Read Out the Story of Bella Ciao


"Bella ciao" is an Italian protest folk song that originated in the late 19th century, sung by the mondina workers in protest against the harsh working conditions in the paddy fields of North Italy.

Bella ciao was coined by mondina workers in protest against the harsh working conditions in the paddy fields of North Italy which spread like forest fire in italy & parts of europe. Over the years, the updated or evolved version got acceptance which is still functional and we can see them in random movies nowadays. Latest example is There Is No Evil: 2020.

"Bella Ciao" was originally sung as "Alla mattina appena alzata" by seasonal workers of paddy fields of rice. It marked the resistance of Italian partisans against the Nazi German forces occupying Italy, and, during the Italian Civil War, the Italian partisan struggle against the fascist Italian Social Republic and its Nazi German allies.

The workers worked at monda (weeding), the rice fields in northern Italy, to help the healthy growth of young rice plants. It took place during the flooding of the fields, from the end of April to the beginning of June every year, during which the delicate shoots needed to be protected, during the first stages of their development, from temperature differences between the day and the night.

It consisted of two phases:

- Transplanting the plants and,

- Pruning the weeds.


There are interesting facts about bella ciao which are not very popular. Let’s take a look at some of them:-

- Marc Ribot collaborated with Tom Waits to create their own version of Bella Ciao for 2018. It is the first song Tom Waits has done in 2 years.

- “Bella Ciao” is a Italian Communist Song.

- The song was modified and adopted as an anthem of the anti-fascist resistance by the Italian partisans between 1943 and 1945 during the Italian Resistance.

- In 2012, the melody of "Bella ciao" was also adopted with adapted lyrics as a worldwide environmental activist song ("Do it now"), demanding political action against global warming.

- It is banned in Italy because it echoes the harrowing period, in which over 80,000 civilians were killed, that makes Bella Ciao an unwelcome reminder for many Italians.

- Versions of "Bella ciao" are still sung worldwide as an anti-fascist hymn of freedom and resistance.

- The earliest written version is dated 1906 and comes from near Vercelli, Piedmont.

- Besides "Bella ciao", similar songs by the mondina women included "Sciur padrun da li beli braghi bianchi [it]" and "Se otto ore vi sembran poche [it]".


- "Bella Ciao" has been used many times in soundtracks of films. Examples include:

2019: The Two Popes, a biographical film directed by Fernando Meirelles
2020: There Is No Evil, Iranian drama film directed by Mohammad Rasoulof.


Written by - Atul Bihari Chakrawarti

Edited by - Prachi Raheja

 




 

 



 



 

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