“In summer, men go out, in search of spirits, and in winter spirits come in, in search of men”. — Kwakiutl proverb
Summer, in areas where the climatic difference between the seasons is evident, is the time of year when humans have to work the hardest in the fields, in the alpine pastures, in the meadows… While in winter, agro-pastoral activity slows down, leaving room for major festivals and rituals characterised by the return of the spirits, beloved sacred characters, bearers of light and gifts. Daniela Finardi will tell us how these rites are thus part of humanity, how we find in them our own origins, an innate attachment to traditions that are still handed down over time and are carried on by new generations.