February 19, 2007: Ivrea, Italy food fight with oranges

Undertoad · 02-19-2007, 12:54 PM

It's Neatorama Collaboration Monday!

IotD always covers the Tomatina tomato food fight in Spain. Well, how about an food fight with oranges in Italy? That's what the Carnevale di Ivrea is, and it's on the same scale as Tomatina but with harder-hitting fruit.

The backstory is better in this festival. It's a 13th Century tale of a young lass named Violetta, and the rude Marquis Raineri de Biandrate.

The Marquis, it turns out, was in the habit of taking the virginity of all eligible young women before they would be married.

He stole Violetta away on the night before her wedding. But this time, when he showed her to the citizenry from the castle balcony, the townspeople became enraged. Defending her honor, they stormed the castle and burned it to the ground.

Now when the situation is recreated, the oranges represent the head of the Marquis, and the juice represents his blood. It seems like they would get better mileage out of tomatoes, like Tomatina. But you go to symbolic war with the metaphors you have, not the metaphors you might want, or wish you had at a later time. This town has oranges, so there it is.

The fight is fierce, and the aftermath is quite bloody. Notice the banners and colors for different teams. There are nine teams in all, and they are judged. Unlike Tomatina, the spectators are theoretically protected from getting hit with wayward fruit. Because that would sting!

Be sure to check out Neatorama for more neato items every day.

Elspode · 02-19-2007, 01:43 PM

Orange you glad you didn't get that juice in your eyes?

Sheldonrs · 02-19-2007, 01:57 PM

They all look pithed.

Cloud · 02-19-2007, 02:01 PM

well, but are they blood oranges?

barefoot serpent · 02-19-2007, 02:23 PM

Italy has always been known for it's navel warfare.

Sheldonrs · 02-19-2007, 03:22 PM

Maybe this was just a pit stop.

monster · 02-19-2007, 03:48 PM

I don't see the appeel.

Undertoad · 02-19-2007, 03:50 PM

Why not? Clearly these people have a zest for life!

monster · 02-19-2007, 04:04 PM

But don't juicy that people are getting hurt?

Elspode · 02-19-2007, 04:11 PM

Looks to me like they'd C that they were getting beaten to a pulp out there.

If someone was running at me with an orange, I'd tell them, "Citrus right down and stay still!"

Flint · 02-19-2007, 04:12 PM

The orange fight is really . . . d'oh!

xoxoxoBruce · 02-19-2007, 05:14 PM

Don't they know there are children in Biafra swallowing pebbles to stave off hunger pangs. Think of the children.

Sheldonrs · 02-19-2007, 05:55 PM

Not a battle for the weak. Only vital men C the glass as half full.

monster · 02-19-2007, 06:12 PM

pipped to the pun there.....

Sheldonrs · 02-19-2007, 06:28 PM

I understand the pits are the real tasty prize. But, If at first you don't suck seed...

02-19-2007, 12:54 PM	#1
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	February 19, 2007: Ivrea, Italy food fight with oranges It's Neatorama Collaboration Monday! IotD always covers the Tomatina tomato food fight in Spain. Well, how about an food fight with oranges in Italy? That's what the Carnevale di Ivrea is, and it's on the same scale as Tomatina but with harder-hitting fruit. The backstory is better in this festival. It's a 13th Century tale of a young lass named Violetta, and the rude Marquis Raineri de Biandrate. The Marquis, it turns out, was in the habit of taking the virginity of all eligible young women before they would be married. He stole Violetta away on the night before her wedding. But this time, when he showed her to the citizenry from the castle balcony, the townspeople became enraged. Defending her honor, they stormed the castle and burned it to the ground. Now when the situation is recreated, the oranges represent the head of the Marquis, and the juice represents his blood. It seems like they would get better mileage out of tomatoes, like Tomatina. But you go to symbolic war with the metaphors you have, not the metaphors you might want, or wish you had at a later time. This town has oranges, so there it is. The fight is fierce, and the aftermath is quite bloody. Notice the banners and colors for different teams. There are nine teams in all, and they are judged. Unlike Tomatina, the spectators are theoretically protected from getting hit with wayward fruit. Because that would sting! Be sure to check out Neatorama for more neato items every day.

02-19-2007, 01:43 PM	#2
Elspode When Do I Get Virtual Unreality? Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Raytown, Missouri Posts: 12,719	Orange you glad you didn't get that juice in your eyes? __________________ "To those of you who are wearing ties, I think my dad would appreciate it if you took them off." - Robert Moog

02-19-2007, 01:57 PM	#3
Sheldonrs Master Dwellar Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 4,412	They all look pithed. __________________ Laugh and the world laughs with you; cry and the world laughs AT you.

02-19-2007, 02:01 PM	#4
Cloud ... Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 8,360	well, but are they blood oranges? __________________ "Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards!"

02-19-2007, 02:23 PM	#5
barefoot serpent go ahead, abbrev. it Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Lawrence, KS Posts: 2,623	Italy has always been known for it's navel warfare. __________________ Chooses rowing vs. wading

02-19-2007, 03:22 PM	#6
Sheldonrs Master Dwellar Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 4,412	Maybe this was just a pit stop. __________________ Laugh and the world laughs with you; cry and the world laughs AT you.

02-19-2007, 03:48 PM	#7
monster I hear them call the tide Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Perpetual Chaos Posts: 30,852	I don't see the appeel. __________________ The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity Amelia Earhart

02-19-2007, 03:50 PM	#8
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	Why not? Clearly these people have a zest for life!

02-19-2007, 04:04 PM	#9
monster I hear them call the tide Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Perpetual Chaos Posts: 30,852	But don't juicy that people are getting hurt? __________________ The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity Amelia Earhart

02-19-2007, 04:11 PM	#10
Elspode When Do I Get Virtual Unreality? Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Raytown, Missouri Posts: 12,719	Looks to me like they'd C that they were getting beaten to a pulp out there. If someone was running at me with an orange, I'd tell them, "Citrus right down and stay still!" __________________ "To those of you who are wearing ties, I think my dad would appreciate it if you took them off." - Robert Moog

02-19-2007, 04:12 PM	#11
Flint Snowflake Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dystopia Posts: 13,136	The orange fight is really . . . d'oh! __________________ **************** There's a level of facility that everyone needs to accomplish, and from there it's a matter of deciding for yourself how important ultra-facility is to your expression. ... I found, like Joseph Campbell said, if you just follow whatever gives you a little joy or excitement or awe, then you're on the right track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Bozzio**

02-19-2007, 05:14 PM	#12
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	Don't they know there are children in Biafra swallowing pebbles to stave off hunger pangs. Think of the children. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

02-19-2007, 05:55 PM	#13
Sheldonrs Master Dwellar Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 4,412	Not a battle for the weak. Only vital men C the glass as half full. __________________ Laugh and the world laughs with you; cry and the world laughs AT you.

02-19-2007, 06:12 PM	#14
monster I hear them call the tide Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Perpetual Chaos Posts: 30,852	pipped to the pun there..... __________________ The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity Amelia Earhart

02-19-2007, 06:28 PM	#15
Sheldonrs Master Dwellar Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 4,412	I understand the pits are the real tasty prize. But, If at first you don't suck seed... __________________ Laugh and the world laughs with you; cry and the world laughs AT you.

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