Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
La Festa
Delve into the mindset of a Tuscan and a holy trinity of popular folklore, agricultural tradi-
tion and religious rite of passage dances before your eyes - which pretty much translates as
la festa
(party!). No cultural agenda is more jam-packed with ancient festivity than theirs:
patron saints alone provide weeks of celebration given that every village, town, profession,
trade and social group has a saint they call their own and venerate religiously.
La festa
climaxes, not once but twice, with Siena's soul-stirring Il Palio, a hot-blooded
horse race conceived in the 12th century to honour the Virgin Mary and revamped six cen-
turies on to celebrate the miracles of the Madonna of Provenzano (2 July) and Assumption
(16 August). Deeply embroiled in its religious roots is a fierce
contrada
rivalry, not to men-
tion a fervent penchant for dressing up and a widespread respect of tradition that sees
horses blessed before the race, jockeys riding bareback and the silk banner for the winner
of August's race ritually designed by local Sienese artists and July's by nonSienese. Legend
says that a Sienese bride marrying in far-off lands took with her earth from her
contrada
to
put beneath the legs of her marital bed to ensure her offspring would be conceived on home
soil.
Although it's by no means the social force it once was, Catholicism (the religion of 85%
of the region) and its rituals nevertheless play a key role in daily lives: first Communions,
church weddings and religious feast days are an integral part of Tuscan society.
Known in Florence as 'the topic that broke all the rules',
Italians Dance and I'm a Wallflower
by
Florence-based author Linda Malcone provides a cracking insight into local behaviour and cul-
tural expression. The title is one of several to be published by local publishing house, The
Florentine Press (
www.thelorentinepress.com
)
.
