The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1877-11-02
4 cORs.C1Y WAKE.
crHnors CUSTOMS Or a orRIOvs rEorrE

Is y
7, Cor-ica. the wailing and chanting
/. tept up. of and on, from The hour
of death. % the hour OF burial. The
psws thas the bead of the firmly hss
expired l. quickly communicated to
his relations and f.iends in the sur
rounding hamiets, who hasten 10 form
themselves into a troop or band locally
called he Scirrata, and thus advance
in PROCESSION towards the house oil
mourning. If the death was caused
by violence the scirrata makes halt
sTben it arrives in sight of the village;
end then it is that the Corsican women
tear their hair and scratch their faces
till the blood lows-just as do their
sisters in Dalmatia and Montenegro.
Shortly after this, the scirrata IS met
bv the deceased's fellow villagers,
sccompanied hv all his near relatives
with the exception of the widow, TO
whose abode the whole party now
proceeds with loud cries and lamenta-
lions. The widow awaits the scirrata
by the door Of Eer house, and, as it
draws near, the leader steps forward
and throws a black veil over her head
to svmbOlize her widowhood; the term
of which must offer drearv prospect
to a woman who has the misfortune to
lose her husband while she is still in
the prime of life, for public opinion
insists that she remain for years in al
most total seclusion. The mourners
and as many as can enter the room
assemble round the body, which lies
stretched on table or plank supported
by benches; it is draped in a long
mantle, or it is clothed in the dead
mans best suit. Now begins the
dirge, or Eocero. Two persons will
perhaps start off singing together, and
i'm that case the words cannot be dis
tinguished; but more often only one
gets up at a time. She will open her
song with quietly delivered eulogy
of the virtues OF the dead and few
pointed illusions to the most impor-
tant events of his life; but before long
she warns to her work, and pours forth
volleys of rhythmic lamentations with
a fire and animation that stir up the
women present into frenzied deliriunl
of grief in which, as the pranca pauses
to take breath, they howl. dig their
nails into their flesh, throw themselves
on the ground, and sometimes cover
their heads with ashes. When the
diree is ended they join hands and
dance frantically round the plank or
which the BODY lies More singing
takes place on the way to the church
and thence to the graveyard. After
the fune al. the men do not shave fol
weeks, an the women let their hair &c
loose, and .casionally cut it off at The
grave-cutting off the hair being, by
the way, a universal sign OF female
mourning it was done by the womer
of ancient Greece, and it is done by
the women of India. a good deal O
eating and drinking brings the cere
mouials to . close. II the bill OF fare
comes short of that recorded Of tn,
funeral feast Of Sir John PASTOR, o.
Barton, when 800 eggs, Al pigs, 4(
calves and 10 nets were but few o.
the items ms-neverthcless the Corsicar
baked meats fall vely heavily upon the
pockets Of such families as deem
themselves compelled to keep up {
position" Sixty persons is not ar
Extraordinary number to be entertain
ed at the banquet. and there is. over
and above, general distribution O.
bread and meat to poorer neighbOrs
Mutton in summer, and pork in winter
are esteemed the viands proper to the
occasion. In happy contrast to al
this lugubrious feasting is the simple
cup OF milk drunk by each kinsman ot
the shepherd who dies in the noun.
tans; in which case his body is laid
ouJ, like Robin Hoods, in the open air
green sod under his head, his loins
begirt with the pistol belt, his gun al
his side, his dog at his feet. Curious
are the supcrstitjon5 OF the COrsicar
shepherds touching death. The dead
thev say, call the living in the night
time, ami he who answers will soon
follow them they believe, too, that
If you listen attent:vely after dark,
you may hear ut times the low beating
of drum, which announces that d
soul has passed - COrahiU Magazine