Ivrea. Carnevale. Where people hit each other with ORANGES
Written: Feb 06 '02 (Updated Feb 06 '02)
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Pros: It's the most incredible, weird event you've ever seen or heard of
Cons: It only happens once a year...In a tiny little city...
The Bottom Line: Tomorrow begins the wildest, most amazing Carnival in the world. And it's right here. Ivrea, Turin, Italy.
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| elsa70's Full Review: Piedmont |
L’è turna carvelé!
That in the Piemontese local dialect means “It’s Carnival again”. I guess most of you know that Italy hosts some pretty interesting Carnivals during this time of the year – most notably, the Carnevale di Venezia , of course, but also Viareggio – but I bet you’ve never heard of the
CARNEVALE DI IVREA.
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What is Ivrea?
Let me tell you a little secret. I live in Ivrea, not in Torino. Ivrea is a small city nestled at the bottom of the Alps, some 30 miles /50 kilometers north of Turin, towards France and the (as of today ) defunct Mont Blanc tunnel. The only people out there who might have heard of my “hometown” are those who are well informed in the electronics and PC fields because Ivrea is home to Olivetti, a once upon a time very large and prolific international company that produced hardware and software. In the past few years Olivetti has been under the spotlight for international finance reasons as it has become the largest stockholder for the Italian national phone company (Telecom) and has then been bought out by cable and tire colossal company Pirelli this past summer. I won’t dwell further on the recent happenings in my town or provide you with any annoying information concerning Olivetti; however, it is important to understand where it all comes from in order to appreciate what Carnevale means to the Eporediesi (the Ivrea inhabitants, from the ancient Roman name of Ivrea = Eporedia).
Ivrea had been blessed with decades of prosperity and wealth, and such a thriving business in the ’70 s and ‘80s brought accomplished professionals with their families flocking to Ivrea for business under “mother goose” Olivetti’s wings (that’s how my family ended up staying in Ivrea, incidentally). However, during the last 10 years, Ivrea and its welfare experienced a rapid downfall, with many young adults migrating to other cities, such as Milano or Roma, seeking for better job opportunities. Nevertheless, when Carnevale comes, everyone who has lived in Ivrea for some time returns home for at least 4 days, starting from (this year) tomorrow. The event has seen better days, when money could be spent lavishly - but the passion and the roots are still intact.
What is Carnevale?
Mardi Gras – Carnival – Carnevale – all such festivities have sprung from different cultural roots, but usually indicate a brief period of time that ends with Christian Ash Wednesday and Lent. The history concerning Ivrea’s Carnevale is dated back into the Medioevo (the Middle Age – late 1100’s, early 1200’s), and the main thread is based upon a true story. It is believed to be the only Carnival in the world that is a representation of a moment in history, rather than spurred by unreal characters and masks.
At the time, this area was under the dominion of tyrant Ranieri di Biandrate, appointed by Norman emperor Frederik I (Barbarossa). It was customary, for the despot, to require from all newly-wed couples the Jus Primae Noctis, that is, to spend the first night with the bride, before the husband could. (I’ll let you imagine what that meant 1000 years ago.) The daughter of a miller, whose name is believed to be Violetta, refused to fall under the tyrant’s commandment and, the night she had been summoned to Ranieri’s castle, she murdered him with a spade, decapitated him and showed the head of the tyrant to the crowd gathered underneath the castle’s main terrace. An insurrection followed, with the masses fighting strenuously against the tyrant’s army, and finally winning the battle, destroying the castle and gaining power over the Norman reign.
This event has been celebrated in Ivrea ever since. Some major details have been added to the elaborate choreography that celebrates this moment in history, which I shall mention further on. But the main characters in this commemoration are :
La Mugnaia (Violetta)
The miller’s daughter. The most important role is played each year by a different married woman, who must be a native and / or must be married of this town or the immediate surroundings, and must be elected secretly by the Carnival committee, upon judgement of the person, her roots, her involvement in the past editions of Carnevale, and her financial means (which according to me is of the utmost importance).
The Mugnaia’s first appearance to the public is held on Saturday evening at 9 p.m., when she walks out onto the town hall’s balcony above a cheering crowd which represents the common people of the time. Violetta is dressed in white, as she is supposed to be on her wedding day evening, with a red, green and white cockage pinned on her left breast, and adorned by the hat that distinguishes the rebellious people from the tryant’s servants: the “Berretto Frigio” - a long, red woolen hat that looks like a big sock. Everyone who awaits for the Mugnaia to appear on the balcony traditionally wears the same hat in respect to the civilians who stood against the despot.
The Army (Stato Maggiore) and its General ( characters who were introduced later on in history, as a homage to Napoleon when Piemonte was under his empire ) then escort Violetta to her white and gold carriage, mount on horses and parade throughout the historic district of Ivrea. They are followed by a very large group of people, who represent the other largest role in Ivrea’s Carnevale:
Gli Aranceri
Ivrea was anciently divided into 8 neighborhoods. When Violetta defied the tyrant, the masses rose up against the Norman empire and began a battle that according to legends lasted three full days. When Violetta and the Stato Maggiore parade, it should represent the moment when they set out to gather the people of Ivrea within the eight neighborhoods to rebel and fight the tyrant, his castle and his soldiers. People from all districts – dressed in the colors that define each neighborhood – join the parade when it passes through their quarters. Over a thousand people, dressed in eight different uniforms, holding a flaming torch and waving flags, some featuring wild masks, others with painted faces, make up for the Aranceri teams : Picche, Scacchi, Pantera, Morte, Credendari, Tuchini, Mercenari. They are called Aranceri because instead of using sticks and stones to fight their three-day battle, for centuries now they have used ORANGES.
For three days – Sunday, Monday and Tuesday – the Aranceri meet in the Piazzas and streets of their district, decorated with their flags and colors, and stow away oranges in a large hidden pocket of their uniform. Upon arrival of 23 horse-towed chariots holding 8 masked-covered men each – who should stand for the tyrant’s army – they throw each other oranges. And when I saw throw, I mean it. You’re supposed to put all of your energy and strength, delve into yourself and pull out all of the aggressiveness you’re stashing inside, and hit hard, hard, harder, and continue hitting the people on the chariot until it runs away from where you’re standing. The men on the carriages vote, at the end of Tuesday’s battle, the team which was the hardest to duel with.
You won’t believe it unless you see it.
There are tons and tons of boxes of oranges in every piazza and street, and the Aranceri just keep on filling their pockets with them and throwing them incessantly to the chariots. It’s incredible.. Of course, it’s also quite dangerous as if an orange hits your eye, you might be temporarily (or not) blinded; there have been many a broken nose or knee during the battle, and I have experienced quite a few nasty black eyes in my youth while throwing oranges for the Picche team. Nevertheless, it’s a memorable experience, both for those who participate actively and those who just watch from behind protections. Just be sure you’re wearing your red hat if you happen to be walking across town in those three days, or you’ll be intentionally hit by oranges! Those who don’t wear the “berretto frigio” are considered traitors, and must be punished....
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The Program:
Carnevale at its full potential actually begins tomorrow night (the Thursday before Ash Wednesday) with the town shutting down at 6p.m..Everyone in town wears a mask, dresses up with a costume and heads to the center of town on foot. The four main piazzas in Ivrea and the connecting streets host an open party where every party plays a different kind of music - from the Italian "coutry music" (liscio) to pop, to hard rock, to pure disco, everyone, from toddlers to elders, is dancing in the street!
But the true explosion of the historic Carnevale begins on Saturday evening. From Saturday, 8 p.m., to Tuesday, 11 p.m., the stern, cold Olivetti town shuts down virtually at the core - stores don't reopen until Wednesday, half of the population is on vacation or paid leave, and all hell breaks loose.
Beyond the aforementionedv Saturday evening announcement of the year’s Violetta and the parade across town with the Aranceri, there are a number of open parties in all piazzas and some streets in Ivrea, hosted by the Aranceri and the committee. You can dance, drink free Vin Brulé - hot spiced wine glogg- and eat beans with bacon. The parties usually end at sunrise!
During the three days that Carnevale reaches its peak – Sunday, Monday and Tuesday – the Mugnaia crusades through the town on her golden carriage and throws handfuls of candies and tiny bunches of mimosas to the public and the Aranceri,leaving a trail of confetti behind her. She is always escorted by the Stato Maggiore and the band (I Pifferi). On Monday morning, eight of the real newlywed couples in Ivrea must plant an enormous hay, juniper and heather-covered pole in the middle of the eight largest piazzas. Such pole is called the Scarlo, and it serves a purpose.... I’ll explain later.
On Tuesday evening, once again in the town hall square, dirty, wet and cold Aranceri await for their vote as best team of the year. Later on, as tradition has it, Violetta brings out the tyrant's decapitated head and shows it to the masses on her spade. In lieu of the tyrant’s head, she brands an orange on the tip of her spade... It’s gruesome enough with no chopped heads! She then proceeds to light up and burn the poles that have been planted in the piazzas, representing the fires struck by the people to burn down the Palazzi and the Castle that were the expression of the tyrant’s power. The last pole (Scarlo) she burns is the one in front of the city hall, and she must stand in front of the burning pole with her right arm stretched, displaying the spade with the tip to the sky, until the fire dies down. The battle is over; there is a procession with all the main characters of the town walking in the historical district, to alert everyone that the people have won; and to celebrate, the people volunteer the next day and offer polenta and codfish in an onion sauce to everyone.
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I’ve said enough already, but there is so much more involving Carnevale that I wish I could write on forever. There are many characters I didn’t even mention, let alone depict – the children who play the Abbà, the Chancellor, the Vivandiere, the Sbandieratori...Actually, celebrations for Carnevale begin formally on the Epiphany (Jan 6th) and there is something happening every Sunday from then on. And of course, it’s a main topic of discussion year-round in Ivrea.
”Who’s going to be the Mugnaia this year?”
“Are you going to be an Arancere this year or not?”
“Did they choose your daughter/son as an Abbà this year?”
“Are you going to the Vivandiere’s party? Are you getting dressed up on Thursday evening and crusading the town? (Yes as a matter of fact. A bunch of friends will be dressing up as the Simpsons. I'll be - guess who? Marge. But don’t go telling!)
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If I piqued your interest, and you wish to learn more about this crazy, incredible tradition of ours, just try to type Carnevale di Ivrea in Google and you’ll get countless links! I’ll just give you a sample herewith of English-written websites, so you can at least see a couple of picture of the Orange Battle:
www.carnevalediivrea.com/
www.carnevale.ivrea.it/
See for yourself....It's cultural madness!!
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Just one last thing:
The reason why I gave a brief recent history overview on Ivrea is because being an active part of this event is expensive. In the golden years in Ivrea, every single married woman’s aspiration was of being Violetta once in a lifetime. It also gave quite an image boost to whomever was selected, so it could have been considered a return on the investment for those who owned stores or small companies. As of today, with the recession that hit Ivrea so badly, it is increasingly harder for anyone to be able to afford being a main character in Ivrea’s Carnevale.
She who shall win this year’s drawing of the Mugnaia is deemed to be spending some 35 thousand euro (that’s 30 thousand dollars!). The costume alone – which is tailor made every year – is already at least 1,000 euro. In addtion to that, Violetta must organize, to her own expense, a number of dinners, balls and parties; must pay for the rental of the carriage and the horses; must purchase a sufficient amount of candies, confetti and mimosa; and has to pay professional photographers and local newspapers. A member of the “army” (Stato Maggiore) spends about 5,000 euros, the General, twice as much. If you wish to be part of the Aranceri chariots, you must pay a fee that this year is set at 200 euro per day. Therefore, the numbers of the protagonists of Ivrea’s Carnival dwindle increasingly each year that passes by, with a larger number of subscriptions for the Aranceri that are on foot, being it relatively “cheap” (to be an Arancere this year the fee is 100 euro for three days).
However, every year they still find people more than willing to face such expenses. And amazingly so, they always find a wide number of women among whom they pick the most earnest to wear her white gown and be the belle of the ball, whatever it may cost. And watching, eating pork & beans, drinking spiced red wine and cheering is absolutely free.
Yes, we’re nuts.
Thanks for reading and.... I’d love to tell you more about it !!! Post comments, e-mail me.... It’s appreciated, as always!
Daniela
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Best Time to Travel Here: Dec - Feb
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