There is no better way to spend Valentine’s Day than by immersing myself in the ancient culture of Roman civilization. On February 14th, I visited the Museo della Civiltà located in Piazza Guglielmo. The museum was grand and consisted of two main buildings: the Palazzo delle Scienze contains collections of prehistoric and early medieval collections, and the Palazzo delle Arti e Tradizioni Popolari, which is home for collections of Italian fork lore and traditions. As we entered the Palazzo delle Arti e Tradizioni Popolari, I noticed many similarities between Italian culture and Dominican Culture. On the day of love, it felt especially meaningful to discover how two completely different cultures across the world can share so many similarities, almost as if they were soulmates.
Our tour guide was an Italian woman born and raised in Calabria. She emphasized that because Italy did not become a united country until the 1861, many regions have their own dialects. In fact, there were so different, that if you moved just one town over, you might have to learn Italian all over again. This stuck with me as a person who is multilingual. It reminded me of the different types of Spanish that exist, yet we are all still able to understand one another. This really came into perspective when I visited Naples the following weekend and found myself unable to understand a single word the locals spoke to me.
The miniature towers shown above are hand-made structures used in various Italian Folk Festivals. They were built by artisans to reflect on craftmanship, devotion, and community identity. Most notably, the famous Macchine di Santa Rosa from Viterbo is a huge, multi-story ceremonial structure—around 20-30 meters tall. The tour guide explained how it was carried on the shoulders of dozens of men as it was transported through the streets during a religious festival. It was believed that if one suffers for a day by carrying the structure, it will bring blessings, protection, and good fortune. This ritual was a form of sacrifice that was seen as an offering of devotion.
Along with festivals, Carnivals are also a major part of Italy culture Il Carnevale di Mamolada is one of the most iconic expressions of Sardinian tradition. Its central characters are the Mamuthones, who wear dark sheep hides and wear wooden masks with exaggerated, grotesque features.
Meanwhile, the Issoadores wear white anthropomorphic masks, linen shirts, red jackets, and white trousers. The parade follows a strict structure: The Mamuthones, led by the Issoadores, march with rhythmic gait making their bells ring out loudly. The Issoadores “capture” the audience with a long rope.
Seeing the images of the Mamuthones and Issoadores in the Museo delle Civiltà reminded me of the Dominican Republic’s Diablo Cojuelo. Both cultural carnivals use masks, costumes, and physical interaction with the audience to express cultural identity, yet they do so in distinctive ways. In Mamoiada, the Issoadores capture people with ropes as a symbolic gesture of inclusion and good fortune. Meanwhile, in the Dominican carnival, the Diablo Cojuelo hits spectators with a vejiga, a dried cow bladder, as part of a playful ritual. Today, la vejiga is usually made of rubber. Although one tradition is solemn, and the other is vibrant, both connect with the community and illustrate inclusion by making the audience part of the festivities. They reflect on the past while blending history with the present.
My favorite Italian tradition must be the Sicilian carts that told stories through paintings long before many people knew how to read. In both Dominican and Sicilian culture, colors are not just decorations but storytellers. Los Diablo Cojuelos use intense color and patterns to express the mixed cultural heritage between of African, Indigenous Taíno, and Spanish ancestors. Meanwhile, Sicilian cart paintings told stories of saints and miracles, knights and battles, and local legends with heroic tales. Both traditions celebrate artworks that celebrate history, stories, and collective pride.
If you’re also interested in learning about ancient Roman artifacts and culture, check out the Temple Rome program page to get started on your study abroad journey!