Crafts and Masters

Crafts and Masters Written by Mariangela Cioria Edited by the cultural association Irpinia Mia On the cover: the music band of Trevico known as “la banda r' pacca r' cul” composed of 54 people plus its master Vitalone. The members of the band were all craftsmen living in Trevico. In occasion of town festivals they moved throughout Irpinia with a truck - they sat on two stools placed to the sides of the vehicle with the musical gear in the middle. The photo was taken in 1924 during the feast of the “Madonna della Libera” and it was donated by “Paulin' Pacca r' Cul” Paolo Saporito to the Association IRPINIAMIA last year. Valentini Guiducci, Michele Perlingieri and Giuseppe La Salvia – all born in Trevico – were able to identify the following people: the band leader is Giuseppe Paglia, a 19 years old merchant; the solo singer is Euplio Rullo, who joined the roman Papalina band when the band in Trevico broke up; the eldest one is Francesco Picari, called “Cicc'll' r' Fox”, a shoemaker and prefect of the order; Rocco Chiavuzzo “Rocco la guardia” was a local guard, he played the tenor trombone; Alessandro Di Spirito was a carpenter and he played the euphonium; Luigi Saporito, “Luig' Pacca r' Cul”, was a sacristan and a cobbler who played the drums; Angelo Salerno played the bass drum while his brother Alberto played the trumpet “r' scanginnom' nzomma”, they were both farmers; Giuseppe La Ferrara, “Pepp' lu varrilar' or Firrand”, was a cooper and he played the flugelhorn; “Felic' r' Micalang'l'” was a postman who played the cymbals “r' piattin'”; Alfonso Picari, “mast' Alfonz'”, was a carpenter who played the piccolo; Rocco Picari, “Barbt'”; Giuseppe Cardinale, “Giusepp' Cucculon'”, was a farmer and played the clarion, “lu Casinist'”; Vincenzo Giannetta, “Vicinz' r' Luca 'camp'santar'”, was a gravedigger; Nicola Scavina “Nicola Scavin'”, was a dealer who played the bass trombone, “Bracon'”; Luigi Antonio Salerno, “R'Gilistrin' or the Mint" was a tailor and he played the clarinet; Generoso Di Marco, “Voriasecca”; was a farmer; Rocco Paglia, “Rocc' Pistacch'”, was a tailor who played the trumpet; Palermo Rocco, “mast' Rocc'Cularon”, and Giuseppe Visco, “Sett'cul'”, were both cobblers; Giovanni Salerno, “Giuvann' lu ngigniriell'”, was a dealer; Michel’Antonio Fucon' was a shepherd and he played the clarinet; Luigi La Ferrara, “Luiggin' r' Cella”, was a barber and a mason; Giacumin' Belsess' was a shepherd and a farmer. The house where they practiced and went to school was called “r' Risariell'”. This book is dedicated to those - especially the young ones -who are eager to learn a trade. Once upon a time there was a little village in the mountains where, not long ago, the term “unemployment” wasn’t widely known despite the difficult conditions. During World War II the population exceeded 6,000 inhabitants including the hamlets of Scampitella and Vallesaccarda. Thanks to their ability to adapt, everyone was able to provide for their families and to contribute to the community. In Trevico crafts flourished. Until the sixties there were twenty-two shoemakers, twenty carpenters, ten basket weavers, one cooper etc. Craftsmen had a role of dignity and privilege, they came in second for number of members after the notables and the farm keepers. They were essential to all others social categories. The notables used to put before their first name the term “Don” (sir), required and demanded by all. The craftsmen used the term “Mast'”, which meant master or teacher. Blacksmiths, shoemakers, carpenters worked in small laboratories – on one of the walls they kept all their equipment. The women instead worked in front of the house, they were embroiderers, knitters and basket makers. The craftsman formerly produced tools used and needed for everyday life. The basket weavers had to procure the wood like olive branches, reeds and wicker only during the pruning: in spring and autumn. The productions and working methods became the living testimony of the time and the seasons. I visited the remaining craftsmen in the area to hear their testimonies and they told me about their lives and their past with joy and enthusiasm in spite of difficulties and suffering. This brochure represents a small extract of the new project IRPINIAMIA that will result in a book/research on trades and handcrafts. Mariangela Cioria The shepherd In the picture the “parocc'la r'spin'” Michele Crincoli, known as “Michel' Tafanella” born on October 29, 1926 in Vallata I attended school up to the second grade. I took evening classes in a farmhouse, in the dark, I used to bring a brazier with fire from my house or borrowed it from the neighbors, otherwise you carried wood to the house owner where you went to school and she started the fire. I have always worked and I did various jobs – I did handiwork, I was a mason but especially a shepherd. I've been a widower for the past 40 years and I moved to Germany 6 years ago. When I was a shepherd I had a bucket to milk, we had sheeps, goats and cows. This container came in only one size, if you wanted a bigger one you had to order it to craftsmen or buy it at the fairs. To measure the milk we used the “catarina”, a wooden rod with notches indicating the different measures: one-third corresponded to half a liter, two-thirds corresponded to a liter called the “la 'ndacca”, while “a scudella” was two liters. The “catarina” could measure up to six “scudell'”, ie twelve liters. The “catarina” had a cowhide string, so it was possible to hang it on the wall. It was made with the wood “orra mascula” which belongs to the family of willows, otherwise you could use elm. The male “orra” grows into a full tree while the female remains thin and can be used to make the catarina. It’s a durable and lightweight wood and it’s easy to clean so you don’t transfer bacteria to the milk. The “taglia” was a piece of wood - with the usual markings - used to keep track of the borrowed milk that needed to be returned. It consisted of two pieces, “the head and the tail”, one for the supplier and the other for those who received milk. After each milking, notches were marked on both of them to avoid any arguments. The “taglia r' lacertula” was made with elder wood. The blacksmith in the picture the “mosch'la r lu fus'” Vito Ragazzo born in Trevico on April 28, 1934 I got married on February 23, 1958 and I have three children, two boys and a girl. I attended the fourth grade and my teacher was “Vit' la Ditta” and then I attended the fifth and sixth grade in the military. I started to graze the sheeps as a child and since then I’ve always kept my hands busy: I liked making musical instruments with reeds and creating characters of the nativity out of clay. Over the years I have devoted myself to agriculture, and I began to produce “r' canneddr'”, reeds to protect your fingers from the sickle during the harvest, and wooden tools for the kitchen. Elderly people used to tell me that every object was already part of the piece of wood and I just had to get it out. I started my apprenticeship as a blacksmith when I was 15 with Euplio Lo Russo, in Vallesaccarda, where I used to go on foot or by a rickety bicycle. My father paid him a quintal of wheat per year, for four years. Only the fifth year, the master started giving me a hundred liras per day. In 1955 I opened my own shop with 10.000 liras my sister gave me in exchange for a plow. Initially I shoed horses and made iron tools and nails. Thereafter I specialized in the production of agricultural tools. The “mosch'la lu fus'”, the hook to the wool spindle was realized by beating and shaping on the anvil a nail for horseshoes. “Lu iatatur'”, the bellows for the fire was a simple iron pipe that was made initially with elder wood by emptying it of its internal springs. “R' castagnol'”, the castanets were used while dancing and they were accompanied by “lu rucanett'”, the organ. I even made a miniature plow. When you beat the red-hot iron sparks leaped and they ended up burning your hands or piercing your pants. My wife often helped me beat the red-hot iron, especially when making a hoe because you had to add steel to the iron, that allowed the hoe to squeeze better into the ground. The metals had to be hot to be worked otherwise it was all in vain. The carpenter Nichola Palermo, known as “Nicola cirzuddr'” born in 1941 in Trevico. After attending elementary school, at 11 years old I started an apprenticeship that lasted 8 years. I learned the art of carpentry from “mast' Michel”, Michele La Ferrara, one of the best in Trevico. I stayed with him for 4 years and then for another 4 years I’ve worked with “Funziniell'”, Alfonso Picari. The masters didn’t pay us a salary and neither contributions. “Mast'” Michele made windows and doors and worked in a rough way while “Funziniell'” was more artistic. Every master in Trevico left me a token from their workshops, in fact, the handsaw and the band saw were gifts from “Mast'”Alfonso, Alfonso Picari, while the saw from Gratticchij has over sixty years and is still in excellent condition. Many abroad were not able to continue the work that they had learned in their country, especially for problems with the language.

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