__NOTOC__ The Badalisc (also Badalisk) is a

mythical Myth is a genre of folklore consisting primarily of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society. For scholars, this is very different from the vernacular usage of the term "myth" that refers to a belief that is not true. Instead, the ...

creature of the

Val Camonica Val Camonica or Valcamonica (), also Valle Camonica and anglicized as Camonica Valley, is one of the largest valleys of the central Alps, in eastern Lombardy, Italy. It extends about from the Tonale Pass to Corna Trentapassi, in the c ...

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

, in the southern central Alps. The Badalisc is represented today as a creature with a big head covered with a

goat The goat or domestic goat (''Capra hircus'') is a species of Caprinae, goat-antelope that is mostly kept as livestock. It was domesticated from the wild goat (''C. aegagrus'') of Southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the ...

skin, two small horns, a huge mouth and glowing eyes.

The celebration

According to legend the Badalisc lives in the woods around the village of Andrista (commune of Cevo) and is supposed to annoy the community: each year it is captured during the period of Epiphany (5 & 6 January) and led on a rope into the village by musicians and masked characters, including ''il giovane'' (the young man), ''il vecchio'' (the old man), ''la vecchia'' (the old woman) and the young ''signorina'', who is "bait" for the animal's lust. There are also some old

witch Witchcraft is the use of magic by a person called a witch. Traditionally, "witchcraft" means the use of magic to inflict supernatural harm or misfortune on others, and this remains the most common and widespread meaning. According to ''Enc ...

es, who beat drums, and bearded shepherds, and a

hunchback Kyphosis () is an abnormally excessive convex curvature of the spine as it occurs in the thoracic and sacral regions. Abnormal inward concave ''lordotic'' curving of the cervical and lumbar regions of the spine is called lordosis. It can ...

(''un torvo gobetto'') who has a "rustic duel" with the animal. Traditionally only men take part, although some are dressed as women. In medieval times women were prohibited from participating in the exhibition, or even to see or hear the Badalisc's Speech; if they did so they would be denied

Holy Communion The Eucharist ( ; from , ), also called Holy Communion, the Blessed Sacrament or the Lord's Supper, is a Christian rite, considered a sacrament in most churches and an ordinance in others. Christians believe that the rite was instituted by J ...

the following day. In the village square (formerly in a stable) the ''Badalisc's speech'' (''la 'ntifunada'') is read, in which the mythological animal

gossip Gossip is idle talk or rumor, especially about the personal or private affairs of others; the act is also known as dishing or tattling. Etymology The word is from Old English ''godsibb'', from ''god (word), god'' and ''sibb'', the term for the ...

s about the community. The Badalisc itself is a dumb creature, so the speech, nowadays written in rhyme, is read by an "interpreter". Once improvised, now written in advance, the speech reveals all the supposed sins and scheming of the community. During the speech the hunchback bangs his stick rhythmically at intervals. The speech is followed by singing, dancing and feasting. In the evening the community eats the "Badalisc

polenta Polenta (, ) is an Italian cuisine, Italian dish of boiled cornmeal that was historically made from other grains. It may be allowed to cool and solidify into a loaf that can be baked, fried or Grilling, grilled. The variety of cereal used is ...

" (a commercial version of this traditional food was launched in 2010). Until recently, village children would beg from house to house during the Badalisc celebrations for cornmeal to make the polenta; a Badalisc

salami Salami ( ; : ''salame'') is a ''salume'' consisting of fermented and air-dried meat, typically pork. Historically, salami was popular among Southern, Eastern, and Central European peasants because it can be stored at room temperature fo ...

was also specially made for them. The badalisc has a place of honour at the feasts. On the second day, at the end of the exhibition, the Badalisc is set free and allowed to return to the woods.

Related customs

The ritual has strong similarities with the ''Bosinada'', ''Bosinade'' or ''Businade'', satirical performances of prose, poetry or song, in which a storyteller (the ''Bosin'') denounced the misdeeds of the community. Known from the 16th century, these were once widespread throughout northern Italy and derived from the purification rituals of

New Year's Eve In the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Eve refers to the evening, or commonly the entire day, of the last day of the year, 31 December, also known as Old Year's Day. In many countries, New Year's Eve is celebrated with dancing, eating, drinkin ...

.Barozzi, Giancorrado & Varini, Mario, ''Tradizioni popolari del ciclo dell'anno in provincia di Brescia'', Fondazione Civiltà Bresciana, 2001 Any link between the Badalisk of Andrista and the mythical

Basilisk In European bestiary, bestiaries and legends, a basilisk ( or ) is a legendary reptile reputed to be a Serpent symbolism, serpent king, who causes death to those who look into its eyes. According to the ''Natural History (Pliny), Naturalis Histo ...

(half lizard, half serpent, with a head like a cat, but squarer, like a toad) that incinerates everything on which it rests its gaze (well known in Cevo and elsewhere in northern Italy) is unclear.

Gallery

Image:Corteo del Badalisc - Andrista - Cevo (Foto Luca Giarelli).jpg, The capture of the Badalisc Image:Badalisc - Andrista - Cevo (Foto Luca Giarelli).jpg, The Badalisc Image:Spettatori alla festa del Badalisc - Andrista - Cevo (Foto Luca Giarelli).jpg, People listening to the "Badalisc's speech"

External links

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Atlante demologico lombardo
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Badalisc.com
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YouTube
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Bibliography

Luca Giarelli, ''Il Badalisc di Andrista: maschera di Cevo in Valle Camonica'', in ''Carnevali e folclore delle Alpi. Riti, suoni e tradizioni popolari delle vallate europee'', 2012, .

References