Italy Christmas-Zampognari

Zampognari are shepherds from around Rome, Molise, Puglia, Abruzzo who in the winter would go town to town and play their bagpipes in front of homes.

The word Zampognari comes from zampogna ("bagpipe"). A player is called a zampognaro ("bagpipe-player"). So the plural is a Zampognari.

December in Italy is the time to welcome the holiday season while the sheep are safely indoors so the Zamognari teams of shepherds head to play their music for the people in Italy's towns and villages. The Zampognari are a part of the Italian holiday traditions.

This video of Zampognari was filmed recently by Italian Broadcasting Company telly Italy website www.WebVisionItaly.com. The Italian Christmas tradition continues today in modern Italy.

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