In Vittoria a conference dedicated to Giovanni Virgadavola Vittoria

Vittoria – The stories he told, with the “storytelling” method, continue to echo in the ears of those who had the opportunity to know and appreciate him, driven by the wind of memory. Giovanni Virgadavola, who passed away in September 2022, never left us. His immaterial legacy continues to involve old and new generations also thanks to the cultural association of the same name which was born in recent months at the behest of his children and grandchildren with the aim of pursuing the cultural mission that the “story teller” and collector of Sicilian carts he had given himself in his life, that is, not to let this art die. And next Saturday, April 27, an event of particular cultural and historical importance has been promoted dedicated to the memory of Virgadavola who remains one of the most beloved sons of the city of Vittoria.

From 9.00 am the Municipal Theatre, with a program full of interventions, will host the free-entry conference entitled “The Virgadavola collection and the ethno-anthropological heritage of the Iblei”, organized by the cultural association Giovanni Virgadavola, and during which the presentation will take place of the unpublished book by Giovanni Virgadavola “History of the cart and its symbols”. A prominent figure in the cultural history of the island, Giovanni Virgadavola was not only a great lover of the Sicilian dialect, but also a tireless story teller and carter, who was able to pass on the rich Sicilian popular tradition with passion and dedication, giving it voice and substance.

The great passion for his land has in fact found various expressions, and to his much loved “cunti”, always listened to with great joy and involvement by listeners of all ages, he has combined a research that has found form in the rich collection of carts, vernacular poems, drawings and posters, but also tools, work utensils, Sicilian puppets, harnesses for mules and horses and much more, which with patient and incessant dedication he has collected in the Cart Museum which he inaugurated in his city, and which represents testimony precious of a rich and varied culture. A culture with deep roots which in the conference dedicated to him is celebrated by underlining the importance of preserving and passing on the ethno-anthropological culture of our land.