Artist, author, journalist, musician, poet, photographer...
Paolo Totaro AM has done it all.
Born in 1933, he spent his early days in Naples throughout the years of bombings and occupation by foreign armies of World War II.
He graduated from the Conservatorio San Pietro a Majella in pianoforte, and from the University Federico II, Naples, in law.
He began his career at the Fiat factory in Turin, before transferring with his family to Sydney in 1963.
In the following years, he travelled extensively in Australia and internationally for Fiat, before deciding with his then wife Mariella, daughter Paola and son Riccardo to remain in Australia on a more permanent basis.
In 1975, Totaro became the Foundation Director of the Community Arts Board in the Australia Council.
Through this body, the Australian Government aimed to foster the arts in the then rather culturally barren areas of the metropolitan suburbs, as well as regional and distant areas of the vast continent.
In 1977, Totaro received a call from the then premier of New South Wales, Neville Wran, asking him to apply for a new position dedicated into looking at ethnic affairs in NSW.
In a video interview with Multicultural NSW, Totaro describes how the then premier said to him, “there is a very interesting position going on; we think you will be an ideal person [for the job]”.
Totaro got the job, and held the position of Founding Chairman of the NSW Ethnic Affairs Commission until 1989.
At this time, the presence of multicultural immigrants in Australia was still remarkable, and the challenge was to define, for the first time, the principles of multiculturalism in the practice of government, and put them into action in schools, hospitals, courts of law, workplaces, and many other areas of our common living.
Totaro, alongside a number of other dedicated people, helped to create the Participation report, a 600-page document presenting case studies in argument for the breaking of barriers to allow equality of opportunity for all.
“This was approved in total with no objection by all parties,” Totaro said.
“So it was a really great first step.”
In 1988, he was awarded the Order of Australia, and in 2006 the Order of Commendatore of the Order of Italy.
Throughout his lifetime he has never ceased to read and write poetry.
In 2012, Padana Press published Totaro’s book Collected Poems (1950-2011), which included a large part of his poetic work.
His poetry is interesting and vital as the work of an immigrant, local poet whose first language is Italian and who writes across both Italian and English.
On the theme of his work, Totaro says, “these poems are for me about one thing: overflowing, if constrained, love”.
“My loved ones may recognize this.
“I apologise to them for my life mistakes, seek forgiveness and say grazie dal profondo del cuore for being in my life – for being my life.”
Not just a poet, but also a photographer, Totaro dedicated his visual creative efforts to photographing the Italian diaspora.
This year, his photographic book entitled Visual Legacy: Italian Australian Elders was published by CO.AS.IT.
As a journalist, Totaro was a contributor to the national weekly, The Bulletin, and the presenter for the national TV program, Face the Press.
He also continued to perform as a pianist, mostly in small chamber music groups.
Totaro’s role in creating both the Participation report and the Ethnic Affairs Commission makes him one of the biggest multicultural warriors of our time, helping to create equality for everyone and to make NSW a successful multicultural society.
He lives now on a small rocky beach, at Pittwater in Sydney, with his second wife, Patrizia.
His creative work has continued to inspire the local community.
Join the the CO.AS.IT. Italian Family History Group to hear Paolo Totaro AM speak about his family’s history and his significant contribution to the arts and multicultural community in Australia, on Wednesday, October 24, at The Italian Forum Cultural Centre, Studio 2 & 3 at 6:45 pm (for a 7:15 pm start).
Click here for more information.
