L'Italo-Americano

www.italoamericano.org 8 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7 2023 L'Italo-Americano I n Italy, as we know, there's a fondness for r i v a l r i e s — b e i t between cities, flags, o r n e i g h b o r h o o d s . Among these, the Palio of S i e n a i s u n d o u b t e d l y t h e most renowned, not just in t h e B e l p a e s e . H o w e v e r , numerous other events fill our streets and squares at various times of the year, giv- ing life to medieval games that closely mimic the reality of the era they represent. These games test the skills of youth, primarily, rewarding those who excel in the com- petitions. Sicily is no excep- tion to this ancient custom: many cities on the island host tournaments during local fes- t i v a l s o r f a i r s , f e a t u r i n g teams that represent the local population. It's not just a fes- tival of races, flag-waving, or other ancient jester-like per- formances; it's also—and per- h a p s m a i n l y — a n e a g e r l y a w a i t e d a n d s i g n i f i c a n t attraction: the Historical Parade in period costumes. A prominent place is held by the Historical Parade of the city of Montalbano Eli- cona, which reenacts the coronation of Frederick II of Aragon. In the same city, in M a r i a S S o f P r o v i d e n c e S q u a r e , t h e P a l i o d e i Q u a r t i e r i t o o k p l a c e l a s t August 19 and 20, featuring medieval games to determine a winner among participants from various neighboring suburbs. The second day saw the Historical Parade that r e e n a c t e d t h e e n t r y i n t o Montalbano of Frederick II of A r a g o n , a c c o m p a n i e d b y ladies, knights, jesters, and archers, all in period cos- tumes. It was also an oppor- t u n i t y t o s a v o r m e d i e v a l dishes and spiced wine. Writing about this town in the Nebrodi Mountains— awarded in 2007-2008 as the " C i t y o f t h e N a t i v i t y o f Italy"—one must also men- t i o n t h e L i v i n g N a t i v i t y , the Presepio Vivente, which received the award as the "Best Living Nativity of Sici- ly" in 2000. Many citizens participate as performers, dressed in costumes reminis- c e n t o f t h e H o l y C i t y , Jerusalem. They take over o l d a r t i s a n s h o p s a n d demonstrate ancient crafts to v i s i t o r s — b o t h l o c a l s a n d tourists—not to show off, but simply because they are car- rying out their usual activi- ties. Strolling through the alleys lit by torches, feeling as if you've stepped back in time is a truly enchanting experi- ence. The most iconic monu- ment of this medieval town, elected in 2015 Borgo dei Borghi, is its castle. Built by the Normans in the 11th-12th centuries, it became the resi- dence of the Swabians in the 13th century and later, dur- ing the Sicilian Vespers, was a contested site between the Latins and the Aragonese. It subsequently saw Spanish ownership until 1805 when Giuseppe Bonanno Branci- forti, its last owner, ceded it to the Order of the Jesuits, w h o t u r n e d i t i n t o a monastery. Later, it became the seat of the Municipality of Montalbano Elicona. Moreover, Montalbano Elicona is not only famous for its popular traditions: its roots go much deeper into its t e r r i t o r y t h a n o n e m a y expect, and the town reached a vast echo in the world of research on dolmens and menhirs and everything related to megaliths. That's w h y , w h e n t a l k i n g a b o u t Montalbano, comparisons are often made with more famous primitive archaeolog- ical sites like Stonehenge in England, which was added to UNESCO's World Heritage list in 1986, and Marcahuasi in Peru. Within the territory of this town in the province of Messina, just on the border between the Peloritani and Nebrodi Mountains and with- in the Riserva Orientata del Bosco di Malabotta, lies the Argimusco plateau, which rises between 1165 and 1230 meters above sea level and represents one of the most interesting rocky sites in all of southern Italy. From its sum- m i t , o n e c a n o b s e r v e a panorama that allows views of both Mount Etna and the Aeolian Islands. Over millennia, wind and rain have shaped large rock masses, giving them anthro- pomorphic and zoomorphic forms that were chosen to decipher the mysteries of astronomy, the changing sea- sons, and the identification of s o l s t i c e s a n d e q u i n o x e s . Within the sunny and smiling landscapes of Sicily, this site transports you to a timeless world, in an almost alien dimension where menhirs are reminiscents of symbols o f v i r i l i t y l i k e t h e e a g l e , whose beak faces the direc- tion of Mount Etna, but also others like the mammoth, the praying woman - astonish- ingly beautiful and reminis- cent of Christian icons - the monkey, the eye, the rock w i t h t h e s p h e r e . A n d i n observing them, the sponta- neous question arises as to whether human intervention was involved in the creation of these mega sculptures. The fern plants that cover the ter- ritory contribute to making this place even more fascinat- ing and mysterious. Some scientists and schol- ars have seen in the presence of these strange megaliths the projection of the firma- ment, a sort of "mirror of the stars." Many of the most recent researches, which started a few decades ago, have been conducted by Professor Gae- tano Maurizio Pantano who, for over twenty years, has dedicated much of his time to the study, research, identification of the mega- liths of his hometown, and the search for prehistoric sites that occupied those ter- ritories in very distant times. The love for his hometown, Montalbano, along with his love for research, was at the heart of his desire to give them recognition and reso- nance not only at regional and national level but also internationally. This is why foreign television crews have often been among the Nebro- di Mountains to interview him and to personally verify the importance of this site and its enormous archaeolog- ical wealth. Pantano has also written a book titled Mega- liths of Sicily, published in 1994, which is, still today, an irreplaceable guide to the dis- covery and research of this v e r y i n t e r e s t i n g h e r i t a g e among the Nebrodi moun- tains. The Gallo-Italic dialect spoken in the area reflects the influence of Greek, Roman, A r a b , N o r m a n , S p a n i s h , French, and Italian domina- tions over time, while the locals' attitude towards sheep farming is evident in their production of dairy products and wheat-based foods, as w e l l a s h a z e l n u t - b a s e d sweets. TERESA DI FRESCO Montalbano Elicona (Messina) and its castle (Photo: Emily Wilson/Dreamstime) LIFE PEOPLE PLACES HERITAGE Stonehenge or Marcahuasi? No, Montalbano Elicona

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