Istituto ComprensivoScuola Primaria e Secondaria di primo grado

Cutrofiano – Lecce - Italywww.comprensivocutrofiano.it

PROJECT COMENIUS 2008 – A.s. 2009-2010

Dirigente ScolasticoProf. Saverio Cesari

ROOTS AND WINGS

WOMEN WORK IN SALENTO

THERE WAS A TIME WHOSE WORKING KNOWLEDGE WAS IN THE HANDS, HANDED DOWN FROM GENERATION TO

GENERATION TO ENSURE A FUTURE WHERE THE MEANING OF LIFE LAY IN LITTLE THINGS

  carding cotton

WASHERWOMEN

... Young women ... accompany the screen in a sinuous danceIn water and soap they clean clothes in a whirling dance step (franca bassi)

Until the first half of last century, the role of women in society was very limited. They were not allowed to vote, educate themselves, and their only task was to look after children and home. This happened all over the world, but in Southern Italy this phenomenon was more extreme and dramatic. Women's Greek Salento lived between four walls, together with mops, and dusty and pots.

Women at school

Women’s vote

SOCIALIZATION AND ENTERTAINMENT

The only moment of entertainment when it came time, was granted by the laundry. The houses were equipped with a courtyard in which there was a basin for washing clothes. One court for three or four families, which allowed women to meet and talk a bit. And then back inside the walls. Men, however, once they returned from the countryside, used to wander the streets of the villages.

Case a corte (courtyard houses)

Domestic work performed by women will absorb a huge amount of their time and include not only the usual care activities of home and family (cleaning the house and clothes, preparing food, raising children), but also crafts such as spinning, weaving and the making of clothes, baking bread, cheese, preserves, and even the collection of fruits, herbs and wood, breeding of domestic animals or poultry.

To Fix the date of birth of the weaving in Salento is very difficult due to lack of historical sources, we may well suppose that it is secular. Lu telaru, the chassis was an invlauable tool in housing.Often, next to some chairs, it was the only furniture in the room with the mattrabbanca (a big table with e big drawer)

Housework: weawing

WORK IN THE …..FIELDS

Women worked in the fields together with their relatives or, if married, their husband.

They usually were involved in tobacco, wine or oil production.

WOMEN AND …..TOBACCO

Tobacco growing was once subjected to some rules. He who did the request was assigned an area to grow as well as a proportional amount to plant

(Le tabacchine)women working

into a tobacco farm

Women filling boxes with tobacco

WOMEN AND THE GRAPE HARVEST

Women were involved for the grape harvest in autumn.

They worked in the vineyards and proceeded to the grape harvest.

WOMEN HARVESTING OLIVES

The ancient trees of Salento require a particular technique of harvesting the olives.By collecting them from the ground, with networks or by collecting them from the tree. They are processes that require much effort for a minimum wage. Returning home the woman-picker had to play the role of housewife, mother and wife.

COURTSHIP

The young woman, to defend her conduct, should not immediately accept the courtship of the man. Precisely for this, appeared on the intermediaries, in exchange for gifts or payments in kind, offered their collaboration, which was to convince the girl and deliver the messages of love. Then they delivered the girl a photograph of the claimant, if she decided to keep it,that meant that she accepted his proposal. At this point, she could be considered "Zita" (fiancée), and the boy "zitu" (boyfriend). This first phase of the engagement took place in secret.

SUBSEQUENTLY….

It is a dance of courtship during which the two dancers approach, but never touch. An exchange of looks more or less challenging, a series of gestures underline the man's desire to "enter into the good graces" of the woman, and she to be courted by the man, the woman, however, escapes if they try to approach.

The mediators shall inform the girl's mother on the future union, and if she is satisfied that he came from a good family, gave her approval, the boy could enter, for the first time in their home. This step was called the trasatura (the entrance). The parents of the girl, after eight days exactly, went to the house of the young man, to make the acquaintance of his family, and to speak about the dowry. At this meeting, called "parlamentu," theyquantify their possessions

LA PIZZICA

LU CURREDU (THE BRIDE'S OUTFIT )

Women's work was so heavy and full-time, the women filled the holes of a household often poor, with mending, spinning, knitting, working in common with other women in the courts, in the evening, while men conversed on the streets or played cards into taverns. The production of fabrics was therefore an important part of the economic role of women in vintage country and served to round up, often with the piecework, the family budget. During activities of weaving and embroidery were born useful artifacts, trousseau, shawls, blankets, carpets of great value, an expression of creativity of women. Strong social value assumed in those days, the preparation of the kit, or dowry, it was the only good that, by right, was handed down in the female line.

THE ENGAGEMENT

In the period of engagement,

they organized the wedding. The

girl, after choosing her future

home, gave the finishing touches

to the kit. The day of the come

out of the publications, the

mother-in-law, gave the daughter

a gold necklace, which indicated

the deep bond that united their

lives

This ceremony, known as (the

chain), concluded with a

banquet. From now and until the

wedding day, she stayed close to

home, leaving only to go to

church. In those days, she moved

into her new home her kit.

THE WEEK BEFORE THE WEDDING On Thursday before the celebration of the rite of marriage, the

dowry was exposed to “moscia" (showing), and all the wedding guests were required to participate in this exhibition. In these circumstances, the mother-in-law gave the girl a scarf or a dress, and to the future husband a shirt with cufflinks.

Very often, once, were the wedding, celebrated in response to "fuitina”. The lovers, running away from home for various reasons (parental disapproval, social differences, etc..) ,came back after a few days, driven by fatigue and hunger. The respective parents, after the multiple reprimands, quickly organized the wedding, in order to restore the lost honor of the girl. Many writers have devoted to this salentino theme several works and several poems.

THE MARRIAGE

Between small and large ritual preparations came the long-awaited day and it was a big party for everyone. After the Mass, guests and spouses, went to the husband's house, where they held the wedding dinner. Past eight days, it spread with another banquet, this time, however, in the family home of the bride. The mother-in-law took the opportunity to give the daughter a frame, a spindle, and a broom to remind her that, now, should take care of household chores.

AFTER THE WEDDING CEREMONY

The first night of marriage, husband and wife didn’t ly in the marital bed, on which they placed the veil, the wreath of orange blossoms, and the wedding dress. It was believed, in fact, that on it an angel came down to bless it. In the following week, the young wife did not leave her house. On the first outing in public after the marriage, she and her husband went to church to listen to the mass. After that, the life of the couple began ordinary life. While the man worked, the woman took care of the house.

TRADITIONAL FIGURES OF WOMEN IN SALENTO

Among the more traditional female figures in SALENTO it cannot be forgotten mourners, the midwives, the rufiane and Macareus.The formers, also known as "Repute" or "chiangimuerti" mourners by trade, referring to the classical tradition, performed during the funeral rites of the plaintive songs with theatrical gestures, dressed in dark clothes and with their faces covered by a black veil , went on compensation, at the residence of the deceased to settle his/her qualities with praise, laments, chants, shouts and frantic gestures.

THE MIDWIVES

If the mourners were the protagonists of the last phase of the cycle of human life, the midwives had recurrence at the time of birth. These were that ones who helped the women about to give birth, along with neighbours and the relatives of the mother, which made her find plenty of hot water, bandages and towels.

THE SENTIMENTAL MEDIATORS

The pimps and sentimental mediators “traffichine” were able to combine meetings at the house of friends and relatives, to create opportunities for knowledge among young people free of marriageable age.

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THE “MACARE” OR SORCERERS

Women closer to the historical figures are undoubtedly the magic “macare”. They were a kind of witches or sorcerers who according to popular belief, knew the formulas with which ward off bad luck, propitiatory rituals to practice, to bring back a lover fled, to suggest remedies against the evil eye and even some of them participated in the building of the legendary Bell in Soleto as the wishes of the magician Tafuri.

SALENTO: WOMEN TODAY

Of course it is very changed the status of women today, especially in cities, thanks to the media. The mass literacy has also helped to liberate women from patriarchal constraints.

Salento women today have conquered many rights and indipendence as many women in the world, They are immersed in double work in the daily fight between needs and care of family and commitment and professional work ,they undertake to build their

future and that one of their children.

ROOTS AND WINGS

A cura dei ragazzi e ragazze delle classi II° guidati dalla

Prof.ssa Tiziana Diso

Istituto Comprensivo Statale “Don Bosco” – Lecce - Italia

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