In Orte, popular memory comes alive with “Traditions, dialect and popular curiosities of Orte”

On September 1st, as part of the Ottava Medievale, the presentation of the book by Vincenzo Cherubini, promoted and funded by Lighthouse.

The memory of a community lives in its words, songs, prayers, stories, and traditions passed down through time. This is the heritage collected in the volume “Tradizioni, dialetto e curiosità popolari ortane” (“Traditions, dialect and popular curiosities of Orte”), created by local resident Vincenzo Cherubini and promoted by Lighthouse.

The book will be presented on September 1st at 5:00 PM at the Bishop’s Palace (Palazzo Vescovile) in Via Giulio Roscio, as part of the Ottava Medievale celebrations. Presenting the project will be linguist Miriam Di Carlo and Dr. Vincenzo Cherubini.

The volume brings together a significant portion of Orte’s folklore, documented through testimonials, manuscripts, research, and interviews. A true journey into the popular culture of Orte, featuring popular and religious songs complete with sheet music, Pasquarella, Passione, and Cantamaggio, folk stanzas (stornelli), poems by local authors, and “frangiottole”—the traditional folk tales.

Among the most curious contents is the “diavoletto ortano” (the little devil of Orte), already documented in a 14th-century manuscript, along with popular prayers recited for the deceased, against storms and lightning, to heal eyes, bake bread, or find a husband. The book also features an unpublished 1992 text by Guido Lupi on the Pasquarella, rich in anecdotes.

Particularly significant is the work on the local language and memory of the land: anthroponyms, zoonyms, and dialect names for herbs, plants, and fruits are collected, alongside accounts of transhumance and popular proverbs aimed at children.

Historical documents and curiosities are not lacking, such as the full transcription of an 1833 lawsuit regarding an “Ellerata”—an insult committed using herbs—and research into the origin of the Orte artichoke as a sweet pastry, reconstructed through direct interviews.

Furthermore, the project extends beyond the pages of the book thanks to an itinerary through the historic center dedicated to themes of everyday popular life—from wine to betrayals, from quarrels to greed—accompanied by folk stanzas and songs.

The presentation thus represents an opportunity to rediscover and celebrate a heritage made of words, music, stories, and memories, which risks being lost but continues to speak of the most authentic identity of the Orte community.

Appointment on Tuesday, September 1st at 5:00 PM at the Bishop’s Palace in Via Giulio Roscio.