OUR TOWN: PLATACI

Plataci is located at an altitude of 950 meters above sea level and surface area of ​​50.38 km ². The inhabitants are ethnic arbëreshë, and still preserve the ancient language, customs and traditional Greek-Byzantine rite.
Plataci is an agricultural center of the eastern group of Pollino, overlooking the plain of Sybaris and the Ionian Sea. In ancient it was a village of  Cerchiara municipality(Plattici and Plataci); the name may be derived from "Platania" (Plataci forest). The Albanian refugees would settle around 1476 in the existing Cerchiara farmhouse that probably was abandoned during the earthquake of 1456.

 It is part of the Italo-Albanian communities and the Eparchy of Lungro.
From August 5 to 21 there are various traditional and cultural events: lighting of bonfires, the ecological excursion day  to  Sparviere Mountain with a height of 1713 meters, painting, sculpture and antiquities, local artists. Interestingly, the recovery of the traditional wedding procession to the sound of the bagpipe or organ with the dressing of the traditional Albanian gala costumes  by relatives or friends of the bride. Very interesting, in fact, is the arbëresh traditional costume, worn by women. Special mention deserves the feast of Our Lady of Constantinople or dell'Odigitria, which is celebrated in Spring, on Tuesday after Pentecost and the first Tuesday in November, very much felt among the population for meanings not only religious but also social and propitious. On June 24 we celebrate St. John the Baptist, patron saint of the country. Striking is the feast of San Rocco, with great participation of the citizenry. Cultural activity is active, interesting is the Festival of the Little Singers Arbëreshë (Festivalin the Këngëtarëvet të vegjël Arbëreshë), where they perform traditional Albanians songs.

The Typical Alabnian dress of Plataci

The female costume platacese, like every other element dell'ingente and precious cultural heritage of Albania, has great significance in itself a socio-anthropological, is an important identification with their folk tradition and reinforces a strong link with the Diaspora. It also manages to magically make the wearer stand out in so many aspects that contribute to grasp charm, pride, elegance and a touch of vanity which characterize the multifaceted personality of the Oriental woman, who loves to become a subject of admiration. Significant is the time of dressing that provides an interesting and complex ritual, since needs of many preparations which enliven the occasion.
This ceremony, once, was accompanied by songs, many of which were wedding, for weddings by friends and relatives who helped her to get dressed, because the woman until the end of last century was combined with the Albanian dress.
The custom of marriage consisted of a tiara with ribbon or red ribbon to the last used during the war, with a veil covering the whole face of the bride: both were worn on the head. Sometimes they used the characteristic fringed scarf. The bodice is made with a fine damask fabric and worked with threads of gold ornaments or naturalistic reliefs of gold, with gold bands on the back of a gallon. For special occasions they were also made of velvet fabric, plain or embroidered with fanciful ornaments, whose colors varied, as in today's costumes, from light purple to dark purple, from light blue to dark. Even the sleeves were decorated and cuffs trimmed with gold gallon more. The white linen shirt, trimmed with lace that, most of all, embellished wedding gown, continues to accompany the other day costume, still worn by a few of the old town, which consists of a white handkerchief, from bodice and a skirt of cotton or linen with wrinkles