L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2026 www.italoamericano.org 14 L'Italo-Americano LA VITA ITALIANA TRADITIONS HISTORY CULTURE I n many Catholic tra- d i t i o n s , t h e d a y s b e t w e e n H o l y T h u r s d a y a n d Easter Sunday are marked by a striking change in the soundscape of church- es. After the singing of the Gloria during the Mass of the L o r d ' s S u p p e r o n H o l y Thursday, church bells fall silent, and the silence contin- ues through Good Friday and Holy Saturday, in a reflection of the mourning period that commemorates the Passion and death of Christ. In count- less Italian towns, especially i n t h e p a s t , t h i s s u d d e n absence of bells created both a symbolic pause and a prac- tical problem: bells normally marked the rhythm of the d a y , a n n o u n c i n g p r a y e r t i m e s , p r o c e s s i o n s , a n d moments of communal wor- ship. In their place appeared a much simpler instrument, o n e w h o s e d r y , r a t t l i n g sound could carry through streets and piazzas. That i n s t r u m e n t w a s t h e raganella. T h e r a g a n e l l a i s n o t a musical instrument in the conventional sense, as it does not produce melody or har- mony, and its construction is extremely simple. Usually made entirely of wood, it c o n s i s t s o f a h a n d l e attached to a small rotat- i n g w h e e l f i t t e d w i t h t e e t h , a l o n g w i t h a t h i n wooden tongue or hammer. When the handle is turned, the tongue strikes the teeth of the wheel in rapid succes- sion, creating a sharp rattling noise. The sound is mechani- cal and rhythmic, something like a ratchet, and it can be surprisingly loud. Precisely because it is so simple and solid, the instrument was ideal for use outdoors, where its distinctive clatter could e a s i l y b e h e a r d a c r o s s a neighborhood. Devices of this type exist in several parts of Europe, often connected to religious rituals or seasonal celebra- t i o n s , b u t i n I t a l y , t h e raganella developed a par- ticularly close association with Holy Week, becoming part of a long-standing set of practices linked to the tem- p o r a r y s i l e n c e o f c h u r c h bells. When bells stopped ringing after Holy Thursday, the raganella took over their practical function, signaling moments that would other- wise have been marked by the familiar sound of the bell tower. Historically, the task of using the raganella often fell to children or altar boys. During the days when bells remained silent, groups of young participants would walk through the streets car- rying the wooden rattles, stopping in different parts of t h e t o w n t o a n n o u n c e upcoming religious services o r p r o c e s s i o n s . I n s o m e places, they accompanied the rattling sound with short s p o k e n a n n o u n c e m e n t s r e m i n d i n g r e s i d e n t s o f prayer times or gatherings in the church. This practice also had a strong educational and social dimension because involving children in the ritual meant that the tradition was passed from one generation to the next in a very direct way. L e a r n i n g h o w t o u s e t h e raganella, when to sound it, and how to accompany the religious events of the week f o r m e d p a r t o f a b r o a d e r experience of community participation. For many peo- ple who grew up in Italian towns during the twentieth century, the memory of Holy Week includes not only pro- cessions and church services but also the distinctive rat- tling sound of these wooden instruments echoing through the streets. The raganella was partic- ularly widespread in central and southern Italy, with documented traditions in r e g i o n s s u c h a s L a z i o , A b r u z z o , C a m p a n i a , Puglia, Basilicata, and Sicily. In many places, it was used during the processions of the Passion that take place o n G o o d F r i d a y , w h e r e groups of participants would produce a steady rhythmic accompaniment using several rattles at once. The effect could be both solemn and striking, reinforcing the sense that these days were different from the rest of the liturgical year. Over time, however, the use of the raganella declined in many urban areas, espe- cially because of changes in daily life, the growth of larger cities, and the increasing use of modern sound systems, which reduced the practical need for such instruments. In some places, the tradition survived mainly as a symbol- ic gesture within specific pro- cessions, while in others it faded almost entirely. Yet the raganella hasn't d i s a p p e a r e d e n t i r e l y , because in several towns and villages, particularly where H o l y W e e k c e l e b r a t i o n s remain strongly rooted in local culture, the instrument is still used today. Artisans c o n t i n u e t o p r o d u c e t h e wooden rattles, and during t h e d a y s b e t w e e n H o l y Thursday and Easter, the familiar clicking sound can still be heard accompanying p r o c e s s i o n s o r m a r k i n g moments of prayer. T h e s u r v i v a l o f t h e raganella shows something important about the way reli- gious traditions are embed- d e d i n e v e r y d a y l i f e . T h e instrument itself is simple, a l m o s t p r i m i t i v e i n i t s design, yet it represents a long chain of practices link- ing sound, ritual, and com- m u n i t y . W h e n b e l l s f a l l s i l e n t , t h e w o o d e n r a t t l e steps in to fill the gap, main- taining the acoustic rhythm of the celebration. In the end, the raganella is all about the idea of pres- e n c e . I t s d r y , r e p e t i t i v e sound does not compete with the grandeur of church bells, but it serves a different pur- pose. For a brief period each year, it marks the solemn passage between mourning and celebration, between the silence of Good Friday and the return of bells on Easter morning. In those moments, t h e s h a r p r a t t l e o f w o o d a g a i n s t w o o d b e c o m e s a small but recognizable sign that Holy Week has reached its most solemn days. The raganella: the wooden sound of Holy Week LUCA SIGNORINI Advancing our Legacy: Italian Community Services CASA FUGAZI If you know of any senior of Italian descent in San Francisco needing assistance, please contact: ItalianCS.org | (415) 362-6423 | info@italiancs.com Italian Community Services continues to assist Bay Area Italian-American seniors and their families navigate and manage the resources needed to live healthy, independent and productive lives. Since Shelter-in-Place began in San Francisco, Italian Community Services has delivered over 240 meals, over 900 care packages and made over 2000 phone wellness checks for our seniors. A raganella player in the street. This simple wooden instrument was used during Holy Week when, traditional- ly, church bells couldn't toll (Image created with DALL-E 2)

• Cover