'U Juovi di Mastri (A Tuccata di Lupi)

An ancient ritual of faith and memory

'U Juovi di Mastri, held on the Thursday following the feast of Corpus Domini, is one of the most deeply felt and defining traditions of Gratteri, a village of fewer than a thousand inhabitants perched at an altitude of 657 meters in the heart of the Madonie range, in the province of Palermo. On this day, the streets of the historic center fill with the rhythmic, powerful sound of 'A Tuccata di Lupi, one of the oldest and most evocative folk traditions in Sicily.

The legend of the wolves of the San Giorgio forest

The tradition is rooted in a distant past, when a large number of wolves lived in the San Giorgio forest, just outside Gratteri. Driven by hunger, the predators would attack the sheepfolds and slaughter the flocks. To drive them away, hunters used large drums beaten with a relentless rhythm; this sound, capable of disorienting and frightening the animals, was known as a tuccata di lupi. During hunting expeditions, men equipped with large drums would precede the hunters, striking the taut skins with force to flush the beasts from their dens.

The link to the Corpus Domini Octave

The ritual takes place on the final day of the ancient Octave of Corpus Domini. In the past, during this week of celebrations, each day was dedicated to a different category of society: Thursday belonged to the mastri, or master craftsmen, hence the name 'U Juovi di Mastri (The Thursday of the Master Craftsmen). Although the broader tradition of the Octave has faded, the drum ritual was revived in 1999 and is today not merely a folk re-enactment, but a living rite shared by the entire community.

What to see during the day

• The solemn bell-ringing and the roll of drums at dawn, around 6:00 AM
• The drummers traversing the streets and squares of the village from morning until night
• The afternoon parade and the concluding Eucharistic celebration
• The unique atmosphere of the medieval historic center, which developed around the Norman-era castle

Gratteri and the Madonie

A visit to Gratteri offers much more than just the ritual: nearby, you will find the evocative Abbey of San Giorgio, a rare example of Norman architecture dating back to 1140 and commissioned by Roger II, nestled in ancient oak forests, as well as the legendary Grotta Grattara. Located within the Madonie Park, the village is an ideal stop for those wanting to discover inland Sicily, characterized by authentic traditions and mountain landscapes. Here, the beating of the drums becomes the very voice of the community, a symbol of belonging and continuity between past and present.