Accettura

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Accettura is a small lucan town situated in the Gallipoli Cognato Regional Park. In the surrounding lush woods, every spring, takes place one of the oldest arboreal rite in the world, named by the UNESCO in 2001

among the 47 most beautiful festivals in the Mediterranean: the Maggio of Accettura.

This centenary arboreal rite has probably Celtic origin and symbolizes the marriage between two trees:

the Maggio (a cerro) and the Cima (a holly). The heart of the rite is represented by the four days of celebration held during the Pentecost and in wich, in occasion of the first day, the Maggio i dragged by the maggiaioli,

with the help of powerful oxen, out of the Montepiano woods.

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The day after, instead, it will be the Cima wich is gonna be felled in the forest of Gallipoli Cognato and then carried on the shoulder by the young and euphoric cimaioli; at the end of the day the Maggio and the Cima

will enter in Accettura simultaneously, but from opposite sides.

Among numerous banquets full of food and wine, we arrive at the third day, dedicated to the procession

of  San Giulianicchio and the preparation of the two "spouses". 

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The climax of the festival will therefore be the fourth and final day, when finally the two trees

will be hoisted together.

The Maggio of Accettura is a sacred tradition for the people of the town, a ritual between the religious

and the pagan awaited throughout the year and wich also represents the opportunity for those

who have emigrated to return to their homeland.