TRADITIONAL TRADITIONAL DANCESDANCESTHE “PIZZICA”THE “PIZZICA”

The The pizzica pizzicapizzica pizzica is a kind is a kind of  of  tarantellatarantella peculiar to the peculiar to the province of province of LecceLecce in Puglia. in Puglia.

Shrouded in myth and Shrouded in myth and legend and dating back legend and dating back many hundreds if not many hundreds if not thousands of years, this thousands of years, this dance was thought to have dance was thought to have been the only cure for a been the only cure for a tarantula bite, or, tarantula bite, or, metaphorically, for someone metaphorically, for someone possessed by the devil.possessed by the devil.

When the alarm went that When the alarm went that someone had been bitten, usually someone had been bitten, usually while working in the fields, the while working in the fields, the local band would pick up their local band would pick up their instruments (traditionally violins, instruments (traditionally violins, mandolins, guitar, flute, mandolins, guitar, flute, accordion and large tamburine) accordion and large tamburine) and rush to the house of the and rush to the house of the afflicted. afflicted.

Once there they would begin to Once there they would begin to play, slowly at first, while the play, slowly at first, while the patient, usually in a high fever by patient, usually in a high fever by this time, began the dance. this time, began the dance.

As the music got faster, so to did As the music got faster, so to did the steps of the dancer, whose aim the steps of the dancer, whose aim was to expel the poison (or was to expel the poison (or malignant spirit) through sheer malignant spirit) through sheer force of motion and perspiration. force of motion and perspiration. Often family and other villagers Often family and other villagers would join in a show of would join in a show of solidarity. solidarity. 

The dance would The dance would continue "prestissimo" until the continue "prestissimo" until the main protagonist collapsed to the main protagonist collapsed to the floor, utterly exhausted, but floor, utterly exhausted, but hopefully cured.hopefully cured.

The excitement comes when The excitement comes when purification and/or exorcism is purification and/or exorcism is called for!called for!

We had a course of We had a course of pizzica at school, many pizzica at school, many adults learned how to adults learned how to dance this traditional dance this traditional frenetical dance. frenetical dance.

We also danced during We also danced during the Grundtvig meeting the Grundtvig meeting in November 2009.in November 2009.

The “Durlindana”The “Durlindana”

Durendal is the sword of Durendal is the sword of CharlemagneCharlemagne's paladin 's paladin Roland in the literary cycle known as the Matter of Roland in the literary cycle known as the Matter of France. It once belonged to Hector of Troy, and was France. It once belonged to Hector of Troy, and was given to Roland by Malagigi. The name probably given to Roland by Malagigi. The name probably comes from the French verb "durer", "to endure".comes from the French verb "durer", "to endure".

In Massafra the In Massafra the Durlindana is a group of Durlindana is a group of medieval dancers medieval dancers wearing traditional wearing traditional chivalric costumes. chivalric costumes. They performed at They performed at school before the school before the Grundtvig staff in Grundtvig staff in November 2009. November 2009.

The Grape HarvestThe Grape Harvest In Puglia (as in all In Puglia (as in all

Italian regions) during Italian regions) during the autumn months, the autumn months, chances are good that chances are good that you'll come across you'll come across groups of people groups of people harvesting grapes to harvesting grapes to make wine--a process make wine--a process called "la vendemmia" called "la vendemmia" or "la raccolta."or "la raccolta."

Clippers in hands, men, Clippers in hands, men, women and sometimes women and sometimes also children contribute also children contribute to the harvest, filling in to the harvest, filling in the greedy boxes with the greedy boxes with grapes, hard work and grapes, hard work and joy.joy.

For vendemmia, For vendemmia, extended families and extended families and friends get together, friends get together, often in the campagna, often in the campagna, or countryside, in the or countryside, in the early morning hours, early morning hours, snipping grapes off the snipping grapes off the vines and depositing vines and depositing them into large tubs or them into large tubs or other containers.other containers.

After hours of hard After hours of hard work among the work among the grapevines, the grapevines, the harvesters share a feast harvesters share a feast prepared just for the prepared just for the occasion, sometimes occasion, sometimes dancing around . The dancing around . The lunchtime spread often lunchtime spread often includes local meats, includes local meats, cheeses, and fresh cheeses, and fresh bread.bread.

Later, the grapes are Later, the grapes are crushed and made into crushed and made into wine. wine.

Ous pupils together with teachers and the Ous pupils together with teachers and the headmistress participated into the “vendemmia” last headmistress participated into the “vendemmia” last Autumn.Autumn.

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