{"id":201,"date":"2009-11-12T07:03:34","date_gmt":"2009-11-12T11:03:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/?p=201"},"modified":"2018-11-08T11:03:52","modified_gmt":"2018-11-08T10:03:52","slug":"facciamo-san-martino","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/facciamo-san-martino\/","title":{"rendered":"Facciamo San Martino"},"content":{"rendered":"

Wednesday 11th of November was la festa di San Martino<\/strong>, a date which has particular significance for the contadini<\/strong> (farm labourers, or peasants) as it brings to a close the agricultural year.<\/span><\/p>\n

Fare San Martino<\/span> <\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2018Fare S.Martino<\/strong>\u2019 (literally: to do S.Martino), is an expression used in the vast agricultural plains of the Pianura Padana, which means both to traslocarsi <\/strong>(move house) and to change one\u2019s place of work. The expression goes back to the time when a significant part of the population of the pianura<\/strong> worked as braccianti <\/strong>(farm hands, or labourers). The farm labourer’s annual contract expired at the beginning of November, and if the contract wasn\u2019t renewed by the proprietario terriero<\/strong> (landowner) for the following year, the bracciante<\/strong> had to find work elsewhere. This entailed moving himself, his family, and all their possessions to una nuova dimora<\/strong> (a new dwelling place, or residence). The date chosen for il trasloco <\/strong>(the move) was traditionally the 11th November, la festa di S.Martino<\/strong>, and there was a very practical reason for selecting that date: l’estate di San Martino<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\u2018L’estate di San Martino, tre giorni e un pocolino<\/strong>\u2019 \u2013 detto popolare<\/strong>. (\u2018S.Martino\u2019s Summer, three days and a little bit\u2019 \u2013 popular saying)<\/p>\n

L’estate di San Martino<\/strong> is the name given to a short period following the first really cold weather during the late autumn. At that time, if we’re lucky, we have a brief reprieve, and things warm up again for several days. I have to say, looking out of the window at the snow capped mountains which occasionally emerge from gloomy grey clouds: quest\u2019anno sembra che sia poco probabile<\/strong> (this year it seems very unlikely!) Ma chiss\u00e0!<\/strong> (but who knows!).<\/p>\n

A famous example of the use of the expression \u2018fare San Martino<\/strong>\u2019 comes from Italy\u2019s second war of independence in 1859. At the great battle of San Martino (a small town located in Northern Italy), King Vittorio Emanuele II famously resorted to dialect as he desperately tried to rally his struggling troops, using the phrase: \u2018Fioeui, o i piuma San Martin o i auti an fa f\u00e9 San Martin a nui!<\/strong>\u2019 which in Italian means \u2018Ragazzi, o prendiamo San Martino o gli altri ci fanno fare San Martino a noi!<\/strong>\u2019 (Lads, either we take San Martino or the others will make us \u2018fare San Martino<\/strong>\u2019 i.e. will throw us out!)<\/p>\n

This year however, the expression \u2018fare S.Martino<\/strong>\u2019 has particular significance for us because we are in the middle of the gruelling process of moving my elderly parents from their palazzo (block of flats) in the suburbs of Lucca to an appartamento <\/strong>here in Pontremoli in order to be able to look after them better, per\u00f2, devo dire che \u00e8 un lavoro snervante!<\/strong>\u00a0 (however, I have to say that it\u2019s an exhausting job!).<\/p>\n

Oh well, in order to reward ourselves we can always follow yet another old tradition that takes place at this time of year, il primo assaggio del vino novello, che solitamente viene abbinato alle prime castagne<\/strong> (the first tasting of the new wine, which is usually accompanied with the first chestnuts). This tradition is celebrated in a famous poem by Giosu\u00e8 Carducci (1835 \u2013 1907) which we had to learn at school:<\/p>\n

San Martino<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

La nebbia a gl’irti colli<\/strong>
\npiovigginando sale,<\/strong>
\ne sotto il maestrale<\/strong>
\nurla e biancheggia il mar; <\/strong><\/p>\n

Ma per le vie del borgo<\/strong>
\ndal ribollir de’ tini<\/strong>
\nva l’aspro odor de i vini<\/strong>
\nl’anime a rallegrar. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Gira su’ ceppi accesi<\/strong>
\nlo spiedo scoppiettando:<\/strong>
\nsta il cacciator fischiando<\/strong>
\nsu l’uscio a rimirar <\/strong><\/p>\n

tra le rossastre nubi<\/strong>
\nstormi d’uccelli neri,<\/strong>
\ncom’esuli pensieri,<\/strong>
\nnel vespero migrar.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The drizzling fog
\nclimbs the rugged hills,
\nand beneath the mistral
\nthe sea howls and foams;<\/p>\n

but in the village streets
\nfrom the seething vats
\nthe pungent smell of wine goes forth
\nto cheer the souls.<\/p>\n

On fiery logs the spit
\nturns and crackles;
\nthe hunter stands whistling
\nand from his door watches<\/p>\n

amongst\u00a0reddish clouds
\nthe black flocks of birds,
\nlike forlorn thoughts,
\nat dusk migrate.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Wednesday 11th of November was la festa di San Martino, a date which has particular significance for the contadini (farm labourers, or peasants) as it brings to a close the agricultural year. \u2018Fare S.Martino\u2019 (literally: to do S.Martino), is an expression used in the vast agricultural plains of the Pianura Padana, which means both to…<\/p>\n

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