ITCS “C. Rosa” Nereto TE a. s. 2004-2005 class 2 D
Socrates Comenius1 Project “Eurocalendar”

Cocullo snake charmers 05 May 2005

We try to use the Eurocalendar “Economics_Mini-Unit” procedure for the second time. We
(2 teachers and a class) visit Cocullo, a small village of our region, during the special particular
celebration of Saint Dominique “Snake-Charmers festival”.

Activities

      Before the rite
Select 4 groups (max 5 students for group).
Each group choose somebody to report (ph.) and the name of the group

      During the rite
On the first Thursday of May the pilgrims arrive by car or bus (ph.) (in the past on foot) outside the village, and reach the church (ph.) singing religious hymns in the Saint's honour to the music of bagpipes (ph.). Inside the church special rituals take place:
- ringing a small bell (ph.) pulling the rope with the mouth (ph.), as a protection against toothache throughout the coming year (ph.)
- picking the blessed soil inside the church (ph.), to spread it later over the fields (at school, ph.), as a protection against crop pests.
At midday, after Mass, from the church at one end of the village St Dominique's statue (ph.), covered in gold, silver and precious jewels (ph.) left by those who saw their prayers fulfilled, is carried in procession through the alleys of the ancient borough (ph.). As soon as the statue goes out of the church, the snake-charmers cover it with snakes (ph.), and the statue proceeds in this way.
In front there come the priests (ph.), then girls in costume (ph.) carrying the "ciambelli" (ph.), typical cakes specially prepared for the day. Live snakes are also around the neck and arms of the snake charmers (ph.) and the faithful (ph.), who slowly proceed after the statue (ph.), singing in the middle of the crowd (ph.). From the behaviour of the snakes (ph.) the inhabitants of Cocullo derive omens: if the snakes surround the head of the statue (ph.), that is good omen and the crowd cheers (ph.). After the procession the many tourists gather around the serpari to have their picture taken with them (ph.).

      After the rite
Get a snake (or more) and make a photo with it (ph.)
Interview people (kids, adults, merchants, visitors, others) asking 4 or more questions about fest (ph.)

      Later
Write a short diary of the visit and draw 5 pictures illustrating it
Report of activities
Evaluation

N.B.: (ph.) = make photos

Interviews

Students will interview some merchants and other people (kids, adults, visitors, others) about the fest.

For instance: interviewing a merchant

When do you have to order merchandise to have it in time for St. Dominique’s Fest?
How do you determine what items to sell?
What kind of items do you selling more than other?
What items do the women prefer?
What about the men?

GROUP: SNAKES
INTERVIEW N.: 5

AGE: 46 ( )   M (X)    W ( )    LOCAL ( )    FOREIGNER (FROM: FOLIGNO)

( ) MERCHANT            (X ) VISITOR                 ( ) OTHER (_____________)

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GROUP: Red Devils

COCULLO - a short diary
(by Monia & Erica)

Il primo giovedì di Maggio, dalla piccola città di Nereto, nella regione Abruzzo, gli studenti del secondo anno dell’“I.T.C.” sono andati a Cocullo.
Ci sono volute circa due ore per arrivare. In gruppi di quattro persone abbiamo girato la cittadina e intervistato persone, mercanti e turisti chiedendo loro cosa sapevano e pensavano di questa celebrazione caratteristica. Abbiamo fatto foto a turisti e chiese, intervistato molti venditori e chiesto loro alcune antiche ricette regionali. Ci hanno dato la ricetta dei taralli.
Poi abbiamo partecipato alla processione in onore di San Domenico, la cui statua era coperta da serpenti.
Dopo la processione ci siamo riuniti intorno ai serpari per far delle foto, e molti di noi hanno coraggiosamente toccato i serpenti. Dopo il rito abbiamo mangiato e subito dopo siamo tornati con il nostro pullman a Nereto.
Questa esperienza è stata indimenticabile.

On the first Thursday of May, from the small town of Nereto in the region Abruzzo, the students of the second form of the “I.T.C.” left for Cocullo.
It took two hours to get there.
In groups of four people we went around the village to interview people, merchants and tourist in order to ask them what they knew and thought about this peculiar celebration.
We took photos of the tourist and churches. Then we interviewed some merchants and asked for some regional recipes. We had the recipe of the “ciambelli”.
Later we joined the procession in honour of St. Dominique, whose statue was covered with snakes.
After the procession, we gathered around the “serpari” (snake charmers), to have photos and some of us succeeded in touching the serpents. After the rite we had a picnic and soon after we returned to our coach back to Nereto.
This experience has been unforgettable.