Women Break 500-Year Tradition in Garda’s Historic Corporation Election
Perhaps they are not fully aware of it, but their names are destined to go down in history, at least the history referred to as “local.” They are the first women to run for the council of the Corporazione degli antichi originari.
They are called Camilla Monese and Stefania Pasotti. It took five and a half centuries for the “originals” to gain the right to vote in the society that zealously guards the fishing rights acquired in 1452.
Whether Camilla and Stefania will be elected remains unknown, but their candidacy has broken a spell that lasted more than half a millennium. It is also possible that other female candidacies may emerge at the last minute.
The Assembly and Cultural Events
The nearby Corporazione, namely the Gran Consiglio, takes place today under the restaurant tent set up along Garda’s lakeside promenade for Christmas among the olive trees.
It is an important appointment, not only because the council is renewed and women finally get the vote, but also because of a series of cultural events.
The day begins at 11 with the presentation of a small book written by Fabio Gaggia, vice-mayor, but also president of the Corporazione and a renowned historian.
The title seems to be a play on words: “At the Origins of the Corporazione degli antichi originari.” It contains the census of Garda inhabitants in 1448, four years before the fishing rights on the “Peschiera del Vò” were acquired.
It lists 263 people. Some, browsing through the list, may be disappointed: the surnames of the current “original” families are not present. But at that time, surnames did not really exist (only some noble families had them), “therefore”, writes Gaggia, “it is practically impossible to know if those were truly the ancestors of the families that, in subsequent times up to today, are part of the Corporazione.”
“The originals of today?” They are the Boccali, Crescini, Dall’Agnola, Fasoli, Gaggia, Maffezzoli, Malfer, Monese, Pasotti, Ragnolini, Simonelli, and Tondini. Try browsing the phone directory: some of these surnames are very common.
Afternoon Events and Voting
Gaggia’s booklet presentation is not the only cultural activity of the day. In the afternoon, at 3 p.m., Giorgio Vedovelli presents another volume: “Le tavole della pesca” (“The Tables of Fishing”), which contains reproductions of a series of beautiful ancient drawings by Gianfilippi dedicated to nets and fishing tools used on Lake Garda.
It doesn’t end there. There’s also the presentation of a videocassette titled “Pescatori” (“Fishermen”) produced by Gianluigi Miele.
And what about the voting? These begin at noon. Fifteen members of the Consiglio Generale need to be elected, serving a seven-year term.
The current council members are all running again, except for Professor Nereo Maffezzoli, who has been appointed emeritus president of the Corporazione. The council will then appoint the board of originari, which functions somewhat like the leadership of the society: currently, it includes Fabio Gaggia, Gigi Monese (who is the secretary—a role comparable to a CEO in a private company), and Ettorino Malfer, one of the lake’s most well-known fishermen and rowers.
While voting is ongoing, food is also being served. The Cooperativa fra pescatori di Garda will serve continuous fish dishes throughout the day.