Portella della Ginestra, near Piana degli Albanesi

In Sicily there are beautiful places to visit because of the nature expresses itself in all its charm and people have left traces of great value.

Places by sea, the beaches. Mountains that seem to draw in the sky, there are many archaeological sites, temples and theaters. And the big cities where churches, theaters, palaces, gardens, expose us the passing of history.

Then there are places significant because tell us about the life and unfortunately also the death of those who have tried to change the course of history, trying to assert positive values and to reappropriate their own destiny.

The place I will tell about here is Portella della Ginestra, a land in the province of Palermo near Piana degli Albanesi.
It is a beautiful silent valley, there are not homes. Everything is covered with a carpet of green grass, with flowers of different types, from the tiny red amaranth,

to those that appear yellow enamelled inside. Cereal wild, sometimes twigs dried thorny. The valley is marked by white rocks that seem sheeps when resting. And then red rock cliffs that seem immersed in a green sea .

In this valley there are voices of struggle, but also of pain.
Portella della Ginestra fact is known for the tragedy that occurred on 1th of May 1947, shortly after the war, when for the first time since the end of the fascist regime, people could celebrate again the day of workers.

Many workers, especially farmers, gathered there to demonstrate against the landowners, for the employment of land, and to celebrate their day, but suffered a cowardly ambush, lots of gusts from miter hidden behind the rocks, they left on that field dead and wounded, including children and adolescents.

I'll not to tell here the different assumptions about the performers and especially the sponsors of this crime, because so many better than me are occupied about this in the years, and because this episode is still partly shrouded by the mystery because involves powers and situations too complex and intertwined with each other. But one thing is certain, that when in the course of its history the bests among Sicilians, workers, honest, on many occasions with many women on the front lines, have sought to reappropriate their lives, to rebel against oppression , to raise his head, the power of the state and "power" of local criminal were allies against them , all together to stop those who wanted and could build a better future.

Now every 1 May Day, people goes again in that green field to demonstrate, and try not to forget the dream and hope of those who tried to change the future.