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
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