S3E4 The Revolutionary Donkey: Sicilian Folk Music History with Michela Musolino

You can wash a donkey’s head, but you’ll waste your water, your soap, and your time. If you have a woman, a drum, and a duck, you have a revolution. You’ve got more horns than a chariot full of snails. Do you want to know what these sayings mean? Do you think donkeys are cute? Do you like history, music or Sicily? This episode is for you!

The conversation between Modo di Bere host Rose Thomas and Sicilian American singer and folklorist Michela Musolino is centered around two southern Italian folk songs about donkeys: “U sceccu,” and “Lu sciccareddu,” also known as “Sciccareddu lu me cori.”

Learn more about the folk poet Salvatore Adelfio and the text he wrote about the donkey as a symbol of the contadino during the 1848 Bread Revolution in Sicily, and purchase the recording of Michela singing Salvatore’s text, which her friend Rocco Pollina set to music in 1979, at the link below. https://michelamusolino.com/track/1413193/u-sceccu

Become a Patreon supporter at any level to hear a bonus recording from Michela of the famous southern Italian tune about a man who loved his donkey just a little more than he loved his wife. (Bonus Post Coming soon!) patreon.com/mododibere

If you’re in the market for a Christmas album, for yourself or as a gift, I must recommend Michela’s album La Notti Triunfanti: https://michelamusolino.com/store

Check out Season 1 Episode 7 of this podcast to hear more about Michela’s musical work. Wine Makes Blood: Sicilian-American Folksinger Michela Musolino

https://mododibere.podbean.com/e/michela/

Thank you Carmen for making the donkey sound, thanks to Rocco, Luigi and Raquel for their sayings videos, and a big thanks to Roberto di Filippo (from Season 1 Episode 5) for inspiring this episode with his love and respect for the donkey.

If you love this show and want it to continue, support Modo di Bere on Patreon. www.patreon.com/MododiBere

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Modo di Bere is a multiplatform publication by Rose Thomas Bannister. In addition to this podcast, Rose Thomas also makes:

A newsletter! Sign up for Modo di Bere Magazine at www.mododibere.com A travel show! Subscribe to Modo di Bere TV youtube.com/@mododibere Many friends! Meet them when you follow @mododibere on Instagram and TikTok Music composed by Ersilia Prosperi for the band Ou: www.oumusic.bandcamp.com Buy their latest album at https://folderol.it/ou/

This episode was produced and recorded by Rose Thomas Bannister Video and audio edited by Giulia Àlvarez-Katz Audio assistance by Steve Silverstein