Music & Dance

Southern Italy is home to many regional traditions of music and dance, some of them stretching back to Antiquity and earlier. These are not merely forms of entertainment, but also powerful medicine for healing of body and mind, and for inducing trance states. These traditions are often grouped under the umbrella of tarantella, and include the pizzica of Salento, the tammurriata of Campania, and others.

I could write about these traditions, but you will benefit infinitely more from experiencing them firsthand. To that end, here is a taste:

Songs

Bella figliola ca te chiammi Rosa (Tammurriata)

Vesuvio by Spaccanapoli (Tammurriata)

Lu Core Meu, lyrics and video (Pizzica)

Tamburrieddhu Meu (Pizzica)

Dances

Tammurriata

Lu Core Meu, lyrics and video (Pizzica)

Rituals

The Voyage of the Black Madonna (footage of ceremonies to various Madonne filmed from 1991 to 1997)

Galatina. La guarigione delle tarantate