In the charming village of Caggiano, among the spaces of a historic center steeped in memory, Saturday May 31 the preview of the took place Rarreca Festival, conceived by its organizers – Simona Cafaro, Francesco Castellucci, Giancarlo Piacci and Marco Raio – as the first festival of resistant culture, aimed at creating connections and dialogue in the territory.
He made it clear Francesco Castellucci in the introduction to the presentation of Luca Persico – 'O Zulu, guest of the evening with his autobiographical book Revolutionary vocation: «The festival wants to be a series of meetings in a context in which building a community means relating to the outside with one's entire radical system».
Rareca, the name of the event, recalls the concept of root,, expressing the deep bond with the territory. The community thus becomes an integral part of an artistic celebration that, in dialogue with the past and its spaces steeped in history, opens new paths for the future.
The area dedicated to the event allowed the public to fully immerse themselves in the reality of the place, including the forgotten one. Among the most significant elements, the bar now closed, once a meeting point for the inhabitants of the historic area, with its furnishings and shelves that evoke the authentic atmosphere of the bars of the past.
The small square in the historic centre, dominated by the suggestive Church of SS. Savior – a monument that sublimates art and faith in a perfect fusion – came alive with artistic fervor. A lively setting and the diffusion of pleasant music accompanied the atmosphere, making the evening an engaging experience.
The Neapolitan writer Giancarlo Piacci e Francesco Castellucci, welcomed the historic frontman of the 99 Posse, Luke Persico, giving rise to a dialogue full of food for thought on his unauthorized autobiography, Revolutionary vocation. A book with which, after ten years of reflection, the artist wanted to translate into prose the artistic and political journey of his experience, proposing itself as a collective memory of an era that has profoundly marked his generation.
Luke Persico he declared that, having abandoned the drafting of rhyming lyrics for songs, he felt the need to continue expressing himself. For him, writing is almost a healing act, a way to give meaning to lived experiences, and to document certain cultural movements so that they are not forgotten. The number 99, present in the name of his group, symbolizes the struggles, the choices and also the mistakes made over the years.
During the meeting, 'O Zulu was a river in full flood. Driven by a still impetuous passion, he captured the attention of those present with a vivid and detailed story, punctuated by emotion. Based on the speakers' detailed questions, he retraced the sense of confusion experienced in the 80s in the face of the dominant culture. A discomfort that, in his high school years, culminates in the discovery of Rock and political protest.
The key experience is the study trip to Dublin, which opens the doors of the from punk and reveals to him the power of music as a tool for social protest. The basis for this discovery is the famous song by U2, Sunday Bloody Sunday.
The artist's story was definitely gripping, especially as he illustrated the artistic and personal tension that marked the experiences of the 99 Posse. A story of struggles conducted with lucidity and determination, animated by a deep sense of justice. A commitment that, after the G8 Genoa 2001, pushed them all the way to Palestine, becoming one of the crucial points of their militancy.
The story of the moment they avoided the IDF-controlled checkpoint, passing through a bombed building, was rendered with a narrative force that betrayed the intensity of a still living experience. The passion with which Perch He described those days and conveyed realistic sensations, involving the audience in a journey between memory and resistance.
The festival preview then marked the meeting between literature and gastronomic tradition, giving life to a sensory experience as well. The Pro Loco masterfully prepared steaming plates of pasta and potatoes, allowing those present to savor the pleasure of the table and, at the same time, celebrate the identity of Caggiano. Resistant culture and local cuisine were intertwined in an extraordinary union, immersing the evening in memories, flavors and aromas that tell the story of the territory.
The resistant culture, in which the Rarreca Festival identifies, is perfectly intertwined with the message of the guest, who firmly states that artistic expression is an act of resistance and awareness, capable of renewing itself through storytelling without bending to time. In this perspective, the show that concluded the evening, Vio-lenses, amplified this fusion of ideas.
Luca Persico recited the lyrics of the group's historic songs, accompanied by the evocative violin of Caterina Bianco, giving real emotions. The closing, with a refined rearrangement of Hurry, hurry, boy, gave further strength and meaning to the encounter between the artist and the purpose pursued by the organizers of the festival. The result, as underlined by Castellucci, was expressive and profound: «Caterina Bianco's violin is a melting pot of sounds, effects and vibrations, through which the texts interpreted by "O Zulù" become poetic material of depth, between anger, reason, intimate and lyrical reflection.»
The Rarreca Festival renews its appointment on July 5th and 6th, inviting the public to immerse themselves in a cultural atmosphere that celebrates belonging and sharing. An experience between memory and future, which evokes the deep roots and the strength of resistance, to give life to an authentic and ever-evolving dialogue.
Below is the program and useful links to follow the events, as well as to support the initiative.
Rarrǝca, Caggiano Book Festival
RARRƏCA FEST 2025 PROGRAM
THE HEART OF THE FESTIVAL 5/6 JULY 2025
Saturday 5 July 2025
16:00
opening of the festival curated by the collective
Rarrǝca
16pm drawing workshop for children by E. Sabatino; (*)
16:30
improvisation workshop by the theatre company la Vallée de l'egrenne –
be community – bell hooks;
18:30
Narhval presentation of the Jole Tognelli exhibition;
19:00
Company of the Mantello mini-show Amateurs; (*)
19:30 Sabrina Efionayi presents Padrenostro, Feltrinelli 2024;
20:30 Welcome show Dylan Dog (Bonelli Editore);
2am Concert [] / DJ set.
Sunday 6 July 2025
12:00 Francesco D. Giannino presents Kunda, Company of the Cloak 2025 (*)
12:30 Manuel Miranda presents Blancòn, Scarenz Editore 2025; (*)
16:30 Claudio Metallo presents Calypso Hotel, Marotta&Cafiero 2025
18:30 Wu Ming 1 presents The Fish Men, Einaudi 2024.
(*) Rarrǝca Kids info: rarrfest@gmail.com
support the Rarrǝca:
[https://www.produzionidalbasso.com]
Article published on 4 June 2025 - 19:14
Video Chronicles
