Mattanza: Love and Death in the Sea of Sicily - Theresa Maggio

This is a wonderfully potent book detailing the history of one of the most enthralling acts known to fishermen the world round. Maybe not for the faint hearted, the mattanza is the ritual of killing the gigantic blue fin tuna that swim into the Mediterranean to spawn once a year. They are herded into giant causeways of nets leading finally into the chamber of Death, whereby the net is drawn in by hand and the tuna taken by fishermen with nothing more than hooks and gaffs. The book captures the drama of this moment where up to 8 men are needed to haul a fish which may weigh in excess of half a ton from the water with their bare hands. Risking certain death should ...