L'Arba Santa

As to the magico-religious aspects of Corsican culture, it feels good to know that they are still so alive.
The following poem "L'Arba Santa" is sung by the group Zamballarana on their CD with the same name (1997).
It was written just before by the well-known poet Ghj. Maestracci from the Niolu.

L'Arba Santa

Indù li preti è indù li santi
C'Aghju poca passione
A mo strada eiu la cercu
Indi l'ovu di l'Ascinsione

A mo malatia hè l'ochju
U medico lu spalleru
Mi francanu pena in capu
Malcuncigliu è po pinseru

Quand'ellu chjama l'amore
Mi tengu incù e signadore
O mi stringu a bughjicone
Incù e maghe e murtiloni

Chjachjareghju incù le fate
Ogni sera a la funtana
Vuculeghju per e strette
E notte di chjarantana

E mo stelle sò luminelli
Ballenu pè i pughjoli
E le notte di vintera
Cantu incù i scappuccioli

Incu i battutuli in prucissione
Mi sentu in cumunione
Di a morte ùn n'aghju pinseru
Sò amicacciu 'cu lu mazzeru

L'Arba Santa

I have little time
For priests and saints
My reason seeks its essence
In the Ascension

My disease is the Evil Eye
My apothecary the soothsayer
Who wards off pain
Anxiety, ill-fortune

When love beckons
Pair up with the signadore
And hide in the darkness
With magus and sorceress

I wile away the even'time
With nymphs at the fountain
I wander through the alley-ways
On moonlit nights

With will o'the wisps for stars
Flickering along the paths
I wait for the storm to crack and rage
To sing with the souls of the dwellers of Limbo

I feel as one
With the battutuli in procession
I scorn death
I am the soul-mate of the mazzeri

Spalleru: a person who can see the future in the shoulder of a sheep or lamb
Signadore: see Part 4
Scappuccioli: souls of the un-baptised
Battutuli (Niolu): "flagellators" who come to fetch the souls of the dead after midnight
Mazzeri: See Part 2

Zamballarana
Music: J. Casalonga,
Voices: J.Casalonga, L. Barbolosi
Percussion: V. Geraldi,
Trombone: J.Nobili,
Arrangements: J.Casalonga, V. Geraldi
Paintings: Toni Casalonga

With special thanks to Jérôme Casalonga

Legends & studies by Dorothy Carrington

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