Sugar Night in Catania
On Nov. 1 and 2 (today and tomorrow), Catania will host the latest edition of “Sugar Night, a feast of the dead, puppets and graters,” which was born out of the encounter between local tradition and contemporary culture, with numerous events scheduled.
Dance, theater and juggling performances will be held during the two days, and to welcome back the “
mutticeddi” musicians, stilt-walkers and actors will parade.
The location that will be the setting for the event is that of the city’s good living room, where the cloisters of the University’s central building and the courtyard of the Sangiuliano Palace on University Square are located.
Taste of tradition
In short, a great folk festival, which will allow nostalgic tradition-lovers to reacquaint themselves with the
“Feast of the Dead“, one of the most heartfelt festivities in Sicily.
Tradition has it that the dead come to visit children on the night between November 1 and November 2 and bring gifts that are often placed in the so-called cannistru. Inside, a place of honor is dedicated to the pupaccena or pupo ri zuccaru.
On the night of November 1 to 2, one had to find the gift hidden in an unusual spot in the house. It was also customary to hide a grater, as it was thought that the deceased would scratch the feet of those who misbehaved.