FESTA DEI SANTI
My wife and I live in Salento, which is the southernmost region of Puglia, situated in the heel of the boot of Italy.
Beginning in springtime, every village in Salento celebrates its patron saint. These celebrations are called Feste or Festivals. Led by small brass bands, religious processionals with priests in their vestments carry the statues of their saints through the narrow streets. Elaborate light displays are erected on the main streets. Fairground rides arrive by trucks, their rides unfold like transformers in fields on the outskirts of the towns. Street food and sidewalk vendors line the roads. Aways, each celebration is bookended by fireworks.
In February, the ancient celebration of Carnival arrives. It involves music, dance, and allegorical floats which parade slowly from one end of town through the streets to the other end. These celebrations close with large bonfires. Built either in historic centers or in fields on the edge of town, some pyres can tower as high as twenty meters. Once the bonfires are set ablaze, a crescendo of excitement takes hold and crowds dance feverishly to the traditional folkmusic of Pizzica.
This ongoing series of photographs is an exploration of the rich tapestry of the townspeople and their customs, and of the intrinsic culture of Salento.
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