The Focare - The “focare” or “focareddhre” is celebrated only on the 19th of March in honour of St Joseph, but the customs change from area to area. The celebration ends with burning a great bonfire, which traditionally, uses up all the wood that was not used up during the winter months. The celebration is extremely symbolic with purification rites associated with pagan worship and which the church then attributed to St Joseph. Tradition has it that the saint should not be left without food and drink during the burning and so typical dishes are prepared and enjoyed, making this a popular festival. The “focara” also has another meaning, that of celebrating the new, and is held on the 17th January in honour of St Anthony when the people of Salento celebrate this rich spectacle.

The Quaremma - The “Quaremma” or Caremma (from the French Careme, or in other words, Lent) is a straw puppet dressed in black mourning clothes. By popular tradition, Lent represents the wife of Carneval and appears on the terraces of people’s houses when Mardi Gras (Shrove Tuesday) is finished and her husband is dead. The puppet is partly visible on the terrace when Lent begins with its long period of abstinence and penitence preceding the Easter celebration. The puppet traditionally, holds a spindle and rod in her hands, symbols of hard work and past times. At her feet is an orange into which are stuck 7 feathers, one for every week of abstinence and sacrifice leading up to Easter day. When Easter arrives these are then all burnt on the terrace. The fire purifies and renews the life cycle year after year.

The cuddhrura - During the Lent period, a type of sweet bread is made. It is prepared in the week leading up to Easter day and is eaten on Easter Sunday or Monday. It is a sweetbread, decorated with dried raisins and comes in various shapes such as baskets, puppets, dolls or hearts. Their future husbands give the heart as a gift to young maidens.