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

http://cellar.org/2006/cellariotd-neatorama.gif

It's Neatorama Collaboration Monday!

http://cellar.org/2007/ivreaoranges0.jpg

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.

http://cellar.org/2007/ivreaoranges00.jpg

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.

http://cellar.org/2007/ivreaoranges2.jpg

http://cellar.org/2007/ivreaoranges8.jpg

http://cellar.org/2007/ivreaoranges7.jpg

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!

http://cellar.org/2007/ivreaoranges4.jpg

http://cellar.org/2007/ivreaoranges5.jpg

http://cellar.org/2007/ivreaoranges6.jpg

http://cellar.org/2007/ivreaoranges1.jpg

http://cellar.org/2007/ivreaoranges9.jpg

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

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

They all look pithed.

well, but are they blood oranges?

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

Maybe this was just a pit stop.

I don't see the appeel.

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

But don't juicy that people are getting hurt?

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!"

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

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

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

pipped to the pun there.....

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