One Big Happy Family - Contrada Style!!!!

This week in Cross Cultural Studies we learned about Siena’s Palio. My, what a tradition for such a small city to have! Before I learned about it I had no idea how big/meaningful it really was.

The Palio is a horse race event that takes place twice every summer in Siena. It is a race from the 16 C, i think, very old! It is known worldwide and draws thousands and thousands of people to Siena every summer. There is the Piazza del Campo, the main town square. The people lucky enough to find a spot and don’t mind being packed in 90 + summer heat stand in the center of the piazza. Around the piazza, gravel is laid down, making a race track. Once all the horses and jockeys are lined up, the race begins, only lasting no more than a minute and a half.

The Sienese work months and months on the planning which goes into the Palio.

Each Contrada has its own “Prio", like a mayor. The Prio is the leader of the Contrada.

Our, prof, a Sienese herself, tried to explain how close to the heart the Palio really is for the Sienese. The Sienese are born into their Contrada. You can never change Contrada allegiance, it’s “in your blood,” as our Prof explained. To change your Contrada would be like changing the name you were born with.

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Siena is divided into 17 contradas – funny b/c it is only a town of 50,000 people. Each Contrada is represented by a coat of arms (usually animal symbol) sitting on the side of the districts building, indicating which one you are currently located in. Here are all 17: Aquila (Eagle), Bruco (Caterpillar), Chiocciola (Snail), Civetta (Little Owl), Drago (Dragon), Giraffa (Giraffe), Istrice (Crested porcupine), Leocorno (Unicorn), Lupa (Female Wolf), Nicchio (Seashell), Oca (Goose), Onda (Wave), Pantera (Black Panther), Selva (Forest), Tartuca (Tortoise), Torre (Tower) and Valdimontone (literally, "Valley of the Ram" - often shortened to Montone).

I live in the Del Nicchio contrada. *REPRESENT, yo!* Anyways……

Ok so I intially thought “ooo that’s soooo cute. That little plaque on the building, how pretty.” Didn’t think much of the design really or significance. But mio Dio, what I found out!

The Sienese take there contradas super seriously. Your Contrada is like your family. Some are bigger than others. And richer than others b/c of this. The yearly tithe is 50 euros to the Contrada when you live in Siena. This money goes to all the events for Palio, costumes, food, music rehearsals, care of the horse selected for the race and to pay the jockey. Jockey’s can get paid up to 300,000 dollars or more if the Contrada wishes to do so!!!!! There is a famous jockey named Aceto (vinegar in italian), He has won 14 Palio races. He is an older man now and his son actually owns a high end clothing store in town I’ve been to. Think bedazzled shoes, fur and silk. Also, some contradas even have their own historical museum than they pay to keep up. We visited the Ram’s today.

So how do they determine who races every summer?
Out of 17, 3 are drawn out of a hat. The 7 who did not race the previous summer are automatically added to the race. Only 10 districts race.

We watched clips of races in class. It is sooo crazy. The horses run like mad and even if the jockey falls off, but the horse is the first to the finish line, that contrada can win the whole thing. Each jockey also has a sort of riding whip to hit not only their horses, but each other w/ while the race is going.


There are two races, one on July 2nd, the other on Aug. 16. Both are equally important. In May, participating contradas are chosen.
So again I’m thinking “Wow. this shit is a BIG deal here!” I had only touched the tip of the iceberg.



Here is the drama of the contradas our Prof told us about,which make you realize how HARDCORE this whole thing really is:
1. A couple of years ago, a little boy from one of the contradas was very ill. His family could not pay for the expensive surgery he needed, so his contrada banned together and made it happen.
2. Women are not allowed to participate as jockeys. There is a legend that in the 40s or something some woman concealed her sex and won a Palio race, they found out she was a chick afterwards. In each contrada, they elect Prios. In the Goose contrada, woman are not allowed to vote for their prior. Goose is the only contrada that doesn’t let woman vote. Last year, the women went on strike and did not make any of the food or help organize anything for Palio. They finally had a vote on the subject to resolve the drama and you know what they did? They voted to keep it with only male votes. Crazy people.
3. In years past the She-wolf and Porpucine districts have had some bitchy smack downs. One year, the Porcupine jockey took a bribe (supposedly this happens at times) from the Arch enemy contrada, the She-wolf jockey. The Porcupines lost the race and they could tell their jockey did a shitty job. Well there was a big uproar and the She-wolf jockey ended up in the hospital for 60 days!!!!!!!! The Porcupines were suspended from competing in the Palio for 5 years.
4. If you marry a person not from your contrada, you cannot see them for the 4 days leading up to the race. Mostly, b/c there are so many Contrada festivities going on, that your spouse is gone at his/her parents house partying.
5. Whenever a new baby is born, they are baptized in a ceremony by the Contrada Prio in front of the contrada members.
6. From the time you get a horse for your jockey, a person is in charge of the horse 24/7. In the past, other contradas have poisoned each other’s horses the day before the race. FAIL.