A long fir pole swaying over the sea, greased and slippery under the bare feet of the contestants. A driving rhythm marked by the roaring applause of the crowd, the whistles, the cries of encouragement and the names of the players shouted into the microphone, echoing across the whole bay. All around, a sea glittering under the warm afternoon sun, a festive jumble of colours on the shoreline and a sequence of improbable dives into the water, one after another.
If you are wondering what to do in Cefalù in August to experience the truest, most authentic soul of the village, the answer is to watch the ’Ntinna a Mari, the centuries-old, thrilling contest on the sea that lights up the old pier every 6 August.
The ’Ntinna a Mari is a centuries-old popular festival whose first edition dates back to 1700 (the oldest historical document attesting to it is dated 1729). It takes place every year on 6 August at the old pier of the Marina, as part of the solemn celebrations dedicated to the Holy Saviour, patron saint of the town of Cefalù.
The event is part of the feast of the Transfiguration, whose celebrations begin as early as 2 August. On this date you can witness a ceremony of great emotional impact: the unfurling of the great Banner of Christ Pantocrator between the two towers of the Basilica-Cathedral, accompanied by the choral ringing of all the town’s bells and the explosion of firecrackers that recall the ancient sound of the bombards.
The challenge of the ‘Ntinna a Mari is a perfect blend of balance, cunning and endurance. The stages of the game follow strict rules handed down over time: a fir pole about 16 metres long (the ‘ntinna) is placed horizontally over the sea (a mari). At the end farthest from the quay a flag bearing the image of Christ Pantocrator is fixed. Here, the secret ingredient is the “sivo”: to make the course a real feat, the surface of the pole is coated with sivo, a material made from animal fat, sardine oil and salt, prepared in the preceding days. Compared with ordinary soap, sivo is less slippery but much more resistant, dense and sticky.
Before the actual competition, the participants make five practice runs, often wearing extravagant or period costumes. In this first phase it is forbidden to grab the flag: it serves the contestants to get used to the pole and gives the audience a moment of pure spectacle. Once the warm-up is over, the pole is coated with sivo again and the challenge officially begins. The contestants follow one another, attempt after attempt, amid slips and spectacular falls, until the most skilful manages to cover the 16 metres and grab the flag.
Deeply felt by the people of Cefalù and thrilling for visitors, the ‘Ntinna a Mari is a truly unmissable summer event. Here are our tips for experiencing it in the best possible way.
