becoming bruco
Welcome. Benvenuti.
"Becoming Bruco" is born from a unique relationship with La Nobil Contrada del Bruco — the Noble District of the Caterpillar — and documents the singular culture of Siena, Italy. This project invites you not only to discover the meaning of the term "contrada," but the significance of becoming someone who truly lives the "contrada" lifestyle and its values.
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“Becoming Bruco” nasce da un rapporto unico con la Nobil Contrada del Bruco. È un progetto che documenta la cultura singolare di Siena, Italia. Scoprirai il significato della parola “contrada” e lo stile di vita contradaiolo, insieme all’importanza dei valori che lo accompagnano.
Author's note: Reporting for "Becoming Bruco" was conducted in 2015, with the final project published in 2016 as an honors thesis and accompanying website for Barrett, The Honors College and The Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University.
While the original website is no longer active, its full content exists as part of my portfolio. The original thesis is archived in the ASU Digital Repository and can be accessed here.
The city of Siena is picturesque as an almost perfectly preserved medieval fortress in the heart of Tuscany.
But the true beauty stems from its unique, family-oriented culture.
Siena, perched upon three hills, is a walled city located about 74 km south of Florence in the heart of Tuscany. It is divided into 17 contrade or “districts” represented by animals or symbols, pictured above.
From left to right, they are:
Aquila (Eagle) | Bruco (Caterpillar) | Chiocciola (Snail) | Civetta (Little Owl) | Drago (Dragon) | Giraffa (Giraffe) | Istrice (Porcupine) | Leocorno (Unicorn) | Lupa (She-Wolf) | Nicchio (Seashell) | Oca (Goose)| Onda (Wave) | Pantera (Panther) | Selva (Forest) | Tartuca (Tortoise) | Torre (Tower) | Valdimontone (Valley of the Ram)
SIENA & IL PALIO
il bruco
il bruco
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