Tuesday 1 July 2014

Pizzica Pizzica by Hayley Egan

Pizzica Pizzica is Hayley Egan’s first picture book. Written and illustrated by Hayley, it presents a visual feast that is Italian folklore.

A farmer’s daughter is unable to rise one morning. Thinking she is unwell, her parents look for a doctor only to be told that she in fact needs musicians. Healing music soon begins playing throughout the home, lifting the heaviness from the daughter’s body. The illustrations provide a gentle rhythmic flow, conjuring the feel of a haunting dance. The accompanying text is written in both English and Italian.

Pizzica Pizzica is an ancient dance ritual from the southern Apulia region of Italy. Shrouded in mystery and legend, this dance was said to be the ceremonial healing for a tarantula bite. Festivals are still held to this day that celebrate this hypnotic, soul-cleansing dance.

This book has been created in consultation with ethnomusicologist, Salvatore Rossano who assisted in the research and translation. Its story will most certainly intrigue and spark an interest to discover more. 

Cultural traditions such as these need to be beautifully recorded  so that future generations, young and old, may continue to access these stories.

Being that Pizzica Pizzica is a bilingual book, it will prove highly valuable with the publishing of the Australian Curriculum - Languages in the near future. Italian is one of the languages being addressed under this new curriculum and the demand for resources like this can only increase.

Recommended for 4+ years

Self-published – contact author for sales http://hayleyeganart.com/books/books/



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