War of Algiers and "il Camellaccio"

In the first years of 1800 it was represented to Trezza, during the festivity of S. John, the War of Algiers (La Presa di Algeri), thanks to Carl V, of the 1541. The Christian fleet was represented by rowing boat and feluccas that -were on the sea of Acitrezza, At the time to defend the coast there was the "bastioncello", said "dei Faraglioni", the great bastion, saying "della Trizza", and the palace of the prince of Reggio, that was fortified. In the great bastion, the prisoners were held until when   they were delivered to the conquerors. It was a great show, which was rendered more attractive by the construction on the beach of small forts, made of wood and canes and equipped with guns. But the performance is not taking place anylonger today, because there are not symbols like the Palace of the Prince and the great bastion, that - were lost, because of the construction of new buildings.

Picture of Jacob Philip Hackert - 1793

It represents two bastions that were on the performance during of the War of Algiers

THE CAMELLACCIO (Il Cammellaccio)

It was a tradition until up 1870, for the day of the death of S. John Baptist (29th August), the "Camellaccio" went around Trezza in the evening. It was made with a quadrilateral chassis of wood slabs covered with canes on which was put some mats coloured as camel hairs, in the back a horse tail was attached, and a bar of approximately three metres acted as neck, - covered too, at the end was put a horse head, that it was taken among the stinkers threw into the rivers. Within the "Camellaccio" there was master Salvatore Gilletti who drove it. The "Camellaccio" it was, also, equipped of fireworks and walking around the streets of the town, he made explode them underneath. For that day there was the impunity and whoever did not give anything to it would have to get the rage of the animal. However, this very old tradition that amused a lot the Acitrezza’s people, got lost too and nearly nobody remembers it anymore.

Copyright© 2000-2002 Grasso Giovanni - Antonio Guarnera. Tradotto da Mario Grasso. Translated by Mario Grasso. Tutti i diritti sono riservati. All rights reserved. Vietata la riproduzione anche parziale

Renewed: 20-07-05 .