Between tradition and purification, the Cowbells ring to drive away evil and awaken the earth. A unique experience that unites us in Dance and Music!
A sort of “festival of primordial noise.” A unique spectacle, very intense and evocative, especially in the evening when lights and sound fill the town.
The “Campanaccio” of San Mauro Forte is an ancient and evocative tradition, linked to Carnival and the cult of Saint Anthony Abbot (January 17) and Saint Mauro, the town’s patron saint.
Recognized as a Historic Italian Carnival
The Festival
takes place every year in mid-January, specifically from January 16th to 18th, with Concerts, Lights, Folk Music, and Artists
Propitiatory Rite
Participants, wearing woolen cloaks, straw hats, and ears of corn, wear heavy farm cowbells, and walk through the streets of the village, producing a deafening, rhythmic sound.
The purpose is to drive away evil like hail, promote the fertility of the land, and bring about abundant harvests.
They walk through the narrow streets of the village, obsessively and rhythmically ringing their cowbells, creating a dark, deafening, and almost hypnotic noise that “drives away evil” and awakens the earth from its winter slumber.
The sound is continuous, rhythmic, almost tribal: they walk in procession, dance, form a circle, and it all blends with theatrical, sacred, and profane elements.
The Campanaccio
handcrafted cowbells are divided into “male” (longer) and “female” (wider), and their sound accompanies the community on a night of purification and hope.
Pig Ritual
Traditional slaying of the pig, a symbol of evil and temptation, with samples of sausages, wine, and typical products in the cellars
The festival culminates with the “Funeral” of the Carnival Puppet, burned in the square.
WHEN
This event usually takes place every year in mid-January
Free admission
For information, dates, and event schedule, visit the website listed at the end of the article
The events listed may be subject to change or cancellation.
It is always advisable to inquire in advance to confirm the event and dates
The Campanaccio – Carnival
San Mauro Forte (Matera)
Basilicata – Italy
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