Morgan BellThe Orange Throwing Festival
February 23rd 2009 16:27
Il Carnivale d' Ivrea
The Ivrea Orange Throwing Festival in Northern Italy
This year from February 21st - 24th thousands of Italians are dressing up for a historical reenactment and food fighting parade. The event takes place annually in the week prior to Ash Wednesday.
Weapon of choice? The orange.
Where does this tradition stem from?
Well in 1194, a young maiden named Violetta instigated a stone-throwing revolt that ended feudal tyranny and earned freedom for the people of Ivrea.
Violetta was the daughter of a local flour miller, betrothed to her sweetheart Toniotto. The tyrant was The Margrave Raineri of Biandrate.
A Margrave is a rank of nobility between an Earl/Count and a Marquis. Raineri burdened his people with taxes and maltreatment and intoduced "jus primae noctis" as law in the town, granting himself the right to take the virginity of newlywed women on the night of their marriage.
When Violetta was taken to the Margrave's castle after her nuptials she swiftly pulled a dagger out of her dress and cut the tyrants head off.
Violetta displayed the severed head to the crowd outside the castle, a sign to commence a well-overdue revolt.
The castle was immediately stormed and burned down. The people swore that nothing should ever be built again on this spot. The image of charming Violetta liberating the whole town was forever marked in legend.
Today the Abbàs show a sword with an orange stuck on its point symbolising the decapitated head of the tyrant. An Abbà was the head of the Abbey. Ten children in rich Renaissance costume represent the Abbàs of the five parishes of Ivrea.
In the middle ages, beans were used in this battle because twice a year the feudal lord gave a pot of beans to the poor families who, out of disrespect and disgust, threw them back into the streets.
Around 1830-60, girls started throwing oranges from their balconies onto the annual parade carriages, along with confetti, lupins and flowers, in an effort to gain the attention of boys. The boys would respond by throwing the oranges back.
Only after World War 2 did the battle become the present contest following fixed rules.
Today the contest is still enacted in the main squares of the town where teams in carriages (symbolising the tyrant’s guards) battle against the orange thrower teams on foot (the rebellious commoners) which consist of hundreds of throwers. Anybody can take part by enlisting in one of the nine teams on foot or becoming a member of a carriage crew.
The orange battle has now made this cultural celebration a national and international spectacle on the carnivale circuit.
The Ivrea Orange Throwing Festival in Northern Italy
This year from February 21st - 24th thousands of Italians are dressing up for a historical reenactment and food fighting parade. The event takes place annually in the week prior to Ash Wednesday.
Weapon of choice? The orange.
Where does this tradition stem from?
Well in 1194, a young maiden named Violetta instigated a stone-throwing revolt that ended feudal tyranny and earned freedom for the people of Ivrea.
Violetta was the daughter of a local flour miller, betrothed to her sweetheart Toniotto. The tyrant was The Margrave Raineri of Biandrate.
A Margrave is a rank of nobility between an Earl/Count and a Marquis. Raineri burdened his people with taxes and maltreatment and intoduced "jus primae noctis" as law in the town, granting himself the right to take the virginity of newlywed women on the night of their marriage.
When Violetta was taken to the Margrave's castle after her nuptials she swiftly pulled a dagger out of her dress and cut the tyrants head off.
Violetta displayed the severed head to the crowd outside the castle, a sign to commence a well-overdue revolt.
The castle was immediately stormed and burned down. The people swore that nothing should ever be built again on this spot. The image of charming Violetta liberating the whole town was forever marked in legend.
Today the Abbàs show a sword with an orange stuck on its point symbolising the decapitated head of the tyrant. An Abbà was the head of the Abbey. Ten children in rich Renaissance costume represent the Abbàs of the five parishes of Ivrea.
In the middle ages, beans were used in this battle because twice a year the feudal lord gave a pot of beans to the poor families who, out of disrespect and disgust, threw them back into the streets.
Around 1830-60, girls started throwing oranges from their balconies onto the annual parade carriages, along with confetti, lupins and flowers, in an effort to gain the attention of boys. The boys would respond by throwing the oranges back.
Only after World War 2 did the battle become the present contest following fixed rules.
Today the contest is still enacted in the main squares of the town where teams in carriages (symbolising the tyrant’s guards) battle against the orange thrower teams on foot (the rebellious commoners) which consist of hundreds of throwers. Anybody can take part by enlisting in one of the nine teams on foot or becoming a member of a carriage crew.
The orange battle has now made this cultural celebration a national and international spectacle on the carnivale circuit.
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Comment by Jason King
Sydney Table
Salty Popcorn
Total Randomness
Glad they have swapped from severed heads and stones
Comment by Janet Collins
Acceptable Etiquette
The Social Critic
Janet Collins Blog
Comment by Morgan Bell
Deep Pencil
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Movie Train
i wonder if having an orange pegged at you would hurt?
i think it would be quite a spectacle to watch though!
hi Janet,
hey you and Jason are on the same page with not wanting severed heads and stones being thrown around!
im sure i read once that the origins of soccer were people kicking around a head in a bag . . .
Comment by Jason King
Sydney Table
Salty Popcorn
Total Randomness
Comment by Morgan Bell
Deep Pencil
Business News
Movie Train
haha it will be like paint ball!
if we were entrepreneurs we could market it as a new sport called "Fruit Splatter"
frankly i prefer my oranges juiced and with vodka!
no metal poles allowed!