Category: Fashion, Traditional Dress
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Listen for The Chants During Il Festino
“Il festivo,” which takes place in Palermo on the evening of July 14 in honor of Santa Rosalia, is a big street party that unifies the city’s citizens through a procession that symbolically purifies the metropolis from the evils that have long afflicted it. The events of the party are a mix of folklore, religion,…
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Goldery Star
The nymph Arethusa (or Aretusa) and her myth are central to the ancient history and culture of Siracusa, Sicily. So much so, that her image, surrounded by dolphins, is featured on the ancient coins of the city–from 415-400 BCE! This coin, which I photographed through a magnifying glass, may be seen in the newly opened…
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Dining Amongst the Gods
After our visit to the Valley of the Temples, we had lunch like the ancients, hosted by ArcheoCuisine. Our hostess Alessandra, an archeologist and food historian, and her team created a beautiful experience for us in the shadow of the Temple of Hercules that consisted of foods made with Sicilian ancient grains such as Tumminia…
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Expressing Their Devotion in Enna
On Good Friday in Enna, Sicily, the hooded brotherhoods process throughout the ancient center, expressing their devotion to Jesus Christ and their patron saints. Photo credit: Filippo Buttitta (2017)
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Carry That Weight
The various confraternities of the city of Enna participate in the Good Friday procession with much fervor. Photo credit: Filippo Buttitta (2017)
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Friscalettu Duo
Agrigento’s annual Sagra del Mandorlo in Fiore going on this week attracts groups from all over the globe, who display their traditional costumes along with exhibiting their culture’s beloved traditional music through performances and processions through town. Photographed in 2016 at the Festival by my cousin Filippo Buttitta, these two young men are playing the…
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Agrigento: Blooming With Music and Dance
This year’s Sagra del Mandorlo in Fiore in Agrigento is ongoing (This photo, by my cousin Filippo Buttitta, was taken at the 2016 feast.). Folk dance and music groups from all over the world gather annually to share their cultural patrimony at the UNESCO site Valley of the Temples and throughout the city. Although I’ve…
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Where Are Your Carnevale Masks?
Hey, guys, where are your masks? For Carnevale, it has been tradition for centuries to dress in costume in order to hide one’s identity. … Let’s start from the beginning. So, “carne” means meat, but really, it means flesh. In this case, flesh is for body. In pre-Christian times, this period of CARNE-vale, before the…
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Shopping in Sicily
Taormina is a shopper’s dream. On Day 2 of our May 2018 Myths & Mysteries of Sicily tour, enjoy time on your own to explore its boutiques that feature both international brands as well as local artisans’ products, such as this typical bag, pictured, inspired by the decorations seen on Sicilian carts. Be charmed by…