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THE CART RACE |
  
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| Just as at San Martino in Pensilis, the excited participation of the people in the cart race at Portocannone is extraordinary. The day of the cart race is looked forward to all year long.
The whole town feels involved in the event and many emigrants return for this happy occasion. No one feels excluded and the atmosphere loaded with excitement and tension can be felt in all the streets of the town, where the air is almost unreal. The oxen race along, urged on by many horsemen who surround them and incite them to go faster and faster. These moments of elation fill the souls of the spectators, transforming their initial curiosity into real participation. There is more to the event than the spectacular nature of the cart race; the explosion of the life and strength of the oxen is mingled with historic evocation and the flavour of childhood memories. At Portocannone, the cart race is held on Whit Monday to celebrate the Madonna of Constantinople. The preparation, training and decoration of each cart involve a cost of several million Lire, a considerable drain on the resources of the supporters.
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