his writing talent with his sharp wit reminiscing about "the good ole days." So, grab a cup of coffee—or maybe a glass of wine—and enjoy "Recollections 1997 to 2000" by the one and only Nina Guzzetta. It’s history with a side of humor!
SUGGESTIONS...
Uncle Nina Guzzetta’s “Recollections” are a treasure trove of Cajun-Sicilian storytelling, and while the full archive spans dozens of entries from 1997 to 2000, a few standout tales have become local favorites for their humor, heart, and historical flavor. Here are some of the most talked-about themes and stories from the collection:
Fan-Favorite Tales from Uncle Nina
1. The Dairy Lady & The Shoemaker - This foundational story introduces Nina’s parents and their two businesses—a dairy farm and a shoemaker's shop. It’s a hilarious look at small-town entrepreneurship, where Nina jokes that his family “covered all the bases: milk for your cereal and shoes for the walk to get it.”
2. Uncle Charlie’s Reconnaissance Mission - A recurring character in Nina’s tales, Uncle Charlie supposedly scouted Berwick before the family immigrated from Sicily. Nina paints him as a master of “Sicilian reconnaissance,” blending fact with fiction in a way that makes readers wonder if Charlie was part spy, part saint.
3. The Gumbo-Spaghetti Chronicles - Nina often riffed on the cultural mashup of Cajun and Sicilian traditions in Berwick. These stories highlight everything from food fights over seasoning to neighborhood debates about whether wine or beer pairs best with crawfish.
4. The West-Bank Characters - Nina’s dry wit shines when he describes Berwick’s residents of the early 1900s—like the barber who doubled as a matchmaker, or the fisherman who swore he caught a catfish the size of a Buick. These tales are part caricature, part homage.
5. “Stretching the Truth” Specials - Some of Nina’s most beloved stories are the ones where he clearly plays fast and loose with the facts. Whether it’s recounting a flood that supposedly floated the shoe shop downriver or a Mardi Gras parade led by a goat, readers loved his flair for exaggeration.
ENJOY!