Sicilian Traditions in December
In Sicily, as in much of the world, the month of December is identified with the magical Christmas. Old and new traditions, religion, folklore and culinary blend together to make this time of year only in the celebrations for the birth of Christ Dec.25.
The most characteristic symbols and ancient Sicilian of December are:
U prisepiu sicilianu (The Nativity)
A Cona (the altair)
A Nuven'I Natali (The Novena)
I Canzunedd‘i Natali (The Christmas songs)
U pranz’i Natali (Christmas Lunch)
|
|
The crib has always occupied a special place in the Christmas scenes in
Sicily. You can find many of them in various places in Sicily, of various shapes, types and materials such as wood, gold, silver, ivory and coral. Even entire countries are transformed in live nativity, and the inhabitants, including the sound of bagpipes and songs of the novena often commissioned by private clients and executed in their homes near the crib, dress in old clothes and staged ancient crafts . The oldest of these is the Custonaci’s crib, in Trapani province, inside a cave. |
|
|
At home, in almost every family, the crib is traditionally prepared according to ancient traditions of using local material. The cave is made of lava or using sticks and straw, inside there are u voi (the ox), l’asineddu (the donkey), a Madonna ccù san Giuseppi (the Madonna with St. Joseph) and the small mangiatura vacanti ( the manger empty); at Midnight u Bbammineddu (Baby Jesus) is placed in the empty manger on a bed of leaves the core, because, according to an old Sicilian song, baby Jesus had come into the world in a tiny cradle at the foot of a hazelnut tree: “Sutta ‘n peri di nucidda, / cc’è na naca picciridda / cci annacaru lu Bbamminu / San Giuseppi e San Jachinu”. |
|
|
A Stidda Cumeta (the star) is placed over the cave to illuminate a rutta (the path), watched over by two angileddi (little angels). To recreate the environment of Bethlehem are used branches of olive trees, carob, holm oak and palm trees, whose leaves have become the symbol of peace in the Christian tradition. U prisepiu sicilianu si cunzava ccà carta tinciuta, u sùgaru, a sparacogna, u spinapulici, i rrama di chiuppu e di iniparu, l’agrifogghiu ell’aranci (The crib was prepared with colored paper, cork, wild asparagus, butcher's broom, the branches of poplar and juniper, holly and oranges). To complete the scene they used a large sheet of blue paper, puntianatu-cchi stdduzzi (dotted with golden stars), which simulates the sky, u ciumi di pannedda (a river foil), u lippu (moss), i petri (stones), a pumici (pumice stone), a farina (flour) and u cuttuni sciusu (cotton wool) spread on the branches of holly like a snowflake. Oranges, tangerines, nuts, dates and sweets placed at the entrance and above the cave symbolize the gifts offered by devotees to baby Jesus worshiped by shepherds and Magi, who came from the East, and revive a small far corner of Palestine. |
|
Finally, u paraturi (the builder of the crib) enriches the crib with many people connected to popular culture and peasant Sicilian: |
|
|
|
|
l’acqualoru-cco-bbummulu (a man who sells the water with "bummulu") |
U craparu ccu li pecuri (the goatherd with sheep) |
U friscalettaru (the piper) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
U picuraru (the shepherd) |
U ricuttaru (a man who prepares the cottage cheese) |
A vurdunara
(The greengrocer) |
U piscatori
(the fisherman) |
 |
|
|
 |
|
U vuttaru (The man who builds the barrels) |
U scantatu da stidda |
U ciaramiddaru ca sona a ciaramedda. (The player of bagpiper) |
|
The term Cona (icon) indicates that both an effigy with a sacred image is the inset (a-nnicca) or altars (atareddi) with images of Christ or a Madonna and Saints, created inside the shrines (Nuvene) or in front of the houses.To celebrate the Christmas novena, in Sicilian homes, is parried a Cona, an icon depicting the Holy Family.
A Cona si cunzava-cchê-rrama, i fògghi e i frutti di l’arànciu amaru, cchê mannarini e i lumìa, ccû spàraciu nìuru, u spinu-bbiancu e u cuttuni sciusu to simulate snow (A cona was prepared with branches, leaves and fruits of bitter, with mandarins and lemons, with black asparagus and black hawthorn and cotton wool to simulate snow). As a token offering, sutt’â Cona (under the cona), more affluent devotees put cufina chini d’arànci, mannarini, cutugna, ficurìnia, nèspuli d’invernu, ranàti, cosi duci fatti‘n casa e-cciucculatti (baskets full of oranges, mandarins, quinces, figs, medlar winter, pomegranates, cakes and chocolates).
Faced with so many delights, the most enterprising boys were unable to resist the temptation and ate all the time; so it often happened that the most richly decorated conas remained only adorned with hawthorn, asparagus and cotton. This is the origin of the Sicilian saying "manciarisi na cona" which means "eating out loud."
At dusk, during “a sunata dâ ciaramedda” (the concert of bagpipes), the Cona was illuminated with nine little candles, one for each day of the novena.
The presence of ciaramiddaru ca scattiava a ciaramedda (the player of bagpipes) made the festive atmosphere, but dense of concentration. In fact, these people opened u libbru dê prïeri (the prayer book), recommended themselves â Madunnuzza e s’agginucchiàvanu ravanti a Cona, ppi scùrriri u Santu-Rrusàriu. (recommended themselves to Madonna and knelt in front of the Cona, to pray the Rosary).
Everything is ready to celebrate a festa-cchiù granni (the "biggest celebration"), also a-zzuccata, the traditional log that is burned on Christmas Eve.
 |
 |
In Sicily, the custom of celebrating the Christmas novena (a Nuvena) has its roots in the distant past, and still survives in some villages of the island.The term Novena also indicates a Christmas carol that in ancient times, during the nine days before Christmas Eve, was executed, before the crib, from Ninariddari (singers of lullabies), from Ciaramiddari (players of bagpipes) or players of wind instruments. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=830_9lbu5gI&feature=player_embedded#!
The instruments used were traditionally "friscalettu” (flute), bagpipes and "marranzano ", but also violin, double bass and flute. Ninariddari went around the houses and even stopped in front of putìe (Sicilian food shops), accompanying the so-called ninnaredde with music, carols, until 1867, were played at night. They were surrounded dê carusi dô quarteri (by neighborhood children) who gathered to listen to those sweet lullabies, took advantage of the opportunity ppi-ffari na manciàta di càlia e ssimenza (to make a meal of roasted chickpeas and roasted pumpkin seeds), sing a song that was originally a hymn of praise to the children and that, over time, lost the old content, making mocking and meaningless: «Nini, nini, lu ciaramiddaru,/ ttri-ppidòcchia l’assicutàru,/ l’assicutàru vanèddi vanèddi, scì picciòtti-cchi sona-bbeddi»… At the end of the Novena it was a tradition that the householder or u putiàru (shopkeeper) give the ninariddari a typical Christmas cake filled with fruits and dried figs: u-bbucciddatu.
The Nuvena was characterized by the “Scattiata da ciaramedda” (a a sort of sudden emptying of the bagpipe) in front of an altar (figuredda) representing a small crib, which was placed on an icon depicting the Nativity.A figuredda was decorated with branches of laurel, citrus fruits and flowers and illuminated, like Cona, with nine small and big candles.The novena of ciaramiddari was divided into four stages (the so-called caddozzi) each lasting about ten minutes. In the first half, was played a popular melody, dedicated to St. Anthony in the second half was played a melody in honor of St. Joseph; a series of invocations to the Virgin Mary and the Saints (a litanìa) was mostly the third time. Last caddozzu, finally, was executed at will, that is chosen by the player or the landlord. An example of nuvena: http://www.umbc.edu/eol/MA/index/number9/fuga/audio/nuvena.mp3
This is the verse that corresponds to the first day of the novena, dedicated to St. Joseph:
|
Nta
la centru di lu nvernu |
|
|
||||||||||||||
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
The protagonists of lavish dinners for Christmas and New Year are on the tables festively decorated Sicilian, pasta (rice and lasagne), legumes, fresh vegetables and preserved in oil, meat seasoned with Mediterranean herbs, free range poultry, fish, wine, cakes and homemade liqueurs. here are some examples: |
||
|
Timmala (timbale of rice) Cook a big chicken in a broth flavored with bay leaves, celery, rosemary and mint. Remove the bones after cooking for about half an hour and prepared the meatballs letting boil for about 10 minutes in the broth in which the cooked chicken.
Boil 500 grams of rice in the same broth, drain and add 500 g.
grams of
Pecorino cheese. |
|
|
|
Lasagne
Take 100 g. Veal and 100 g. pork and brown in 50 g. lard. At the
same lard and sauté the chopped onion.Melt 200 grams of tomato
paste in a glass of red wine. Add the meat in the sauce and add
the resulting three-quarters of the wate rand cook for about an
hour. Remove from heat, finely chopped meat and place it back
into the sauce.
Boil 400 g wide lasagna in salted water and after draining, mix
with 200 g fresh ricotta cheese, gradually adding the hot water
needed. |
|
|
|
Bbucciddatu (buccellato) Mix 500 g. flour with 50 g. lard, add one egg, 100 g. of sugar, the rind of half a lemon, a glass of milk and a packet of yeast. Make the dough obtained by covering it. Meanwhile, shredded 200 g. dried figs and add them with 100 g. almonds and chopped walnuts and 100 g. honey.Take the dough and flatten with a rolling pin, and cut many rectangles within which to place the filling. Close the ends too btain large donuts. Put the mixture into a baking pan greased with butter and bake for half an hour. Serve cold. |
|
|
|
Crispeddi (crespelle)
Knead for about three quarters of an hour 300g. flour
with 40 g. sugar, 2 egg yolks, 50 g. of butter, an
orange.Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough and cut
small pieces. Fry in hot oil. |
|
|
|
Sicilian dumplings (I luni)
Place separately in warm water to soften the raisins and figs. Coarsely chopped walnuts, almonds and pistachios. Beat eggs in a bowl and add raisins, squeezed, dried and chopped dried figs, chocolate, chopped, jam, chopped almonds, pistachios and walnuts and cinnamon. Mix the mixture thoroughly and set aside. To prepare the dough, mix the pastry, flour, eggs, sugar, melted butter a pinch of salt and yeast. When you've got a very smooth paste, put it with a rolling pin into a thin sheet. Cut it into diamonds in the center of each and have a little 'filling. Grouped the four vertices at the top and press gently with your fingers to form precisely of the ravioli. Continue until all the ingredients. Put the biscuits in a greased and floured baking pan properly. Bake at 170-180 ° C for about 30 minutes.
|
Ingredients:
|
|
|
I “Purciddrati” o "Mastazzola" Siciliani
I "Purciddrati" Sicilian or "Mastazzola," are a typical Sicilian sweet
pure and simple filling of dried figs is usually prepared during the
Christmas period. Originally, the mixture was the same as that used for
making bread, but over time variants have been added, also using the mix
for the cakes with a dusting of icing sugar.
The mustazzola accompany the whole period of the holiday |
 The recipe:
Ingredients:
fresh tomatoes, chopped toasted hazelnuts and pine nuts. |
|
