The title of the evening was: THE MEMORY OF THE TERRITORY.

First of all, the large audience watched the film again or saw it for the first time ‘Faraway Lands – Bratta and Piazzeda’, a production by director Valentina Capone, who has worked with Ecomuseo for years, running various theatre workshops, some of which took place in the garden outside the Palazzetto Besta.

In the presence of some of the actors who took part in the making of the film, people who lived through those times, and relatives of those interviewed – most of whom are no longer with us but live on in our memories – those present embarked on a journey back in time to the first half of the last century. The footage from Don Cyril, parish priest of Bratta from 1939 to 1957 and a keen photographer, came to life through the stories of various residents of Bianzone, supplemented by dramatised scenes.

A number of topics relating to everyday life were discussed, such as the kitchen, the school and the games of yesteryear. Then, in the second part, specific historical events were recalled, such as smuggling, the war, with particular focus on the exodus of Jews from the Bianzone area as well, and the changes that took place after the Second World War, particularly the construction of the Bratta Road e Piazzeda Street and the arrival of electricity.

The following is a presentation of the PRIMARY SCHOOL WEBSITE along with the work carried out over the last two school years and the MAP OF THE CRAFTS COMMUNITY which was created thanks to research carried out by the children at Bianzone Primary School as part of the CAMBIAMENTI….STRADA FACENDO project. With the help of families and friends, they mapped out the shops and artisans that existed in the last century, discovering how the village was once self-sufficient and had all the services necessary for daily life. The map now needs the community’s help to be expanded. For this reason, an appeal was made to those present, which is also open to others:

LOOK FOR PHOTOS AND VIDEOS RELATED TO THESE PLACES AND BE WILLING TO SHARE INFORMATION

This material will also be used for another project that Ecomuseo has included in the three-year programme: WE ARE ALPI.

In this case, the first step is to identify the ISSUES that characterise the Bianzone community. To encourage public participation, an online and paper-based questionnaire will be shared shortly.

L'articolo CINEMA ESTATE A MADONNA DEL PIANO proviene da Ecomuseo Bianzone.

The programme

• 11.00 am: Holy Mass at the Church of Saints Joachim and Anne
• 12.30 pm Lunch at the old primary schools featuring: polenta and sausage or pork chop, meat cooked on the griddle, cheeses and soft drinks
• Followed by entertainment and music for everyone

Anyone wishing to walk to Piazzeda can follow the eco-museum trail ‘THE VEGIA ROAD IN PIAZZEDA‘.

Whilst we wait for the event, here are some past editions of the festival taken from the previous Ecomuseo website, along with some photos:

1. 25 July 2011 / Feast of St Anne 2011 On Sunday, 24 July 2011, the weather in the morning did not look at all promising for an outdoor party. At Piazzeda, the organisers were about to call off the preparations, but then, little by little, the clouds parted, the sun peeked out, and the traditional St Anne’s festival got underway once again this year. At 11.30 am, in the little church dedicated to Saints Anne and Joachim, the parents of Jesus’s mother, Holy Mass was celebrated by Don Giovanni, after which everyone gathered in the square in front of the old school to enjoy the traditional polenta. To round off the day, there was a game of tombola with everyone. (Vanda Cerveri)
2. Sunday 29 July 2012: Feast of St Anne in Piazzeda From early morning, the festive ringing of the bells from the little church in Piazzeda carries through the village and the surrounding area, inviting everyone to make their way up to this small, picturesque hamlet for the traditional feast of St Anne. The invitation is heeded, and for a day the heart of the hamlet begins to beat once more. And so the doors of the houses swing open, the church door swings wide, children play by the fountain, and small groups of people sit on the benches brought outside for the occasion, reminiscing about times gone by … The neighbourhood comes to life again, the church fills up for Mass, and then the tempting aroma of buckwheat polenta draws everyone to the square in front of the old school for an al fresco lunch cooked and served by volunteers (even Don Giò steps in as a waiter!). In the afternoon, there is the traditional tombola, which brings together young and old alike. The day then draws to a close with the motorcade making its way down into the valley, though there are also those who attempt the descent along the “strada vegia” (the new road was only built in 1977), following in the footsteps of the many residents of Piazzedaschi who once had to reach the village on foot. It is a truly evocative route that immerses us completely in the lush greenery of nature, where the only sounds are the rustling of leaves stirred by the wind and the song of birds exchanging feelings and warnings from one perch to another amongst the tree branches. (text and photos by V. Cerveri)
3. Anna 2014: 27 July On the occasion of the traditional feast of St Anne, despite the unsettled and rather disheartening weather, the small hamlet of Piazzeda manages to attract a large number of people motivated by the desire to get together and spend Sunday in this relaxing spot, surrounded by nature. At 11.30, Holy Mass was celebrated by Don Giovanni in the quaint little church in the hamlet dedicated to Mary’s parents, Anne and Joachim. Immediately afterwards, we find ourselves in the square in front of the old school It’s easy to enjoy polenta “mès-cia” or “”mugna” (made with buckwheat e maize) accompanied by stew, sausages and pork chops, all cooked and served superbly by a group of local volunteers, to whom we owe a heartfelt thank you. In the afternoon, there’s bingo, walks in the surrounding area and plenty of chatting with friends. (Text by V. Cerveri and (Photos by Emanuela and Vanda Cerveri)

L'articolo FESTA DI SANT’ANNA 2026 proviene da Ecomuseo Bianzone.

L'articolo FESTA DI S. ANNA IERI E OGGI proviene da Ecomuseo Bianzone.

The first photographs shared via our Ecomuseo are those of Don Cirillo, who served as parish priest in Bratta for several years.

Below are some of the photos I took between 2011 and 2014, whilst I wait to show you this year’s photos.

Feast of St Anne TODAY

Having taken a trip down memory lane, it is now time for the photos of today’s St Anne’s Day celebrations, an event still cherished by the residents of Bianzone and which attracts people from neighbouring villages as well © Melissa Dorsa and Amanda Nazzari 2025

L'articolo FESTA DI SANT’ANNA A PIAZZEDA 2025 proviene da Ecomuseo Bianzone.

It is a collection of memories of places, faces, moments of life lived interpreted by local actors to discover, understand, value and hand down a heritage of tradition and popular culture of considerable value. There are also several testimonies of citizens who lived through difficult moments such as the Second World War.

The film is directed by Valentina Capone assisted by:

• Marco Careri for editing
• Martina Cocco and Davide Manca for photography
• Cristian Gullotta, Daniele Tesauro and Germano Mazzocchetti for the music
• The Alpina Julia Alpine Brigade Choir Dismissed for Songs
• G. Farm di Mazzolari Dr Gianni Alex for the graphic design and DVD edition

L'articolo DOCUMENTARIO ‘TERRE LONTANE – BRATTA E PIAZZEDA’ proviene da Ecomuseo Bianzone.

It is a book that, at first, makes you look at it for the beautiful pictures it contains, then you get to the last page in no time. There you realise that the book is pervaded by a very precise narrative logic, and then you go back to the beginning and look at it with different eyes, reflect, interpret, understand, comment with your neighbour.

It is like a poetic composition: it gives different sensations every time you look at it and gives each reader the opportunity to become a poet himself, attributing his own personal interpretation to it.
The authors have given us one of their own, singular and modern, involving. All that remains for us, reading the book, is to, as Foscolo put it, wander with our thoughts in the footsteps that take us far back in time and thank those who have lived in this beautiful but very tiring land of ours before us, giving us an environment that, whatever the season, looks like a postcard.

L'articolo LIBRO FOTOGRAFICO ‘ECHI E RETAGGI – RIFLESSI TRA BRATTA E PIAZZEDA’ proviene da Ecomuseo Bianzone.