R.B RUKELI E BILLY

R.B RUKELLI AND BILLY
On Wednesday the 6th of March a spectacle took place in the unconsecrated Church of this correctional facility, to commemorate “memory day”, which involved the group comprising students of both the surveying and hotel management courses, together with the Picc Nicc group, made up of students of ITCG Niccolini, under the attentive supervision of Prof. Alessandro Togoli.
Femi, an inmate, presented the bottom line theme of the show with a short introductory speech followed by a song based on discrimination, outcasting, racism that characterized not only the nazi-fascist ideology, but also the segregation of the red Indians. Scenes based on two true life stories were acted.
“My name is Johann, but everybody calls me Rukeli, the tree, in my language. A tree as strong as oak that withstands wind and tempest. Heat and cold”.
The first scene was taken from one of Dario Fo’s books based on the life of Johann, a Sinti gypsy boxer in Germany during Hitler’s regime, excluded from the Olympics, subsequently confined in Dakau and killed by an SS officer.
The world is one big circle
Circle of the sun
Circle of the stars
Circle of the moon
Circle of the earth
Circle of my people, my tribe,
My village, my family, my wife
My children.

The second scene narrates the story of a native American who grew up in a reserve in South Dakota. William Mervin Mills had a passion for running, but none of his coaches considered him a potential champion just because of his origin. Consequently he developed lack of trust for the whites, until a white coach took him under his guidance, encouraging and spurring him till he participated in the 1964 Olympic games in Tokyo.
Two similar and opposite stories contemporary, backed by musical themes composed by Julian and Femi.
Ever welcomed guests , Etruschi from Lakota entertained the spectators at intervals with some of Fabrizio De Andrè’s tracks. The musical group from Volterra also played a monologue titled “Vergogna” (Shame) written by Prof. Alessandro Togoli for the occasion.
The entire drama scenes were immortalized with snap shots taken by Anna Rosa Biserni.
There will be a repeat performance of the show in April, thanks to availabity and collaboration of the Director Doctor Maria Grazia Giampiccolo , the educators and entire surveillance personnel.