Folk music and dances such as Taranta and Pizzica are part of the Apulian traditions.
In South of Italy, especially in Puglia, in the Middle Ages dancing was used for the bite of the tarantula, which caused malaise, catalepsy, self-injury, delirium, depression, palpitations: the so-called phenomenon of Tarantism.
It developed from about 900 A.D. to 1300 A.D. and was considered the only effective antidote for spider poison: a melody of different musical instruments including tambourine was played for hours and days and the “tarantato” person could dance to the rhythm and scream with no inhibition, until sweat out lethal substances.
Tarantism ritual consists of pagan and religious aspects: Taranta dance is the way people can completely let go, moving freely without worrying about nasty behaviour, almost justified because of the illness.
Dancing is such a form of exorcism that helps bitten people to bring out feelings and the bite of the tarantula becomes a sort of pretext to solve frustration and personal issues.
Taranta can have a nostalgic rhythm as therapy, playful as Pizzica Pizzica, lively sounds or sad dirge
viaggieitinerari... in Puglia by Valeria Dicarlo 