There are women whose simple and steadfast lives become part of the soul of a place; for us, one of them is Bruna Falagiarda, our BOF.
Bruna was born on 21 December 1921 in Dorsino, into a modest family rich in values. The youngest of five sisters, she grew up surrounded by the scents of the land and the practical reality of work in the fields. After marrying Arturo, she moved to San Lorenzo in Banale, where she built a large and close-knit family: ten children and more than thirty grandchildren.
Her roots were deep, yet her mind was open, curious and eager to learn. Although circumstances did not allow her to continue her education beyond primary school, BOF never stopped reading, learning and observing the world. And writing. With irony, gentleness and honesty, she did so in the most authentic language she knew: dialect.
Her small book, Cioche e raviss che non se pol cavar, gathers some of her dialect poems, written “to give pleasure to my children, to my dear grandchildren, and as a memory for those who come after”. In its introduction, BOF leaves a message that today sounds like a testament of wisdom and love for a simple life:
Nothing in the world is more precious than a memory built on pillars of sacrifice and humanity... Without great expectations, read these dialect poems of mine carefully, and you will see that in one way or another you will find yourselves present, immersed again in those moments so quickly scattered by time and progress.
For many years, Bruna contributed to the calendar of AVIS (the blood donors’ association), enriching it with anecdotes, sayings and historical curiosities. Hers was a strong, free and authentic female voice, capable of telling the story of rural life with simplicity, while proudly defending the dignity and value of women.
It is no surprise, then, that among her most beloved works is Onore alla Ciuìga, a poem dedicated to the Ciuìga itself — the sausage made with turnips that today is a Slow Food Presidium and the heart of the Sagra della Ciuìga. In her verses, humility becomes pride, poverty becomes ingenuity, and tradition becomes art.
This year, as San Lorenzo in Banale prepares to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Sagra della Ciuìga, we can only remember with gratitude that tireless woman who, with her words, gave voice to an entire community.
BOF left us in 2021, after a hundred years lived with intensity, courage and poetry. Yet her words are still here. Like the scent of Ciuìga rising through the village streets on October mornings, like the memory of those who know that roots are not chosen: they are honoured.
