By simply entering the city of Siena during the summer it is hard to miss the local festivities and environment which surround il Palio di Siena. Il Palio di Siena is an annual horse race dating back to medieval times in which the different contrade (sectors of the city) of Siena compete against each other in the Piazza del Campo (center square of the city). The winning contrada receives a Drappellone (a large beautifully painted drape) and has bragging rights throughout the city. Over the past few weeks leading up to il Palio, I have been able to experience how highly the locals of Siena regard il Palio and how loyal they are to their own contrada. As a Sicilian who has not even voyaged out of Sicily while in Italy, I have never had much interest in il Palio. However, being in Siena has ignited a fascination within me and I want to learn more about this local tradition.
To discover more about the history and importance of il Palio, I asked one of my professors, Professore Elia, who is a local of Siena and has a sentimental attachment to the event. Professore Elia told me that although il Palio has a historical significance, the reason why the locals are so passionate about the game is because of the generational pride each local has for their own contrada and the importance of upholding such tradition.
Following my encounter with Professore Elia, I then wanted to ask the opinion of another one of my professors who is not originally from Siena, Professoressa Puma. Professoressa Puma is originally from Agrigento, Sicily but has lived in Siena for over 10 years. Like what Professore Elia said, Professoressa Puma also told me that the people of Siena are incredibly passionate about il Palio; however, unlike the professor from Siena, she does not have such an attachment to il Palio and has a hard time understanding the obsession with the race among the people of Siena even after living here for 10 years. While she does not share the same devotion to il Palio, she has come to appreciate the rich history behind the game.
From the accounts of my two professors, I have come to realize that, for people without origins in Siena, the historical significance of il Palio is easy to admire while an emotional attachment to the race is a trait unique to locals. Overall, being in the environment of il Palio and having the ability to experience the race firsthand has been surreal. The preservation of the historical traditions has made me feel as if I have traveled back in time to the Middle Ages. I truly believe that the authenticity of il Palio and its traditions are incomparable to anything else, and I am extremely grateful to witness them in person.
