The current Pope, Pope Leo, is an American from Chicago—he’s the first American Pope in history! The Immaculate Conception we celebrated is just one of many celebrations in December leading up to the 25th.
This holiday is important to religion, but is also important for the community. Food, music, dance and storytelling are all ways people connect with everyone in town! The people I spoke to were excited to be there with their friends and family. Many of them talked about celebrating Christmas with their family, singing the same songs and decorating everything with Christmas lights and cheer.
This tradition has many meaningful connections to the environment. Much of the food is made with local ingredients, including fresh anchovies from the sea and almonds grown on nearby trees. Crafts are also created using natural materials from the area, for example, I bought a small nativity set made from a dried fig and wood. The instruments used in traditional music are connected to nature as well, the zampogna is made from goat skin, and flutes are crafted from bamboo and other types of wood. Even instruments like guitars and accordions use animal bones in some of their parts. Altogether, the supplies for these traditions come from elements of the natural environment that are unique to this region.
