In Bonefro, on the night of Jan. 5, to await the arrival of Epiphany, a traditional musical quest, the Pasquetta, is held. This is done from house to house in which groups of men sing and play typical instruments, stopping to toast and share food with host families.
This custom was introduced in 1936 by Daniele Tartaglia, a native of Santa Croce di Magliano, where the tradition had been around since the 1920s.
The singers, all men, wear traditional dress and pastrans, ancient cloaks once in common use and still preserved by some. The performance is accompanied by folk instruments such as accordion, harpsichord, bufu, tambourine, cymbals, triccheballacche and guitar.
The same tradition is widespread in several municipalities around Bonefro. The text, which varies between towns, evokes the visit of the Magi to baby Jesus, concluding with good wishes to the hosts.
This practice represents a moment of strong community gathering and the recovery of ancient musical traditions, keeping alive an important part of the local cultural heritage.