The Pastorale of Nardu is a pantomime based on a text written by Father Fedele Tirrito from San Biagio Platani, a tradition it shares with other villages in the surrounding area. The protagonist, Nardu, in Joppolo takes on an irreverent and subversive role, largely due to his drunkenness, which gives him the freedom to do whatever crosses his mind.

Throughout the procession, various scenes unfold and are characterized by the originality and improvisation of the many characters involved: Nardu, the Curatolo, the Campieri, and even u Lupu (the wolf). Apart from the reference to Father Tirrito’s text, there is generally no written or oral script passed down over time—the entire course of the pantomime is left to the imagination of the performers, who often diverge from the original source.

The performance is deeply rooted in the ancient pastoral world, which once played a central role in the everyday life of the village but now survives only through a handful of practitioners. Much like the Holy Week performance of the Martorio, the local population is fully involved, making the event a meaningful opportunity to rediscover the value of tradition, historical memory, and intangible cultural heritage.

This collective commitment, shared by citizens and local institutions alike, is essential to keeping the tradition alive. The historical legacy of the performance is lost in the mists of time, and it deserves to be permanently safeguarded, especially considering that the ongoing population decline makes it increasingly difficult to stage the event each year.

The Pastorale of Nardu also serves as a visual representation of a vanished society, one whose memory must be preserved to support the cultural revitalization of the community.

 

This element has been included in the Register of Intangible Heritage of local interest of the Municipality of Joppolo Giancaxio, as part of Intervention 5 “Activation of the Observatory on the Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Territory through the application of the REIL methodology – Register of Intangible Heritage of Local Interest”, within the “Mito, storia e tradizioni agropastorali” project, funded by the NRRP (National Recovery and Resilience Plan), Mission: Digitalisation, innovation, competitiveness, culture and tourism, Component: Tourism and culture 4.0, Investment 2.1 “Attractiveness of villages.” CUP: E69I22000140006.