A BRIEF INTRODUCTION…

The history and the traditions of our village have represented and still are a jealous patrimony for the people of Quarna Sopra. The desire to preserve, to relive and to express these traditions through the folk shows came a long time afterwards.
The group "Matai d' Ca' Noscta" is not a virtual reconstruction of environments and customs, but it is a simple and genuine expression of the life of our mountain community.
The beginning of its history traces back to the first exhibitions in the village’s parties and in the typical pastoral feasts of the mountain summer pastures.
In the early ‘30s, a few people started to participate to meetings, assemblies and various events in the Northern Italy.
In 1962, the name “Matai d' Ca' Noscta" (that literally means "boys of our village") was given to the group.

DANCES AND COSTUMES

In the shows, dance is the mean through which the poetry that depicts daily life is expressed. This way, the culture and the same origins of our people relive.
Waltzes and mazurkas are the background of all the exhibitions, reproduce rhythms of known dances based on music of unknown authors, whose themes have been handed down from father to son.
The songs performed in the local dialect are often joined to the dances.
In this whole scene the authentic female costume is highlighted, created from the imagination and restrained style of the women and still patrimony of the village.
The black suit and the white shirt patiently embroidered, apparently austere, are brightened up by the coloured apron and by the bodice, held back by a ribbon. The stockings and the black shoes, the bolero and the black shawl are accompanied by the multicoloured foulard and them all represent the main components of the costume.
The group guards it, exalts it and makes it known as a note of distinction and bond with their native village/origins.
The male costume has been recently modified after a detailed study in order to reproduce the real men wear of the beginning of the twentieth century.

PROGRAM

The show of the group includes a vivacious parade and four exhibitions structured as follows:

FIRST PART

It is divided in six moments that want to represent situations of both feast and work:
La Genia: a woman that carries on her head pipes for water from the village to the pasture, has inspired this theme that, through the dance, depicts her orderly and harmonious job.
Quando la luna: it is the “quarnese” serenade, the typical song of every party and every happy gathering. It expresses the joy of the meeting, the hours spent among girls while the moon creates an enchanting atmosphere with a games of lights through trees.
Aei sautitt: still a moment of party with a dance in which joy and movements of unexpected class are shown.
A barsaca: the generous chestnut trees, wealth of the village, fill the "barsache" with their fruits.
La barchetta: from the hills dominating Quarna Sopra, the sight of the Lake of Orta cheers the loneliness of the shepherds and the small boats cradled by the water are the daily show that inspires their imagination.
Il valzer di tutti: all the people dance at the village’s party. A woman exhibits with the cavagn" and the game of equilibrium is encouraged by applauses.
Serenamente: final theme.

SECOND PART

Ticc am chiaman bionda:
Si a piazza dal cason:
Gira e rigira:
Three new performances represent the dances of young boys meeting and flirting with girls.
Aei foulard:
Girabarchin:
Women show off with their new foulards received as gifts.
Si a cola d’ Purcaricc:
N’ cima a pica:
Young men go back to work. The dance resembles the chestnuts’ beating on a big log (the “pica”). Dried fruits are then chosen in the “val” (a particular kind of basket).
Che bel umbrilin:
It depitcs the joyous purchase of a small, unique umbrella at the thursday market.

THIRD PART

“The dance of Saturday evening: the hours of Saturday evening are the only ones in which the hardworking men enjoy some rest. They meet at a pasture and compete for the attentions of the most beautiful woman under the light of the lanterns. But the woman, tough accepting the courtship, never stops working and following ancient traditions, spins the wool. At the party everybody will find good wine, sweet "mieicc" and songs, simple and small things that fill the humble heart of the people of our mountains.

FOURTH PART

The dance of the pinaghia: it is Wednesday evening and the young girls at the pasture are busy preparing the butter that the following day will be sold at the market of Omegna. But the evening is full of events for the girls; to the devotion for the job joins the euphoria for the usual appointment with the young fellows coming from the village to visit and to help them... it seems... to prepare the butter!

DEMONSTRATIONS