SFUJAREIA

Sfujareia, the traditional corn husking, comes to life in the center of Imola. The process of removing husks from corn cobs, which used to take place in the farmyards of our countryside in September, is presented as a major folk festival.

A memory of a rural tradition that has now almost disappeared, corn husking was a significant moment in farm management and required a large amount of labor. Families from neighboring farms would therefore help one another, and this relatively light work soon turned into an opportunity for socializing and entertainment. It often ended with a dance, where the first sparks of attraction and romance would ignite among the young people.

At the end of the process, the azdora (the matriarch) would collect the scartuzéna—the inner part of the husk that was white, soft, and flexible—to use instead of horsehair or wool to make pajò, or leaf mattresses.