CILENTAN TRADITIONS
by Renato Leproux – Cilento is the southernmost area of the Campania region and borders Basilicata. There are many links that concerned the ancient aspects of the daily life of the inhabitants. These were traditions that were deeply felt until several years ago, but which currently, although known to all the inhabitants, are considered more as folkloristic indications than as real rules. Some may include fears or similarities to recent geopolitical events that horrify us, but, in reality, it is our history and we cannot ignore it, for better or for worse. These so-called rules, however, were adopted with great difficulty by many families who had to struggle for years and years.
Guido Santangelo's podcasts ep. 1
Pregnancy, birth and childbirth
The birth of a son was always preferred to that of a daughter. The latter, in fact, involved the setting aside of one red, a dowry, while a male child meant arms that helped in the work in the fields and, with marriage, the arrival of a bride equipped with a trousseau and dowry.
The sex of the unborn child was generally determined, although with a wide margin of error, by observing some characteristics, such as the shape of the future mother's belly (flat or pointed), burning a piece of paper and observing whether it was (male) or not ( female) of a residue, or by adding the R's present in the parents' names and in the expected month of birth: if even, she would have been female, if odd, male. The birth took place at home, aided by the presence of a mother, or, in her absence, by that of the mother of the mother and her mother-in-law. Marriageable girls were not supposed to be present, because the pain was seen as a bad omen for their future births.
Immediate procedures were then carried out on the child: a finger was passed in the mouth to prevent him from becoming a stutterer, pressure was applied on the cheeks and chins of the girls to cause dimples to appear, the name was immediately given and a home baptism was given, even before being godmother and godfather took the child to church, to ensure the sacrament in case of sudden death of the unborn child.
The choice of name followed rules that are still quite widespread today: the firstborn, if male, took the name of the paternal grandfather, if female that of the grandmother, also paternal, while the second-born took the name of the grandfather or maternal grandmother. .
For the 40 days following the birth, the new mother had to purify herself, remaining at home and not attending church, as the birth of a child constituted proof of the sexual act having taken place.
Guido Santangelo's Podcasts
CILENTO TRADITIONS
Engagement and wedding
Traditionally, the Cilento courtship and subsequent engagement could not ignore the consent of the families of the young people involved. Without the parents' approval, the engagement and subsequent marriage became impossible.
But how did the future couple meet? What were the occasions?
Parties, festivals and institutional events, Community meetings were often an opportunity for young people to meet and socialise. During these celebrations, new acquaintances and relationships could be formed. Traditional dances, such as the tarantella, often became a way to get closer. This could then be followed by the exchange of gifts, for example flowers or other gifts from the boy, mutual visits to the homes of the families involved, controlled and supervised by the parents, which served to allow the young people to get to know each other better.
Religious holidays and processions were also often occasions where couples could socialize.
Courtship was often a more formal process than in modern times. It was common to officially ask her parents for the girl's hand and the engagement was considered an important and extremely delicate step before marriage.
In any case, especially for daughters, it was the girl's father who decided whether the would-be boyfriend was worthy of aspiring to the young woman's hand and his judgment could not be questioned. Furthermore, in the case of the presence of multiple daughters, the eldest one had to get engaged first and then the younger ones (and I can assure you that I paid the price for this...).
Once the engagement was approved, we proceeded with the official engagement, choosing the wedding day, never of Mars and never of Venus (never on Tuesday or Friday), and never in May, but preferably in April or June. This was followed by the bride's preparation of the trousseau, with a well-defined list, shared with the groom's family, of sheets, towels, blankets and clothing. The furnishing of the bedroom was the responsibility of the bride's family, while the groom's family had to provide the dining room and kitchen.
The celebration, following the celebration of the ceremony, included cavatielli with ragù, grilled meat, ham, brawn, goat's or sheep's cheese, and plenty of wine. It ended with the dances, which lasted for eight evenings, until the following Sunday.
