SPAZZACAMINO!
Have you ever heard it before?
Ian Paterson of K&I Paterson in Aberdeenshire had been badgering me for years about joining him at the sweep festival in Santa Maria Maggiore. The village nestles in the Vigezzo Valley, about 2 ½ hours North of Milan in the Dolomite mountains of northern Italy.
This annual festival normally takes place on the 1st weekend of September.
It’s not ideal timing for most sweeps, especially from the UK as the busy season is in full swing by September. Missing a week off work when the phone is already hot with enquires seemed mad.
This year I succumbed and joined the K&I Patterson team in a weeklong expedition to Santa Maria Maggiore, and I’m so glad I did!
It’s a beautiful part of Italy, close to the Swiss border and worth a visit just to experience the overwhelming scenic views of mountains and Lake Maggiore with its little island villages and grand villas.
The small town of Santa Maria Maggiore and its surrounding villages of Serbia, Toceno, Prestinone and Malesco have hosted the Festival of Chimney Sweeps for the last 42 years.
The festival celebrates the history of Chimney Sweeps and their vital role in keeping the communities safe from house fires. It also recognises the sad background of the children taken and sold to Master Sweeps to be sent across Europe over the centuries. This continued until the tradition of using children for this cruel work was revoked by law and moral attitudes.
Santa Maria Maggiore has a permanent Chimney Sweep Museum. It’s a unique place with exhibits from across Europe and beyond. It preserves the memory of an old profession that contributed both tragic and fascinating chapters of the history of the valley and beyond.
The museum displays equipment and tells stories of the often-harsh conditions sweeps and their families had to endure.
Have a look on their website
Chimney Sweeps from all over the world congregate at the festival to celebrate their history, meet, talk, drink, chat, exchange ideas, knowledge & techniques etc.
The build up to the weekend Parade starts with a gradual invasion of Sweeps from every corner of Europe: From Scandinavia, The Baltic, Western and Eastern Europe, from Spain to Holland, west from Ireland to Romania. Also, America and even Japan.
We all know, socialising has never been much of an issue for Chimney Sweeps. Those of you who attended the Guild “Sweep Stuff Show” can attest to this. So, for me, the opportunity to discuss the serious stuff threatening our industry in the UK and across Europe was really good. As well as the usual “how do you deal with this “and “what do you do in this situation “type conversations, the best bit is the laughter and friendliness which even language difficulties seem to be overcome. It’s uplifting, enlightening and infectious.
I spent a couple of days working up to the Big Parade Day, laughing at and with each other, making new friends, exchanging offers of hospitality and visits to other countries. I also received some interesting offers to visit other training centres and learn how they deliver their courses. In the past, this sort of exchange has helped the Guild training become the best in the UK.
We did a bit of site seeing and a visit to Gurro, a village in the mountains which was settled by a bunch of Scottish Archers caught whilst fleeing the Spanish when fighting for the French in the 16th century. For us a very interesting bit of history.
Saturday was photo day when sweeps from the different countries gather to take turns having their group photo with the Boy Sweep Statue in the adjoining village of Serbia, a mile down from Santa Maria Maggiore. Then a party in the evening in the grounds of the museum with dubious band and disco.
On Sunday we headed down for breakfast with the odd tender head, then to the assembly point and our designated place in the lineup.
Each country had a placard with their country name on. Everyone wears a mix of their traditional working gear and national costumes. Most are pulling a cart loaded with goodies to give away to the crowds, sweets, flags pin badges etc.
The addition of a few Scottish Guild Sweeps – Kenny, Ian, Ian James, Chloe, Charlie, Logan and Hector, along with Charlotte, Sheila and Angela from K&I Paterson, with me tagging along, and a couple of English lads from NCSSA helped boosted the numbers from the UK. Paul Annis from Sussex and Dave Ricketts from Kent, were happy to be part of our group and great company over the weekend
The Scottish Sweeps found themselves behind the USA and in front of the Czech Republic, following the Italian, Swiss and Germans who outnumbered most countries.
Some 1200 Chimney Sweeps from over 90 countries took part in the parade through the old attractive streets.
Ian explained what to expect, but I wasn’t really prepared for the crowds of excited public. Small children eagerly reached out to take anything offered, especially the sweets, and their parents and grandparents who seemed equally excited and grabbed at anything. By the time we had passed, there was a sea of little Saltire Flags being energetically waved by big and small alike.
I took a few hundred of the new Guild Beer Mats which were particularly popular with the crowds as they were quite unique.
The local press live streamed the event and reported more than 30,000 people had turned up to cheer and shout “SPAZZACAMINO” in the sun and thoroughly enjoy themselves.
The parade took a couple of hours to move round the little streets teeming with happy laughing people, a mix of music, drums, horns, brass bands etc. There were flares of multi colours, costumes old and new from all the different countries. And everywhere was the resounding call of “SPAZZACAMINO”! echoing off the buildings all around us.
The local Italians were even on the roof overlooking the main square waving flags and calling out to all below. The whole event was filmed live and is available on YouTube if you want to get a feel of the day, but like most things like this, “You need to be there “to appreciate it.
The evening continued with more food, drink, music and laughter, and for some it went on very late indeed.
Monday saw many leave for home, but we had an extra couple of days, so we travelled down to Stresa where another sweep parade was being held, although we didn’t join in this time. We spent the day site seeing around the town and took a boat trip to two of the little islands with small communities squeezed onto them.
Very picturesque and highly recommended.
I would encourage you to consider taking a little time out to attend the festival. You won’t be disappointed. To be part of something much bigger than we see at home is worth the sacrifice of time and lost money as far as the start of the busy season is concerned. There are lots of social pages and websites and it’s nice to see how Chimney Sweeps are much better appreciated in Europe than we are here in the UK. Just search Santa Maria Maggiore Spazzacamino.
I have to add that on Sunday, just before the parade, one of the Swiss Sweeps on lifting his cup to salute his colleagues he suffered a severe heart attack.
I’d like to say it came out well, but unfortunately that wasn’t the case as we heard he passed away on the way to the hospital later that evening.
To me, having lost many friends from the biking world over the years, I see the similarities and think that at least he was with his friends and brothers at the end, doing something he loved.
Rest in Peace to our Swiss Brother in black and condolences to his family and friends.
John Stone
