September, 2013

The Desmontegada at Falcade and news about the folklore of the Biois valley

Last September I spent sevral quite pleasant days at Falcade in the occasion of the annual Desmontegada, the local festival celebrating the shepherds returning back home from the high mountain pastures. Today the festival also takes a touristic flavour, but it essentially remains their own festival, and it is felt by locals as such. In detail, I must give my thanks to the kindness and sympathy of Luca Luchetta and Mayra De Marco. I also learned a few interesting facts regarding Ladinian folklore; as an instance, that in the valley of Biois people put on stage theatrical shows still today, although obviously ancient tales are no longer staged, their place having been taken by modern pieces. I also learned that, between the valley of Biois and that of Franzei, a mountain exists locally named mount Velma, that someway might be connected with the legend of the Vögl delle Velme; and at its feet there is a lake, the Lac dei Giai (that also appears in another legend, related to the anguane), on the bottom of which precious metal should be found. Notice that the valley of Franzei is the place, anyway, of ancient mining activities.