UDC: 572. 02(22) Title: insula: international journal of isl
Cat. no: 211537 Date: 27 Feb 201- Subscription no: Note: 12--3 te tioiî na s a Affa'rs
September 2012 ISSN 1021-02814 Year 20 No l International Journal of Island Affairs
ISSN 1021-0814 Year 17 Nol September2012
Editorial Board
Editors: Pier Giovanni d'Ayala Mohamed-Nizar Larabi
Scientific Advisory Commitee:
Prof. Godfrey Baldacchino, Canada Prof. Salvino Busutil, Malta Prot".Hiroshi Kakazu, Japan Prof. Nicolas Margaris, Greece s Prof. Patrick Nunn, Fidji Prof. Henrique Pinto da Costa, Sao Tome e Bibliothèque Principe [SEI Published by INSULA, thé International ROUNDTABLEON SUSTAIMABLEBIOFUEUl f^LJ' Scientific Council for Island Development,with United NaUons Man and C^Ï^SL tional, Scientiflc and thé Biosphère thé support of UNESCO, iultural Organization Programme and NeraïdesPublishing.
.^ Material appearing in this journal cannot be reproduced without thé prior permission Library of thé Editer.
E-mail: [email protected] INSU LA, thé International Journal of Island 7Te!^33JO)1-4568035W Affairs, is distributed free to INSULA's 7,Place deFontenoy 75007Paris"ftan"o individual and institutional members. For subscriptions and informations, Cola Pesée- Inox Steel,by Nino Ucchino please write to: Santa TeresaRiva (Sicily) NSULA C/0 UNESCO l, rue Miollis 75015, Paris, France Bibliothèque/Library tel: +33 l 45 68 49 01 fax: + 33 l 45 68 58 04 UNESCO émail: [email protected] 7 place de Fontenoy for more information our website is available: 75352 PARIS 07 SP - FRANCE www. insula. org T^.
gi Editorial 5 By Pier Giovanni d'Ayala
Maritime Muséumsand Intangible Maritime Héritage 6 By Fier Giovanni d'Ayala By LluisaPrieto - SecretaryAMMM
NSULA's présentissue wishes dear Colleagues, than a dozen maritime ones recorded. Dossier- IntangibleMaritime Héritage to adresstopics that our Journal tackled hère and there in thé past.A blamablyneglect, indeed. Culture Yet, thé notion of intangibility when confronted Cola Pesée is doubtlessa main agentof societaldevelopment, with thé patrimonialconnotation of thé conceptof By Fier Giovanni d'Ayala includingfor Islandcommunities. Cultural identity héritage,entangles us albeit unwillingly,in a net of mightbe consideredin its tum asa containerhosting puzzlingquestions. A first onecoming to our mind 15 About Beasts and Sailors and reflecting Culture's dynamics,but héritage is of a methodological nature: what sort of criteria By EniBuluibasic, Josko Bozanic and Fier Giovanni d'Ayala provides substanceand méat both to Culture and to should be adoptedin order to identify and sélect an thé deriving identities. intangible cultural item to be included in an idéal list of Seachests: an introductionto iconographicaltopics 23 patrimonialgoods worth to be preservedin thé interest Material héritageitems such as those preservedand of future inheritors? By Mariona Font Batlle displayedin galleries,muséums and libraries,as well 34 asbuildings and monuments shaping landscapes are Théknow-how needed to built a woodensailing boat Foodaboard a Maltesecorsair ship: a facetof thé Corsoat Malta 1775- 1798 inevitablylinked to timeand history. As suchthey play for instancein usein a givencommunity till eighty By Gauci Liam thérôle of a frame,a hart-bonedskeleton supporting yearsago is boundto be lost with thé departureofan 4l throughthé years thé évolutions ofthat elusivereality old boat-builder.Thé boat itself is kept in a maritime Saintsand Fishermenin Sferracavallo:an astonishingblend calledCulture. More so on islands,since ever open muséumwith otherspécimen ofpast maritime life but, By Fatima Giallombardo to ail sortsof influencescoming from over-sea,from what to do with thé intangible know-how of thé old beyond thé horizon. crafitsman?Is it worthto recordit evenifthat typeof woodenartefact will nevercorne into useagain? Culture and Traditionnal Knowledge Coastalharbour-cities till thésmallest fishermen village sharewith islandsthis peculiarlyshaped culture, thé Popular songsand danceshâve often inspired gréât maritime one. Seamenand islanders alike, are dunked musiciansor choreographerswhose works are presently Thé "one hundredmills island" in thé FrenchCaribbean : Marie-Galante 46 m it. part of our héritage.Their sourcesof inspiration are By Judith Priam forgotten,or perhapsstill live following their own But cultures, each culture, more so thé maritime évolution within other social strata. What shall we Book Review 55 cultureare moulded by a permanentinformation flow. chooseor do in our efifortto build up a meaningful Informationwhile representinga powerfulcarrier of cultural inheritance ? meanings,is an Intangiblereality. Thèse and many other questionsare in front of us. 56 Islanders at work We are bound no doubt, to proceedcautiously, step In fact ail materialhéritage items can be decipheredby step. onlyby interpretingthé high amount of informationand Insula's Page 58 meaningsthey embody, thé very reasonat thé origin Webelieve ftnnly thereforethat it is time for FNSULA, oftheir préservation.Such an intangiblereality is not its readers,for thé authorswho hâve generously dififerentfrom ail otherintangible aspects shaping ahelpedto shapethé présentissue, to participatein thé culture:oral literatureor poetry,taies, dances, beliefs explorationofthis largelyunknown subject : théinner or gastronomy. lifeofoursea peoples, keepingin mind that our task aimsat understanding and at presen/ing their memories Maritimeintangible héritage, while at thé coreof thé and beauty from oblivion. maritime cultural fabric is notwell known. UNESCO's listconceming world intangible héritage items, has less
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL 0F ISLAND AFFAIRS our own identify within our (Ecomuseo Casade la Batana, at that professionals ascertain what aritime useums and ntangible commumty. Rovinj, Croatia);workshops on our genuine héritage is for future painting sails, marine knots, etc., générations. We canhappily assertthat today or thé célébration of festivities y_antime entage some maritime muséums work associated to marine dévotions In order to make ail thèse in one direction. They promote (maritime procession ofGabicce diffusion actions and activities both tangible and intangible Mare, Italy). cornetme, muséumprofessionals héritage, or explain maritime also need to work side by side objects with thé help of thé On occasions maritime muséums with other professionals and intangible. They try to convey are asked to conceive activities researchersspecialised in other thé maritime culture by means favouring local cultural tourism disciplines such as ethnology, By Lluisa Prieto of exposing thé memory and policies. This rôle of muséums, sociology, philosophy, art testimonyof thé peoplesof thé seen as generators of income, history, urbanism, linguistics, seaor by giving new and dififerent may be an objective out of etc. Moreover, as intangible interprétations on thé objects reach for some muséums who héritageis ephemeralby nature displayed,thus fostering more can scarcely fulfil their annual and is constantly changing, it knowledgeand adding value to programs due to their lack of requires précise documentation 0 w thé objectitself. Thereare many recourses. To relate cultural methods and tools in order to Vt h-»' examplesofgood practice among tourism and intangible héritage keep a proper record of this Safeguarding thé Intangible Q- it is true that in thé past urgent need of concentrating of maritime muséums: a vidéo is easy: everyone is fond of endangeredhéritage. thé muséums focused on material efforts, énergiesand resources Cultural Héritage, on display of labour organisation festivities, regattas,workshops safeguardas much maritime one hand, and thé European or tangible cultural héritage,for to onboardfishing ships -images for familles, story telling, etc., 'To try to response positively Union initiatives fostering ail around forty years now a new tangible héritageas possible,as of crew members sleeping in but ail thèse expressionsneed to this challenge, more than a l this legacy also endangered. représentationsof héritage,be it museologyhas gainedits place is thé daylight, opposedto those time, rigorous and accurate changeof mentality is needed tangible intangible. l or among thé cultural institutions working onboard- (Museu de research and documentation for muséumsto play thé rôle of a> Curators and professionals of responsibleto conveyour legacy la Pescaat Palamôs,Spain); thé before it becomes a leisure preserversof both tangible and maritime muséums know how Considering ail thèse facts to future générations. Thèse recovering and maintaining of product. Some entities take intangiblehéritage. Thé first step ^' we are interdisciplinary muséums rich and diverse our intangible and knowing for sure that active maritime héritage afloat thé rôle of curators and create is taken. that are doser to people and maritune héritageis: fi-ompopular must take action, a question (Museu Mantim de Barcelona, fictitious activities related to that cornes to mind is: which (T) community; that search for expressions,beliefs, knowledge Spain);thé useoftraditional boats are h-i maritime héritagebut thèse h-1-1 proactiveparticipation; that give and crafts and représentations intangible héritage should be as sailing schools(Museo délia newly born activities focused Lluïsa Prieto to maritime activities of thé preserved?Thé field ofwork on valueto iâentity,and who search Marineria at Cesenatico,Italy); only on tourism. They are not Secretary l- this héritagemay be very broad, for a sustainable and active peuples of thé sea. They are thé dissémination of maritime basedon our real past, they are AMMM conscious that globalisation, and somemay hâvethé opinion i development. Thé coexistence cookingrecipes ofancienttimes not our héritage.It is necessary of such new approacheswith and technological and socio- that "intangible héritage of thé that of traditional muséums, économiechanges hâve brought past" shouldnot be a target.For which basically centre on thé thé loss of an important part example,why shouldwe recover préservation and display of of this intangible legacy. Thé thé traditional way of building collections, give birth to new généralévolution of thé modem a wooden boat if boats are no discourses and perceptions world has, in addition, implied longer handcraftedin wood?Or that surely enrich thé array of thé disappearanceday after day what was thé rôle of women in interprétationsof our maritime of some cultural expressions fishing communitiesduring thé héritageand culture. that new générations may not 19th century if today families consider to be meaningfùl. are structurée differently? This is in fact an ongoing progress Many professionalsof maritime and even ifsome muséums hâve On thé other hand there is an muséumsagrée to say that we started to study, préserve and international acknowledgement should try to recover as much manage intangible héritage, towards thé cultural value of héritage as possible,be it alive manyare still working within thé intangible héritage and actions or dead, for our héritage is parametersof tangible héritage. to préserve and promote this thé expressionof humankind This is thé case of maritime héritage were taken: thé 2003 throughoutits existence.And we muséums, who hâve had thé UNESCO Convention for thé needthis héritageto forge
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL 0F ISLAND AFFAIRS thé way, was largely addressed their rhythm and their sudden to reveal his name and tell this «r^î _^ by GiuseppePitre an estimated upsand downs reinforcedby thé story again,allowing me to take i\y Sicilian Folklorist of thé late loudspeaker. record ofit. v XIX century, who had collected Thé rod on its turn seemed to andpublished numerous versions flash sparksoflight, with a reso- l would not swear that thé taie of thé taie. lutely hypnotizingeffect, at least was exactlyas it waspreviously Hence, comfortably installed for me,who morethan with pric- stagedby Onufrio, yet it is thé on my Vespa on which l used ked up ears, was staying there one version l recall presently, By Fier Giovanni d'Ayala to stroll around in those times, cuckooed with a wide opened thé one therefore that l can tell l waited for, so to speak, thé mouth.l ignore, on my sidehow you hereafter. curtain to raise. thé assistancefelt, more accusto- This Cola, nickname of Nico- med than me to thé witcheries of las, was an extremelyvivacious Thé tarantella's music, on its thé Sicilian story tellers. l could child living with his mother side, did not miss its target hear it, however to approveor in a modest house built on thé and had attracted some fifty disagree with a bumble-bee dunesof thé Peloro'sbeachjust racketing villagers of ail âges noise what was called up for in front of that sea whirlpool that were now vigorously called them by thé wizard Onufrio, that which aroused serious worries round thé late sixties of thé 6 to calm down by thé story teller so was namedthé story teller as to Ulysses .In Homer's times thé V' e. by now past century,it was still armed speaker, a l could leam later on. with thé loud whirlpool was called Caribdy. Q- possible Sicily get mto a story in to showingoffsign ofprogressand Opposite to thé whirlpool one a stentorian teller narrating with modernity. l owe to confess that thé almost' could spot ,close to thé Calabrian voice thé various moments of A sudden shout, or an order mystical amazement into which coastthé gloomy rock hosting a legendary event § mythical or roaredwiththeinsbzunent atfùll l was turned by a good half an in its caverns thé man-eating such as Roland's adventures at blast, froze everybody.Silence hour of shoutedcharm, preven- Skylla . Thé one,which with its y Roncisval, or more récent facts rf^'^**-^ descended on thé crowd. And ted me at that time to take notes long necks trimmedwith canine CD such as a crime of passion or thé taie started : and today to recall ail détails of jaws, devoured from time to time better a crime of honour. Facts thé Cola Peséestory as it was some incautious sailors. Ulysses ^ and news ofwhich Sicilian folks « Jé,Jé,Jé chissu e lu cuntu du transferred with stick blows himselflearned about at his own hâve always been fond of. Pisci Cola e di lu Rré... » ( Hey, from thé bard's Memory to thé costs, as he lost there one or two 0 Thé storyteller used to hang on a hey,hey, this thé story thé hrl is of attendants imagination. ofhiscrews. 1-L-I pôle a sort canvasbillboard, ofa FishNiklas and thé King..,) Later on, more quietly as he star- But, pardon me,I got lost hère where,painted on severalpanels, ted to pack thé tools ofhis trade within Odyssey's memories. l- épisodes story ^ thé varions of thé Thenbegan a ballet ofwords, or on thé pickup, Onufrio, agreed, Let's better corne back to what CfQ were illustrated in a dramatic CD a Small square Ganzirri, unmistakablesignal for thé rather adancing ofsounds, with glancing up at me indulgently, Onofrio was telling me: crescendo. Thé guy then gave a In of startto his performancepointing a village almost at thé foot of neighbourhoodof an incoming thé huge lighthouse indicating pleasantshow. with a long rod at thé panels.His narration proceeded not only to sailors thé Cape Peloro and On thé billboard, l could guess, with that mentioned stentorian consequentlyto shipsproceeding was representedthé taie of Cola thé entrance Pesée, voice, obviously needed for from North of (Nick thé Fish ) even if thé Messina's Straits and thé thé mythical characterpainted that sort of open- air show,but thé latter was characterized by Sicilian coast, l happened , in on thé panels looked rather to 3 those years to meet one of such corne out fi-om a contemporary a peculiar way of narrating, science fiction film than from a curiously rhythmic, such as an story tellers. centuries old legend. Anyhoy ancientrhapsodist. He was preparing his stage. Thé billboard nevertheless was not as l was there to collect data A way, in any case, capable to a but for my research on south Italiac give suddenlife and reality to hanging as usual on pôle, thé facts recalled not only for orderly from an iron framefixed maritime anthropology, l considérée it as suitable to assist thé public's ears,mostly children onhis FIAT pickup from wherean display moderfl and elderlies but, perhaps also electric loudspeakerclamoured at thé of this a high-spirited tarantella, an version thé story which, by for their eyes. of
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL 0F ISLAND AFFAIRS « At my grand and gréât " yeah,andwhataboutthebreast At thé new of their arrivai Tritons, Neptune's servants to grandfatherstimes, lived hère curse? " butted-in aggressively Messinawelcomed them warmly, communicateamong themselves on this beach a widow with a a neighbourwho was following spreading flowers before thé through thé expansés of sea. child named Cola. By God, our conversation... royal cab and letting ofif squibs It seems that thé sound of thé he was really scatty, nobody l understood, on my side that and magnificent fireworks , Brogna,hollow anddense, boosts could keep him quiet. Ail thé despitethé passedcenturies, thé as it was thé custom in those far, aver and under thé waves, time strolling at thé seashore, Cola Pesée Question was still times. But when thé king asked betterthan thé présentdays ship an unruly urchin, for sure » hot along thèseshores, that Cola thé City's Mayor to bring thé horns. claimed Onufrio in that Italo- had supportersand opponents Cola Fish in his sight, thé latter, Pietro, as we anticipated,played sicilian slang taking shape in and that it was wise not to raise and his attendants looked each on thé Brognaand Cola hastened thoseyears thanks to thé newly disputes. other disconcerted because to join him, attaching for fun introduced télévision, not yet nobody new exactly where and fishes at his friend's line . In Anyhow with scalesor without in what marine depthswas Cola diffused among lesseraffluent retum he acceptéegladly a sip of a familles, but alreadydisplayed scales.Cola Peséehad matched presently strolling around. As wine, to warm up his hearth. ô to raisefor him a goodréputation (Yi in any respectablepub or coffee thé first dismay was over, thé Thanksto théfisherman's Brogna, y> ^*« shop. It was there that elders along thé Messina's straits. Thé City's authoritiesdiplomatically Messina'sprincipals were freed (n^ and youngstersused to watch City even got proud of him suggested thé Royal couple to of their worries and could thus football matchesgulping down as, with a bag at his waist he takea rcstfrom their longjoumey organize properly Cola Pesce's that wolfly Italian utteredby thé started to carry mail to and and a refresh with an icy red audiencewith thé King and his from distant coastal cities: § commentators. watermelonJelly, thé well known royal daughter. ÎT3 Catania,Lipari or evenNaples, Messina's summer speciality . In y Let's however résume with they said. And who has a mail thé meantimethey would do ail At Torre Faro, a few miles north CD Cola from where we left him. servicedefying seastorms and what was neededto satisfy their from Messina,on thé seashore , He in fact was not only lively, make fun of highwaymen on Lord's wills . a throng ofpeople from thé city land?There was also somebody, By chance Cola Pesce had as crowded around a cosy gazebo l but as alleged by Onufrio he exaggerating consistently his friend in Messina a fisherman, was foolhardy and disobedient. properly supplied with throne, lCD Nobody could keep him away deedswho gaveto believe that named Pietro, with whom he where were made comfortable ffi from thé seawhere he splashed Cola, with his sharpknife had was in jocular familiar terms. thé King , the gracions young about impenitently, leaming to killed Skylla. In fact sincelong Thé latter when out at sea for princess, and thé court. l- swim and dive better than a fish. time nothing more was heard fishing usedtoblowinaBrogna, Tmmpets soundedloud, and with l He used even to pursue fishes abouther misgivings. which is precisely that shell a resounding gurgle Cola Pesée and sometimes devour them employedin ancienttimes by thé dropped out from thé sea raw by baits andpièces. Well enough. Famé, as moreover, an angel passed by, to beuseful to them;he warned everybodfknows islike slanders Growing up thé things went took thé curse and brought it up sailorsof thé incomingstorms, tuming swiftly fromlightbreeze worse.By now , he went at sea to heavento keep it forever in thé helpedthem when in danger,10apowerful gale. Everybody night and day.Thé poor mother Lord's casket ". or steeringtheir vessels trougt was bY now talking about Cola lost hearth, uselessly she mena- Cola could not but go to live with thé treacherousstreams of th andhis exceptionalqualities, cedhim, or in tearsshe implored thé fishes.This is thé reasonwhy straits.His deedscould almosi lncluding in thé kingdom's him to respectat least Sunday he was nicknamed Cola Pesce. becompared tothose attributec caPital- Inevitably Cola's deeds and corne with her at holy mass. Thékids howeverwhen they saw to SaintNicolas his namesaki rcached thé young Princess ears, No way! Finally, oncehe deser- him from thé beach surfacing of Bari.Therewas people wh(the king's daughter. Nowonder ted home for a whole week . laughing with a bunch of sea saidthat by living in thé sea 01 ifher^curiosity droveher to say This was once too often! Thé grassor coralsin his handscried becauseofhismother'scursehi(anddo everythingshe could mothergot into an extrêmefùry aloud " Look, look there, thé Fish, skinhad become covered wittm orderto convinceher royal , opened her corsage,exposed Cola is hère ." fish scalesand a membraneha(Parent to bringher to Messina her breast and cursed her son : " Spendingyears in thé submarine grownamong his fmgers, suctto see Ae phenomenon. Wemay Go with thé beasts of thé sea and world Cola's inflamed character asducks. Onufrio shaking hi!also Presume that thé King staythere.. ! " "It wasthé male- got somehowwatered down. He head,"I don'tbelieve it" wa!Detweenhis fatherly concern diction of thé breast"whispered was not unhappy, and stayed hepleading/'after ailhe was iand his own curiosity, was not Onufrio," thé unforgivable curse friendly with mankind , looking "baptizedChristian".. longto êivehis consent. ". "On that précise moment
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAI, 0F ISLAND AFFAIRS 11 With faltering steps , having s Young Princess nevertheless présent,was seriously scared for shouting. " l don't know lost his walking habits. Cola ^ understood, and bleached at Cola Pesée's fate. Majesty, a fierce current, a river advancedtowards thé King and thé thought of thé dangersthat Thé latter looked at thé Princes, of hot water that no one could on his knees one could hear him her Royal father wanted her looked at thé King, casted a resist took me and drove me under utter with a hoarse voice: " At handsome hero to incur. As a glanéeon thé seaand plunged , Messina.. " "Under Messina your command,My Lord !" matter of fact, in a corner of without a word more. what are you saying?" "Under "Corne doser Cola," ordered her mind, thé idea to nominate Messina,precisely My Lord. For thé King to observehim better. him her servant- knight was Timewas passing. Women tightly a moment l could get hold of a YoungPrincess also, of course, sprouting... "Something to wrapped up in their shawls column in thé midst of this hot wished to look at him doser.. make green with envy ail thé started to tell thé rosary and water whirlpool. Thé column He was not unattractive, on thé Princesses of hers and other mumbleAve Mary followed one was almost burning, There is contrary! Slightly dark skinned, neighbouring Kingdoms ..." after thé other by their worried fire down there. l could shortly he was muscular and slender. suchwere her thaughts, speaking men. Also Young- Princes who ascertainthat thé City is held by He did not show those scales to herself.. had a spécial devoutness to three columns: one is broken, and duck hands that his envious Saint Rosalia startedto pray in one is cracked and thé third is defamers imputed to him. As Cola, on his side whitened for silence. whole. Then a wind of water a a matter of fact, it seemed to real and brushing thé lack of seizedme andraised me up. This 0 (71 thé princess with her sensitive respect muttered to thé King, Thé face of thé King of Sicily is ail l know, Majesty." Vt Suddenly thé order shouted:" exhalatedfrom there.. thésame whisper :"King h-*. nostrils, that he smelled a bit Thank^h was gloomy. Thé sky had also Q- too much of fish and seaweed. Cola go and take it . It shall be goodness1 could , grasp a coral^y Lord thé, ass ofyour Sicily darkened .Suddenly a scream "Would you believe " murmured yours, ifyou can do it !" A good warm bath with orange branchand hold on. Unless, l ^yg ^ ^ bottomlessdepth. from thésea! People was nmning thé king "that this fire brakesthé flowers would arrange ail " At your orders My Lord" and couldhâve been smoked todeath", Not even thé gigantic sea-eefcan hèreand there shouting theirjoy last whole column and goodbye plunged. therein^ be inconvenience, spoke she to "andthecuphowdidyougetitTg^^ ît mighteven and relief. Messina,collapsed with thé half l0<5 herself, wrinkling her délicate askedthé King suspiciously;'^at shesits on thé hell's flames ofmy kingdom.Instead Messina, 'a; Time passed, a time that seemed nose. "didn'tthé waterfall drag it into]ike acap. Whatl sawwas surely Young-Princes cried and they shall call it misérable, CD long to everybody especially to thédepths? " No Sir my Lord, shc ^e outcoming smoke. ;' What laughed at thé sametime.. Some wretched... ! " Young-Princess Thé King who was a matter-of gotcaughtonasea-treebranch.'heii ^nd hell~,non sensés! " volunteersmshed finally to help ^' between a glanée and a look fact man, came quickly to thé who ThecrowdandmostlysoYoung.groaned thé King, who did not thé sea-man out of thé waves at thé young man had refreshed Princesswere almost frozen b)appreciate to becontradicted. 3 point. "Cola, is it true that shoring him up, exhausted, CT eyes, and wanted more.. you know how to dive unto her thédramatic account. Not so "^y Sicilyis a landblessed by beforethé King .ThereCola felt thé fathomless depths of thé Then suddenly.Cola poppedup Kingwanting to knowmore. ^heLord, more so her submarine on his kneesand, without a word with a vigorouswater bubble and sea? " "I know how to dive, parts." handedto thé King thé Seal-ring ly thé cup in his hands.A burst of Her Majesty, but not into thé "oh anddid . you see_nothing "You now, without delay dive, that he was firmly keeping in % applauseshacked thé crowd.Thé fathomless depth of thé sea.Not Sicilyand Messina? How is m}and report me your findings. In his fist. even fishes can swim till there. Princess's smile and thé King's Kingdomfounded how , lays factdo you see this ring that l satisfîed glanée were to Cola a ThéKing showeda discontented illustriousCity of mine?" glipoff my finger? thisis thé "Thé ring sankand sank couldn't, higher reward than thé golden face, then with his sceptre he "I didn't seemuch Lord kingdom'sseaî. Look hère, l stop, but than a fish swallowed pointed at thé indigo blue cup. King,l wasin hurry. An octopuithrow it in thésea. Bring it back it " muttered Cola, starting his surface that a breeze from thé wasafter me ,as large as thre( and it shallbe yours !" account with broken voice. " "What did you see down there"? times your throne.." channelstarted to ripple. " and Happily l know how to catch urged him thé King ,with renewed there is it deep ? " asked he Thé wind from thé channel fishes, l openedhis belly with curiosity. ^ with a king's voice wanting "Ohdear Cola, "mutteredthuiwas refreshing, shaking thé niy knife and there was thé " mountains and valleys and obédience. " Yes My Lord, very theKing,withafalselyamicablftapestrieshanging from thé ring." "and then, then what did a forest with coral branches deep" mutteredCola. Thé King voiçe."youmust dive there agaii walls of théroyal pavillon. Thé you do?" spiedthé King with a and seaweed leaves. From far l took then from his Chamberlain andreport me withoutdelayhovsea hadturned from indigo- hardvoice. "I got lost My Lord, could also spot a huge sea-eel; a shining golden cup, stoodup is théass of mySicily made!'blue to a dirtywhitish colour. l had dived too deep, thé sea and with a dash hurled it far his head pointed east and his tail thèselast words were whispere(The seastreams, on their tum, had become dark with ail that westward.... But a tremendous into thé sea.There thé cup filled bythé King in a narrowdosée like snakes, were interweaving smoke raisingfrom thé depths." dragging slowly, and sank disappearing. sort of waterfall was Siciliandialect, in orderto be no whirls offoam. "I amcold, father Thé bystanders were silent with me down towards thé fathomless Thé crowd was silent, also Cola understoodbyhisroyal daughteilefs go home",whined with bated breath. " and so what ?" was still. depth. Smoke and vapours andth otherLadies ofhis court, no avail Young-Princes, whoat bursted out thé King, almost
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL 0F ISLAND AFFAIRS Somebody having heard thèse whirl. " This is thé crown of against thé rocks on thé shore bitter words, got scared and Sicily, there is only one! Bring it was still fluttering Onufrio's started to lament: back and it shall be yours , and story trough my mind.. . L^ "Woe, bad new, alas bad new also this Princess, my unique ..." Othersfollowed thé example daughter, l shall give you! " "But, who wasthat old woman? r^ and were crying. A prelate of yelled out thé King, pushingthé l suddenlyasked, " who knows! thé King's court availedhimself girl toward thé man. My dad believed that it could ^ of thé situation for doing his She made a step forward, hâve been Cola's old mother" job. " Sinners repent," was he stretched her hand and touched muttered Onufrio.. shouting, " God's Angel is with a shiver, almost a farewell It is well known that thé curious arriving with his swordof fiâmes that cold dolphin skin. questionsare like cherries,thé ! "... Thé Crowd startedto shake He took from thé floor a pièce one pulls thé following .. By Fier Giovanni d'Ayala, Josko Bozanic, Eni Buliubasic and stir up. Already torches of cane, entered in three small l could thus not refrain to ask:" werefired andthé K-ing'sguards stones, uttering:" as soon as this andYoung-Princes, what did she tightened their shields one to surfaces alone J shall never do with thé cane rattle?" "Thé anotherto protect thé King and corne back." cane , l suppose she throw it SUMMARY to get shelterfrom thé stonesthat "Go!" screamedagain thé King , away.Thé three little stonesshe ? Vï started to fly. while his beardwas wiped by thé put them in a goldenmédaillon, c^ hT t« neck. Sailors and fishennen stories hâve Not last, thé Talmud recalls thé wind. "at your command" was and never took it off her HerbertBury, assistantBishop of Q- since ever been considered as Thé day was ending. Facing Cola heardto say ,jumping into Old people say that she closed event. In most cases, thé taie is London, introduces in 1929 thé fantasies or unreliable inventions thé royal pavilion thé vortex of thé vortex ,disappearing. herselfafterwards in thé Valverde propagatedthrough thé middle- translation of thé PHYSIOLO- thé Cariddi whirlpool growled Monastery, up on thé Mount of superstitions and unstable âge by learnedclerks for apo- GOS , a Bestiary composedin people, even than crowd, appeased thé Etna. As an Abbess of course, more fancy logetic purposes,as shown by thé XI th century by Theobald, lcrc angrily, broadening its black Thé by funnel surrounded by whitish drama played before its eyes, she was of royal descendencetheir unstableships and boats. Eni Buljubasic, Co- author of thé powerful Abbott of Mon- y foams. People also yelled out was silent. Then assembled Respectable Citizens hâve for this paper. Josko Bozanic on his tecassino, an abbey in southem CD centuries they ^ raging words, ripped away on in procession, torches ahead, consideredthat side, exploreswith perspicacity Italy at thé crossroad of thé thé sea by thé violence of thé started to move towards thé City "Eh, master Onufrio and whatwould neverembark upon such someof thé hiddenmeanings of Greek-Byzantine and thé Latin hazardous vessels not forced thé taie. north-westerly. chanting salms, following thé happened to thé King ? " if monastic world. by compellingreasons.. 3' Thé torches crumbling sparksin King's carnage and thé court "Nothing, he lost his crowi n> thé wind seemedto be reflected members on horse. Two guards and lost his Kingdom, that foi Pier Giovanni d'Ayala, introdu- We may agréein principle with A folk those seamen, almost by thé Kmg's shiny,wide opened were left on thé spot, m caseCola hèrein Sicily, we hâveno King ces thé paper and offers a pos- thé Bishop's opinion but, what unknown to city dwellers, yet never- will be related hereafter could eyes.Now he new what had to could émerge during thé night or anymore, nor Kingdom. Don'l sible conclusionleaving ^l whoeasilyspotted along our coastal theless several question-marks perhapscast somedoubts upon CfQ be done, what was thé priée to perhaps,thé next day.. . youknowit, herexcellency, fD settlements and harbour docks. unanswered. His contribution thé Reverend's ecclesiastic cer- pay... has studied ? " " Cola dive now, for thé last But Cola Pesée never made his Then laughing he started hisHappilyenough, agrowing inter- stems from his fieldwork as tainties. To start, we shall ask thé time! " was thé shouted order. way back. A few days later an pickup, andleft methere pantin^ estfor seamen'sculture, lore and anthropologistwith southItalian readerto acceptas an apodictic "You must tell me from where old aged woman showed up in a cloud of dust. beliefs seemsto attract,in more sea people. tmth that seajoumeysas well as récent times, thé interest of an this fire cornes, l want to know at thé Royal palace asking for Théauthors finally, refusingout- labyrinth - crossingsare always ifthis sound column will sustain thé Princes. She handed her educatedpublic and académie dated préjudices, confirm hère dunk in somekind of metaphy- thé Kingdom till thé end of speechlessthat peace of cane, investigators. their respectfor seafarers,their sical vagueness.Space and time, times, ifGodwills." wherein thé three little stones beliefs,their culture andgenero- in other words, where mariners' Théprésent paperwishes to " No Lord King, no for Gods sounded such as a child's rattle. sity, hammeredby hardshipand expériences, age-old taies and saké. If l descend down there She did not acceptrewards, nor shedsome light onan âges -old dangerous life. beliefs might suddenly surface : encounter in that hell of a sea l shall never told her name, moving away, puzzlingtaie thé with exposing thé observer to an corneup again..Lord King l am slowly, supportedby her stick. a gigantic sort of slumbering « A Bestiary is not at first sight inscrutable surprising blend of whalethat seafarerstake for an a simple man screamedCola, likely to commend itself to reality and myth. !" Island. " l am not a fish and less so a Onufrio, thé story-teller was modem thought...Stories about shark..." by now silent, looking at that Théstory is knownfrom written animaistold in thé eveningnear Let's howevercorne to thé point Thé King by now seemedout sea flooding down thé straits sourcessince thé late antiquity. thé fire, or written for those who without further hésitations.My Northernseas, thé Mediterra- of his mind. Grasped thé crown as a sparkling river. I, myself, corne after hâve always been report refers to facts in which l nean and even océan on his head and hurled it in thé however, thé mstling ofthat sea thé Indian deservedlypopular .. ». Thèse became involved in thé late six- andthé Arab seasare concemed. arethé words by which Révérend ties when as PhD student l was
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL 0F ISLAND AFFAIRS 15 collecting data for my to fix with lively fingers a words of his granddad were "What happened? " was my anthropological work on fishing net. Of course l could dancing in his old mind like plain réaction to his words. " symbolic seamenbehaviour in not immediately address thé fairies, while his fingers started well, it was before thé war, SouthemItaly. Along thé coast reason of my visit. l had fîrst anew to knit thé Fishing net. l was about seventeen. My ofCalabria close to thé Messina to explain from where l came uncle,his two sons,my cousins straits, rich in myths, l had from, what l was doing in life, My conversation with thé old and I, went out in thé straits alreadycorne across thé existence and so on for a while, till l could fishermanleft me,rather puzzled, for fîshing albacores.Thé sea ofsome far-fetched seaanimais, finally corneto my point. « Yes In an attempt to introduce some was, totally calm, without a realas you andme, following my thé Organante... they call it also rationality in thé whole story. wrinkle ofwind, perhapsa slight informers, experiencedsword- Guarda Canale (channel or open l questioned him whether thé heat haze contributed to thé fish hunters from Bagnara. As sea Ward), yes my grand father Beast could hâve been a whale... whitenessof thé sea distorting soon as l décide to write my own met him, he used to tell me thé "A whale?What areyou talking thé appréciation of distances.. bestiaryl shall corneback to that story when l was a kid. In those about, my grandfather,myself Suddenlyappeared, a coupleof fauna. Thé aim of thé présent years, before thé First World and everybody around hère miles, ahead ofus what seemed paper is to address, together War, only large steamboats had know what a whale is! Whales to be thé black outline of a with my co-authors,a spécifie engines.My grandfather owned can be spotted crossing oui ship moving in our direction. unbelievable animal, familiar to a sailing boat, a Speronarawith straits, not often for sure but, Lets row towards shore or thé 0 a his fellow sailors believe thé ttom before thé ruins of thé w thé turbulent Messina's straits crew of four. He used to sail l myself saw one some twent) steameroverruns us.. ! saidmy Vt related facts? ancien! Greek Naxos. waters till récent times, but ail sortsof cargoto Palermo,or years ago..No, thé Organante city of uncle. We did so, but thé ship Q' also spottedalong thé southem Syracuse.That day he was out following thé elderlies is huge,For thé time being l felt unable Moreover Pietro, in his late was coming doser always in CroatianArchipelago, not long for Malta with a heavy cargoof conspicuous.... " Hère, Mastrc to find a solution to that riddle. sixties, at thé time of thé our direction. Row faster out ago. Of course thé beast and palm tree leaves.they use them Angelo extended his arms in s conversation that l recount hère, ofher way! shoutedthé uncle . its astonishing behaviour is thereto préparefloating matsfor slow, ample gesture indicatif was still active and well known Surethere Englishcaptain, is an C2. known since many centuries, fishing lampughes.. Grandfather. vastness., " a whale, while bi^ No wonder if, as l met a few in his fisherman profession. drunk as usual! But when thé CT- from thé Indian Océan to thé hoped to corne back with olive sized, cannot be taken for ai weeks later Pietro Melitano a His réputation as honest and thing was nearerwe saw that it d Mediterranean, thé Atlantic and oil, which was cheaper there; island, not even a small one.!.' fishermenof Giardini, a village reliable man was however due was a gigantic animal. Just thé thé northern seas. Each ancient They were sailing slowly south Such were his concluding words,not far from thé better known to his good luck. Yearsbefore, headout of théwater looked high '^ seafarer has met it, and as, we west, with almost no wind - then at thé origin of my perplexityresort Taormina ,in Sicily, l while angling for octopuses, asa building ,like that lamppost see, breeze calmed down grand-fatheradventure quickened to ask him ifhe ever he got one, but that one was shall ail serious bestiaries thé totally Angelo's there," indicated Pietro. " his CT describe and comment its feats. on a mirrow-like flat sea. There with thé Island-fish named heardabout thé Organante.He firmly grippedto anancient clay eyes had thé size of a truck ? was nothing else to do than to Organantecorrespond in fact telooked at thé sea, shook his pot, a heavy one indeed.When wheel.Thé Organante, for God's An eveningat thé village coffee take thé oars and row under a an âgeold story.Thé Irish eari)head and uttered: " l would not finally on board he discovered saké! uttered my uncle .Thé l- shop, one of thé fishermen merciless sun. Some hours later médiéval St-Brandon's seatravd believe that such beastsexist, that it contained some three Animal passingby, some two l adressed with a humorous exhausted, they spotted an islet accounts, as well as thé Aral if l had not seenit with my hundred byzantine gold coins. hundred meters from us. was remarka colleague: « be careful on their route and decided to take Sindbad thé sailor's adventurei eyes... " A fortune! A few dayslater thé followed by a train of Orques thé Organanteout there, might a rest there. Thé crew was also relate as well as most of thi His words knocked me flat! whole fisherman community ... ( OrcynusOrca, killer whale swallow you togetherwith your hungry and built a fire ashore to old bestiaries, thé encountei knew about. Authorities were in English.) "When you see boat.. » l askedmy neighbour cook some spaghetti. Suddenly with thé island - fish in thi For thé sakéof my readers, l not late to be informed and Orques,you feel as paralysed," sipping silently a béer,what that thé island started to shake, and same conditions as described b} needhère to spendsome words Pietro couldn't but follow thé added Pietro. " You cannot move Organante was.. tremble,grandfather and his men Angelo's old man. aboutthat Pietro and provide law and hand- in thé half of nor speak.When thé train passed With a lopsidedlook heanswered could only butj umpon their boat (My colleagues, later in thii themwith a shortprofile, so to his treasure. Pietro offered his way andlost itselfin thé mist indirectly, as often sea people androw offas fast asthey could. paper,shall address thèse aspect speak,ofhis facts and deeds. four of thé golden coins to we could againhandle our oars. do: « pay a visit to my cousin While thé Island plungedwith a thoroughly) thé Sanctuary of Trecastagni, We rowed as fast as we could Angelo, he is retirée, but he horrible suckingnoise First of ail l knew him on Mount's Etna slopes. Thé towards thé nearest point on knows somethingabout it». That island was not an island, Thé question which still kept smceyears. A décadeeariier his remaining was enough to make shore. We landed at AU marina, it was an Organante, floating puzzled,originated in fact froii boatand his seamanship were his family wealthy and himself a village on thé straits, some Next day on aftemoon,when thé asleep.An old Organantebecause my, so to speak,sceptic anthro instrumentai for thé success a respectée man. twenty miles north ofour place. seachanges colour, a convenient it was covered with cockles, pologist mind. Did Angelo';°f a submarinearchaeological Peoplethere, compétent seamen hour for visits, l met Angelo mussels, seaweedsand bushes. granddadlie? Did he try to selsurveywe organized,together It is thus understandable that l askedus what happened why, sitting in his courtyard. In his Mastro Angelo fell silent for around as real an old well knowi with a groupof Frenchdivers, could not take Pietro's statement we looked so upset ... when healthy seventies he was trying several moments. Perhapsthé taie? But in such a case, aimingat exploringthé seabo aboutthé Organanteas a joke. they heard about our adventure
INTERNATIONAI. JOURNAI, 0F ISI.AND AFFAIRS 17 their comment was: we wonder (l) they would ooze from their temptation. Such whale-islandB) Otherworks: down in 1937 by a linguist Bestiary, Thé Voyages of St that reputed fisherman as you mouths a sweet scent that story is found in thé following ExeterBook, Anglosaxon Mate Hraste and recently by Brendan, Bestiario Toscane and are in Giardini, don't know that dazzled and attracted 'naïve' médiéval works : literary codex, luth century Josko Bozanié, co-author ofthis William Caxton's Myrrour of it is dangerous to go out at sea fishesstraight into their mouths; Thé Voyages of St. article who heard it from his thé world. when it is white, there might (2) thé whale is (pretending A) Bestiaries: Brandon (Nauigatio sancti grandfather. surge malign animais." (Mari to be) asleep for a long time PhysiologusofTheobald. Brendani abbatis) Wewill shortlylook into thé two In thèse versions thé whale jancu , white sea literally, was and its back, protruding thé Latin, llth century (translation Talmud: Myths ofLives groupsof thé familiar versionsof is said to be asleepon thé sea thé expressionused by Pietro) sea surface, gets covered with of thé GreekPhysiologus) of Mariners.Narrated by Raba, our whale-islandstory. surfaceand 'sinks' instinctively Thé sameused by Angelo in thé sand so it looks like an island. Old EnglishPhysiologus, son of Bar Hanin in Gemara when it is bumed with thé fire thé former story). " l hâve never Frivolous and desperatesailors 5th century; Thousand and One l. Malevolent whale seafarersbuilt to cook their meal. heard again about thé beast" mistake it for a real island and Thé Bestiary of PhilipçNights: in thé First Travel of In many médiéval bestiaries Thé version of Bartholomeus - commented finally Pietro, cook lunch on its back. Feeling de Thaon, Normandy, French,Sinbad thé Mariner thé whale-islandstory is linked Anglicus is interesting for "perhapswith ail that bombing thé fire, thé whale suddenly 13th century; William Caxton's to thé gluttonous portrayal of thé détails not found in other during thé war they took him for leaps into thé sea depths almost Bestiare d'amoui Myrrour of thé World, 15th thé whale in itself, thé sweet versions: thé explanation of a submarine,putting an end to taking, taking, or attempting to Richarda de Fournivala, French century odour symbolizing thé devil's origin ofamber and thé whale is hislife..." take thé sailors with it. After thé ISthcentury; BartholomeausAnglicus ' meansoftricking thé soûlsto his portrayedas tender and protective story is told, usually thé moral is Thé Bestiary of Gui- De proprietatibis rerum, 13th favour,commonly thé depictions towardsits young. (Grey amber 0 BESTIARIES, WHALES lyi straightforwardly put as follows: llaumea le Clerc, France, 13 century in such cases comprise both is in fact produced by sperm- yl l-l< AND TALES just as thé whale with its sweet stoljece; motifs: whale-island story and whales and used since long as ^' scent/illusion of haven deludes Bartholomeus Anglicus whale's feeding of thé little fixative in perfumery). Thé 20th century stories of thé unsuspecting victims, so thé Bestiary, England, 13th ce&In ail of thèse versions, thé fish. This 'twofold négative' thé Organante,thé mysterious Devil by false promises tricks thé tury; coreof thé story while differing portrayal makes thé whale a Thé whale of our story is a island-fish, date centuries back soûls of thé weak, leading them Thé TuscanBestiary, latf in détails, is almost thé same. powerful andfrightening image. complexcontainer ofmeanings. f,l andwere widely popularduring to a real/symbolic death. Such ISth/early 14th century,Italian Thé taie could be scrutinized Gluttony as oneofseven deadly Presumably thé influences CT- thé Middle Ages, especiallyin was thé messageof thé médiéval In thé late 14th century it wa' following various criteria, but sins is in direct relationship came from different/opposite 0 Uq thé main criterion thé nature :ul bestiaries. clerks, using allegory to portray translated into Catalan; is of with whale's characterization directions, for a lenghty period to their pious believers thé evils Thé Middle-English Bes thé giant fish (hère denominated of a 'cunning plotter', a oftime intersectingin thé whale- Thé bestiary is a 'literary' of thé material life, and thé tiary, 13thcentury 'théwhale'), i.e. its benevolence trickster. Thé combination of islandstory and thus contributing t genre set up after thé Greek metaphysical benefit ofavoiding or malevolence.In général, it thèse two attributes, merely to its many variations. Malignity/ ftl Physiologus(or Thé Naturalist; could be saidthat in thé médiéval their juxtaposition, gives both henevolence is thé key ffi from Greek phisys: nature and bestiariesin which thé stories of of them, via exchange new characteristic illuminating thé l. logos: word, science) from animaisserved as templatesfor meanings. Gluttony is, on one possibility of différent sources/ E 2nd century Alexandria. religious sermon and as 'anti- hand, usually associatedwith influences to be accounted for. ^ Physiologuswas a description exempla'thé whale is portrayed thé sin oflust. With this in mind, Secondly,there is a possibility of animais known in thé ancient asmalevolent,demonic in nature. whale's portrayal in médiéval that thé change of function of world. Médiéval bestiaries, Conversely,in thé folk taiessuch bestiaries is one of multiple thé whale-islandstory is a key to though, were more than an asthat of théOrganante thé giant negativity. interprétation ofthis différence. effort at scientific description fishis a 'just'a mysterious myth- Taking into considération le of fauna as for their Greek making animal. In Croatian 2. Benevolent whale Goff's periodization of thé predecessor,but, each animal versionof thé story, moreover, Thé gigantic sea créature that médiéval literature according wastaken to hold a symbolicand it is recognizedas a whale that in its spotters awakens feelings to its attitude towards thé allegoricalmeaning. Therefore, fell asleepon thé seasurface, of both gréât awe and fear, is wondrous, it seems to be thé each chapter, in addition to whena fishermanand his family nonetheless 'another God's changeof thé moralistic function descriptionofan animal,would embarkon it to rest and cook créature' or 'whale' that has not a towards anecdotal fùnction. Both also serve as a moralistic lesson somefish stew.Next, thé whale, cunning doom outlined forthose were for a long time actual/ on situations from human life or bumedby théfire, sinksas thé it encounters in thé versions valid becausethey successfully traits ofhuman character. familyhurriedly embarks their as numerous as: both Croatian fulfilled their underlying littlefishing boat. Thé Croatian version and thé south-Italian function: re-enactment and In this context, whales were versionwhich cornesfrom a little storiesof thé Organante,Talmud, cathartic annulment offear of thé représentée as monstrous fishingvillage Komiza on thé 1001 Nights, Theobaldus' unsteady,dynamic and perilous cunning giants, m two ways: lslandof Vis, was first written Physiologus, Fournival's élément ofwater.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL 0F ISLAND AFFAIRS 19 St Brandon's sailing monks, container for assigning thé an action that is created by res, events- happening. once safe on thé boat after thé straightforward négative overstepping thé limits of whale swam away, say: 'Yes, associationson thé line: heretic- thé expected, thé horizon of Thé fire (built on thé make- father,' saidthey: 'we wondered, believer/sinful-righteousas in thé expectations. By sailing out believe island for thé purpose and were seized with a gréât earlierperiod:itbecame awidely to thé seas, man leaves behind of cooking) is thé élément of fear.' acceptedliterary convention, a thé stable ground of thé land change,dynamism. Thé fire sets motif openedforplay. However, and gives itself to thé dynamic thé island in motion; thé island 3. Thé miraculous of thé story even with changesof context élémentof water (thé sea).He thusreveals its true identity,that Until thé 12thcentury, thé Phy- and détails, from bestiaries, leaves a structured and articulate ofafloatingwhale. siologus was thé most disse- literature, oral folk anecdotes, world and moves towards a minated book after thé Bible , thé whale-island story endured world of thé unexpected and Thé island is terra in sale - land a fact that speaks loudly about with gréâtpopularity around thé uncertainty. An event also marks immersedinto thé salty élément. its influence on médiéval cul- Mediterranean.This fact speaks thé entranceinto a story, it is a This is how Latin culturepercei- ture and how people perceived loudly ofits universalityand thé motif for story-telling and for ved an island, denominatingit animals/nature. Thé médiéval function it fulfils in thé human listening thé narrated.In short, insula. Land-based cultures hâve worldview, significantly diffe- psyché. stepping out of thé familiar while therefore,from thé word insula, rent from thé modem and thé entering into thé unexpected, created words such as: isolate, 0 ai contemporary, did not see an gives way for a story. isolation, isolated.Thé percep- Vi SEMI 0 TI C ^^" animal just in itself, it was tion thé Land dweller has of thé Q" viewed in relation to God's STRUCTURE 0F THE Thé water is thé dynamic, uns- Island is oneofan isolatedland, création and assignedan alle- WHALE-ISLAND teady, unstable élément which disconnectedfrom thé world, gorical meaning. Sometimes, is chaotic, mysterious; it défies condemnedto etemal loneliness. STORY thèse meanings assigned to a man'scognitive quests for unra- This is why islandshâve served single animal were complex Physiologus simply narrated thé Physiologus are presumabl} velling it. Wateris materiaprima. as prisons, isolating thé law- l and/or even contradictory and animalwonders, while allegorical thé oldest versions (of thé ones At thé level of thé unconscious breakers,with thé seaas a sepa- CT) Ha those :ul more often than not, imaginary and symbolic interprétations collected so far); there are Circulation of thé whale-island it has kept its place as thé pre- rating abyss, withwaves instead animais also found their place (whale-Devil; refuge-Devil's stories that survived until thé con- story in Mediterranean cultu- creational élément; preceding of bars. Thé Land dweller sees ^' in bestiaries, such as a phoenix. illusion etc) were added later on. temporary times, or at least intc res and beyond is thé witness cosmos, it holds thé status of thé Island as a fragmentdevoid 3 According to thé French histo- Thèse 'adaptations' diminished thé 20th century.Earlier, we hâveof thé underlying motivation chaos. Water threatens with of unity. However,this percep- 0 rian and scientist Jacques Le thé realnature of thé Physiologus. divided thé versions accordinç thèsecultures share, even when sinking, its limitlessness hints at tion doesnot graspthé fact that Goff, our wondrous fish-island However, thé process was to thé malevolence/benevolencc an indisputableproof of inter- wonders and mysteries. Water is thé island is a unity defined by story belongs to thé mirabilia réversible: due to popularity of thé whale of our story. Thé connections and influences that thé spaceof miracles,adventu- thé sea, self-reliant, a world l bestiaries and thé wonders Old ^ genre,which told thé storiesof of most malevolent was in thé wouldexplain thé dissémination % thé fantastic events and being therein narrated, stories as thé English Physiologus,5th centur)of thé story from one culture to whose origin is pre-Christian, whale-island story entered thé (Exeter Book lOth century), bul thé next cannot be found. Thé from older 'pagan'civilizations. folk literature, as in Italy and was also distinctively so in Thé- story has its own socio-cultural This is why strangeand 'mons- Croatia. Thé change of médium, obaldus, llth century. Hère and psychological motivation trous' beings suchas whalesin context and 'genre' resulted in whale was associated with an interprétation of which is thé story are assigneddemonic re-strengthening thé miraculous devil, was called a démon offered hère. powers: they were a substrate of thé story. Thé whale-island 'cunningplotter'. Apart firompré- of heathen civilization that had story from thé island of Vis and meditated harm-doing to men, il Théwhale-island story has a to be marked negatively. Le thé Organante stories illustrate was attributed with gluttony tertiary structure and man is Goff suggests that, when faced this. pride. In short, its portrayal at its centre (thé fishermen;or with thé miraculous, thé Church rather devilish. family of father, mother and assignsit thé négative attributes, A quick look at thé list of thé Thé mentioned works are sonin Croatian version): boat to suppressits influence, or even works in which thé whale-island dated before thé breach of ~ water (sea) - fire - island more in this case, to change its storyis foundreveals that most of miraculous in thé mainstreafl (make-believeisland). meaning to serve its purposes: thé sourcesare dated in thé range médiéval culture according te thé pagan mythological being of llth -15th centuries, or, more Le Goff. It is possiblethat, astte Théboat enables mobility: abi- becomes a démon. Originaly, precisely in thé 13th century. mirabilia becanie mainstream il utyto travel, for an adventurous thé early versions ofpsycholo- Talmud and thé Greek original culture, it was not any more event.An eventis by définition
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL 0F ISLAND AFFAIRS 21 in itself, a planet with its own with sinking. In parallel,just as a succession of circular waves certainty and anxiety raising and bewilderment. Conditions deservea similar interprétation. gravity field. Théancient Greeks one seekslost stableground in a reducingtheir sizewhile movin^from their sailing conditions. No markedby a strongréduction of Such is only partially thé case perceivedthé islandas a floating boat, one also seeks an attribute away from their centre. wind and deadly calm sea,thick familiar environmental stimuli, for Pietro, his uncle and his entity, denominatingit nesos.In ofunsteadiness,instability in an Yet, unfortunately thé compari. fog, needfor shelter,etc. inducing loss of bearings and cousins. Croatian languagethé word for island. At thé oneiric level, thé son among severalversions, in Thé second permanent élément stunning, in a highly dangerous Their adventure took also island is otok. Thé etymology island is a tossingboat, one that différent times and circumstan- of thé tale's structure is surrounding. A well known place in those disorientating of this word reveals that thé can be sunk. ces uncovers also a new andto disembark, light fire and syndromein psycho-pathology, meteorological conditions of island is perceived as land eut unexpectedharvest ofmeanings, cook food. In fact there is no thé so called arctic hysteria is a white sea, "mare jancu" as off, encircled and defined by Finally, regarding our whale- Such is thé case ofour Island-fisl apparentneed for thé sailors to one of its aspects. It befalls on they say. What they met in thé sea. island story, we corne to thé story. Its spécifie morphology, systematicallycook food, while Eskimoswhen hunting with their thé Messina straits, what they visualization of thé subcons- allowed since ancient times, restingon land.There is however kayaksin deadlycalm seaduring called Organantefollowing an On thé other hand, thé island cious perception of island as a thé attribution of religions anda needfor semanticredundancy a misty day in conditions of total old cultural model imbedded in does not perceive itself either false stable,solid ground - that apologetic meanings, makin^in thé taie itself. whiteness.Sky, ice and a light- their minds,was not thémythical as floating entity, or immersed in seconds removes itself from happymany générations ofprea. Dry land is where man is at reflecting sea induce a deadly Organante . What they saw, into, or encircled by salty water. underneath our feet. Its being chers. But thé story survives till home, where he îs safe. More loss of bearingsfollowed by a was most probably a big sperm Thé island does not see itselfas above thé surface is threatened our times, till this author time,so, close to thé hearth at home frantic escapeattempt, ending whalepursued by a gangofkiller an island. It perceives instead its by thé possibility of levelling prunedfrom ail middleaged reli. where food is cooked. To cook often with thé kayak'scapsizing whales. Thèse beasts strike with 0 food on « that » land is a rhetoric ÛG uniqueness, denominating thé with thé water,of sinking. gious paraphernalia.The ston and thé hunter'sdrowning. their heads thé larger whales, IVi Land terra ferma (in Dalmatia, cornes to us from thé Messin? procédure of a hypothetic obligethem to opentheir mouths Q' thé word for land is teraferma). Thé whale as an illusion ofisland straits or thé Croatian islands noi original story teller to increase Let's now suppose that our and snatchaway their tangues.. Assigning thé attribute of soli- or as a real being (sea monster) asa taie for kids, but asthé reporits public's surprisewhen ..« It Dalmatian seafaring family, Thé cultural model allowed our dity, of motionlessness to thé are two possibleperceptions at of facts happened to knowr wasa gigantic sleepingfish, not anxious and disorientated by scared to death fishermen to mainland, thé island implicitly thé unconsciousreprésentation people,two or threegénération! an Island ! » is announced. thé thick fog stumblessuddenly recover and back to land, share assigns itself as its opposite. level of an island as a spaceof ago. We shall not risk us henThé above considérations lead on an emerging reef. We could with their fellow-fishermen their l Thus, Island is a land that is not stableinstability. At thé oneiric to give answersto ail questioius to présumethat our story was expect from them a réaction of extraordinary and frightening r& terra ferma- it is terra marique, level, thé island is a being slum- marks that could be raised a in fact structurally conceived relief, to hangaround there with expérience. it is land definedby thé dynamic bering at thé sea surface that this point. Our hermeneutictool from thé beginning as a taie, their boat until a breezesweeps ^ élément of thé sait water, of thé could in anymoment plunge into if we wish to adopt one, shoulcaiming at illustrate through a away thé fog. Did they light a stability ofits etemalinstability, thé abyss of limitless sait water allow us to reach an acceptablihappymetaphor thé uncertainties fire? Nothing is less sure .Yet ro thé permanenceof change,ofits that encircles it. solution to our riddle as easih of seafaring.A metaphoralso after a while thé reef seems to inquiétude. as possible. Absolute truth surprisinglyapt to fill-in religious sink away,fog is still therestress s SOME CONCLUDING anyway beyond our reach. preachesfor centuries. and anxiety reach a climax. Thé By placingoneselfin a boat,man crew starts to row trough thé i REMARKS ^ seeks to find thé stable ground Let's observe that since its But what about thé facts related fog towards nowhere. What it has lost when he removed Any âges-old narrationor mythi- liest version, thé story has threi bythé authors as happened aknost happenedwith that reef? Ebb and Josko Bozanic is a Professor at thé Departinentof'Croatian Studiesat thé himself from thé land. But, thé cal taie such as thé Island- fish unchangedcore éléments: (l in our times along thé Dalmatian tides flow don't corne to their Lniversityof Split. josko. bozanici (?s . t-com. hr boat offers only an appearanceof one, which is thé subjectofour - Seafarersdiscover suddenly aror thé Sicilian shores ? Hère, scared minds. Recovery from stability. It is immersed into thé paper,shows a strongpolysémie Island on their route and they art suspicious reader l shall take fright anddisorientation is made dynamic élément ofwater and it morphology. Severalmeanings in need to land there. (2) - thé; advantagefirom thé paradigms of thus possible by thé intervention can NOT survive by defying it, can therefore be attributed to disembark to cook food and ligb disciplinessuch as Psychology of a rescue cultural model: "it but only by yielding to it. Howe- thé taie following thé perspec- a fire for this purpose. or ethno-psychiatry. was an old sleepingwhale, he ver, boat is an island encircled tive or thé interests of that or (3) - Thé seemingly Island is f Youmay recall that thé above got burnt or disturbed by us by water. Boat is an island with that other reader or listener. Thé gigantic sleepingfish or whalefactstook seemingly place in a and plunged away." This model its own gravity field. Thosewho latter influencedon their tum, by Hurt by thé fire thé monsteipeculiarmeteorologicalcontext. imbedded since long in their as from a boatseek a stabileground chronologicalas well ascultural plunges,but thé seamen Calmsea and densefog minds provided them with thé Lni buliubasic is a lesearch as substitutefor land are punis- biases. As suggestedby Levy intime.. reported for thé Croatian case. strengthto resist panic and words assistantworks thé Depanmentol'Croatian Deadlycalm, slightly misty, Studies of thé racultv of Ilumanities and hed by vomiting. It is necessary Strauss,each version ofa taie, of to tell their fellow villagerstheir Social Sciencesin Split. to acceptthé boat asplanet with a myth is uniqueand deserves as Let's proceedfurther: theseafaa white" sea, according to fearful expérience. enib@ITst. lir its own gravity, acceptits stable such spécifie attention. rers are happy to discover thi lhe Siciliansailors. Conditions Thé Sicilian adventure of instability, its dynamism in con- Each version, as a stone thrown unexpected(is)land that assucti thèse,generating anxiety and aAngelo'sgrand-father might also quering thé forces that threaten into sleeping waters, générâtes should bring relief to thé uncel-Pressingfeeling ofdisorientation
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL 0F ISLAND AFFAIRS 23 We'd like to remark that this in thé décorative function ofthis time is a reflection of heaven /r^, /T'Y k^ [s a unpublishedresearch of a furniture speciallythé onesused which has thé gift to prevent ^ lon-studied subject within thé as omamentsin rural and popular catastrophes. Catalancontext, with only a few houses.Curious enoughis that bibliographical références. It thé recently made sea chests We find stylistic and building tf^l -1 ^0 can then a significant gap in présent thé same décorative coïncidences between thé two . fill JU> c^ ^y ^Jr - thé généralhistory of furniture, topics as thé old ones.This make furniture: ex-votos and sea andparticularly in thé studyand us think that thé topics of this chests. In both cases thé wood interpreting of iconographical furniture cornes from popular used is soft wood from riverside topics' reproductionsin popular tradition, and we can still follow trees like thé poplar. And also culture. its footprints through time to in both cases, no spécifie or further study. particularsolution or préparation
INTERNATIONAI.JOURNAL 0F ISLANDAFFAIRS 25 Figure 2 (From private collection) After an intenseresearch, we may latter in his writings. author is not always right. For Figure 3 (From Museud'Histôria de SantFeliu de Guixols) fairiy saythat there are nearly no instance, he describes pièces référence books or a significant Mr. Pons Guri undertook a built from oak wood and still we bibliography about this topic spécifie research on sea chests hâvenot found any.And still an within thé Catalan land. Among in 1968, which resulted in important aspect is yet on thé thé setofbooks found regarding thé publishing of a paper that fly; it is weather ail thé boxes Catalan fumiture, Josep Mainar cataloguée thé Museu Fidel with paintings in their inside always mentions sea chests Fita's sea chest collection. Its which hâve been found are sea in his books4. He takes thé gréât interest lies on thé fact chestsor not. He statesThere are opportunity to speakabout sea that he names thé family who proceedingfrom innerplaces and chests when he's describing currently owns them, so it is persists a tradition at least from bride chests. He examines thé possibleto placegeographically 15th century.Mr. Pons Guri to many kinds of chests found andtemporarily every pièce and define them as sea chests takes in along thé centuries, starting to find out who its originalowner accountweather they hâve gripes with thé study of gothic pièces was, not to say to find out why to transportthem, otherwise they and their évolution through thé he used it for. l s worth to say that could be servant chests, a kind years,finding that thé fumiture from ail thé sea chests until now not so rich as wife chests and 0 en in question only changes its days researched, in just a very built as well from soft woods VI décorative aspect, since it still few cases we can tell where it and polychromatic to enrich and ïï servesas a personalbelongings' cornes from or who thé owner personalise them. container. Given thé similarities was. In thé foreword of thé found between Catalan gothic mentioned paper, he describes chests and sea chests, Mainar some of thé features whichmake remarks thé existence of thé sea chests what they are, but thé Figure 4 (From private l(T) collection) ^' r fi) ffi El (s
ofsea chests'iconography. So in function of thèseimages is very motif. This hypothesisaboutth thé polychrome scènesof thèse affective,even if thé proportions authority of thé paintings ha we also find a simplificationsof are nor thé best suitable for thé somedark points, and althougt thécomposition and fonns as well performance neither totally we still cannottotally assurewh a strong insistence, understood naturalists.This ratherprovides thé authorsof thépaintings were as thé systematicrépétition of fhecomposition with its mgenuity there seemsto appearthat then thé sameéléments. This permits and spécialfeatures. was a sort of artisan workshoî thé observerto quickly identify From mouth to mouth tradition since many of thé furnitun thé image,since it only recréâtes news about sea chests hâve hâvea similar methodologyau what is essential, refusing survived until nowdays. One building -and this could leai whatever superfîcial, fact that of thé best known tells that thé us to thé same author-. Tb emphasizes thé communicative authors of thèse naïf paintings specialisingof thé furmturecouli capacity of sea chests. Thé were thé sailors themselves, also meanthat they were mad scene'sbackground is absolutely who on their leisure time on thé by thé local artisan,who paintei schematic,déficient, as it only ship,painted their own seachests perhaps ex-votos and othe supportsthé foreground'simage. to customise and personalise pièces as well as sea chests. Nevertheless thé expressive them with a previously chosen
INTERNATIONALJOURNAL 0F ISLANDAFFAIRS 27 Figure 5 (From Museu d'Arenys de Mar) An oftently repeatedpicture is thé one oftwo levers meeting in a gardenof finit treessurrounding a fountain. This environment ftill of références to abundance and fertility -such as thé fountain of life and thé abundance of fruits-, is thé background of a loving scènebetween two young lovers, usually richly dressedup promisinglove (symbolized by thé burning heart) and loyalty (symbolizedby thé picture of a dog and a cage with a bird in it, or thé picture of bird tied / /. to a ribbon string held by one of thé levers) to each other. To 6 Vt complète thé idyllic scenery Vt there is often thé character of h-** Figure 6: Two lovers meeting in a garden. Q- a musicianas well. Popularand (From Museu Maritim de Barcelona) traditional dances is topic strongly connected with that
just described,often showing l0e? coupleswho dance at thé sound ^ ofthemusic. ^
is worth to note that thé same La marina del vuit-cents by inside covers had already been could face during thé trip. ThfIt Emericià Roig offers us a new left apartto new ways of art. are similar to thé ones we find insistently repeated symbols light over thé discoveries found thé ex-votos. appearin mostof thèsepictures, 0) sun and moon, thé H-l during this researchtrough thé Summary of thé topics and like thé thé or H-l mostrcmarkable bibliography on symbols recreated inside sea In thé Museu de la Punta birds and thé stars,which can l- sea chest. Roig writes about thé chests . collection in Arenys de M also be found in nearly every J" scène. This insistence could be CTQ sailors' baggage:In long travels, there is an examplethat sho^; CD like going to America, crew As we hâve mentioned above, very well thé intégration i dueto thé importanceof ail this membershad a large baggage, thé main feature of this kind ex-voto topics within sea chesélémentsfor seaman, as they consisting on wood chests of décorative performance is scènes(figure l). It is a pictuwereail necessaryfor sailing. Thus, understand locked, résistantand unpainted. thé variety oftopics ofits inner ofa family sitting arounda tabl we might why they are included thé When they are empty, those polychrome paintings. If thèse eating and playing some mus in Figure 7: Knights fighting Figure 8: Thé four seasons pictures. chestswere usedas a seat.They boxeswere to travelfor long with instruments. Two clouds in thé si carriedgenerally several clothes, their ownersthrough thé seas,it hold représentationsofLa Pie) underclothes, belt, bonnet and is remarkablethat we hardly fmd (Piety) and El Calvari (Calvar} It is alsovery usual to find cour- typical footwear. And also bed any sailing topic. So, there are thé two sailors hermitages itesanscènes ofknights fighting or recreating thé four seasons. clothes, bed sheets,wool blanket nearly no récréationsof ships, Arenys.Through this simpleai and pillows. harbours or sea storms. Thé most at thé same time evocative ima; Théfirst topic consists mainly of common topics are thé family we find manyof thé topicsbefo aChristian knight fighting with Although this paragraph life, thé people they left behind described ail together. But v aTurkish or Muslim knight, but emphasizes thé fact that some and missed and traditions and must say that it is thé only sometimesboth ofthem belong seachests do not hâvepaintings, fashion of thé time. There are found ofthis kind. lo thé samearmy as we can it might be dueto thé fact that by alsosome religious ones,though noticethat they wear thé same thé time he wrote it, thé practice scarceas well, askinga Saint for uniform;but in this case,one of of polychromepainting thé their protection against harms they théfighters is a woman
INTERNATIONALJOURNAL 0F ISLANDAFFAIRS 29 We estimate thé four seasons is a relevant topic because of thé numerous fmdings. Its popularity cornesperhaps from an important fact for thé time sailorsas it is thé time. Not only for thé longjoumeysouter home but also for thé importance of thé climate and seasonal changesfor navigationetc. Thé topics on popular culture and folklore such as songs are very interesting since they are real extracts of thé fashion of thé time. We would like to mention two singular and outstanding G scèneson this topic: one can be 6 found in a sea chest at Museu Vt Figure9: Knightsfighting (FromDiputaciô de Girona) Figurel l : Thésong "Mambrù" (From Museu de la Pesca,Palamôs) C/3 Maricel in Sitges,an thé other Q' in a sea chest's lid preserved at "Mambrù" is still another présents. John Churchill, later noticed, religious and devotional thé Museu de Palamôs. Thé first example of a traditional song duke of Malborough, was born topics do not prevail m seachests. one is about thé "burial of thé recreated on thé inner side of a on June 24, 1649 in Ashe, in Still we hâve actually found in known as thé rats' cat" -also seachest's lid. Thé songis based Devon Shire.He was son of Sir théinside oftwo pièces,religious (s. procession-. Written ances- on a real fact which was really WinstonChurchill, descendent of épisodesfull of figurative scènes cr CD tors of this topic are narrative popular during thé XVIIIth. thé Courcil ofPooitou (France) like Judithbeheading Holofemes poemssuch as "Romance nuevo century.It becameso well known, and Elisabeth Drake. He died and Adam and Eve. titulado Casamiento de la gâta that still now days many of us paralytic on June 1722, with a morena,hija del gato romano", canrecognize thé Spanishlyrics. solemn funeral. Thé popularity Thèse topics prevail aver songslike "Don Gato" andthea- Most of thé Catalan folklore wasfaded, but a roguish French otherwise very popular n> 1-H tre pièceslike thé one that des- scholarsmentioned thé song in wrote a Malborough's song, topics in gothic chests and cribes a spokendance which is their compilations and this is extending it everywhere.France, church altarpieces like thé part of thé CostumariCatalà by l howwe know its placeoforigin abashed, took revenge with a Announcement.Thus they hâve ^ JoanAmades.They might hâve andthé popularity song abouî thé heroic victorious a very spécial meaning: they ^ servedas an inspirationfor that it reached. général, being one persistent and could be strongly related to thé particularsea chest. Popular and folkloric case.Thé successfulof moral concepts of "sin" and other dances are undoubtedly Figure 10: Rats' procession(From Museu Maricel, Sitges) AccordingtoCapmany:Thename thé Malborough song is due to "guilt" sincein both picturesthé part ofCamival tradition,whose mainly known is Malbrough or Mme. Poitrine, Marie Antoinette man(being Holofemes or Adam) is today a célébrationknown as Marlborough,and by language met-nurse in 1781. This song is thé victim of a temptation burial sardine" which "thé of thé corruption Mambrû. This name was a gréât successful in thé offered by thé woman (being introduces us to Lent. stretcher transportedby happy in front of thé représentation cornesfrom an Englishgénéral, court and later to aristocracy, Judith or Eve), but which only Even tough thé picture was rats dancing at thé sound of a a remarkable traditional hol' winnerwith thé prince Eugène rich men, bourgeois, andfinally bring worry and punishment performedon abidimensional and musician. They go from left to festivity in Catalonia.Surely it of Austriaagainst French and to thé people. to them. They could be seen flat supportor surface,thé author right. And going from right to choice wasn't left to chance 01Bavarianarmies in 1704.Thèse as warnings, as behavioural managedto create a sequential left, thé lower scène shows thé is an isolatedfact but it probabl)victories were remarkable and Through this sea chest we can patternsof man being tempted narration where thé movement rats, heartbroken and abashed, hasa symbolicmeaning implied veryknown. Emperor Charles II strongly appreciatethé immense by thé womanand obtaining not and thé moving of thé characters going towards thé church. Thé It could represent thé end o °fAustriagives him thé title of influence that a very happyresults from it. They from oneplace to anotherare thé trees falling to one side tell a festivity to start a period o Pnnce,Queen Anne ofEngland song supposedto thé culture and would be like reminders for thé outstanding points. Thé scène us that hère is a strong wind abstinence,a metaphor of 8lves him Woodstock lands, fashion of thé end of thé 18th. sailors of what could happenif is divided longitudinally on thé blowing , perhaps thé Lent's beginningofa long trip. government increases century and thé somebodyleaves thé right path wood's surface. On thé upper wind, said to bring depressing }lispayment, and thé city of beginning of thé 19th ail over and falls in temptationssuch as side we see thé cat lying on a moods. It appears so that we are gives him splendid Europe.As we hâve repeatedly infidelity or betrayal,etc.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL 0F ISLAND AFFAIRS 31 A remarkable aspect of sea chests' paintingsis thé way they freely represent Judith as a Christian woman, well dressedand jewelled, and Holofemes as a Muslim chieftain. This could be relatedto piracy, an endémieproblem for centuries on thé Catalan coast, whereAfricanpirate attacks were really feared.Among severalépisodes, there is thé one of thé attack to thé city of Palamôsby pirate Barbarrojain 1563. We also find popular performancesof Adam and Eve (figure 10), like thé mysteries,thé oldest and more archaic theatricalreprésentation.
Figure 12: Judith beheadingHolofernes (From Museud'Arenys de Mar) Additional to thé description of such a mystery we found romanceson thé collection) sametopic, its headingsaccounting with Figure 13:Adam and Eve (From private ô Thé gréât popularity of thèse Cycle. In thé évolution of thèse VeterotestamentaryCycle. Then C^l aprinted xilography. Most ofthis topic's yî topics and its moral contribution cycles is were we start finding are also testimoniesof spokei h^» performancesoriginale in thé written ^~ to thé society could dérive from thé theatrical and drama features dances, that is danced, sung an(i tradition initiated by Albert Durer, thé théâtre pièces, which were that which would leave a deep recited performances sud of whosesuccessful création would pass held many towns around in ail mark in popularCatalan théâtre, topics, specially in southen from father to son for severalgenera- Catalonia along thé year. specially thé Corpus Cycle. It Catalonia. Although we cannoi tionsuntil, throughpopular engravers it ^ mixed someaspects ofancestor show a clear connection betweei hasarrived to now days.It showsAdam ï Researches on popular Catalan tradition, suchas departing from thé mentioned performances and Eve dressed with leaf "valances" ^ théâtreshow a sériesoffestivities, thé temple, with traditions of and its théâtre représentation, standingbetween thé tree ofGood and processions and "paratheatrical" every town's popular festivities. still we présent some extracti thé tree ofEvil with a snake twisted in performancesheld on thé street of thé said Costumari Català te itstrunk. It is a commontopic ofHoly l Already in thé Middle Ages Scripturespoetry as well. or in thé towns' squareswhere some performances left thé and exemplify this possibility dl people were deeply involved scenicbackground of templesto show its similitude at least when Thisbrieflist oftopics among thé many o weather in an active way -as town squares.This approachto thé topic is concerned. foundin seachests' is only anexample amateur interpreters- or in a people, be it to educatesociety of thé potential contribution to thé l- passiveway -spectators looking on thé Church's dogmas,be it Judith and Holofernes understandingof symbols and icons forward to new représentations-. to give old practices considered belongsto théVeterotestamentaiî i thatthé research on this subjectmight Figure 14 (From private collection) We must look for thé origins pagana new religions meaning, Cycle. Thé authors of ses addto thé studyof seaethnography. of thèse théâtre performances led to thé successfùlcommunity chests' paintings could hav( To compile information about such a within thé religious works which célébrations when spectators been influencée by engravedpopularfurniture and its study from took place in thé temples. Thé would feel really excited and popular iconography, mainl} an mterdisciplinary perspective,that is takingin accountthé pièces'form Church quickly understood thé emoted. Holy Scripture poems, as well as o building, literature period gréât pedagogical value and theatrical popular iconography thé of thé f whenit was built, thé théâtre, thé politi- efficiency of those liturgical In El Costumari Català by There are pro ve s that it was a Manona Font Batlle is a professionalfrom thé Muséumde caland economical changes, etc. might dramas,weather they were held JoanAmades figures notes and topic successfullyrepresented l'Anxovai de la Salde l'Escala(Catalunya-Spain), muséum member leadus to understand théquotidian life in thé templeor somewhereelse. références of Catalan towns during popular festivities. oftheAMMM (théAssociation ofMediterranean Maritime Muséums) ofanimportant part of Catalan society. Graduatein Art Histoiy from thé UniversidyofGirona and Phd at thé And sothé religious cycleswere wherealong thé 19thcentury this probably because of ths Thus,thé study ofthis simple quotidian University ofBarcelona.Working on a privateart collection,where she created;that is religious dramas sort of religions performances truculenceimplied in thébiblical object,with its décorative connotations, dedicated her Phd on sea chests. performed according to thé took place, specially when passage.JoanAmades describes canoffer us new pointsof view, very [email protected] liturgical calendar which were there were dances,processions in El CostumariCatalà a Spokel Particularat times,of thé time when sea basicallydivide into five cycles: or during thé town's mayor Dance on this topic held ir chests'were created. thé Lent Cycle, thé Christmas festivity. Some of them are différent areas of Catalonia' Cycle, thé veterotestametary thé mentioned examples of called "Thé Dance of Judith Cycle, thé Hagiographiecycle, Judith and Holofemes and Adam Widow" thé Marian Cycleand thé Corpus and Eve, which belong to thé
INTERNATIONALJOURNAL 0F [SLANDAFFAIRS 33 It is obviousthat when comparing which was eaten on days of r^ /n>, /T;; Table 1.2 ^^ ^y v^Ll ab ard a altese orsai thé above lists one will réalise fasting and remainspopular in thé différent provisions thé two Sicily albeit it being expensive Thé vaxello of Captain ships embarked. Thé larger today. Pastawas also bought Zelalich carried: ship obviously took aboard from Malta; Giacomo Potesta ship, a ïàcetof thé rso at alta Ship biscuit more provisions. Thé vaxxelo delivered a consignment of had more hold space and thé pastato thé frigate ofLeopoldo Varions qualities of . _775-1798 captainhad to provide victuals Désira in 1778. Potesta delivercd pasta for a larger crew. Thé food varionstypes ofpasta including Rice foundin thèselists was usually two basketsof macaroni, two Broad beans augmented ail throughout basketsofvermicelli, a basketof thé journey, making sure thé tagliolini, and a basket oftaria. White beans By Gauci Liam supplies were always fresh. Ail thépasta was delivered from Pastafrom Napoli Comparingthé list of Capitan thé giant's fountain close to Taria (thin long pasta) Zelalich with a war galley of Del Monte gâte by boat to thé Almonds thé Order one fînds various frigate which lay at anchor at Two hundredeggs similarities,yet thé ingrédients Lazzareto. Ail thé provisions 0 seemto bemore frugal on board w were deliveredby thé barcloro Twenty four chickens M thé corsair vessels. There is no TABLE l in their daghjsatal passfrom thé Fifteen barrels of salted s- , xhaustive évidence of a rich venture. A well fed crew is a évidenceofcinnamon on board Grand Harbour to Marsamxett. tuna and sardines maritime past exists on thé happy as well as healthy, such or nutmeg, or even chocolaté, Maltese islands. Thé Maltese a formula went a long way Thé feluccaofCaptain ingrédientswhich formed and Once a corsair ship was out Dried salted cod corso is one such facet which in having a successful corsair Valentini carried: essentialpart of thé victuals at sea it did at times retumed Smoked ham ^, yields intriguing historical dues croise. Victuals were an essential onboard thé shipsof thé Order to Malta to replenish supplies, Cheeses of various a- to Malta's maritime tradition. part of a corsair campaign.One Ship Biscuit ofSt. Johnas early as thé 16th usually thé vessel anchored at (T) qualifies Thé corso was an économie would assume that thé basis Rice and Various century. Notwithstanding thé Lazzaretoand bought provisions § activity of huge importanceto for successwere thé vessels, basicingrédients are mirrored from there. Captain Leopoldo Olive Oil an islandsuch as Malta. Frigates, weapons, and provisions. Ail Pasta in victual lists compiledfor thé Désira in 1782 bought for his Grappa l Xebecs, Galleys, Tartanas,and victuals carried aboard a corsair galleys of thé Order, such as sailors,lampuki (dolphin fish), Broad beans One hundredand twenty fïll Felluccas were anned and fitted ship werepaid for by thé captain driedsalted cod, chickens, eggs, semolinabread, pomi d'amore, Olive Oil cheeseand wine. wine barrels out by private individuals on and thé armatori. It was very pepperoni, broccoli, pepper, l thé island to attack Ottoman important that a corsair vessel Vinegar radishesand grappa. Captain Vinegar !. and Barbary shipping in thé was well suppliedwith foodstuff A lot of thé provisions which Gaetano Cavasso in 1784 Sugar s Mediterranean. This article and drink. Thé Order ofSt. John Grappa were embarked at Malta were restocked his galleot while at Coffee makes use of évidence found at Malta hada Systemin placeto Wine boughtfrom merchantson thé Lazzareto with: strawberries, during thé last years of this checkthat eachand every vessel, island.Rosaria Cassar sold bread cheesefrom Rome, sausages, Even tobacco was considered économieactivity. However thèse registeredevery single item that Smoked Hams fromher bakeryto a certain port wine and soap. Captain last ambers of such a dynamic was embarkedon thé ship. Thé Sopressate Salami VincenzoSpataro a corsair Giorgio Mitrovich in 1795 an important provision which a économie activity prove ever two lists that follow show what armatore. Other provisions bought lavish food for thé captainhad to buy for his crew. more intricate. In this présent was carried aboard two very Various Cheeses werealso bought from Malta; Knights which had joined Captain Gerolamo Ricardi in 1796 bought tobacco for his study l wish to investigate one différent ships - a small felucca Lard GiuseppeCamilleri delivered him for thé corso. When he maritime aspect of thé Corso; and a vaxxello/vaxxelotto. hismerchandise to Captainreturned to thé Lazzareto for sailors,and also for thé captured that is thé food taken aboard such Butter LeopoldoDésira. Camilleri replenishingMitrovich bought slaves whom he had brought corsair vessels. Thé aim of this A barrel of sardines deliveredDutch cheese, six pigeons,pork brains, pork into lazaretto. Thé ships clerk article is to glanée at a différent Ail thé provisions were meant _,. commoncheese, two barrelsof méat, tomatoes, strawberries, made a distinction in his account aspectofcorsair life to which we to service a felucca of twenty sardines,olives and a coupleof mint, calamari, dentex fîsh and books between thé crew and thé hâve been accustomed to read. men. Thé followinghowever rp^n^ ft h in lu barrelsof bottarga to Desira's mackerel fish for thé broth. slaves.Captain Stafi-ag in 1777 is a much longer list as it was )- Bottargawas a delicacy Mitrovich did not forget his on his re-entry into lazaretto This aspect is seldom talked intended for a crew ofcirca 150 whichwas very common in crew; he acquired swordfish, alsobought reeds for thé pipes about nevertheless an essential ofhis sailors. souls- Five dozen eggs ;eighteenthcentury, parsley, cabbage and salami part of any successful corsair n wasdried salted tuna roe, from Firenze for his men.
INTERNARONAI. JOURNAL 0F TSLANDAFFAIRS 35 Out at sea, provisions were tain Giuseppe Grech in October was running low as happened loaded with livestock. Estaden Papas benevolently gave thé he had left Grand Harbour. He constantlytaken on to augment 1794 at Zerricotto bought three on thé 12 December 1794, thé asked thé captain for some crew bread, wine, olive oil and made first for Xlendi were he thé supplies which had been pigs. Grech intended to sait thé sameCaptain, GiuseppeGrech wine. Thé captain thé Greek of some water melons. bought suppliesfrom a Michèle embarked at Malta. Thé most méat and préserve them for stopped a Venetian vessel and ship benevolently gave thé Di Batista,obtainingArtichokes, important stop for any corsair consumptionlater on during thé bought some wheat offthe Vene- Maltese ship some wine for tobaccoand pipes for his crew. vessel wanting to restock was croise. This is an interestingpro- tian ship. Grech then sailed free. Notwithstanding such Apart from thé usual barter or Germanvisited Xlendi again at Lampedusa. Thé islands' cedurewhich reflectspositively immediatelyto thé islandofSira, benevolencethé galleotwas still purchaseprocédure some corsair on his second campaign in importancefor thé Maltesecorso on thé diligence and ability of on arrivai he paid thé locals to runninglow on provisionsand at captains acquired provisions thé same year; this time from is unparalleledand tts importance thé corsairship's Mastro di Sala. crush thé wheat and also paid thé sametime thé ship was still through thé légal capture of Xlendihe bought bread, cheese, vis-à-visprovision on boardgoes Thé Chief Steward(for want ofa them once more to bake ships' unable sail clear of thé storm. enemy ships. In July 1788 four barrels of wine, a barrel a long way in explaining this better word) knew that October bread.Thé whole procédure Thé captain made a desperate Giovanni Géra with his xebec of sardines,and mutton méat. importance. CaptainBenedetto was thé perfect time to butcher thé captain80 piastre. bid to arrive at Zerrico. Once of twenty two cannonssubdued Each and every time German Valentini in 1792 arrived at thé pork méat and préserveit in theyreached Zerrico thé galleot an Ottoman ship, he found thé was stoppmg at Xlendi he was Lampedusaat five in théevening; sait. This wasa procédurewhich Food was bought when oppor- anchored close to thé tower of prize only loadedwith firewood, acquiring thé services ofa local he immediately bought for his was practiced ail over Europe, tunity presented itself. Howevei Saint Nicholas. Thé steward which was of no value to him, man to transport thé newly crew a whole ram from a local salted beef and especiallypork there were times when provi. immediatelyasked thé local tower what thé captain was really attained goods to his felucca. farmer.Thé cook then prepared was saltedfor généralhome use sionsran low on. CaptainGiuse- captainfor some ships biscuit. interestedin were thé supplies Further proof of thé économie thé mutton méat for thé crew. He andespecially for seagoing con- ppe Estaden in late 1776 found Unlike thé previous Greek 6 which thé Turkish crew had impact thé corso had on remote ÛO préparée thé stew on land close sumption. Victualling yards in himself in a terrible situation: M captain, thé Tower demandée onboard:ships biscuit andjars places such as Xlendi at Gozo. ^-k. to thé anchored felucca. Thé England always butcheredtheir his galleotfor dayson endsailed Q" paymentfor thévictuals, having of pickled bell peppers. Thèse CaptainValentini also madeuse felucca had no fire tray and so livestock for salting in autumn. through terrible storms. In a no money available Captain Géra immediately impounded of Gozo in 1792. This time, thé cook and some sailors had Méat was only salted in early bid to save his galleot Estaden Estadenhad to part with his for his crew. When Captain unlike German, Valentini was to prépare a fire on thé shore. winter,preferably when thé wea- startedthrowing his provisions Personalsilver pocket watch, PietroZelalich in 1785captured retuming back to Malta after a Thé crew feasted on a spécial ther was colder to avoid thé rot- over board. This décision did and six blunderbusses from crc an enemy londra, he decided cruise.Valentini did not plan to ^ mutton casserole which was thé ting of thé slaughteredpork due savehis crew and his ship froni his armamentas paymentfor to transfer ail thé livestock thé stop at Gozo however due to bad CD fîrst warmmeal they had enjoyed to thé heat. GiuseppeGrech's shipwreck, neverthelessit threv thésaid biscuit. Barteringwas subduedvessel was carrying for over a month out at sea. weather he had to make haste ships clerk Michèle Orsini paid his crew in a desperatesituatioii somethingwhich was commonly ontohis vaxxelottotreating his for thé geblatal-general bay at f. Provisions were also bought 18piastre for thépigs earmarked of hunger. Low on wine , he r->- usedto acquireprovisions by thé men to some fresh mutton méat DwejrainGozo. WhenValentini from islandsin thé Levant,Cap- for salting. When ship biscuit instantly stoppeda greekship Maltesecorsair captains. While during thé eveningmeal. Such realisedthat he had to spendthé s sailinga prize shiploaded with n> a procédurewas minutely noted night insidethé baythé captain tobaccoback to Maltathé tenente s in thé ships' book. As once thé immediatelyasked thé Tower at DomenicoRoretti sonofMarco capturedgoods were consumed, Dwejrafor somebread and wine. l- fromMonténégro stopped a ^ theywould not yield anyprofits To this requestthé tower duly OQ Frenchship. Thé tenente wanted 0 to thé captain and armatori at adhered. Then again however tobarter some of his capturedMalta. Therefore thé Clerk and there were instances where cargoof tobaccoin exchange thé Captainhad to give valid thé local militia at thé toweres forsome ships biscuit, garlic, reasons for consuming goods refusedto helpthé corsair ships. wmeand légumes,to which thé which technically belonged to LeopoldoDésira in July 1781 Frenchcaptain duly obliged. In thé owners and investors of thé wasdenied entry into Xlendi bay Aemeantime on his way back corsair vessel. by thé tower for someunknown toMalta he captureda checcio reason.He was not even allowed whichwas deemed better than Provisionswere also acquired at to replenishhis water supply theprizehewas commandeering Gozo. Instancesexist of ships from thé well of thé said tower. toMalta. Roretti abandoned thé going to Gozo immediately at This led to such a bad situation Prizeship, manned thé newly thé start oftheir cruise as well as on boardthat Désira had to rctum seizedcheccio and sailedto a towardsthé end of their cruise, to Malta, with nothing to show Greekisland. This unprecedented although thé latter was more for his cmiseof 1781.Water, as changeplan depleted further of abnormal then thé other. On thé LeopoldoDésira realised, was an alreadylimited provisions. 12 May 1778Captain German's important commodity on board beggedthé local papas eighteenmen felucca stopped any vessel. le islandfor provisions.Thé at Gozo only a few hours after
INIERNATIONALJOURNAL 0F ISLANDAFFAIRS 37 provisionsonboard deemed thé aspopular as grappa, and possi- knewhis captainwould adminis- wineto be verybad quality. ofa bly onlygiven to théofficiais, as ter evenbetter provisions. There Giuseppe Aquilina a sailor on Felice Micallef only embarked were spécial victuals which were board ship further added that 15bottles of Rumcompared to earmarkedfor sick sailors. Thé thé said wine was so bad that it thé 24 barrelsof Grappawhich farea sicksailor expected when couldnot be even called vinegar. he took on boardhis corvettein he was ill was half a chicken Désira smelling a bargain had 1795. preparedin a brothof long thin decidedto buy thé wine at thé pasta, onions and carrots. Not discountpriée onescudo per of Hot beverageswere also provi- only that, whenthé frigate 'La ban-el.It tumedout thé wine was dedon board,especially coffee. Croce'brought to thé lazaretto a so bad that it was decided that Coffee was usually mixed with numberofsick sailors,thé doctor only one barrelwould be kept largeamountsofsugar. Attimes administeredto themalmond oil, onboardwhile thé restwas thrown in factcoffee was listed together as well as crushed ice. overboard.Notwithstanding with sugar, Captain Gaetano suchstrong évidence attesting Cavassotook onboard3. 2kg of Thèseparticular foodstuffs are to thé bad quality of thé wine, Coffeeand Sugar for sixtymen. registered in thé ships books Désirastill hadto pay thé shop While CaptainZelalich in 1785 specificallyas food for thé sick. G owner GiuseppeBusietta as it 0 took on boardaround 4. 8kg of Thé doctoron boardalso carried Cd seemed Désira had known ail VI pure coffee, augmented with a Cassadei Medicamenti(box ^' alongabout thé bad quality of 8kg of sugar for a 150 sailors. of medicine)which held within 1-S thé wine. Coffeewas prepared in a spécial it mercury,dried malva flowers, utensil called a stagniata and andliquorish. Thécook while at Grappaand Rum were probably drankin spécialcofifee cupsj'ust seacould also conjure up some thécorsairs' favourite drink. One <2. like théones Captain Giuseppe rudimentary medicine if thé cr wasable to buy grappa out of One could face mutiny and total Captain Giuseppe Camilleri assailed thé corsairs, with Briffa illegally acquired from occasionprésentée itself. Tomaso CT> his own pocket while on board disaster when water started in 1797 made use of a bay in and musket fire. Pastorfido a Russian passengeron board Gattfrom Zebbug explained that ship.Pietro Trippocovich while a Greek vessel 1793. Ano- running low. Water on board was Lampedusa which thé Order's ordered a général retreat and in while servingon thé brigantine onboardCaptain Lorenzi's bri- carried mostly in wooden barrels, galleys usually frequented. On reached thé shore with his men ther hot beverage which was of Captain Leopoldo Désira gantinehad incurred depths with just like thé onesGirolomo Cassar other occasions thé landing at around2p. m., after which he found onboardcorsair ships, in thé late 1770s thé tenente FrancescoAngeli thé Mastro di Ci sold. Altematively it was kept or placeswhich thé captainschose broke thé news to his captain althoughnot very popularboth GiuseppeEstaden captured a Salafor grappahe hadbought served in clay pitchers, referred were not as familiar and such explamingthé reason why he on board and at Malta was tea. small Greek merchant vessel. ^ fromthé latter during thé cam- to in thé documents in Maltese landings could end in disaster. returnedempty handed. When comparing it with thé Estadenescorted thé captainof as containers paign.Trippocovichlisted thèse coffee embarkedon board it is t bomblu. Both On thé 19th of September thécaptured vessel and a priest debtsin his will to makesure he ^ proved to be unpractical. Thé 1779 Captain Giovanni Andréa Unlike water, alcoholic quite negligible, nevertheless who waspassenger on thé vessel paidfor thé grappahe haddmnk. water in wooden barrels became Preziosi armed his felucca with rages kept better in woodei évidenceof tea showsthé pur- to Desira's brigantine. Estaden Grappawas takenon boardin undrinkable after a few days 23 men under thé command of barrels. Thé documents reveala chasing power of thé Corsair was claiming that thé Catholic gréâtamounts; Captain Zelalich whilst thé bombli were too his primo tenente Domenico whole array of alcoholic drinks Captainwhen he acquiredsuch priest who was dressedin a black m 1785took on boardwith him small to keep large amounts Pastorfido. Thé Maltese corsair's dmnk onboard: wine, aquavit expensive goods for his ship. robewas hiding somemoney eightbarrels of grappafor his CaptainLeopoldo Désira 777 of water. Therefore every few ancillary craft sailed towards (grappa),rum, Maraschinoand in l belongingto a Turk underneath cruise.And when a few months that, embarked his days ships had to reach land thé unknown shore at around port wine are just a few exani- didjust he on his blackrobes. As thé priest )atersome of thé Greekcrew and fetch water from various four in thé moming in searchof pies. Wine wasthé mostpopulï ship250gramsofTea. deniedthèse accusations Estaden mutmiedagainst Zelalich they fresh water springs around thé water and provisions. As they drink on board. It kept well ir fumed,and suddenlypunched madesure to takewith themthé Mediterranean.Various portulans came ashorethey were unable wooden barrels unlike water.It Foodon board was a veryinipor- thé priestthree or four times.He remaininggrappa. Therewere were written throughout thé to find any fresh water and so it was consumedin gréâtamounts. tant commodity for thé running knocked thé priest to thé floor twotypes of grappasupplied period which indicated were was decidedto presson inland and drank at every meal. ofa Corsairship. A well fed crew and instantly from underneath °nboardcorsair ships one was fresh water was found around to search for fresh water. After thé winewas always of a higl1 wasa happycrew, and good pro- thé cloak, a bag of Turkish thecommon grappa while thé visions went a long way in thé thé bays, inlets and islands of 8 miles of walking they arrivée standard. Captain Désira l11 money was exposed.Thé priest otherwas grappa spiced with thé Mediterranean. Captains of at a small village of around 1777 was sold wine which vva! good running ofa ship. A sailor wasknocked out ofhis sensésfor î ,sette-Rum was also popular thé Corso at times used inlets thirty houses. Suddenly from deemed dreadful. was surethat he wasgoing to be sometime andthé cook instantly anditis found listed in a number which thé Knights of St John behind thé walls and roofs of to payfor théwine, claiming ^ provided with good provision preparedsome coffee and mm to théprovision lists It wasnot even he were accustomed to fréquent; thé dwellingsaround sixtyArabs his mastro di sala in charge daily, and ifhe fell sick administerto thépriest so that
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL 0F ISLAND AFFAIRS 39 Saintsand Fishermen in Sferracavallo, an astonishing Blend
By Fatima Giallombardo
),literally « horse Dragut thé Turkish pirate unshoe» is a smallcommunity 0 co laying on thé north western GO he could regain his sensés. broth were served with a silver a captain could embark on his ^^« coastofSicily closeto Palenno ladle and soup was eaten with ship. Notwithstanding this Q' since ever linked to thé sea and Information also exists silver spoons. There was also a circumstance a Maltese corsair to an identity forged by this about what thé higher échelons carving knife with a silver hilt ship of thé period had supplies peculiarrelationship. Together of thé crew ate. Captains of for thé méats. After dinner when from ail over thé Mediterranean, with other Sicilian coastal lCfQ corsair ships times treated coffee was served, thé sugar was salamis and cheeses from Italy, at settlements,Sferracavallo shares Maraschino wine from Dalmatia, themselves and other captains to kept in a spécial silver sugar n? anancient fishing culturewhose finesse table. Some captains bowl. Thé sugarwas stirred into coffee from Ethiopia, Tea from at unexhausted memories still employed a personal cook on thé coffee with spécial silver Ceylon and silver table ware leadswift and agile gestures, ^' boardwhose job wasto caterfor coffee spoons. After thé meal from France.A cursory look at skillfuleyes of théprésent days thé captain and for thé need of Lorenzi could smoke a cigar food and drink on board can give 3 seamen. (T) thé ofificials of thé ship. Vincenzo through his cigar holder made us a due of thé vanous influences s Spiteri son of Giovanni from entirelyofamber. It is clearfrom and attributes thé corso stood for Thé ancientvillage, existing Valletta was embarked aboard thé above détails that a silver at Malta. One of thé tiniest states perhapssince thé XVth century, i to in thé middle seatook advantage J" Captain Calcedonio Cachia's dinner service at table was CfQ built itself arounda permanent ft) ship specificallyto performsuch be expectedon board thé larger ofits géographieposition even to < tuna fishing déviée named < corsair ship. acquirefood for its shipsin what a job. When on 7 June 1791 Calandria.To make it sure from * Captain Michèle Picasso and was a dynamic sea. ^ northAfrican pirate raids , thé While analyzingthé food taken Captain Giuseppe Galea met Baronsof Capaciand Carini offthe coast ofTunisia, Captain aboard Maltese corsair ships built by 1545a sturdykeep. Picasso invited his fellow corsair one starts to fathom outjust one An unhappy, badly built captainonto his xebecfor diimer. characteristic of this complex stonyroad linked thé village Thé clerk made it a point to note maritime économie activity. Liam Gauci is thé Curator to thé nearby Palermo was in thé log book that both captains Thèse paramilitary vessels of of thé Malta Maritime Muséum. thereforecalled horse unshoe, used ail thé finesse expected at thé Order of St. John adhered Liamhas published various articles Sferracavallo.As explainedin table. Such finesse was found to a certain standard which in collective works concernedwith hisdiaries by théMarquis of aboard thé more successful enabled them to be successful thé maritime aspect of 18th centurv Malta. His attention focuses on thé Villabianca.Thé toponym was corsairships. Captain Guglielmo at their job. Thé food on board corso and its impact on Maltese leftaver, to indicate thé village Lorenzian immenselysuccessful thèsecorsair ships was restricted society.Liam hasjust completed with varions conditions, in what itself,even afiter thé conspicuous corsaircaptain covered his table a Mastersdegree in Historyat thé refîtting works conductedin a university Malta entitled 'Thé with a large Frenchtable cloth, was limited knowledge of of . l750 in honourof théViceroy along with ten matchingFrench préservationand carrying both organisationof thé Maltese Corso 1775-1798- GustachiodeLa Viefuille. napkins. His table was laid out food and driiik. Thèse limitations with silver cutlery: soups and restricted thé various foodstuffs
INIËRNATIONAI.JUURNAI, 0F ISLANDAFFAIRS 4l Nowadays one drives to Catholic Church on thé 26th and is weldedto thé coreclimax Sferracavallo during thé long of September is rooted in a of thé célébrationsreprcsented summerevenings to meetfriends complexofdevotional practices, precisely by " a cursa i san who spendless torrid nights in referring explicitly to thé long Cosimu ", Thé run of Saint thé cosy cottagesraised on thé and sophisticated martyrdom Cosma. Watching doser this bay during thé early yearsof thé they endured. Thé séquence practice, we may see that it XX century. But, without fail, of thé trials confronted by thé is leadered, as a traditional endingSeptember people cornes thaumaturgists is characterized privilège by thé fishermen, to Sferracavallo, in a still sun- by extrême torments, ripping whose thé saints are since ever drenched day, to celebratethé bodies that nevertheless recover and everywherethé defenders. Saints Cosma and Damiano thé unendingly. From iron wounds A patronshipderiving precisely fishermen's traditional patrons. with metallic stings and combs to from their familiar contiguity Hère again, Sferracavallo's water and fire trials, stones and with thé sea from where Cosma people trough their devotional crosses,it is a crescendo,showing and Damiano escapednot only practicesconfîrm their seafarers their power to overwhelm unharmed but even dancing identity, beseechingthé grâceof ail physical handicap before joyfully. It is this event that thé two brothersphysicians with accepting "with magnanimity accordingthé tradition, is recalled 0 modalities scarcely différent, and joy" to be beheaded, as every year with thé "run" of thé ya from those adopted since narratedby hagiographs,popular saints statues. ai centuries. novenas and chants. Q' Then barefoot, white shirted and Following reliable hagiographie An "unlikely vitality" cornes,by troused, with a red band around traditions, Cosma and Damiano théway, together with thévarious thé waist, thé dévotes of Sferra- OQ cavallo carry triumphantly in h-^* werebom in a noblefamily from mythical-narrativeand ritualistic 0- Cilicia (Asia minor) and begot layersto which thé holy brothers processionCosma and Damiano, stayupright on a raisedplatform unanimous choral answer : "E CD martyrdom under Diocletian seem to be linked. This "excess on a palanquin(vara) decorated exhaustion,obliging thé musical framed by indented arches chi semu tutti muti ? Viva san by thé end of thé III century ofbodyness",in thé hierographic with geometricalpattems and thé band to follow running, until intended to recall waves. Thé Cosimue Damianu !"(Are weail BC. Their very ancien!worship profile of thèse saints, swells coloursof thé fishingboats: blue, tiredness,slashedhands, bleeding actionfollows primarily dancing dumb?Hooray for saint Cosma agonies red, white and green.The saints naked feet and shouldersforce , celebrated presently by thé up from thé martyrdom patterns,slow or faster, marked andDamiano!) ; "Ognipericulu them to concludetheir extrême 0 by thé rhythms of thé musical l-rl li chiamamu!Viva san Cosimu devotional tribute. 1-1-1 band.. Each movement of thé e Damianu! " (In ail dangers Severalconsécration gestures l palanquin is leaded by thé we call them! Horray for saint canbe observed before and along Ê~ capuvara (thé vara's chief), dp Cosmaand Damiano !) ; "E théprocession's stream namely 0 usmgconventional expressions sunnu ménci suprani! Viva san children(thé "sancusimicchi") underscoredby thé sound of Cosimue Damianu !" ( Andthey who are devoted to thé saints a small bell : "manu" (hand) are gréât physicians! Horrayfor by thé familleswith a request means small movements. Hère saint Cosmaand Damiano). for a grâce.Images of Cosma théporters proceed carrying Théfinal stage of thécélébration, and Damiano are available on thépalanquin's staffs by hand. taking place before thé church thé stalls selling chestnutsor When"spadda"(shoulder) is dedicatedto thétwo martyrs,is sweets.Thé iconographyof thé uttered, then thé porterswith of thé greatestimportance for thé votive images is repeated in thé thé staffs on their shoulders participants. shapeofanthropomorphic cakes proceedto fastermovements, to traditionallypréparée in Palermo runsproper. Théporters dance among them by two bakeriesof thépopular for fun a waltz or so, before Caponeighbourhood. They are Theporters dance, as a vow in enteringin thé endingdance. sold both in Sferracavalloand honourof thésaints, for thé whole Which shall engage them, Palermoat thé cry " Miraculous durationofthé procession (more without stop, for more than is that saint! Miraculous!,thé lhantwelve hours). Frequently, fifteen minutes in a frantic only edible saint, miraculous asingle acclamation shout raise, extenuating bounce with thé indeed!" llnmediatelyfollowed by an palanquin. They move-on till
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL 0F ISLAND AFFAIRS 43 miracles collected by ancient by new professions and thé festival with widely diffused théspring cycle. Thé auspicious writers ,where a devout woman Saints,still evolves. Achanging célébrationsof archaic origin meamngs imbedded in such recovers from unbearablepains identity that clearly appears (Sachs1980). To display physical practises are also underscored, within thé Committee that by drinking a solution of thé strength,to showoffthe moving at thémythical level by thélinks colours scratched from thé orgamzesevery year thé festival, body takes back to cérémonies existmg among Cosmas and bringingpresently together not holy images painted on " ail aiming at restoring thé natural Damianoand water. According only fishermenand sailors,but her home's walls" (Delahaye and cosmic life. The porters to popularbeliefs, thé customof 1925:16-17). also students,salesmen, truck évolutions still underscore thé running, dancingand swirling With thé same intentions thé dri vers or masons. signifying nucleus of thé feast: with thé saintspalanquin should saintseffigies were reproduced to give offan unintermptedflow be alsoattributed to thé swiftness on thé boats prows in order to Thé Sferracavallofestival still of vital energyof thé samenature bywhich thé two brothers brought fight back dangers and as an showsthé efficacy ofa segment of thé "gift oflife" accordedby reliefto sickpeople during a pest thé communication code omen of abundant fish catches of Cosmas and Damiano. plague. ruling thé interactions between (cfr. Più-é1913:339 sgg. ). A further confirmation cornes Water's regenerativepowers man and thé sacred entities. 0 from thé persistenceof an old together ai strong symbolism, &Q Thé worship to thèse wonder Interactionstaking placewithin gamethé "ntinna a mari", where t-t. with thé explicit références CD an exchange goods and ^ makers, stemming from thé of young men engage in thé tense to multiplication and fertility services is, a well known item early eastern Christian world, exhibition of a physical effort, confirms thé deep semantic in historical-religiousliterature. has strong significancein most that couldbe interpretedwithin statute of our saints: trustées of south régions, south It is noteworthyto observethat Italian of an erotic key. Boat races also permanent prodigiousrecover and CTQ France(Séte) as well asm Greece in some cases offers having suggest compétitive behaviours defendersoflife. y thé body as a référencecorne ( island of Santorini). In fact it linked to thejoyous festivitiesof n> is precisely their patronship together with those related to towards thé sailors, (unknown foodstufforsumptuous goods. in north Italy), togetherwith thé Thé body, as a ritual object, archaic ritualistic célébrations becomesitselfa communication r pursued by this workers tool betweenman and god as a 0) Thé saints of honey cake Thé centuries old Cosma's and category, an old traditional sourceof vital énergies,which s are ide.ntical to thé images Damiano's bénéficiai power craftsmanship, indeed, that are lavished for auspicious i carried in procession;between confirmed well beyond Sicily supportthé hypothesis ofa direct purposes.It's everywhere thé by âgeold devotionalpractises, dérivation of thé Sicilian and casefor thémany célébrations, j them appears thé angel who, following thé legend helped is also witnessed by thé use of other southem régions tradition, where unbridled runs or them during thé time of their thé saints images (fîgureddi) from thé Greek- orthodox one extenuatingdances are charged horrible agony. On thé cakes by direct contact.When needed (Withmann 1967: 52-53). It is with sucha primary interest. appear thé insignia, which in they "may take place under well known, on thé other hand, thé traditional iconographyare thé pillow of a feverish, on thé that thé Sicilian church was Cosmasand Damiano represent attributed to thé martyrs: thé foreheadofsomebody suffering for long time under Byzantine in Sicily a ritual event,perhaps palm leaf and thé médications headache,or on thé accidentai or influence. thémost coherently preserved. box. Thé place of thé angel, artificial woundsof somepoor If thus thé two brothers dance (sometimes they are three) is guy"(Pitré 1900:73). No wonder therefore if votive on their palanquin urging Sferracavallofîshermen by J. Meldmm,1956 taken often, on thé north-Italian gifts suchas silver reproductions promptly at restoring thé engravings,by thé Holy Spirit Thèsefigureddi were till a récent of, by miracle recoveredbody health'sorder wherethé chaos dove. On thé eldest, printed in past,fastened often on thé back parts are still presentedat thé ofillnessruled, then, against thé of thé entry door or behind Sferracavallo Church , nor regeneratinggift of thé Saints, Milano late XIX century, thé FatimaGiallombardo teaches Littérature andPhilosophy atthé University saints appear equally dressed thé sleeping room shutters as a surprisesthat money is offered. a présent of thé same value is ofPalermo(Italy). fatima. giallombardo^unipa. it andyouthful. Thé motive of thé powerful charmagamst threate- Years ago also food was at due Notwithstanding. minor Thisarticle has been translated from Italian to English by Insula's staff, with divine intercessor has a further ning harms,dangers and illness length collected before thé changesintroduced by more thékind authorisation of thé author and thé publisher-'Sopnntendenza del Mare/RegioneSiciliana. Photos:Mélo Minnella variant on thé images coming (Arenaprimo 1894:1). saints festival. Ail indications récent exécution modalities it from Messina. There between thèse,of thé protectivehorizon clearlyappears that "a cursal san thé holy brothers, thé Virgin Their solving power has an under which thé connection Cosimu"(therun ofSt. Cosmas) with thé Child dominâtes. exemplarymodel in one of thé amongthé community, shaped ofifersa link connectingthé
JNTERNATIONAI.JOURNAL 0F ISLAND AFFAIRS 45 altii ra island located in thé Lesser Beforewindmills... g Antilles. It consists in three Aboutfifity French people settled municipalitiesoftheArchipelago in Marie-Galante near Vieux- of Guadeloupe:Grand-Bourg, STÏtNCENTMfl»^ Basse-Terre, thé volcanic BOGBBUMIES- island,has got a fewremaining r watermills(see Picture 2). i CD CARt38Kàli sea umajuuB . <1_ MauriceBarbotin repor- t \ miuis ,. q^^^lu ted in 1967,in his text entitled . -^" 'LesMoulins de Marie-Galante ' ^ -\ replacés dans leur cadre his- iSCO f 25 ). ^ ?m«- torique de 1664à nos jours" lise mite, ff ; IB ^m ^ -"""//'"y /^' ("Windmills of Marie-Galante Map l : Marie-Galanteis locatedin thé LesserAntilles, in thé southof Grande-Terreof théArchipelago of Guadeloupe replacedin their historiécontext (Map adaptedfrom U.N.E.P.). fi-om1664 until nowadays") that from thé centuryluth or 11th Introduction Picture2: A watennillin Sainte-Rose,m thé North ofBasse-Terre. until endof thé 17thcentury, (CréditPicture: Judith Priam, 2011) century after thé French arrivai of those structures ail around Caribshad numerous gardens V^îndmills,were built in thé 12th in 1635.They really operatedby thé island by 1835. Moreover, m Marie-Galante.They started It hasbeen difficult to datethem St-Louisto Grand-Bourg)had centuty in Europeand appeared 1775(David Laporal,p. 199,our this is thé only island where we planting sugarcane occasiona- exactly but by 1664,there were sugar plantations.[... J In that in thé French Caribbean (see translation). can find today one potentially lly to chewthé stickssince thé 4 horsemills on thé island. Thé periodthere were only horsemills Map l ) by thé 18thcentury : first operatingwindmill in thé French l6th century.Sugar cane had fifth, thé one of Daniel Thauvet in thé Antilles(seeIllustration l in Martinique (1718)and then in Thé case of Marie-Ga- Caribbean: thé Bézard windmill beenimported from Brazil by wasbuiltin 1665.[...] next page) and watermills in Guadeloupe(1730). Windmills lante must be mentioned as thé as it has been restored in 1995 Portugueseand Amerindians In 1671, there were 12 mills mountainous régions. were part of thé Caribbean island is called thé "One Hundred (seePicture l). appreciated its taste. [... ]. AU thé west coast (from landscapeofislands less than one Mills Island", due to thé number Marie-Galante is a 158m2 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL 0F ISLANDAfFAIRS 47 royedeverything. Thé majority was reportedas by 1781 There 1837(102).Inl838theywould escaped to Martinique and were 3 in Grand-Bourg and l hâve decreasedto 82. Guadeloupe; about 100 were in Capesterre[... ] andin 1784, Thénew constructions each year killed and thé other ones were threeremained. [...J ofwindmills didn't maintainthé made prisoners. 30 survivais In fact, thé first windmills total number of mills, but thé Governorwere deported andthé appearedin thé Antilles a little production did, as horsemills English to Martinique, but before thé 17th century.Père were obsolète. Thé two last themselvesleft thé island after Labat saw only two of them windmills would be in 1843. a while. Somecame back to thé -one in thé English part of Théname and year ofconstmction islandin clandestinely,without Saint-Christophe, and another ofsomeremaining towers can be théauthorization thé govemors of nearFort Royalin Martinique-. indicatedas on Picturebellow. of Guadeloupeand Martinique Then they were developed and reachedthé numberof 100 much more on English islands. in a few months. No mill was Those windmills had "eight rebuilt. Thé Frenchoccupation short and wide wings (2,6m x of théisland occurred again in 2m)as in Portugal.In 1713,two July 1696, and there were 592 inhabitantsin Martiniqueasked 0 inhabitants. q thé king to build onewindmill, was In 1700, no horsemill at "placetroyal', a suitableplace reportedin Marie-Galante,[...] for that innovation.That kind of 3 Later12 mills were rebuilt [...] enterprise was exceptional. In andin 1727,there were 20 mills in fact,in 1743there were only two Thé nameand year of construction Marie-Galante(5 for thé Plateau windmillsin Guadeloupe. of Capesterre and 15 in thé With thé reestablishment of maystil] appearon somewindmills, g abovethé main opening. Hère thé case p- west of thé island). Three mills slaveryon thé 30th of May of of'Le St Joseph,1830" (Located at appearedin St-Louis in 1752. 1802, thé extension sugar Borée,Capesterre) -Crédit Picture Illustration l : "Horsemill. Copy of illustration fi-omthé Rocheforts': (after Frederik C. Gjessing,1977, p. 3). of Englishcame back in May 1759 cane areas mcreased after 1815 Judith Priam,March 2012 l "Thé drawing illustrâtesa scènefrom an early and primitive sugarproduction in thé FrenchAntilles, but could aswell be £L from any of thé other Caribbean sugar islands. butdidn't destroy everything as whenEnglish left thé islandafter Thé horsemill in thé center,hère showndrawn by oxen, is an early form. Thé shaft (markedB) was set into a pivot hole of in thépast. They left in 1763.Thé occupancy between 1808 and Windmills and steam driven a horizontal guide beamsupported by tracedposts beyond thé circular walk of thé dray animais.Thé artist hasfor pictorial FrenchCommander impulsed 1815. Growing of coffee and crushers r reasons omitted thé posts. thé economywithout mills, cotton declined, and windmills With thé abolitionof slavery ^ Thé post limited thé size of thé walk and consequentlythé leveragethat could be employed in tuming thé roller. Thé developing coffee and cotton CT unsupportedlength of thé guide beamlimited its valus as a braceand in thé improvedhorsemill this Systemwas abolished" multiplied between 1814 and in 1848, thé last horsemills growing. In 1781, thé number (after Frederik C. Gjessing,l 977,p. 3). 1843. Thé Horsemills increased stopped. (Adapted from P.R. t of mills decreasedfrom 23 to too, to supply windmills MauriceBarbotin, pp. l -l 5, our Thé war between France and Tobago where they died a short plantations (13 on thé west 16.There were no more mills in activity. translation). Dutch since 1672 affected thé time later. coast and 3 on thé plateau of Saint-Louis,neither sugar cane Inventorywas inexistent between Thé apogée of sugar cane situationregarding mills. On thé Capesterre). Thé population plantations. 1814and 1830,and those for thé production was in 1830 with 30th ofJune of 1676, thé Dutch Between 1669 and 1671, there of 1,325 inhabitants in 1671 Some data for that period period1830-1845 didn't separate 2,719patches, remaining thé admirai Winker went at anchor was such a poor production reached 1,440 in 1685. But a indicatedthat amongof those horsemills from windmills. sameuntil 1848.(Adapted from 16 12 were Grand- in front of thé Marie-Galante that two ships of 40 tons and new attack,that time by English, mills: in Boyer-Peyreleau identified in P.R. MauriceBarbotin, p. 20, Fortification with seven big 80 tons were enough to relieve in 1690 -that means 13 years Bourgcrushing 522 patehes of maybe 1821 -as none year is our translation) ships. They took ail built mills, congestion. Only one travel was after Dutch- affected mainly sugarcane, and 4 in Capesterre mentioned-, 20 windmills and After 1850 sugarcane became and ail materials for sugar cane enoughin thé port ofCapesterre mills and sugar cane plantations. crushing222 patchesi. e. a total 46 horsemills. Thé National thé main farming, but was in industry and utensils. for thé two years of production Thé Governor asked thé king of 742ha of sugarcane. Marie- Archives (section overseas), compétition with sugar beet. of sugar, indigo and tobacco to prohibit mill construction Galantehad 17,000 inhabitants. revealed that thé numerical Grinding sugar cane with Everything was sold in St accumulated. or sugar cane growing in thé apogée for mills would be in windmillsbecame obsolète, and Windmills Eustatius and Nevis; and thé rest jurisdiction of thé island but it 1830:there were 105including some tried a modemization with in Tobago.It is reported that even Six years after thé plundering, has never been done. in Marie-Galante morethan 50% moved by cows steamdriven crushers.Owners 3 owners of sugar plantations new édifications and mills (p 15). In 1833 there were 86 borrowedto thé Statethrough and 8 'mariegalantese' went on made thé past be forgotten. In One of thé 7th April of 1961, a Thé beginning of thé era of m activity, in 1835 (106), with théBank of Guadeloupecreated their own with them to settle in 1685,there were 16 sugarcane secondattack by English dest- windmills in Marie-Galante a stabilization in 1836 and in 1853,re-emplaced by crédit INTERNATIONAI. JOURNAL 0F [SLANDAFFAIRS 49 Foncier Colonial in 1860. In Pierre hadn't been destroyed Thé windmill consists in a Thétower carried on its top edge acircular track 1865 terrible hurricane and and functioned 1941. Thé aroundits ownaxis. Near its upperend, thé thé until truncated masonry cône, or curb(see Picture 6). A rectangularframe, thé crossmgyards, generally two, wercattached in a thé associatedchoiera generated fire of thé distillery thé same mounted by a movable 'cap', capframe (see Pictures 5 and 6), rested on thé planeperpendicular to thé windshaft and formed a huge déficit, explaining thé year closed thé era ofwindmills constructed in wood, supporting trackand extended beyond thé face of thétower théwings (see Pictures 8 and9). Thèsecarried continuousdiminishing ofsugar in Marie-Galante(adapted from a near horizontal axis that at one atboth ends. It washeld in placerelative to thé a latticeand leeboards thathad to be carefully caneplantations reaching 71 in P.R. MauriceBarbotin, p. 22, our end extends beyond thé tower centerofthe tower by blocking against thé imier 1850 and 39 in 1883.Then, world translation). feathered,slightly curved, and when thé windmm andcarries two or morecrossing sideofdie curb. Thé cap framesupported aheavy sugar cane decreased In 1978, 73 remains ofwindmills wasmuse, spread with sail cloth. Thé cap frame, cost of arms or yards with 'salis'. Thé pièceoftimber (- in ourcase made with métal-), from 75 Francs to 25 Francs for hâve been identified by thé cane cmsher and thé mechanism windshaft,sails, etc,... could rotate on thé track théwmdshaft (see Pictures 5and 6), in a position aroundthé vertical center of thétower and allow 100 g., between1883 and 1897, French Buildings Agency and that drives it are enclosed within slightlyofifthe horizontal and within thé diameter and continued to decrease until thé National Park (1980) -in thé tower and thé cap" (after of thé track. thésails to be tumed into thé wind when desired. 1914 (adaptedfrom H. and D. Diana Rey-Hulman, p. 162-. Frederik C. Gjessing, 1977, p. Witha protective roof, thé whole formed thé cap (seePicture 7). It wasturned by means of thétaiï Parisis, B. Genêt, p. 18 et p. 23, l). Théwindshaft, atits lower end within thé tower. our translation). Windmills grinding sugar pôle,(a long pièce oftimber reaching tothé ground restedina bearing hole in a cross pièce of thé cap andattached to thécap frame)- SeePicture4-. In After modemization,thé Sugar cane: thé Bézard Windmill In thé case of thé Bézard wind- frame.At bothpoints of supportthé windshaft someinstances thé tail pôle rested on a trolleyto plantation of Retz (Grande- in Marie-Galante, F.W.I. mill, thé cane cmsher is outside freely wascircular in section,allowing it to tum facilitatethé turning of thécap. Anse) was in function in thé as thé windmill (see Picture 4 n middle of thé 19th century, thé next page) as it beneficiated of ttegeired vtwl lit tnitwbtd) Picture4,FortheBézardwindmill. the g one ofTrianon (Roussel)in 1861, "Thé Windmill is in essence a thé last innovation of thé 19th ânecrushers' mechanism is outside [... ] and thé one of Robert (near combination oftwo mechanical centur . Let's see in détails that (CréditPicture: Judith Priam. March 12) l thé beachof La Feuillère) after déviées: thé "horsemills" and windmill for crushing sugar 1864. Then there were Guigues, thé European tower windmill cane. thécrom wbtel (or waUower) Poisson, Karukera, Port-Louis, for grinding grain. Thé first one Bielle, Bellevue,Pirogue, Doro. may be native to thé Americas ttt aptue (nctmgiilirtimt) Those modifîed structures after but we don't know thé origin of r 1884 allowed thé production that combination" (after Frederik tteprûtectiveroof of a better sugar quality. [...] C. Gjessing, 1977, p. l). See j Windmills allowed thé extraction Illustration 3 ^ ta of 56% ofjuice against 80% with thé steam driven crushers. thecùïDlartradîforcnrb} ^ Windmills stoppedone after thé ^ tlcfflisoiir^-tower l leave other... It was better to . sugar cane forjuice extraction to Ï ture.5;The windshaft' wheels mechanism andcap iOQ 0 those new structures.Damaged ^^ frameat thé tower top edge (Crédit Picture: Judith Priam^ March2012) by hurricanes,windmills hâve ----, been dismantled or let fall thécap trame (rectangiilar frame) into decay with récupération _ tte l'iake *tie»l (or gearedwteel) of wood, beams sawed, iron souvcone resold and even blocks of rocks. Sometimes,thé tower was totally destroyedto build ways. .. thé circnlartrack (or ciu-b) In 1883there were 39 remaining windmills in activity in Marie- théwaûower {or crowHTTÏieeIÏ Galante, and at thé beginning of thé 20th century, they were less than five. Production stopped by 1913 with thé new tbemndsbafi législationon alcohol (only rum was produced). Thé hurricane Picture6: Thécircular track, windshaft and associated of 1928 achieved thé décline, Illustration 2: Plan ofaWest Indian tower windmill for grinding sugarcane. Illustration fi-omI. P.Oxholm "De DanskeVestindiske Qers tilstand 1797', Copenhagen, Denmark mechanism(Crédit Picture: Judith Priam, March 20Ï2) one Grand- and thé only of 1797(afterFrederik C. Gjessing,1977, p. l4). INTERNATIONALJOURNAL 0F ISLANDAFFAIRS 51 Myths around wind mills bargaining with thé Devil has 1..- findit, it wasforever lost, except been done? if thé devil revealed it... ^ Thereis aparticularrepresentation In thé Caribbean such windmills around richness: thé one, who As explainedby DianaRey- were built by slaves,and so it is accededto it rapidly andhad a Hulman(1996, pp. 77-83)thé f said that thé owner didn't hâve reverseof fortune,wouldn't hâve construction in of windmills to establishbargaining with thé paid his debt... Europe was perceived as thé Devil... But that issue occurred result a kind negotiation of of when slaves or descendants But thé case of Caribbean with thé Devil. Thé builder was of slaves became thé owner. windmills is particular because suspectedfor his architecturalfeat In fact about ten of years after thèsestructures are visible in thé to hâvebargained with thé Devil thé abolition of slavery,some landscape,and gold is accessible: to beneficiate a supernatural windmills were usedby slaves. it would be at thé bottom of thé help. This is thé case of thé This case Bézard.Thé is thé for windmill,in thécovered pit, and taie from Picardy (Région of owner is considered with thé protected down thé mechanism France)dealing with one of thé same suspicionsas in Europe. of thé upright shaft. It has been stone workers of thé Cathedral It is said that he had found "thé Picture7: Thé capand tail pôle (Crédit Picture:Judith PRIAM, Picture 8: View from thé front, Bézardwindmill (Crédit Picture:Judith openedin thé caseof thé Bézard p Priam, March2012). of Amiens (see Brohard and March2012) goldofthewindmiiï". windmill:there were only dishes. fteprotecliTeront Leblond,1979, pp. 53-54cited But one of thé main difficulties Diana Rey-Hulman). in with old windmills is to crossthé ^ Once he is dead, ail kind of obstaclecreated by anenormous In thé catholic beliefand ail taie stones are told regarding thé tree called "le figuier maudit" related,help from God is free, reverse of fortune. Thé chance (Clusia alba) -see Pictures 16 but not thé one from thé Devil: offered by thé Devil hasn't been and 17-. ld- one'shad to give oneselforone's or couldn't beenpaid back.This soûl.. To. élude thé complaint of . is revealed by thé daughters lltfflBliSSlll It is recognizedas thé only théDevil, there is théfollowing of thosewho didn't acceptto usefulnesstree. By example, l subterfuge:thé laststone is never tkeiprigKdriiiigstilt bargain with thé Devil. Their even thé poisonedmancenillier (nrspitilt) installée.At thé placethé statue fathertold them that dream they (Hippomanemancinella) could ^ thé BlessedVirgin put to 0 of is repeated:"my father,many times provide a hard wood that can be rout thé Devil. i, hasbeen solicited by thé Devil used.Thé présence ofClusia alba tlccrimifftel Thé builders from France CD (orwiliower) but found thé way to escape would be associatedto harmful those probably brought from thé temptation. What a behavesas a t spirits. This tree believes... engraved Theyoften chancefor me becausel would "strangletree" andthé windmill thé nameofa Saint(see Pictures hâve been thé one sacrificed". is consumed by inside. Picture 9: View of thé two crossing yards, from inside thé Picture 10 : Thé upright driving shaft set in thé vertical centerof 3-aand 3-b). A rccesscan appear Thé Devil hadproposed to élude Bézard windmill(Credit Picture: Judith Priam, March 2012) thé tower of thé Bézard windmill (Crédit Picture: Judith Priam, in thé internaior extemalwall of thé spiritswho weretaking care March2012 It breaksthé walls of théwindmill. thétower, near thé main opening. of thé treasure of thé windmill None answer thé popular there is no more "Saint" in in A gearedwheel, thé brakewheel, was fitted around sailstum, andthé windshaftwith them,thé power If in exchangeof one child of his discoursegives élément on thé place,one remembers that during flesh. théwindshaft generally near its lower restingpoint generatedwas transferred through thé brakewheel how thé Clusiaalba appears théactivity théwindmill, there well offthe center of thé tower. It meshed with a and wallower to thé upright shaft, which in turn of -that means as unobtrusive or wasone in place... crown wheel or wallower, a larger gearedwheel rotated thé rollers. Due to thé relatively small size enormous- and thé number of sethorizontally andconcentric to thé track within of thé brakewheel, as comparedto thé wallower, In Grande-Terrethere is a similar spints... thé body of thé tower. Thé wallower was fastened thé rollers movedslowly but with thé tremendous myth. "White owners" of thé Regardingthé Bézardwindmill to thé upright driving shaft or spindle set in thé force required to crush thé tough cane stalks". windmill would hâve hidden Somesettlers could plant near Saint stipulated abadge vertical center of thé tower. Thé upright shaft in (after Frederik C. Gjessing,1977, pp 8-9). no is but their richness in holes in thé their houseanother tree, called allows to see a six branches somewhereelse tum rested on - and was attached to- thé vertical Thé two flanking rollers aregeared by thé rotation forest or with "fromager"(Ceiba pentandra), star. Thé written name has king roller gearedto thé two flanking rollers. transmitted to thé horizontal king roller (in thé slave'slabor. That is why thé thatwas recognized too as refuge disappearedwith érosion.There At its upper end, thé shaft was pinned into a middle).The Bézard windmill has been restored slave had to be killed to maintain for badspirits during thé night. bearingof thé cap frame, securingit in thé exact in 1995(after Laporal, p. 204). is no évidenceof any recessin thé place unknown by others... center of thé windmill. When thé wind made thé thé wall: doesit meanthat none If thé owner didn't tell whereto INTERNATIONAL JOURNAI. 0F ISLAND AFFAIRS 53 Book Review for thé mostof thema goodinsight forward in thé understandingof bothon thé historical origins and on thé thé contradictionsimplicit in thé psycho-socialprocesses at thé core of conceptualframe thé intangible Santia Mare - Ritualitàe devozione of bthese festivities. héritageinstitution. comunitàcostieunre siciliane nelle Oneof thépapers authored by Fatima Giallombardoappears in théprésent Confa-ibutorsto thé volume are : issue of our Journalin an English Gil Bartoleyns,ReginaBendix, Daniel version. Bonvoisin,Chiara Bortolotto.Laurent- This book and more informationscan SebastienFournier, Sylvie Grenet, be obtainedfrom « SoprintendenzavaldimarTr.Hafstein,ChristianHottin, de! Mare » Ignazio Macchiarella, Frédèric Dr.AngelaAccardi : mailto Ethnologiede la France- Cahier26 Le PatrimoineCulturel Immatériel Editions de la Maisondes Sciences de l'homme , Paris France Thévolume editedby Ignazio E. Buttitta ISBN978-2-7351-1417-7 and Maria Palmisanotwo reseanchers belongingto thébrilliant génération of ethno-anthropologistsstemming from ci. i.ii. ^ n<,»<.i,, tti, 0^ thé University ofPalermo is worth of g- our attention not only for its content l patnmoinerultu and authors but, iTtKiî.'îTprief ^ For thé circumstancesahead of its Pictures11 and 12: Thé windmill "Petit-frère" in Grande-Terre(1843), Guadeloupe.Thé tree Clusia alba is presumedto consumethé h-A« publication. windmill from inside and would be associatedto thé présenceofspirits (Crédit Picture Judith PRIAM, April 2012). In facta few years ago, thé Govemement l REFERENCES of théAutonomous Région of Sicily Institut National de la Statistiqueet des EtudesEconomiques (-I. N.S.E.E.-), 2012, Fiche de toook an original initiative and decided to create an administrative synthèsedes populations légalespour le départementde la Guadeloupe,ses arrondissements,ses body called « Soprintendenzadel 1p. cantons et ses communes, l Mare», Superintendencyof thé Sea, (online,http://www. insee.fr/fr/ppp/bases-dedormees/recensement/populations legales/pages2011/pdf/ in charge,not only with thé historical dep971.pdf) andartistic maritime héritage, but Whatis thé intangible cultural héritage? alsowith théethno-anthropologica] whyshould anew category for héritage Révérend Père Maurice Barbotin, 1975 (réédition du n°7 de 1967), Les moulins de Marie- aspectsofthat héritage, thé intangible be introducedin a world already maritimehéritage in otherwords, wich haunted by thé conservationof thé Galantereplacés dans leur cadrehistorique de 1664à nosjours, Bulletin de la Sociétéd'Histoire de is preciselythé subjectof théprésent past's footprints ? la Guadeloupe,numéro 7 , 25p. issue ofour Journal. Is it everpossible to préserveliving Brohard Y. & Leblond, 1979, "L'ouvrier mystérieux". Récits et contes populaires de Picardie culturalexpressions without freezing recueillis par Yvan Brohard et Jean-FrançoisLeblond dansl'Amiénois. Paris,Gallimard. T. l, 53-55. Thé Superintendencyof Thé Sea, them? headedby a wel] known Submarine FrederikC. Gjessing,1977, Thé Tower Windmill for Grinding SugarCane, Général Description Who shoulddo it, andmore so .who is Archeologist,Prof. SebastianoTusa théowner of théconcemed héritage ? And Sketch Oflts Origin, Bureau ofLibraries, Muséums and Archaeological Services, Government engagea a multifacetted and in A first answerto théabove questions is thé IslandsU. S., OccasionalPaper, 17p. than Of Virgin welcomeexploration of thé since proposedhère in examiningthé cultural DianaRey-Hulman (sous la directionde), 1996,Au ventdu moulin Bézard,Edition L'Harmattan, almostunknown maritime héritage policies engageaby thé Member- pp 77-83. bothmaterial and intangible. Field Statesfollowing thé UNESCO's2003 research,symposia and international David Laporal, 2010, La Guadeloupeet ses trésors. Le patrimoine archéologiquede l'ile Conventionfor thé safeguardof thé gatheringsfollowed providing méat intangiblecultural héritage. papillon. Editions Errance,233 p. (Chap.V -Patrimoine bâti vemaculaireet industriel, pp 162-220). to an informationcampain adressed Henri et Denise Parisis, Brigitte Genêt, Marie-Galante Terre d'histoire sucrière, Imp. to a Sicilian but also to a national In fact this puzzling patrimonial audience. L'Imprimerie, 219p. categoryis increasinglyat thé origin ofcontroversialpoints ofview among Thisvolume ofan excellent quality both institutional and scientific actors. Judith Priam is from thé French Caribbean. She is titular ofthree Master 2 for its designand il]ustrations, offersus Thé intangiblehéritage category a surpnsmgoverview ofcontemporary and its practical détermination is degrees (in Environment and Societies, in Politics and in Economy of thé festivities celebratedby Sicilian perhapsstill too youngand in need a Environment). She is actually working on PhD Researchin thé Caribbean fishermenor seamencommunities offurtherexpérience in orderto allow funded by Région Guadeloupe and Servicios Cientificos y Técnicos, Inc. in honorof their saintspatrons with a full appréciation of its limits and (Puerto-Rico). an astonishing,for our daysreligious potentials. fervour.Thé authors, ail tenantsof thé priamjud@gmail. com Thécontributions collected by thé ethno-anthropologicalsciences, offer, volumerepresent a consistentstep INIERNATIONALJOURNAL 0F ISLANDAFF AIRS 55 S f ifS A BOLD ISLAND : EL HIERRO In thé old daysthé smallestof thé CanaryIslands, far out from thé African shores,was scarcelyknown by ordinary people,only geographersand sailors new that this almost forgotten rock in thé Atlantic Océanwas eut acrossby a conventionallinejoining thé two pôlesofour planet : thé meridian circle. At that time thé small volcanicisland indicated thé prime meridian by whichthé seamen started to calculatethé longitude westward or eastward.A point zéro in other words.A privilège fîrmly attributedby now to Greenwichin U.K. An outcome likely due to thé British historical Lordship, over thé Sea. Manywaves since, hâve crushed against thé blackrocks of El Hierro,many décades of hardshipfor a small communityof fishermen,peasants or shepherds,often threatened by famineor droughts.To emigratewas a D nt Sea-level basin solutionfor many,Cuba, Venezuela or elsewhere.Yet thé communityavoided to break-up resistingtoughly, till bettertimes appeared at théhorizon under thé active auspices offar-sighted national and more so European policiesstrongly supported by thé localauthorities, directly concemed by théfuture oftheir youth. This is thé peoplewho arepresently engaged in an advancedprocess of sustainabledevelopment. A bunchof peoplewho wishesto offerto thé islandinhabitants (some 10000), strong reasons to leaveto thépast, painful ÛQ migrations,and build a quality time to corneon El Hierro for themselves,their families and their visitors. Thé plans are ambitiousinvolving a strongenvironmental concern, thé implementationof impressive lÙO technologicalinfrastructures both in thé areaofrenewable energy production as well as in thé field of information pp andcommunication technologies. Full energeticautonomy is aimedin théfirst caseand a complèteWFIcover for thé whole island is expectedfrom thé TCI applications. 0 Thémain technological infrasti-ucture, doomed to be at thé coreof thé wholedevelopment process was thé ^ designofan importantand truly innovativeHydro-eolic electo-ic power plant contributing not , only to energetic Upper basin Wind-mill independencebut alsoto providefresh water to a traditionallythirsty island.Thé project named Gorona del vientostarted almost a décadeago. Insula and other partners participated in thé planningand design- phase implementedwith thé Europeansupport. (More détails on this project can be found on www.insula-elhierro. com). At présentthé frwocatchment basins offresh water, one at thé sealevel, in an ancientvolcanic craterat some 800 metersabove thé sealevel thé other, are almost ready. Powerful wind turbines produce thé power needed to desalinatesea- water and fill thélow- lying basin.Thé same wind powerpumps thé water to thé upperbasin from wereit canbe used to produceelectricity by traditionalelectro-turbines ifand whenneeded, and provide irrigation to a promising agriculturaland food industry.Shall we add that thé whole power distribution grid is laid below ground- levé! avoiding landscape-disturbances? It is not surprisingthat thé first electriccars, are already in service.A dropofwater in thésea for thétime being, but théwhole transport sector is concemedand shall be powered with renewables. Yet,two yearsofvolcanic and violent geodynamic activity on el Hierrohâve strongly affected thé tourism flow to this precious,small Canarianisland. On thé other hand thé Euro crisis and thé obsessiveattention towards thécountries indebtedness, especially Spain, hâve suddenly cast shadow on thé islanders hope to fîndthé long- tenn financial supportfor their investments. Not withstanding,thé Cabildo, thé main island's administrative body kept coo] and took action,first attracting thé EU attentionon thé expériencein progressat El Hierro.An expériencethat many island territories of thé worldare following closely. Secondly by showingthat what is happeningattheir islandscale is a self-speaking exampleofhow crisisand doubts can be overcome:using local resources and imagination. ThéEl Hierrodéclaration, recently issued at thé initiativeof thé Ministryofindustry, with thé supportof thé EuropeanCommissary for energy,thé European parliament, and thé International Agency for renewableénergies (Irena)is a meaningfulstep forward, towards a worldwide récognition of théisland as a modelofsustainability endenergy self- sufficiency.El Hien-ohas doubtless recovered that historical intangible meridian, a starting point,at présent for ail thosewho wish to saittowards a sustainable,peaceful progress. Insula, supports El Hierro initiativesand joins handswith thé signatoriesof théEl Hierrodéclaration. ( Available on : www.insula.org ) INTERNATIONALJOURNAI. 0F ISLANDAFFAIRS 57 18TH MEDITERRANEAN MARITIME HERITAGE FORUM H1STORICAL AND TRADITIONAL VESSELS i - 0F THE MEDITERRANEAN ISTAMBUL, 28 - 29 MAY 2012 Excellent,gréât vintage indeedthis 18th gatheringof thé internationalmembership of thé AMMM, thé MediterraneanMaritime MuséumsAssociation dedicatedto a thème of thé foremost interest, namely thé Historical and traditional vessels of thé Mediterranean.While many Mediterranean maritime muséumshost a largenumber oftraditional boatsand héritagevessels in their acquisitions, Thé IstambulNaval Muséumprevails itselfof a uniquehistorical boatscollection, including thé only original XVIth century two mastedGalley in thé world and an astonishing set of fourteenlarge and rich impérial bargesor calques belongingto thé XIX Century OttomanSultans. No wonderthus, that thé invitation extendedto AMMM by thé IstambulNaval Muséumand its partners , the RahmiM. Koç Muséum,TINA thé Turkish InstituteofNauticalArcheology andthé FeraMuséum of Arts was gladly accepted.Few other locationscould in fact offer such a gréât sceneryso closely g' and sinceever linked to thé seaas Istambul,thé Bosphorusand thé GoldenHom. e: &î_ Thé scientific programmeproposed to thé Forum was ambitiousand organizedconsequently in three (71 sub-themes/sessionsaddressing thé main topic, Historical andtraditional vesselsof thé Mediterranean 2' from a threefold perspective:« cataloguingTraditional Vesselsand Héritage Ships » thé aim ofthis % subgroupwas to gain a deeperinsight on cataloguingcriteria andmethodology, sharing thé expériences of thé various Med Muséums.Thé secondsub-theme addressed « Traditional Vesselsand Héritage ships as Muséums Objects » This sessiondiscussed thé différent approachesin présentationand interprétationof traditional vesselsin maritime muséumsacross thé Mediterraneanwith a spécial focuson thé varionsmuseological and muséographieaspects involved in thé optimizationof thé communicationwith thé public. Thé third Sessiondedicated to « Traditional Vesselsand Héritage Shipsas Containers of collectivememories » was of courseofa primary interestfor INSULA strongly engageain collaboratingwith UNESCO,AMMM andother Organizationsin thé IntangibleMaritime Héritage area. Thispanel approached Traditional Vessels and Héritage Ships through thé still living intangiblehéritage connectedto them, as containersof collective memory and as a support for thé définition of local identities and their senséof place acrossthé Mediterranean. Thé Meeting startedat thé Istambul Naval Muséum with thé welcome remarks addressedby Vice Admirai Bùlent Bostanglu,Commander of thé Northern SeaAreaCommand followed by Ms.Dragana Lucija Ratkovic Président ofAMMM. Several Keynote speakerstook subsequentlythé floor disclosing a promising horizon for thé understandingand enhancementof thé Maritime Heritage'smultifaceted demain. Forumof Maritime Interesting,and highly informative speechesand debates took placeafterwards, ail alongthé two days meeting .Our readermight leam more aboutby consultingthé AMMM Website : Héritageofthé We cannotend this brief information note without mentioningthé extraordinaryvisit of thé ongoing Mediterranean Yenikapiexcavations considered by thé expertsas a uniquenautical archeologicalsite ever discovered. Thé areainterested covers thé ancientHarbor ofEmperor Theodosius(IVth Cent.ad) .Since2004 thé archaeologistsuncovered 37 wreckedships, merchant sail vesselsor galleyssank between thé 5th and "Wsïomaiwd Tradiîionai Vessels of thé l Ith centuries.A hugetask before thé specialists engagea in thérecovery and préservation of such ïlîeMefiiterranean" an amountofremains as we could ascertain,in visiting thé site and thé laboratorieswhere a team of highly compétentYoung scientistwork hard to savethèse unique remains. 28.28May 2012 (sfanbui INTERNATIONALJOURNAL 0F ISLANDAFFAIRS 59 International Journal of Other Publications r-i s Island AffaiiB INSULApubiishes îwio a INSULAalso publishes Sflhon year "Thé Intematiortat olherissues apparî of its JafrophaCurcasWorkshop Journal Isiand Affairs". Thé joumaibut a3so deaiing Report by Insuîa'sstaff in aimofthisjournal is to wiîh islandqiiestions. This oollaboraflonwith participante create a worid wide forum editorial work asmade in 1Sf01/12Jatropha Curcas for ail those who consider collabomtion witfi oîh&r WoriEshopPrésentations islandsas an important organisationsand ParticipantePrésentations partofmanklnd'shenîage institutionssharing thé availabie deservingmajor attention. samegoals as INSU LA. 14-15/12/11Jatropha cureas "Thé International Journal For more information, Sfate î»f thé Art International of IslandAffairs" is sent, Wotkshoo iilîïliia inKula insula la insula m.n. }[email protected] IRBf- tel:+33-1-45-6840-56 5 de sete PLATJADE L'ESCALA (Ait Empordà Catalunya) ORGANITCEN eewffle i»»ruo t.^GMA AfcTBMWftDÀ Alvntamerrt def'Eseat INTERNATIONALJOURNAL 0F [SLANDAfFAIRS Neraïdes Publishing Insula - Unesco