The influence of the Giants of Messina in Calabria

The link with the feast of Messina is also demonstrated by a recent story. There is evidence, in fact, that a plumber (a restorer and builder of giants) a native of Messina, who moved to Calabria, to San Leo di Briatico, contributed significantly to the spread of the festive giants. In his version of the legend, however, the union between the two giants ends badly, with the killing of Grifone, shot with the sling of a shepherd (the new David) and Mata’s suicide. This story could be indicative of a different genealogy of the Sicilian giants, similar to that of many northern European puppets, born to represent the “game of David and Goliath”. As can be imagined, there are myths and legends which undergo continuous revision, which are strongly influenced by the stories of Messina but with their own history.