TlsPhotovision: Carnival in Sciacca, Sicily 2018

Carnevale di Sciacca 2018

Not long after I started my research to increase my knowledge and understanding of Sicily`s past and present, I discovered that the Island`s carnivals was a "must see" event.

Carnivals are in fact not only a significant Sicilian tradition but more or less happening all over Italy. February in Italy means that just about every city on the Peninsula is invaded with masks, confetti, colors and lights that make for a very exciting and unique atmosphere: it’s Carnival! It is a party with ancient roots, and today has become a folkloristic rite in which traditions and fun work together to bring enormous life to this unique celebration.

The origins of the Carnival date back to the Roman Saturnalia festival that rang in the new year. The actual term "carnevale" however derives from the Latin "carnem levare" for "take away the meat. The term indicated the banquet held the last day before the period of abstinence from meat, i.e. the Christian Lent. Carnival, according to the Roman Catholic Liturgical Calendar, is set for between Epiphany (January 6th) and the start of Lent.

Initially a feast characterised by enjoyment of food, drink and sensual pleasures, and granted as a temporary escape for the lower classes – an opportunity to upend and subvert norms, especially in the way of social order – through the arc of time Carnival spread throughout the world and took on different shapes and nuances. From north to south, Italy marks Carnival with long standing traditions that are internationally-known, and that attract thousands of visitors from around the world this time every year.

The most famous Italian carnival around the world is for sure the carnival in Venice which I had the pleasure of visiting back in 2014. You can see some pictures here:

https://terjelillehaug.smugmug.com/Venice/

This time however, a fabulous carnival is taking place right on my doorstep in my Sicilian hometown Sciacca. As you may already know Sciacca is Sicily`s second largest fishing port, and also famous for it`s ceramic art, which can be seen in shops all over town, on walls, decorated stairs and in piazzas.

The Carnival however, may be less famous, but is still one of Sicily`s most colourful and entertaining. Its` also much more than just five days of music, street parades beautiful dresses, masks and entertainment. In fact the carnival is culture in it`s deepest sense, engaging lots of people all through the year, with the comprehensive preparations taking place from October trough the carnival days from 8 to 13 February (this year). To the people of Sciacca the carnival is creating pride and identity. Every time I had the chance to respond to someone asking me what I thought about the carnival, and I could give my complements, I got a spontaneous smile and a proud look their eyes.

The carnival preparations include lots of different activities. An event like creates extensive administrative tasks, logistics and planning to organise the whole, five days program, packed with parades and performances in streets and piazzas. The whole thing is really a puzzle when you consider the town is more or less being turned upside down for five days and receiving thousands of visitors, who needs to be accommodated and provided with all kinds of services.

From December to the opening of the carnival I had the pleasure to visit and follow some of the of the preparations more closely, and getting more detailed information and insight in how the major activities are organised, funded and all the efforts, skills and engagement it takes to make it such an marvellous "Festa".

Adding to the fact that the carnival is a cultural event creating a sense of pride and identity, I would argue it is also a political, as well as a significant educational and social project. I`ll try to explain;

The main attractions and core activities in the carnival are built around the eight huge carts with colourful moving sculptures/figures made by steel, paper, fibreglass and other materials and the dancing groups linked to each cart, and all organised in a so called "Associazione", which is a team or a project that Includes everything from fund raising to every aspect of the creative, technical and practical process. The political part is both the obvious fact that several of the carts have a title and an expression with a political, satirical message, with caricatures raising rhetorical questions linked to political conflicts, problems or challenges, in the local society or on the national or international arena. One cart is pointing at the local authorities inability to keep the fantastic thermal bath "Sciacca terme" open for several years due to lack of funds and with another part pointing at insufficient service and quality at the local hospital. Other carts are pointing at pollution and threats to the environment and conflicts at the international arena and between the US and North Korea. One Cart which I was watching more closely through the preparations had the title "È se Forse Tempo Perso" which means something like "If maybe the time is lost", expressed through the story from "Alice in wonderland", and explained by the team members as a metaphor for a time where there is to much uncertainty about the future, education and work opportunities for the young and politicians that gives lot`s of promises but rarely deliver as they say. And with hundreds of youth and young adults participating in the preparation process, in practise, this becomes a piece of modern, political awareness building as well as a set of workshops and training camps in teamwork and creative activities. Carnival preparations is also about enjoying friendship with something serious and meaningful to do together and to have a welcomed alternative to the normal "hanging out" in the streets and cafe`s. Almost everyone I talked with who were joining in as team members with the carts and in the dancing groups, where clear that the best part of the carnival for them were the months of preparations, rather than the five days of the carnival itself.

To give a glimpse into the preparation process and the five days of carnival celebrations, I think pictures and some video clips will tell the story a better than words, so please have a look at some more pictures and a video below. My "SmugMug" gallery with even more pictures can be found here:

https://terjelillehaug.smugmug.com/Sciacca-Carnival-in-Sicily-2018/

… and a short video on YouTube here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5FFMmXlKp4&t=95s

Enjoy, make a comment and share if you like it !

The dancing group for the cart «E se Fosse Tempo Perso». The training for the carnival starts in October and continues til the opening of the Carnival 8 February. 140 young dancers are engaged in this dancing group making a great performance

Salvatore Pumilia (left) and Michelle Raso (right) are choreographers for the dancing group «E se Fosse Tempo Perso». In the middle is team member Rosella Montagnino.

One of the cart figures in an early stage. Lots of paper and glue...

To build the cart figures many different technical skills has to be combined. The skeletons of the figures are made of steel, so lots of welding is needed.