In today's episode we take the chance of the huge wave of celebrations across Italy to mark the 700 years from the death of Dante Alighieri to look into the unique relationship between Tuscany and its most famous poet. Aside from the many events that will be organized all over the region in the next weeks and months, the bond between everyday Tuscans and Dante is much more intimate, almost visceral. For centuries there were many sharecroppers that couldn't read or write but were able to recite by heart entire chants of the Divine Comedy. The influence of his poetry extended across all aspects of everyday life, including popular festivals that lasted for millennia. The "Calendimaggio", a spring festival of Celtic and Etruscan origins, created the so-called "maggianti", groups of travelling troubadours that went from farm to farm to improvise poems to wish good luck to the owners. They always used the "ottava rima" made famous by Dante seven centuries ago. Sometimes they had battles, like today's rappers, to demonstrate who was the best or to settle scores. If for "the others" it may be enough to visit the places where Dante lived, for us Tuscans the only way to pay homage would be to make his poetry a living part of our lives, like it used to be in the past. Are you aware of some particular way people in your area celebrate the arrival of spring? Let us know by joining the conversation on our social media accounts:
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LINKS TO SOURCES (ITALIAN)
https://www.danteotosco700.it/
https://firenze.repubblica.it/tempo-libero/articoli/cultura/2021/03/25/news/dante_alighieri_commedia_orme_poeta_paesaggio-292401377/rss
https://iltirreno.gelocal.it/empoli/cronaca/2021/03/24/news/gli-studenti-della-vanghetti-rendono-omaggio-a-dante-1.40066661
https://www.lanazione.it/cronaca/dantedi-1.6165518
https://firenze.repubblica.it/tempo-libero/articoli/cultura/2021/03/25/news/dante_alighieri_casa_museo-293597192/?rss
https://www.valdichianaoggi.it/notizie/cortona-il-programma-delle-celebrazioni-dantesche-oltre-30-appuntamenti/
https://www.ilgiunco.net/2021/03/24/tutti-leggono-dante-i-follonichesi-recitano-il-canto-di-pia-per-i-700-anni-dalla-morte-del-sommo-poeta/
https://firenze.repubblica.it/tempo-libero/articoli/cultura/2021/03/24/news/firenze_dante_poesia_novecento_universita_di_firenze_centro_studi_palazzeschi_700_anni_della_morte_anno_dantesco-293580460/?rss
https://www.gonews.it/2021/03/24/dantedi-una-cartolina-speciale-da-poste-italiane/
https://www.gonews.it/2021/03/23/dante-mosaico-ragazzi-cerbaiola/
https://www.lanazione.it/massa-carrara/cultura/verso-il-danted%C3%AC-il-sommo-poeta-e-la-lunigiana-dove-si-incontrano-storia-e-leggenda-1.6161012
https://www.gonews.it/2021/03/20/palazzo-blu-dantedi-anteprima-mostra-tom-phillips-dantes-inferno/
https://www.carmignanodivino.it/it/2017/05/la-tradizione-del-calendimaggio/
https://www.carmignanodivino.it/it/2017/05/a-carmignano-si-canta-maggio/
https://www.toscanaoggi.it/Cultura-Societa/Siam-venuti-a-cantar-maggio
https://www.ilfilo.net/cantamag.htm
http://www.cantamaggiobarberino.it/i-maggiaioli/

BACKGROUND MUSIC
Title: A Dark Blue Arc (Instrumental)
Author: Pipe Choir One
License: Creative Commons Attribution
Links: https://soundcloud.com/pipe-choir-2/pc-one-a-dark-blue-arc-creative-commons-instrumental