A te Pumba Mè & Borgo d'Inverno

A te Pumba Mè: an ancient rite in the heart of Alto Sangro

"A te Pumba Mè" is one of the most evocative agro-pastoral rites in Abruzzo, celebrated in Alfedena, a small village in the Alto Sangro area in the province of L'Aquila, nestled in the heart of the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park. It is a popular pantomime with ancient roots, linked to the cult of the goddess Pomona, the deity of fertility and protector of fruits in the Samnite-Roman world.

Every year, on the last day of February, the community performs a propitiatory rite of passage: winter is bid farewell and the new season is invoked with noises, sounds, and gestures full of meaning. Cowbells, horns, and any object capable of "making noise" become ritual instruments to drive away the cold and awaken the earth.

The myth of Pomona and Vertumnus

The rite is a living representation of a classical narrative, inspired by the love dialogue between Vertumnus and Pomona recounted by Ovid in his Metamorphoses. A procession of performers accompanies the goddess's chariot through the village alleys, following a traditional path that touches the so-called "Places of Pomona." The public is invited to bring cowbells and join the procession, giving voice to the noisy invocation that accompanies the arrival of spring.

Borgo d'Inverno: flavors and street food

The rite is accompanied by Borgo d'Inverno, a food and wine festival that transforms the center of Alfedena into an open-air space dedicated to local flavors. The stalls, set up near Piazza Sannitica (via Borgo Veroli, vicolo Sant'Antonio, via Mulino), offer Abruzzo and Molise specialties, niche street food, local products, and wines from regional wineries. It is a moment where the promotion of traditions meets conviviality and the local short supply chain.

A nationally recognized tradition

The Alfedena rite is now included among the cowbell rites documented at a national level, also highlighted in the book "Campanacci d'Italia" by Professor Giovanni Mocchi. Described as an authentic jewel in the European landscape of still-living agro-pastoral rites, "A te Pumba Mè" attracts hundreds of visitors and enthusiasts of anthropology and folk traditions every year.

A village to discover

Alfedena, with its Samnite history and the castle overlooking the town, offers visitors the chance to discover one of the most characteristic villages of the Abruzzo mountains. The event is an excellent gateway to explore the Alto Sangro in winter, amidst the nature of the Park, folk traditions, and genuine gastronomy.