LA TRADIZIONE DEI PASTORI POETI NEL COMPLESSO SPAZIO RELAZIONALE DEI MONTI SIBILLINI

Abstract

The tradition of poet shepherds in the complex relational space of the Sibillini Mountains – For centuries, the practice of transhumance thrived in the Sibillini Mountains, particularly towards Maremma and Agro Romano. This pastoral society witnessed the establishment of both major and minor farms, leading to the gradual growth of a pastoral industry that persisted largely unchanged until the mid-20th Century. Enduring a challenging environment with extreme living conditions, the shepherds embarked on strenuous journeys from the mountains to the plains, spending months away from home, yet managing to preserve a deep cultural understanding. During their leisure time, these shepherds orally transmitted and safeguarded legends that have endured in the Sibillini region to this day. They also committed to memory poems of chivalrous exploits (such as Tasso’s Gerusalemme). Some, like Giuseppe Rosi, who fought alongside Garibaldi during the Risorgimento, even composed their own verses, adding to the richness of a distinct oral tradition that has been upheld for generations. Unfortunately, with the last of these poet shepherds disappearing, this unique oral tradition now faces the risk of extinction. This paper aims to explore the origin and evolution of these exceptional poet shepherds, with the intention of encouraging efforts to study, protect, and preserve what little remains of these precious pastoral and oral traditions.