Information - Itinerary

The folklore of Salento is the most vibrant and original in Apulia and in all of Italy. The strong Greek influence is expressed in the songs, fairy tales and stories about witches, nymphs and elves that populate the magic countryside of Salento, where satires dressed in white guard hidden treasures in caves or in chambers under dolmens. There are hundreds of songs about love, work and grief, lullabies and endless stories of the epic resistance to Saracens, both in Salentino (the local dialect) and in Griko. Griko is the name of the Greek dialect still spoken in the nine Salentine municipalities that form the Grecía, the Greek speaking enclave.

"Tarantismo" is an anthropological phenomenon which originates from ancient Greek orgiastic and esoteric religions, a type of social therapy that has evolved over the millennia in order to relieve people (usually women) of their malaise. The way that the subjects sought help for their ailment was to say that they had been bitten by a tarantula while working in the fields. They took part in the Tarantula ceremony, which was designed to purge the venom of the mythical tarantula bite through a liberating dance called Pizzica. Tambourines are used to induce a natural trance through an obsessive rhythm of both chaos and order. The symbols on the instrument produce discord and the beating on the drum mimics the heart beat. Presenting these two facets together to the dancers is designed to restore harmony to their souls.

The Pizzica performed nowadays by excellent musicians is danced by thousands of people of every age in the piazzas of Salento at the many popular festivals and is arousing increasing interest amongst notable musicians and foreign musicologists. Anthropological exhibitions and seminars on tarantismo are held annually in Salento. The Catholic religion here is very icon-based. The worship of the saints, who are often the Christian version of ancient pagan divinities, is fundamental in Salento. The Salentines worship the statue and the sacred place where it is situated exactly as they did in pagan times. The relationship with the saints is often querulous as it was with the ancient gods. Many patron saints have been dismissed when they have proved themselves unable to satisfy the needs of the community. As recently as a century ago, during periods of drought, the statue of the saint unable to deliver rain could be thrown away in the resultant fury of the people. Even today extravagant festivals to honour the saints and the Madonna are celebrated with fireworks and spectacular light displays, for which the Salentines are renowned throughout the world. The multicoloured papier-mâché statues are taken on a procession around the towns with bands playing cheerful music behind them.

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Salento is extremely rich with highly skilled craftspeople. Cutrufiano and Lucugnano are the largest of the centres where ceramics are produced, employing techniques and patterns that go back for thousands of years. Salento is also famous for the art of intricate wrought iron and metal work, and evidence of this can be seen on many of the buildings throughout the region. Stone carving, which in the past produced the masterpieces of Barocco Leccese , is still flourishing, and thanks to the quality of the local stone, pietra Leccese, continues to produce pieces of exceptional intricacy.
The papier-mâché of Salento has enjoyed the status of fine art for centuries. Using this technique works of art are commissioned and produced that are sought by discerning collectors from all over the world.
The art of using grasses from the local marshes to make baskets and other domestic items is another long established activity.

Salento - History and art - Traditions - Crafts - Food and wine - Land and sea - Towns and cities - Flora and fauna - Climate - Information

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