THE ART OF PLAYING WITH FLAGS

The art of playing with flags was revived within the traditional Palio taking place in some Italian towns (Siena, Ferrara, etc.). It is a horserace in some of the town squares, where each quarter (as the towns were divided into quarters in the middle ages) has a representative and a special costume. The horses are ridden without a saddle and it is not a rare occasion that a horse without a rider wins. The most colorful part of Palio is the royal or historical parade. In that parade, ordinary citizens, bakers, clerks, doctors, etc. dress up in historical medieval and renaissance costumes, making a court suite and attend the Palio. Flag bearers also participate in the parade - the Sbandieratori, who exhibit their skills of waving and throwing flags. Sbandieratori move their flags with elegance making complicated figures and throwing them in the air, only to catch them before they touch the ground. The flags are large squares of silk in lively colors. A flagpole and flag together weigh about 800 grams, but they become heavier, since they are moved and thrown for hours without non-stop.

SBANDIERATORI FROM GUBIO

The present Group Sbandieratori was founded in 1969 under the Balestrieri Association with the intention to hand down and revive the long tradition of Balestra Palio, taking place in Gubio during the last week of May and in Sansepolcro in September. According to the mutual arrangement, during 1998, the Group Sbandieratori from the town of Gubio separated from the Balestrieri Association, without changing their initial goals. In the 37 years of their existence the ‘flag bearers’ from Gubio have performed about 1400 shows visiting 38 countries, promoting the Italian tradition, and especially the tradition of the Umbria region. Sbandieratori have proven to be a remarkable tool of the tourist promotion and strengthening the ties with the Italian emigrant community, making firmer ties with the country of their origin and ensuring the willingness and collaboration for initiatives of their associations. Besides this, they commit the message of peace and friendship to the winds blowing all over the world. The Group’s strategy has a goal to preserve the long-term tradition of flag shows and the ethical message incorporated in it through a program for education of young people at elementary, advancement and professional education courses on topics related to the folklore, art, history, tradition and sport activity. The future projects are not only about the advancement in choreography and costumes of Sbandieratore, but also about deepening the cultural aspect studies and making ties with other art disciplines.

ABOUT THE FLAGS

Until the 80s – at that time the Group of Sbandieratori had renaissance insignia, the coats of arms of quarters and districts the medieval town was divided on, and a few emblems of the famous Gubio houses. In 1981 a clear and strong sign was given in a decisive way, by taking the symbols and lines from the town culture and the moments of its culture and importing them onto the flags. G.S. entrusted maestro Oskar Piatelli with this historical task, who transferred the Umbrian alphabet onto the colorful flags with sensitive creativity and lucky intuition, artistically merging other aspects of Gubio, as well. The skillful hands of tailors and embroiderers from Gubio still make these flags, preserving the charms of Umbrians in order to introduce our primordial symbols to the whole world, where culture and inherited tradition of the first nation to live on this territory are accepted with interest and admiration.