San Rocco Torrepaduli

Torrepaduli is a fraction of Ruffano, a municipality in the province of Lecce, located in the hinterland of the southern Salento.

In the days around mid-August, from the 15th to the 17th, is celebrated San Rocco, patron of infectious diseases. Of French origin (1225-1327) he was able to heal most of the population from one of the epidemic disease of the time: the bubonic plague. The celebration sees its beginnings in ancient times, dating back to the sixteenth century.

It is an event eagerly awaited by all the people in Salento and, although preserving still today a strong religious spirit, it has also adopted over the years a more "media" and touristic meaning, and trendy as well, becoming the essential event of the summer in Salento.

The most intimate and mystical feature of the festival is reflected in the celebration of Masses, processions and pilgrimages of the churchgoers that reach the shrine on foot from the neighboring towns.

On the evening of the 15th, in the square outside the Sanctuary, various dancing shows and others events take place going on all night long until the first lights of dawn. In this regard, we can not help but mention the event that most of all attracts and characterizes the festival: the Sword Dance (or Dance of Knives). It's a particular kind of pizzica, also called pizzica a scherma. With this type of dance is implemented a real simulation of the struggle that took place between some members of the Rom community, that in the duel, fought for the ownership of the territories and various merchandise. For this reason, the profan origin of this secular dance can not be attributed to the population of Salento, however this did not prevent it to become an integral part of the tradition and folklore of the place.

The dance has therefore its origins lost in the mists of time and proceeds along a very precise ritual which involves the repetition of well-defined steps, accompanied by the sound of harmonicas and the unmistakable tambourines that mark the time. The dancers movements reproduce and mimic a knife fight. Probably, originally these objects were actually used but now they are replaced by a strong gestures of the hands and arms, pretending something like a challenge to a duel.

The fighters point at each others the fingers of their hands (index and middle) since the purpose is to "hit" and the fingers touch would, in fact, have this intention.

The evolution of the dance follows well-defined phases of fighting, starting with the provocation, attack and defense to get to the crucial shots, all following a technique and a strategy typical of the dance. It is a set of rules to be respected by the duellers, including never turn the shoulders and always maintaining a safe distance. Generally there are two dancers alternating  among the devotees but, it is not to be excluded the increasingly frequent practice, to pick from the  audience of onlookers and tourists who assists in a circle to the show.