Finding Fudduni

Sicilian intangible cultural heritage as a floating signifier

Abstract

This paper examines the memory, identity, and contemporary significance of Petru Fudduni, a semi-legendary Sicilian folk poet of the 17th century, among local people in Palermo. Building upon archival and field research we conducted in January-February 2025, we argue that Fudduni is a ‘floating signifier’ that acquires different meanings depending on the socio-cultural values of the people who remember him and his stories. Ultimately, his legacy sheds light on the different ways local people view Sicilian culture and identity, reflecting at once the different souls and characteristics of Palermo: working class and aristocracy; the sacred and the profane; low culture and high art.