Urbanities,
Vol. 4
·
No 2
·
November 2014
© 2014
Urbanities
22
Piazza Duomo naturally channels the oblivious passer-by in the direction of La
Pescheria, one of Catania’s historical markets
3
(see Map on p. 34). From the square, the
marketplace is not yet visible, as it is hidden by the Anemano’s fountain.
4
However, when the
wind blows it is difficult to avoid the smell of fish, especially during the warmer seasons.
Walking in the direction of the fountain, one can hear the increasing noise of the market,
made up mainly of voices, but also of the butcher’s cleavers chopping through bones in the
meat quarters, or the fishermen’s scabbards slicing off the heads of tuna or swordfish. The
noise, the smell and the general movement of people combine to indicate the presence of the
market. This makes it impossible for a casual visitor to be in Catania without becoming aware
of the market.
On approaching the market, one is mesmerized by an array of colours. On both sides,
there are stalls with vegetables and fruit and one is immediately struck by the smells of the
marketplace. It is easy to recognise the season from the predominant colour across the market
stalls: during summer, piles of nectarines, peaches and apricots are displayed; oranges,
mandarins and lemons dominate the scene in winter. If tasting is the enjoyment of the gaze
(Le Breton 2007: 338), this is the visitor’s first bite into a flavoursome market.
The present discussion is informed by ethnographic material collected during an 18-
month fieldwork conducted between 2008 and 2009. It is further augmented by many
subsequent visits to Catania and its marketplaces. The central purpose is to analyse the shift of
Catania’s historical market, La Pescheria,
5
from a place where most daily practices were left
to the discretion of the stallholders, to a structure in which vendors deal with bureaucracy,
taxes and rules, and which is managed mainly by the council. Like many other city dwellers,
my informants describe La Pescheria as a market for the lower classes. During the interviews,
many vendors referred to themselves and to the people of the market as
gente bassa
(low
volcanic stone elephant, probably sculptured during the Roman era, with an Egyptian obelisk (Alfieri
2007). There are many legends about the elephant. Some people explained to me that it faces east to
scare off the Turks; others that it symbolises protection from the threat of the volcano.
3
Upon entering the city, signposts indicate the location of the two historical markets:
‘mercati storici’
(historical markets) the sign reads, clearly visible on the way to town from the airport. It is not difficult
to grasp the symbolic importance of these markets. La Pescheria and the
Fera du’ Luni
are located in
the city centre, about 500 meters from each other. In spite of their similarities, they encountered very
different destinies. Whilst
La Pescheria
remained a ‘traditional’ market run by Sicilians and connected
to what is regarded as ‘traditional’ food, the
Fera du’ Luni
has incorporated new social actors such as
immigrants from different countries, who have brought new elements also from a gastronomic point of
view.
Fera du’ Luni
is somehow more similar to other Italian urban markets, such as Piazza Vittorio in
Rome or Porta Palazzo in Turin.
4
This
fountain was sculptured by Tito Angelini in 1867. Its name,
Funtana dill’acqua a linzolu
(the
fountain of the sheet water), derives from an optical illusion whereby the water seems to flow onto the
marble like a soft white sheet (Alfieri 2007). The official name of the fountain is Fontana
dell’Amenano, Amenano being the name of an underground river flowing underneath the city centre.
The river becomes visible under the fountain and draws the eye to the bowels of the city.
5
‘
Pescheria’ generally means fish shop, but in Catania La Pescheria (
Piscaria
in the local dialect)
identifies the fish market. In spite of its name, the market does not sell fish only, but all sorts of food.
