Le Contrade di Siena : A Lesson in Tradition & Loyalty

The city of Siena is known for its well preserved medieval history and customs. Today, we learned all about Le Contrade di Siena. Siena is divided into 17 contrade, or neighborhoods. These geographical divisions go back to the 1200's. Each contrada has its own symbol, colors, crest, church, and community building. The museums and churches in each contrada are not open to the public, in fact, some are only open to the residents of that contrada. The animals or symbols of each contrada are taken from the animals the Romans worshipped. For instance, the Romans associated the owl with wisdom, and when enemies were afoot, geese would begin to squawk to sound the alarm and inform the city. The entire neighborhood is full of their specific crest or animal. We were lucky enough to go on a tour, led by a local Sienese woman, of La Conrada dell'Oca, or the district of the goose.

When a child is born, after being baptized into the Catholic Church, the baby is baptized into his or her contrada. On the day of their baptism, everyone is given a scarf with the colors and crest of their contrada. They keep these scarves for their entire life and wear them to show their pride for their native contrada. The Sienese always identify with the contrada they were baptized into, regardless of where they may move or live as an adult. Many families have a mother and father from different contrade, and when the Palio comes around, each will attend the festivities of their native contrada and there is always a healthy dose of in-house rivalry if both of their contrade are competing in the Palio. For instance, Silvia was baptized into the Chiocciola (Snail) contrada, and even though she doesn't live there anymore, there is a wall hanger in the shape of a snail in her kitchen holding up aprons and towels. Allegiance to one's contrada runs deep, and the Istrice (porcupine) district was disqualified last year because men from that contrada got into a physical fight with men from their rival contrada, which is forbidden except for on the day of the Palio.

  Now, onto the Palio, the (in)famous horse race in Siena's Piazza del Campo. The word palio means 'banner' in English. This is appropriate because the prize for winning the Palio is just that, a banner. Every year there are two Palio, always on 2 July and 16 August. The art of winning the Palio depends a lot on luck. Centuries ago, all 17 contrade entered a horse into both Palio. Today, because of the dangerous nature of the race, only 10 contrade enter a horse in each Palio, and the selection is through a lottery system. The 7 contrade that did not participate in the July Palio the previous year automatically get a spot in the next July Palio, and the other 3 slots are selected by lottery. Same thing for the August Palio. At one time, the jockeys were most likely Knights of their contrada, but today, most of the jockeys come from Sardegna and they work as mercenaries. 10 jockeys are selected to participate in the Palio. A jockey and the contrada he represents do not know where they will start the race until the last minute, and placement is also determined by a lottery.

The weekend of the Palio is full of feasts and festivals. There is a parade where every contrada participating is represented. Men around the age of 18 play the drums and artfully spin flags with the colors of their contrada. Yesterday, I passed 2 boys practicing in the Eagle district, or La Contrada dell'Aquila. The oldest surviving palio is in the museum of this district, and each district keeps the banners they have won throughout the centuries in their own museum. On the afternoon of the Palio, each participating contrada ceremoniously brings their horse into their church to be blessed. Our tour guide commented on how the profane and the religious always seem to be mixed. The priest blesses the horse and tells it to come back a winner. I've read it is considered good luck if the horse leaves droppings in the church.

Stefani Bell, CET Siena Student Corresponent Summer 2012