When I Googled "cioce" to see if my wix site would come up (it does not. darn.) i stumbled across an interesting article that references "la ciocia," the shoes that the peasants of Ciociaria (a region in Italy) wore in ancient times:
La ciocia, plural cioce, was the traditional footwear of the contadini (peasants) and pastori(shepherds), being worn by both men and women alike. It consists of a tough treated leather sole which is bound to the foot and ankle by means of leather thongs.
I always thought I was a Goody-Two-Shoes. But I guess I'm actually Paulina Peasant-Shoes.
This footwear is still worn as part of the traditional attire of the region. The zampognari, musicians who play an archaic type of bagpipe, can be seen wearing "le cioce"
When I was writing a journal entry for one of my classes, I decided to adapted a classic lighthearted Sicilian song I like. I only changed a few words, to make the verse about a zampognaro rather than a barber or famer like in some of the traditional verses. But considering I don't know Sicilian, I'm sure I butchered it (sorry, Nana).
Here's a rough translation. It's like a conversation between mother and daughter:
- There's a moon in the middle of the sea. Mother, I must get married.
- My daughter, who shall I choose for you?
- Mother, I leave it up to you.
- If I give you the bagpipe player, he will come and he will go with a bagpipe in his hands. If he gets the idea, he will bagpipe you my daughter.
It makes more sense with the original verses (like the barber, who might "razor" the daughter). It seems like one of those morbid comical folksy songs like Darling Clementine.
If this all sounds strange and you just don't get it, listen to Louis Prima's "Angelina/Zooma Zooma." It's a medley and he starts singing "C'e la luna" after a few verses about Angelina. I bet it'll make you smile! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIJzpdJIdmI
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