The Pollino region is of paramount importance to the musical traditions of our country, offering extraordinary community experiences in which highly skilled musician-instrument makers have kept ancient skills alive. San Paolo has always been a centre of excellence for the tradition of the zampogna and the surdulina, not only for the refined techniques used in making the instruments but also for the rich tradition of musical repertoires. The town, which has dedicated an exhibition space to this important history, boasted 7 player-makers in the 19th century and as many as 15 in the 20th...

From the fibres of this extremely hardy shrub, the women of San Paolo produced a very strong and versatile textile fibre. Sparta, as broom is known in the Arbëresh language within the community of San Paolo Albanese (Shën Palji), is a fibre plant that grows wild and is extremely widespread in the countryside of the Val Sarmento. From the burst of yellow blossoms in spring, when its scent fills the air, to the green dominance of the stems in autumn, the broom changes its appearance and prepares to be gathered and processed by the women of San Paolo, who have kept an ancient tradition...