“Fruottole”: Cefalu in party!

What is the Fruottola in Cefalù? It is not a lie, as the term “frottola” is often understood, nor a “musical poetry”, as literary critics would rush to tell us.

Imagine crowds of children. Flocks of children “armed” with cucciddati (that is, bread in the shape of a donut, made with the first wheat flour of the year, then hung on a stick). Flocks of children shouting “Viva u pani!”, “Viva u pani!” while the tamburaro rolls relentlessly, at the head of a row of very baroque and colourful floats, through the streets of a festive Cefalu. This is what you would see when you take part in the Fruottola, the eighth day of the feast of Corpus Christi. In ancient times eight days of celebration: one per city corporation. The guilds were marked by banners given to the Bishop of the Cathedral and we still know their names and traditions: there were the “mastri nichi”, that is the craftsmen (the “masters”) and the “mastri ranni”, other craftsmen, mostly cabinetmakers and builders; the “viddani” (farmers), the “ucciera” (butchers) and the “piscatura” (fishermen), not to be confused with the “marinara di riviela”, that is the sailors, experts in navigation; there were also “parrini” (priests) and “galantuomini” (Sicilian nobles), who represented the most influential both economically and politically. Each corporation, without distinction, was entitled to a day of celebration!

Do you want to meet Cefalù on the feast day? Stay at Casa Montalbano and discover the most ancient traditions of Sicily!