|
|
|
|
|||
|
|||||
| |||||||||
|
|
In "Tree Worship", the plants were the seat of a God, representing the Holy Union (called named), between Sky and Earth. That's the reason why during the Saturnals the Romans decorated the house with mistletoe, butcher's broom, ivy (considerated plants of magical properties) and fir branches. Anthropologically they are also the symbols of the exchange between two different social classes. In England, till the end of XVIIIth century, the women which went to Gooding, gave green branches at the donors. In the Middle Age the Christmas Stump or the Christmas Candles, had the same meaning: a big trunk, which burns illuminating, with its light, the darkest night of the year. These elements converged together in the Crhistmas Tree, in which, the magical light, the persisting foliage became symbols of Life, representing the victory of Light over the darkness, trust that life goes on also during the dark and long winter. The three elements come back in many popular Winter festivity (such as Halloween, Christmas or Carnival): the return of the outcasts (non living), the gifts and offers gave them, and their departure (after the solstyce) till the next winter, are the main elements for understanding the hide meaning of this feasts. The final pantomime"U Cavadduzzu e l'Omu Sarbaggiu", ending always with the horse victory, represents the eternal fight between man and nature and its natural supremacy. This sacrificial meaning permits an anthropological interpretation of Bordonaro Feast, cause at the end it's a real sacrifice solstice rite !!! (*) (Maria Virgillito)
(*)news from: Sikania n°12 - December 1995 page 26 article written by Cris Raeli, A. Bivona e N. Lo Castro; and "Santa Claus martyrdom", Essay written by Claude Levi Strauss - in: "Razza e Storia e altri studi di antropologia" C.L. Strauss - Einaudi, 1967 - pag.247-264)
Emilio Greco: the forgotten sculptor
Emilio Greco, one
of the greatest XXth century Italian sculpture, was born in Catania on 11th
October 1913.
Greco worked at San Giovanni Li Cuti in a studio in front of the sea. A poem remembers: "... glitter the Mongibello's sciare (lava) ran over from the marosi (waves) of the Jonio wind shining" ...<... this is the way I see my sea, this is the way I dream about it...> He voyaged all over the world. He was in Persia, Greece, Japan, Russian, leaving his memories in his words and statues. Teached at Monaco, Salisburgo, Rome, Naple and Ferrara. His sculptures are in the main world museum: National Modern Art Gallery in Rome, Tate Gallery in London, Museè National d'Art Moderne at Paris, Hermitage in Sanpietroburgo, Puskin Museum in Mosca, and "Greco Garden" (1800 mq permanent exposition in Hakone "Open Air Museum" - Japan), and then Tokyo, Orvieto, Prato, .... are just some of the places which holden his works.
He made Orvieto Duomo's Doors and
Pinocchio Monument in Collodi Park: "When I received the notice
of national competion for Pinocchio monument[...] leaved it on the table and
forgot". The same year he was in the examining board at Carrara Sculpture
Academy. Here his collegues urged him to present a work. He made also Pope Giovanni XXIIIrd Monument, pleased "for the human affection" the man inspiring, flattered it was destinated to San Pietro Church in Rome. He loved Palermo more than his born town, "... for its gardens and the air smelling Eastern atmospheare ...". In Catania he received just one prize at the end of '70s "Solemare". Just in 1982 was carried out an exposition in Ursino Castle. Nowaday in his home town there is just the "Emilio Greco Museum" . Located in San Francesco d'Assisi Square it's often closed. The bitternes for the respectless from his inhabitants was with him till the end.
If you don't know it, read "Lo Jonio Corrusco di Vento" by Emilio Greco. You will find in its pages the nostalgy for a past world and you will discover nearby the sculptor the man. "... Tate Gallery Director, Sir John Rothenstein, wanted to buy the "Figura Seduta" (Sitting Figure) for his museum; wonderful, but a school professor wanted to buy the same bronze, paying with montly instalments. Free to choose I prefer the teacher request, ... ". Greco died in Rome on 4th April 1995, the town in which he lived since 1943.*
*All the news selected, also where it is not specified, comes from: E. Greco - "Lo Jonio corrusco di vento" - APSA 8 - Roma 1980 (Translation by M. Virgillito). Image and autobiographical news from www.archivioemiliogreco.com
Agata is Catania protector saint. Her feast is known in the whole world. What people doesn't find out is that antropologically the feast is joined with Iside Cult. In ancient time the Feruculo had the shape of a ship, remembering the voyage untertook by Iside, seeking for her husband, and maybe that's also the reason why Cathedral was directed from West to East. That's infact the direction the goddess followed, going Nilo River up searching for Osiride. Iside Cult was diffused in the whole Sicily. In Madonie Mountain (Palermo) there is still a town called Polizzi, whose name results from the greek Polis Isidis, that is to say "The city of Iside"...
Most famous Catania symbol is the Lavic Elephant in Duomo Square (U Liotru), but there were others. For Norman Catania symbol was Saint Giorgio, and the element which better represents the town is a magical egyptian holy bird: the phoenix, which reborn from its ashes. Catania was buried and destroyed from lava, or sisma 9 times, and for 9 times was rebuilt in the same place. That's a miracle ...
Cosmic egg and water in sicilian tradition
Water and eggs are always present on sicilian tables. It's joined to Pelasgi culture and a meaning of borning life and fertilization strenght. For that reason we threw moneys in water. In ancient times near divinities temple shepherds and followers left fruit and food like offers, so god bless reached the earth giving plenty of fruits, and a good prosperous year.
Enna curiosity
Palermo curiosity
environmental protection sicily cultural excursions sicily, natural excursions sicily, sostenibility ecosostenibilità turismo sicilia, turismo alternativo sicilia, scopri sicilia, sicilia insolita, sicilia scoprire, luoghi arte sicilia, libera informazione sicilia, castelli sicilia, isole sicilia, visita sicilia, parchi naturali sicilia, turismo sicilia, scoperta sicilia, visitare sicilia, monumenti, chiese, noto, barocco, centri storici sicilia, leggende sicilia, tradizioni sicilia, feste, sicilia, sagre sicilia, folklore sicilia, ecosostenibile, ambiente, difesa protezione natura sicilia environmental protection sicily cultural excursions sicily, natural excursions sicily, sostenibility ecosostenibilità turismo sicilia, turismo alternativo sicilia, scopri sicilia, sicilia insolita, sicilia scoprire, luoghi arte sicilia, libera informazione sicilia, castelli sicilia, isole sicilia, visita sicilia, parchi naturali sicilia, turismo sicilia, scoperta sicilia, visitare sicilia, monumenti, chiese, noto, barocco, centri storici sicilia, leggende sicilia, tradizioni sicilia, feste, sicilia, sagre sicilia, folklore sicilia, ecosostenibile, ambiente, difesa protezione natura sicilia |
|
WebMaster Virgillito Maria.
|
"In the afternoon,
during the return voyage I remembered all the characters. [...] "When the train
stopped at Pisa [...] I thought at the fairy and the puppet in catarsy moment; a
romantic meeting such as a dance in whic the puppet stopped all its bad actions
and becomes a boy" "I hadn't any paper and so I drawed the image behind an
envelope. That's the definitive project. I have never changed it. (E. Greco - Lo
Jonio corrusco di vento). 
"Not one of the recognitions in
his studio came from his land, that land he had loved and still loved silently"
(Alfio Spadaro) " ... There are no measure in catanesi's respect, they
love you, or they tell you are "longu ammatulu", that is like to say useless
man". 
