Ligabue Magazine 57

18.00

Second semester 2010
Year XXIX

This issue of Ligabue Magazine is an invitation to explore worlds that are remote both in time and geographically. We begin with a question. Why do people make Christmas nativity scenes? Unlike what is commonly thought, setting up miniature scenes at home was not originally a Christian tradition but a pagan one. The Church simply adopted and continued an existing practice. Crib scenes date back to ancient Roman times when, on the same December days leading up to “our” Christmas, in all Roman homes, children set up a “bucolic scene” in the corner of a room with toy characters made of polished terracotta. This then evolved into the ltalian presepe (nativity scene). The Roman model figures were symbolic representations of ancestors and, on the evening of December 19, the whole family gathered to ask for their protection for the coming year. They also offered some “sacrifices” in the form of food placed in small bowls. The following day, the children found presents in the bowls instead of the food.

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This custom was thus the forerunner of Christmas presents, now found worldwide, and the tradition of the presepe, which is still immensely popular in Italy. What is most striking is how remarkably similar the Roman and modern traditions are. All of this is retold in the article by the Fondazione Verona Arena, an unusual exploration of the presepe from antiquity to the present day, which reveals some of the secrets of a much loved ltalian tradition. In the company of Mauro Bon and lsabelle Cavalli, we then embark on a very different kind of “journey in search of origins”. Their article explores nature and evolution as found on the Galapagos Islands. The first thing that comes to mind when setting foot on these islands is how precarious life is there. Everything you see, whether animal or plant, seems to survive almost miraculously on these lunar-like islands. Resources are only available in tiny quantities. This has forced nature and living organisms to adapt in unusual ways both in behaviour and in form. Not surprisingly it was here that Darwin found inspiration for many of his ideas and theories on the evolution of the species. But how much of the nature seen and studied by Darwin survives today? Bon and Cavalli provide a careful, thorough description of the Galapagos lslands giving us a complete picture of their resources but also of the threats and challenges that must be met in the future, if this evolutionary treasure box is to be conserved.

Francesca Mascotto also takes us on a marvellous journey by describing the remarkable traditions of the Peul, a people which has probably inhabited the Sahara since the remote days when the desert area was green and full of lakes and animals. Today the Peul are still a very fascinating ethnic group made up of proud men and independent woman, both of great beauty. The photos illustrating the article and the descriptions of their customs (and particularly those of the Bororo subgroup) reveal how varied and interesting the last remote ethnic groups surviving on the planet can be. The article is thus also a warning about the immense heritage we are losing as they gradually disappear. We are indebted to Francesca for describing them.

At times history can catch you unawares and pop up in very everyday places, such as the kitchen. The ultimate chef of so many dinners inevitably turns out to be history itself. Far example, what’s behind a tomato? Christopher Columbus. And mashed potatoes? The French noble Parmentier. He was the first to understand the potential of potatoes, previously only used to feed pigs or grown for their flowers, which adorned aristocratic ladies’ wigs.
Even a simple slice of bread can lead us to explore the invention of agriculture, while a cup may evoke the first potter ‘s wheel. And when you look into regional or local cooking, such as Venetian cuisine, the historical aspects become even more fascinating. Each dish or recipe tells stories or is based on little-known ancient customs, which can still be “savoured” by the mind as well as by the palate. This is what you will discover in Marco da Ponte’s journey into the culture of Venetian cuisine.

l’ve left for last the article by Gabriele Rossi Osmida. Written in his habitual fascinating style, it is full of thought-provoking ideas and descriptions of unusual customs. You can learn a good deal by listening to Gabriele or by reading his writings. In this case he takes us an a trip to explore ancient Egyptian make-up and cosmetics. Just imagine meeting someone at dinner in a friend’s house wearing a kind of cone containing animal fat on his or her head. During the after-dinner chat,the fat gradually melts and greases the cone-bearing guest’s hair. We would probably be pretty disgusted at this, but for the ancient Egyptians it was the most refined and stylish fashion of the day. The fatty substance (almost like our hair gel) released a pleasant aroma that pervaded the room as well as giving hair a “wet look”- something greatly valued in the desert climes of ancient Egypt. This is just one of the fascinating details that Gabriele Rossi Osmida has picked up on. Unfortunately, this will be the last issue of the Ligabue Magazine put together and edited by Gabriele.

We shall miss him and his tales full of captivating descriptions, curious information and humanity . We wish him well on his journeys, excavations, discoveries and ideas in the hope that he will continue to add to his considerable achievements.
Ciao Gabriele. Thank you!

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