Fratelli Materia

The Materia family represents an important chapter in the history of Sicilian emigration to Argentina, particularly in the fishing and industrial sectors. Their story is reconstructed in Roberto Pennisi’s book Italianos en el puerto de Mar del Plata and is notable because it revolves around a figure who, despite never emigrating himself, became the true starting point of a remarkable family saga: Stefano Materia.

Stefano Materia was born on August 27, 1889, in Milazzo, the son of Paolo and Grazia Materia. He had five siblings, almost all of whom emigrated abroad: two to Australia, one to the United States, and a sister to Argentina. Stefano stayed in Sicily, moving at a young age to the island of Salina, where he married Maria Rosa Giuffrè. The couple had ten children: Francesco, Graziella, Alberto, Manlio, Vittorio, Giuseppina, Nino, Paolo, Luciana, and Maria Pia.

With a modest formal education, Stefano was an extremely versatile man. He worked as a butcher, fisherman, merchant, and in the processing of grape must and oleochemical products. He likely would have emigrated like the rest of his family if he had not died prematurely in 1943. Because he remained in Sicily while his children left, he is considered the narrative centerpiece of the Materia family story.

All of Stefano’s children were born in Salina. The older ones helped their father, while some pursued independent paths: Alberto became a maritime captain, Manlio a long-distance captain, and others, like Vittorio and Nino, dedicated themselves to fishing. During the war years, some were called up for military service, while others served in civil roles. In Sicily, they also learned soap-making techniques, knowledge that would prove decisive later on.

Once in Argentina, the Materia siblings combined their various skills and established a company producing soap. Over time, the Materia family became one of the leading bar-soap producers in Argentina, establishing themselves as a cornerstone of the mass-production industry. Their story is one of work, sacrifice, and ingenuity—born on a small Sicilian island and becoming an emblematic example of the success of Italian emigration worldwide.