BAGPIPES IN THE SQUARES FOR CHRISTMAS

In some Italian cities, especially in Rome, yhe eternal City, you will see men playing the bagpipes in the city squares. Know as "Zampognari", they are dressed as shepherds. Traditionally, it was the shepherds who would walk from their homes in the mountains to the town squares to collect extra money by playing the bagpipes to entertain.

The word zamponga is etymologically related to the Greek symphōnia (συμφωνία), which means "harmony or agreement of sound"  (from σῠν- syn-, "with, together" + φωνή phōnḗ, "sound") and later to a type of bagpipes. It is related to tsampouna, the Greek island word for the bagpipe (itself a loanword from zampogna), Romanian cimpoi, meaning "symphony" or "many sounds played together", and Georgian čiboni.

This is a tradition based on the legend that shepherds visited and played bagpipes on the night of Jesus' birth. The Zampognari tradition dates back to Roman times, and it's a treat to see it still carried out in Italian cities and hillside towns today. They waars a woolen cape on the vest and a pointed hat.