https://youtu.be/V-RqK_t-ulo
On the evening preceding Epiphany (January 5th), the atmosphere in the ancient village of Montescaglioso, in the province of Matera, becomes charged with an ancestral and dark magic. The Benedictine Abbey of San Michele Arcangelo and the alleys of the historic center become the natural stage for an ancient ritual: the Night of the Cucibocca (La Notte dei Cucibocca).
These enigmatic figures, rendered unrecognizable by glasses crafted from orange peels, white hemp beards, and large straw hats, move silently in the darkness. Wrapped in dark cloaks or old coats, they drag a heavy broken chain on the icy cobblestones, its metallic screech shattering the silence of the night.
A Tradition Between Fear and Rite of Passage
The figure of the Cucibocca traces its deepest roots to Lucanian peasant folklore. The grotesque and unkempt appearance of these figures serves to embody the fear and disquiet bound to the end of the year and Christmas festivities—a transitional moment when the earth sleeps and the boundaries with the afterlife blur.
Their name derives from an unusual and symbolic threat aimed at children: sewing their mouths shut with a long shoemaker's needle. This admonitory gesture, though experienced as a collective game, enforced silence and quiet. The Cucibocca wander through the alleys to put children to sleep before the arrival of gifts, clearing the way for the Befana. In their baskets they collected offerings of food and wine in exchange for respecting the sacred silence.
The Mystery of Harpocrates and the Symbol of Silence
Where does this ritual originate? Many scholars and anthropologists hypothesize a direct connection with the frescoes present inside the imposing Abbey of San Michele Arcangelo in Montescaglioso. There, Harpocrates is depicted—the god of silence inherited from Greco-Roman syncretism (originally Hor-pa-khered, or Horus the child).
Isis, his mother, was the lady of magical spells and secrets of rebirth. Harpocrates, guardian of initiatory mysteries, is depicted inside the Benedictine monastery as an hooded old monk placing a finger on his lips and pointing with the other to the word "Silentium".
Around the fresco reads the Latin warning:
«Silentium sit vobis charum ut vivet non sit amarum»
(Let silence be dear to you so that living may not be bitter)
This bond between sacred silence, secret, and regeneration acts as a bridge to my broader project Basilicata Mistero, which explores the most occult and subterranean aspects of our region.
The Soundscape: Carlo Gesualdo da Venosa
To capture the ritual weight and sacredness of this night in exact detail in my video (shot in January 2018), I chose as soundtrack the piece "Tenebræ factæ sunt" by Carlo Gesualdo da Venosa, in the intense polyphonic performance by the vocal group Nordic Voices (from the album Lamentations). The dissonant harmonies of the Lucanian composer blend with the dragged chains of the Cucibocca, creating an unforgettable visual and auditory experience.
Roberto Lacava
