Danza dei coltelli, Torrepaduli and San Rocco

 The night of the 15^th August in Torrepaduli, around the sanctuary of San Rocco, people dance a unique kind of pizzica, the so-called “pizzica scherma”.

The dance carries on all the night long till the sunrise of the new day.

I had never seen it before.

In addition, Erika, my sister, fond of folk dance, strongly wished to go there.

How I could let her down?

Therefore, we leave at 8.30 pm of the 15^th (Ferragosto) in order to be there at around 10 pm.

Torrepaduli is a small village within the Municipality of Ruffano, around 60 km south of Lecce. 

Once arrived, we find a small area where to park the car.

We walk 10 minutes before reaching the main plaza.

Bright colourful lights enrich the atmosphere.

A band plays music with no interruption.

I’m so surprised when I hear the band playing Rino Gaetano, a very popular singer who died around 30 years ago.

When he was alive, he was famous, but not at all trendy as he is today.

The phenomenon of not appreciating properly its best sons when alive, happens quite often in Italy.

It seems that the country has to digest and assimilate them before paying the tribute that they deserve.

So after a break in the main plaza, we walk towards the sanctuary of San Rocco.

I see so many families outdoor, sat on their chairs, talking each other.

Sometime, they take a glance at foreigners who seem having taken their village just for one night, though.

As documented by Ermanno Inguscio with his book “La pizzica scherma di Torrepaduli. San Rocco: la festa, il mito, il Santuario” (Lupo Editore, 2007), few Francescani in the Middle-Age have built up the chapel dedicated to San Rocco.

San Rocco was born and raised in Montpelier (France).

He belonged to the rich bourgeoisie.

Like San Francesco, he divests of everything he owns to become pilgrim.

San Rocco has always been considered a miracolous Saint.

Ever since people has moved to the sanctuary of Torrepaduli to ask San Rocco help and recovery.

Under such circumstances, pizzica scherma practised mainly by gypsy men (Rom), became metaphor of fight between good vs evil.

Yesterday, Erika was expecting to catch up with some friends of her coming from Fermo (Marche).

Pizzica and tarantella is quickly spreading over the rest of the country.

Erika and I have danced, of course.

Dancing pizzica make you feeling relieved. It’s incredible how therapeutic it is.

It’s 3.30 in the morning.

I begin to yawn.

“Erika, would you mind if we go home? I’ve gotta tired”

“Yeah sure bro. let’s go home” she replies.

I love my sister.

After having driven for 1 hour, we arrive at home at 5 am.

Erika and I exchange a quick “good night”.

After a bunch of seconds I start snoring.

An Englishman at "La Notte della Taranta"

It is less than one month since we went to Melpignano, south of Lecce.

Melpignano is located in an area of the Lecce province called Grecia Salentina.

People there speak Griko, a variant of Greek.

We went there the 23^rd of August to attend the latest night of the itinerant festival La Notte della Taranta.

La Notte della Taranta is one of greatest folk festival in Europe.

The music played there is pizzica, which has Greek influence.

Aaron is from Bristol, in the UK.

He came to Brindisi, south of Apulia, in July 2013 to work.

He loves music, he likes very much music festival.

Last year I promised him: “I will take you to Melpignano at La Notte della Taranta, an amazing folk festival.”.

Mervyn, a funny friend of ours from London joined us.

The 23^rd of August 2013 we were in Melpignano.

I still remember their faces when they saw the huge crowd under the stage, filling the entire square.

Almost 30.000 people dancing and singing.

I consider it a bath of energy, pure energy.

Mervyn was supposed to come this year as well. Unfortunately, he could not make it.

 So Aaron and I went there again this year, to celebrate what seems to me a therapeutic rite.

Aaron, I, Lucia and her friends from Milan have been this year at La Notte della Taranta.

I asked Aaron:“Why do you like this music festival”. He replied: “because it is so trivial”.

Aaron has been dancing the entire night. He has even bought a tamburello.

Then, at the end of the night he comes to me and says: “do you know why I really like this festival?

Because it makes me think that I have to let it go” I have never understood very well what he meant.

But I guess he meant something personal, something which belongs to his own story.

Aaron will go back to UK soon.

His life experience in Apulia has almost come to an end.

I wish you all the best, dude.

I'm sure that I will see you next year in August, of course at Notte della Taranta.