As soon as one crosses the bridge, when walking from the historical centre to Corso Piave (or, in the opposite direction, enters into town through the San Martino Hamlet), one immediately perceives the contrast between the two zones. The bridge, almost a border with barrier and toll, once totally shrouded in the smoke of steam engines, symbolically separates two worlds and makes this hamlet seem more of a hamlet than the others.

The inhabitants of this area, located outside the city walls, used to say «Andoma an Alba», (we are going to Alba), while the Albesi used to say “andoma an Piémont” (we are going to Piedmont) whenever they crossed the river Tanaro into the Roero.
The Smoke Hamlet is at the junction of Corso Piave and Corso Europa, an area that used to belong to the Camparia del Vivaro (District of Vivaro), one of the seven Camparie into which the territories outside the town precinct were divided.

The coat of arms, designed in 1967, reproduces a quartered shield with the four symbols of the hamlet: the smoking chimney, for which it is named, refers to the numerous brick kilns present in the area from the times of the Roman Republic. (The archaeological finds of bricks in the hamlet between the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century bear witness thereof); the sun, the star, the dragon; the tinctures are red and gold. Of the four symbols only the dragon has no historical meaning: it was chosen to represent the character of the people and is an indication of rashness and strength. In any case, no other sign could best describe a people who, because they lived outside the city walls, were more exposed to the dangers of raids and enemy incursions. We can therefore understand that in the course of time the inhabitants developed a proud, hard working, resourceful and mistrusting character, but not the aggressiveness that their all-time antagonist hamlets ascribes to them. In effect, it is only a question of wanting to be considered on the same level as the more central hamlets which, by sheer luck, enjoy the benefits of the city’s facilities.

Instead, the other three symbols were chosen on the basis of careful historical motivations; the meaning of which, known to only a chosen few, has helped to create the aura of mystery the authors had strived for: the sun and the stars recalling the pilgrimages to the Benedictine Abbey of Saints Cassiano and Frontiniano, and to the more famous abbeys in France and Spain.
The hamlet began is activities in 1967, the year the first Palio was run after a long break. The villagers, who had started from scratch, can today proudly claim to have laid the ground for one of Albas’s most representative hamlets.
The vastness of the territory, plus the irregular development of the city fabric caused some problem and it was no easy task to manage and integrate newcomers in such an expanding scenario, or to accept their cultural diversity without dispersing the characteristics of the locals and their original traditions.

Over the years all of the premises chosen as seat of the Hamlet of Smoke have been equally important: the Piave Bar, c/o the Berutti Bros. Furniture Factory; the Felice Bonari Wine Cellars, Casa Barbero in Via Damiano Chiesa and the present offices in Via Fabio Filzi c/o Casa Tezzo

The hamlet also counts upon a large number of extremely dedicated, very young and very talented flag-wavers and musicians. Ms Marita Marolo, who has been President of the hamlet since 1983, explains that “… one of the main features of the hamlet is that each member of the committee specialises in the making of either costumes, jewellery, arms, medieval settings, woodwork and all things connected with the preparation of the historical pageants and events. On Medieval Day we also demonstrate our outstanding ability with food and wine. Moreover, the Group of Flag-Wavers and Musicians, made up of children and youths is particularly active”.

Victories: 1947, 1948, 1968, 1970.

borgodelfumo@libero.it
http://www.albain.com/borgodelfumo